On Antiques And COlleCtibles

VOL 36 NO 1 THE NEWSLETTER FOR COLLECTORS DEALERS AND INVESTORS SEpTEmbER 2009

IN THIS ISSUE

Some victims of bernie madoff the Wall Street crook who swindled thousands of investors

are discovering that their collections can help them raise cash 1960s-80s signature jewelry by David Webb Bulgari Jean Schlumberger and JAR have gone up in price and are easily sold More common jewelrymdashlike expensive watches (especially Rolexes) and small Tiffany piecesmdashsell but near their original prices be careful if you decide to sell some of your gold jewelry A reporter at a Midwest newspaper tried selling a pair of unmarked 14K gold bracelets She was offered $30 by a pawn shop $50 by Cash4Gold a national company that offers a mail-in service $64 by an area gold-buying start-up that set up a stand at a local motel site and $76 by an area jewelry store (Cleveland Plain Dealer) Good friends recently visited the month-ly Rose Bowl flea market in Los Angeles They tell us the market is still huge but that things have changed since we were there four years ago filming our TV show Some of the dealers we interviewed including the ldquocufflink manrdquo are still there But most booths seem to be offering a lot of ldquogarage salerdquo items Their best finds were Chinese wood-grain bowls with hand-forged metal handles They appear to be about 40 years old but they may be new made to look old Asking price $12 A famous watchmaker is using state-of-the-art security methods to foil counterfeiters Secret printing inks and invisible ultraviolet marks are just a few of the methods Housekeeping tip from a recent maga-zine ldquoLine up the booksrsquo spines flush to the edge of the shelf so there will be less room for dust to collectrdquo We get lots of dust on the top of our books too

News Flash

Sale Reports Western Memorabilia 3 French Cameo Glass 4 Rookwood Novelties 5 Modern Upholstered Chairs 6 Musician Clockwork Toys 8 Childrenrsquos Books 10On the Road ndash Paperweights ndash Part II 7Dictionary of Marks ndash European Clockwork Toys 9Reproductions 9Buyerrsquos Price Guide 11Collectorrsquos Gallery 12

French Cameo Glass VasesThis 8-inch-high Galleacute cameo glass vase decorated with dragonflies and aquatic plants went for $3910 at a Maine auction Cut over to page 4 to see a few more of the hundred French cameo glass vases that sold

Rise amp Shine With RookwoodA bird in hand is worth $4600 if itrsquos this Rookwood bluejay figurine Made in 1934 it sold at a Cincin-nati auction that included all kinds of Rookwood pottery See what we mean on page 5

Clockwork Toys Movers amp ShakersA collector of clockwork musical toys plunked down $3738 for this trio of cat musicians at a toy auction in Pennsylvania If you wind up on page 8 yoursquoll find more information about clockwork musical toys made in Europe

Soft Modern Chairs Fun Plus ComfortA collector with a flair for the flamboyant bid $4800 for this 1961 Poul M Volther ldquoCoronardquo chair at a Los Angeles auction Itrsquos an example of a flashy modern chair shaped and upholstered for comfort We offer you the best seat in the house on page 6

Kovels ndash September 2009 1

Letter to Lee ColleCting Fads

Photos are not reproduced to scale actual size of items pictured is given whenever possible Out-of-print reference books mentioned in articles may be available through interlibrary loan or from book search services

Editor and publisher Terry Kovel Editor in chief marcia Goldberg CFO and Website Direc-tor Kim Kovel Designer Jeffrey Clark Associ-ate Editor Liz Lillis Copy Editor Cherrie Sm-rekar photo Editor Karen Kneisley Controller Lisa bell marketing Hamsy mirre Staff mary Ellen brennan Grace DeFrancisco Gay Hunter Customer Service Tina mcbean

Customer Service To inquire about an individ-ual subscription or to order a new subscription ($36 one year $4 single copy) call toll-free 800-829-9158 or write to Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles PO Box 420345 Palm Coast FL 32142-0345 or visit our website Kovelscom and click on ldquoContact Usrdquo Editorial correspondence Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles PO Box 22200 Beachwood OH 44122 Website We invite you to visit our website Kovelscom to look up prices read more news visit the free Directory listings check on your subscrip-tion (use the ldquoContact Usrdquo link) register for our free weekly comments and more

