Belleek, a perfect teapot for Saint Patrick's Day

Belleek china is one of the bestknown products of Ireland. Visitors and collectors have carried Belleek teapots and vases home from Ireland since the 1850s. Irish Belleek is easy to identify. The porcelain is thin and covered with a creamy yellow glaze that looks wet. Many say it resembles mother-of-pearl. But, best of all, there is a mark on each piece and the marks have changed through the years, so you can identify and date your Belleek. Each mark includes a picture of a harp, a tower, an Irish wolfhound, shamrocks and a banner with the name Belleek. The mark has changed a little in size and shape, but it's easiest to notice the color. The mark was black (1891-1946), then green (1946-1981), gold (1981-1992), brown (1984-1992), blue (1993-1999), black again (2000), then green again (2001-2009). A very popular pattern has green shamrocks scattered on the creamy glaze. What a perfect teapot to use on St. Patrick's Day.

Terry Kovel answers your questions:

Q: In the process of cleaning out our grandparents' closet, we came across an old electric lamp with three overhanging flowerlike fixtures. The bronze base is embossed "ML Co., pat. 1926." Any information?

A: Your lamp probably was made by Edward Miller & Co., also known as the Miller Lamp Co. The company made lamps in Meriden, Conn., from the 1880s through the 1920s — moving from kerosene to electricity as fuel. If your lamp is in excellent condition, it could be worth several hundred dollars.

Q: I have an 8mm cartoon titled "Steamboat Willie," along with the original box. My dad bought it when I was about 8, and I'm 69 now. What would it sell for?

A: Not too much — perhaps $20, depending on the condition of the film and the box. "Steamboat Willie" was the first Disney sound cartoon in which Mickey Mouse appeared. But your film is not an original release meant for movie theaters. It's the 8mm version sold for home viewing by Hollywood Film Enterprises from 1944 to 1950.

Tip: To clean a stained enamel or graniteware pan, fill the pan with water and add the peel of an apple or a cut-up stalk of rhubarb. Boil for 10 minutes.