Q: This is a photo of a violin with the original case that was in my grandmother's home and belonged to my great-grandfather. It is a Rigart Rubus violin and is in great condition. We had it professionally tuned and it sounds beautiful.

I was wondering what it might be valued at.

A: Rigart Rubus was a violin-maker in St. Petersburg, Russia, in the mid- to late 1800s. As a rule, his violins were made of maple with a red-brown finish. The tops were spruce.

Rubus violins can be found selling for $200 to $300 on the internet.

Q: This mark is on the bottom of a porcelain figurine of a young girl holding a basket of flowers. She is wearing a white apron over a dress that's decorated with a floral pattern. Her hair is blonde, and she is wearing sandals. At her feet is a white goose. The base is ornate and decorated with pastel flowers and embellished with gold. It stands about 8 inches tall, including the base. A friend gave it to me around 30 years ago.

I treasure my gift and would never part with it, but would like to know more about its history. Can you provide any information on its maker, age and value?

A: The mark was used by the Carl Thieme Saxonian Porcelain Factory. They have made beautiful decorative porcelain since 1872 and are located in Potschapple, in the Saxony region of Germany.

Your figurine was made around 1903 and would probably be worth $125 to $150.

Q: I have a red Buddy L toy truck that belonged to my dad when he was a little boy. It was given to him on his birthday when turned 5 years old. There are decals on the sides with the words "International Harvester." Some of the paint has worn away, but it is still in very good condition.

What can you tell me about my dad's toy truck?

A: Moline Pressed Steel Co. made your toy truck. The company was founded in 1910 by Fred Lundahl in East Moline, Ill. In the beginning, Lundahl made pressed steel parts for the farming and auto industries. Around 1920, Lundahl added his pressed-steel line of toys. His son's name was Buddy Lundahl, thus the name Buddy L.

Your truck would probably be worth $3,000 to $3,500.

(SET IMAGE) amc042916adAP.jpg (SET IMAGE) (SET CAPTION) Rubus violins were made in Russia. (END IMAGE)

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.