Fiesta Ware’S First Issue Most Valuable

* Dear Collector: This partial set of Fiesta is my mother’s, but we are not sure what year she bought them. She is now 91, so we think it could have been in the 1940s or ‘50s. Could you please help us put a price on them?

Fiesta dinnerware was introduced in 1936 by the Homer Laughlin China Company of East Liverpool, Ohio. Originally available in only five colors: red, dark blue, brilliant yellow, green, and ivory (with turquoise added in 1938).

Homer Laughlin has brought this popular ware back into production several times with many new colors, but astute collectors shop for the first issue colors, with red and cobalt bringing the highest prices.

All goods are easy to recognize due to the unique forms and colors used, plus most wares were usually marked with the company’s name and the word “Fiesta.”

Since your list included many items of various colors (which space doesn’t permit me to enumerate), I’d suggest you hie yourself off to your local library and peruse one of the many fine reference books on Fiesta that I’m sure line the shelves of that admirable repository.

Here’s a few titles to start you off: “The Farmer’s Wife Fiesta Inventory” and “Price Guide” by Linda Farmer, or Bob and Sharon Huxford’s “The Collector’s Encyclopedia of Fiesta.”

* Dear Collector: I have a hockey stick, signed by the players of the Chicago Black Hawks team of 1968: Stan Mikita, Pit Martin, etc. Can you tell me what it is worth?

If the Black Hawks had won the Stanley Cup in 1968 (Montreal was the winner that year, and winning teams command more money on the autograph market), your stick would be worth more than the current value of $100-$150. But you do have a Hockey Hall of Fame member, and one of my favorite all-time players, Stan Mikita’s autograph. The longer you hold onto this stick, the more likely it is to increase in value.

* Dear Collector: I have had two pieces of “Actress” glass for many years. One is a small sauce dish with a portrait of Fanny Davenport etched on the bottom. The other is a larger compote on a stand, again with an etching of Fanny Davenport. Would they be of any value?

Actress or Theatrical glass was made by several American makers during the 1870s, and featured prominent actresses and other women, plus stage play and operetta titles such as “Romeo and Juliet” and “HMS Pinafore.” Usually frosted or clear, with some pieces in color (these fetching a higher price), Actress glass compotes, such as you described, can go for more than $200, while your sauce dish is worth about $20 to $30. Since you didn’t mention any colors I’ll assume that your glass is of the frosted variety, and the prices I quoted are for that type.

Fanny Lily Gypsy Davenport (1850-1898) was a London-born American actress, who starred in, among other plays, “Cleopatra,” “Tosca” and “Fedora.”

* Dear Collector: What is the value of a book in Spanish whose title is “Lo Que el Viento Se Llevo”?

Still one of the most popular books ever written, no matter which language it appears in, “Gone With the Wind” has been translated into dozens of tongues. Obviously the printing date is an important factor in determining the value of any book, but unfortunately, you omitted that information, so I’ll have to ballpark your book at around $10.

Remember, when writing, the more information you can provide (markings, dates, sizes, colors, condition, etc.), the better I can answer your question. A photo is best, but a neat drawing can help, too. Sorry, photos cannot be returned and will become the property of The Collector. We cannot provide personal replies; selected letters will be answered in this column.