Porcelain marks, written in alphabets other than the modern alphabet familiar to Americans, are always difficult to decipher. The marks on Asian, Russian and other porcelains were so confusing that… ...

Dear Helaine and Joe:I bought this mug/cup at an estate sale. It is marked with an "M" inside a wreath and "Nippon." The thing that has me stumped is the large hole in the bottom.Why is the there ...

In her instructive book, "Van Patten's ABC's of Collecting Nippon Porcelain" ($29.95, Collector Books), Joan Van Patten writes that the ceramics were made in Japan from 1891 to 1921.