Q: I inherited a stack of 50th anniversary plates and have no idea what to do with them or if they are worth the time and effort to put them up for sale. Can you please help me?

A: Ah, the anniversary plates. Someone in your family celebrated a 50th wedding anniversary and instead of beautiful items made of gold (it is the golden anniversary), they were given anniversary plates. There are plates, cups, and a wide assortment of kitsch items for every anniversary milestone. A single plate is nice, but to have a stack of them is a bit much. You cannot eat off of the majority of these decorative plates for several reasons. Older plates may contain lead in the paint or the decoration is not fired, which causes it to come off of the plate quite easily.

Other milestone occasions are often celebrated, such as time with a company. Generally, one does not receive a plate to mark this milestone; usually, a watch or other symbolic item is given.

The value of these plates is less than $5. There are a few exceptions, such as high-quality pieces marked ‘Wedgewood’ or a similar known pottery or glass plates with intricate, hand-painted details.

What is kitsch? Kitsch can be defined as a low-brow style of mass-produced art or design using popular or cultural icons. However, it can also be defined as art, decorative objects or design considered by many people to be ugly. Lacking in style, kitsch items are often comical in one way or another.

‘Kitsch’ is a German word that is generally used to describe objects that are considered tasteless or common while aspiring to high art. The word ‘kitsch’ roughly translates to the English “tacky.” For many people, kitsch decor is overly bold and garish; there are others who find it a fun and attractive style.

If you want to create authentic kitsch-style decor, it’s important to use a wide range of bright colors. While the most popular are yellow, magenta, fuchsia, turquoise, bright green, purple, or any other bright color or strange style.

TV lamps are often seen as kitschy. I agree that some are a bit over the top, but I love them anyway. It is a running joke in my family. Some TV lamps can sell for well over $100, and I have found that the more kitsch the lamp, the bigger the payday. Here are a few for your enjoyment. www.collectorsweekly.com/lamps/tv