Antiques & Collecting: Puzzle pitcher

This elaborately decorated puzzle pitcher was made in Budapest, Hungary. In 1839, Moritz Fischer bought a factory that had been operating in Herend, Hungary, since 1826.

He started making dinner sets for Hungarians because the old sets from Europe and the Far East were no longer available. The company started making figurines in the 1870s.

At the turn of the century, Jeno, Moritz Fischer’s grandson, took over the company, revived the old patterns and made new ones. Fischer Co. was nationalized in 1948.

Another company named Herend started importing Herend china into the United States in 1957. Herend was privatized in 1993 and is still working making Hungarian-style ceramics.

Just how old is this traditional puzzle jug marked “Fischer J Budapest?” In Hungarian, surnames are written first, and I and J are the same. The Fischer J in the mark stands for Ignac Fischer, a distant relative of Moritz, who trained with his father and later with Moritz.

In 1867, Ignac started making his own ceramics that were similar to those made at the Zsolnay factory. Around 1895, Ignac Fischer’s company became part of the Zsolnay factory in Pecs. The mark on the puzzle jug was used from about 1867 to about 1895, even though the pieces look much older.

Can you tell me the approximate value of old newspapers and magazines? I have the full copy of The New York Times newspaper from Saturday April 15, 1865, with the headline “Awful Event, President Lincoln Shot by an Assassin,” as well as a newspaper of Kennedy’s assassination. I also have old Playboy magazines from the 1950s to 1970s.

Old newspapers covering major events, like the assassinations of Lincoln and Kennedy, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby, the sinking of the Titanic, the San Francisco earthquake and other major catastrophes, sell for the highest prices.

The front page of the April 15, 1865, New York Times sold at auction for $450 last year. A copy of the same issue, with eight pages, sold for $1,200 three years ago.

Most Playboy magazines sell for only a couple of dollars. A collection of 30 magazines sold for $76.

But beware, many copies have been made of the famous newspapers. Old newspapers yellow and fall apart unless properly stored.

Current Prices

Sconce, 12-light, patinated brass, flowers, upright arms, unmarked, attributed to C. Jere, 1970, 35 x 20 inches, $65.

McCoy jardiniere and pedestal, slip decorated yellow daffodils, shaded brown ground, 31 x 13 1/2 inches, $235.

Sewing box, coromandel wood, inlaid, leaves, flowers, central medallion, c. 1810, $760.

Beatles, bracelet, presentation, plate engraved "ognir rats," Roman lettering, chain link, 14K gold, 1978, 7 inches, $1,280.