FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We love to hear from Royal Bayreuth (RB) fans - and welcome your comments and questions. Below is an overview of popular questions:
1) How much is my piece worth? We cannot provide appraisals thru the website - that would not be fair to anyone. Prices can range from $5 to $15,000 US dollars. Past "book values" are no longer good guides. There have been several large collections on the market recently. To get a idea of current value, check eBay and LiveAuctioneers (links below). Once you have a free account you can lookup sold prices for RB - a valuable FREE resource!
2) Why is there little mention of dinnerware? There are two categories of dinnerware;
- Vintage that is often in a blue motif and quite collectible
- Modern (1920s on up) that is generally of less interest
3) Where can I buy a plate to match my dinnerware service or obtain a value of a dinnerware piece? One of the best sources to illustrate modern Royal Bayreuth dinnerware - or to obtain additional place settings is: Replacements Ltd.
4) I found a piece I really like - how many more are out there? The RB Artists were very prolific and creative - new pieces are found each year sparking debate amongst seasoned collectors. They made many different sizes and colors of most designs. Many pieces are attributed to Royal Bayreuth, but are not RB. You can usually tell by the light weight, texture, sound & translucence of the porcelain, plus attention to detail of the artistry and mark. In addition to what you may find on eBay & LiveAuctioneers, here is an introductory page showing a tiny portion of what has been sold at our club auctions.
5) How old is my piece/what do marks mean? RB has been making porcelain for over 200 years - and knock-offs are being made today in China. To understand the true age of a piece you need to touch, feel, and hear old porcelain. Most shops/sellers will not allow that - but during our annual convention you will learn how to identify the good from the bad! The majority of figural RB pieces were sold from 1890 - 1920s, so chances are your piece is about 100 years old. The "1794" shown on the mark is when the works was founded (not the age of your piece). Marks on the bottom will help date the piece. Generally, green marks were used from 1885 to 1902, blue marks (the most common) were used from 1902 until the late 1920s. There can be many other marks found on your RB - a good guide is HERE.
6) Was Royal Bayreuth porcelain made in the German city of Bayreuth? The city of Bayreuth is famous for many things - usually related to music - but cannot claim production of our favorite porcelain. RB Porcelain was made in the city of Tettau Germany. Königlich privilegierte Porzellanmanufaktur Tettau is the factory in Tettau Germany that made "Old Tettau Blue" pieces (usually marked by a stylized "T") and pieces we collect marked "Royal Bayreuth". After WWII dinnerware marked "Royal Bayreuth" were produced in other factories (but not in the city of Bayreuth). A good guide to the timeline & marks is HERE.
"Royal Bayreuth" was added to the marks on porcelain produced in the Tettau factory after the 1897 fire that destroyed it. History seems to be lost as to why. We know that each new owner changed the mark. Perhaps the factory wanted a fresh beginning after the fire so added "Royal Bayreuth" to their new line of decorative ware. "Royal" could have come from the royal sanction the factory received in 1794. "Bayreuth" may have been added as acknowledgement that the science used to create the fine white porcelain was promoted by Alexander von Humbolt a resident of Bayreuth.
7) Do you want to buy my collection/pieces - or can you help me sell my inherited collection? It would not be fair for the website contacts to buy from such offers.
The first step to sell a collection is to make a list. This can be a lot of work for large collections packed away in multiple boxes - but is really necessary to support sales of RB in any manner. The list should be on a computer (software doesn't matter) since hand written lists are difficult to work with.
It is best if you can find each piece in one of the recognized RB books (a list of books is HERE) and use that description and reference in your list.
It is important to have color, and height/diameter noted to distinguish between items (i.e. is it a creamer, milk, water, or lemonade pitcher? ; -). It is also important to note any damage or repairs. A photo of each piece, with something like a coin in the picture to show scale, helps sell it but is not mandatory.
Keeping any old sales tags, marks, receipts, or related materials with the pieces, plus a brief bio of the collector, gives provenance and human interest to the collection.
Sales channels - here are some thought starters:
a) Sell directly to club members via our newsletter. Join the club and we can work with you to tune-up your list and place it in our newsletter (3 issue per year) and on our website. Then we will share the list with all RBCC members in regular email announcements and in the newsletters.
b) Sell online (i.e. eBay or Ruby Lane) - very tedious to manage listings and shipping - but can yield some good results...
c) Work with a professional auction house to sell all pieces at once. The recognized leader is Woody’s Auctions in Douglass Kansas or look for a reputable Auctioneer in your area. Professional auctioneers will sell in-real-life and online simultaneously – usually on a service called “LiveAuctioneers” (sign up for a free account to see current & past sales of almost anything).
d) Join our Facebook page HERE and post what you have for sale (or want to buy). If selling; include a sell price or "taking offers". Include what country (and zip code in the USA) you are shipping from. This helps buyers estimate shipping charges. Also note if you are willing to ship internationally.
e) Donate some or all to a local charity auction. You may need to share some tips from this website to help them understand the value and quality of the Royal Bayreuth you donate….
8) How do I tell real RB from copies? As far as dinnerware, I have not heard of a copied piece - but they could exist. If you can match the pattern and marks at Replacements Ltd it is most likely a real piece of RB Dinnerware.
Figural pieces, on the other hand, have many versions in circulation. Many makers sold popular pieces such as tomatoes, flowers, fruit, devil/cards, salt & peppers, animals, and the like. Typically these were ceramic (not fine porcelain), heavy, not translucent, lacked detail, and do not "ring". Fine porcelain should "ring" when gently tapped with your fingernail. Cracked/repaired porcelain and ceramics will have more of a thud sound (practice on your lowest value pieces first ; -)
In the 1940s-1970s ceramic copies were often made in Japan and are commonly found today. In the 1990s, RB itself re-released devil & card tankards which are well marked as limited editions. Porcelain flower pitchers appeared a few years ago in gift catalogs that look confusingly similar to RB but are not marked.
Fake RB stamps are easy to make and known to exist, so some copied pieces may carry an RB mark, and some real RB left the factory unmarked.
So the best way to tell is through experience - buy more RB and compare it!
9) Where can I learn more? A good article is HERE. Otherwise, the best source would be the books written by longtime member Mary McCaslin. Those are packed with info - visit out links page for details of those and other books HERE. Attending a convention is a must for any RB fan - watch the Facebook page for updates about the next convention.
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CONTACTS
Website & Newsletter: editor@royalbayreuth.org
GENERAL LINKS
Revised: July 27, 2023
