Q: This is a photo of an old Jewel Tea Company bowl and pitcher set. A friend whose husband worked for the company many years ago informed me this is the original bowl and pitcher from before it added the famous leaf pattern. Marked on the bottom of each piece are the words "Hall Superior Quality Kitchenware — Made in USA."

What can you tell me about this set?

A: Hall China Company made your pitcher and mixing bowl set. Robert Hall founded his factory in 1903 in East Liverpool, Ohio. In 1933, the Jewel Tea Company made an arrangement with Hall China Company to produce a line of kitchenware and dinnerware. Each dish was decorated with the yellow, tan, brown and peach colored leaf pattern. In the beginning, it was called "Autumn," and eventually it became known as "Autumn Leaf." Jewel Tea Company evolved from founder Frank Vernon Skiff recognizing the need for coffee to be sold directly to the consumer. In 1899, he began delivering his coffee, and he was soon including other basic staples offered to homemakers. The "Autumn Leaf" pattern line proved to be a huge success. Dinnerware, tea pots, coffee pots, mixing bowls, pitchers, butter dishes, saltshakers and pepper shakers, baking dishes and refrigerator containers were just of the plethora of "Autumn Leaf" pattern line. The pattern was discontinued in 1976, and Jewel Tea Company closed in 1981.

Your bowl and pitcher were made around 1933, and the set might be worth $50 to $75.

Q: I have a large water or milk porcelain pitcher that is decorated with a dark-blue pattern against a white background and trimmed with gold. It has been passed down in our family for generations and is in excellent condition. The enclosed mark on the bottom of the pitcher is also dark-blue.

Can you tell us anything about the maker, age and value of our pitcher?

A: La Belle China Company made your pitcher. In 1879, Wheeling Pottery Company was founded. In 1887, it formed La Belle Pottery Company. It made decorated china and utilitarian ware. In 1889, the two companies joined together. La Belle Pottery also produced flow blue ware, dinnerware and Virginia Girl plates. Your pitcher is an example of flow blue china.

It was made around 1900 and would probably be worth $150 to $300.

"Autumn Leaf" pattern kitchen and dinnerware was made for Jewel Tea Company.

La Belle China Company was part of Wheeling Pottery Company.

Address your questions to Anne McCollam, P. O. Box 247, Notre Dame, IN 46556. Items of a general interest will be answered in this column. Due to the volume of inquiries, she cannot answer individual letters. To find out more about Anne McCollam and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.