Rare lobster-shaped humidor worth at least $850
Some of Royal Bayreuth's most famous pieces are tablewares in animal forms
By Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson
Scripps Howard News Service
Dear Helaine and Joe: This "crawfish" has been in our family for many, many years. Originally, it belonged to my great-grandfather and I don't know when he acquired it. I remember seeing it as a child and wondering what it was and why anyone would want such a hideous looking thing to store cookies. I am unsure if that is what it was actually for, but that is what my grandmother always had in it. It is marked "Royal Bayreuth." Could you tell me the age, function and value, if any, of this piece?
- M. C. Leon, Iowa
Dear M. C.: Nestled in the Thuringia Forest of Bavaria there is a small town called Tettau. There, in 1794, the king of Prussia, Frederick William II, granted a "privilege" to the newly established porcelain makers that allowed them to use the name "royal" when describing their products.
More specifically, Tettau is actually located in the Mountain Department of Bayreuth and today the world knows these products as "Royal Bayreuth." Part of their mark usually reads "priv 1794" or "konigl pr. Tettau" (for "king's privilege Tettau"), and this refers to this important royal grant.
Over the years Royal Bayreuth has produced a myriad of different products, but some of their most famous were tablewares such as pitchers, jars and mustard pots in the shape of animals, flowers, fruit, vegetables and people. At first glance, these objects may look rather quirky, but collectors are intensely interested in these novelty items, which were produced from about 1885 to the beginning of World War I.
Find a water pitcher shaped like a squirrel, and you have found something worth around $7,000. Find a cream-sized pitcher shaped like a kangaroo, and you have found something worth more than $6,000. Some other Royal Bayreuth figural pieces are currently flirting with the $10,000 level, but most items sell for much less than this - in the $150 to $450 range.
The piece in today's question is not a "crawfish," but is part of a large grouping of items generally called "lobster."
Joe's mother used to say, "It's so ugly, it's cute!" and that phrase certainly applies to these pieces with their beady eyes, drooping antennae and large, vicious-looking claws.
Royal Bayreuth items shaped like lobsters include milk, water and cream pitchers; celery dishes, mustard pots, salt dips, salt and pepper shakers and candy dishes.
There is also a rather large (7-1/2 inches high) covered jar that M.C.'s grandmother used as a cookie jar. But that was not its original purpose. The clue is that it once belonged to great-grandfather, and this piece's intended use was to be a tobacco humidor.
For the most part, Royal Bayreuth lobster-shaped items are fairly plentiful and not very expensive. The humidor, however, is the rarest of the lot and should be valued between $850 and $1,000.
