Many good books are available to bolster our knowledge of dinnerware.
And now is a perfect time to read and research. A book my husband gave me as a birthday present several years ago Warman s American Pottery and Porcelain is still one of my favorites. The book gives a short history of the manufacturers listed, a few sample backstamps each company used, and a representative price guide for a number of pieces in various lines for each company. The book is illustrated with black and white photographs of selected pieces. My book has a 1994 copyright, but an expanded second edition with updated prices and 16 color pages was released in December 2000.