KOVELS ON ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES

Dear Lee

What does it take to start a new collecting fad Commercially created collectibles like limited-edition plates or Beanie Babies can do it but so can the demand created by a single collector on a mission We have seen many examples of collector-initiated fads in the past There was the lunch-box craze started by a few East Coast collectors then promoted by a book a website magazine articles and a widely advertised auction Prices went way up but then settled down The same promoter tried the same tactics to push cereal-box collecting but he didnrsquot get the same great re-sults Similar campaigns have affected the markets for Bakelite jewelry Gaudy Dutch ware Fulper pottery Ansel Adams pho-tographs and cookie jars In each case a single collector bought items at high prices igniting demand and making prices go even higher The stories donrsquot necessarily have happy endings It turned out one of the buyers was embezzling and another went

broke Cookie jars jumped in price for a short time because of the publicity surrounding the 1987 sale of Andy Warholrsquos collection but prices settled down after a while

We saw local demand at work when we visited an area flea market Dealers kept telling us about ldquothe button ladyrdquo who was buying bags of buttons We later saw her in action buying more buttonsmdasha single buyer creating a big demand We asked her what she does with all the buttons She said her oldest son is serv-ing in the Army in Afghanistan causing her a lot of stress At a show she went to awhile ago she saw some bracelets made from old buttons Making button bracelets became her new hobby then a business ldquoMaking antique button bracelets has completely taken away my anxiety about my sonrsquos deploymentrdquo she told us Meanwhile dealers at the flea market said theyrsquore going to stock up on buttons to sell to her in the future A mini fad has begun

KoVeLS on AnTIqueS And CoLLeCT-IBLES (ISSN 0741-6091) is published monthly for $36 per year by Antiques Inc 30799 Pinetree Road 305 Cleveland Ohio 44124 Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland ohio and additional mailing offic-es POSTMASTER Send address changes to KoV-eLS on AnTIqueS And CoLLeCTIbLeS PO Box 420345 Palm Coast FL 32142-0345 Copyright 2009 by Terry Kovel All rights re-served No part of this newsletter may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical including photocopying recording or by any information storage and retrieval system with-out permission in writing from the publisher

bull Hotline bull Hotline bull Hotline bull Hotline bull Hotline bull Hotline bull Hotline bull Hotline bull Hotline bull Hotline bull

Collectors of bottles and political memorabilia should look for Black-Draught Dr McElreersquos Wine of Cardui and other patent medicines made by the Chattanooga Medicine Co One of the most notorious politicians of the 20th century Huey P Long sold Chattanoogarsquos patent medicines before he was elected governor of Louisiana Saving money but still a collectibles junkie Try col-lecting free stuff Banana stickers including organic labels are plentiful What about advertising postcards which seem to have multiplied since postage rates went up You could specialize in an interest like home improvement art shows health products or sports Store bags with great designs are sometimes free Save travel brochures maps packaging textile samples beer cans beer bottles caps from imported and microbrewery beer bottles

business cards and even advertising pens and pencils We know a collector of carrot bags both the plastic ones from grocery stores and the restaurant-size bags he gets when he goes out to dinner and asks the waiter for a carrot bag from the kitchen If someone mentions ldquoNatty bohrdquo collecting would you know what it is Many Baltimoreans would know because it is the nickname for national bohemian beer first brewed in balti-more in 1885 Empty cans sell for $20 to $250 depending on age and condition Regional collecting is tricky High prices are paid for local items but there is often little interest across the rest of the country The Internet has changed pricing patterns though Now shoppers for regional items can look online and might have an easier time finding bargains Old cloth diapers make good polishing cloths

ReadeRs WRite bull ReadeRs WRite bull ReadeRs WRite bull ReadeRs WRite bull ReadeRs WRite bull ReadeRs WRite

A subscriber tells us she was looking around an antique shop last December and spotted some Fiestaware She bought an original old sugar and creamer for under $10 then discovered the set is worth $110 Good shopping

Another fan wrote to tell us that the annual Kovelsrsquo An-tiques and Collectibles Price Guide helped her identify a fan-shaped black satin glass vase she bought for 75 cents at a garage sale The vase it turns out is a Tiffin no 310 valued at $95

2 Kovels ndash September 2009

Letter to Lee ColleCting Fads

Photos are not reproduced to scale actual size of items pictured is given whenever possible Out-of-print reference books mentioned in articles may be available through interlibrary loan or from book search services

Editor and publisher Terry Kovel Editor in chief marcia Goldberg CFO and Website Direc-tor Kim Kovel Designer Jeffrey Clark Associ-ate Editor Liz Lillis Copy Editor Cherrie Sm-rekar photo Editor Karen Kneisley Controller Lisa bell marketing Hamsy mirre Staff mary Ellen brennan Grace DeFrancisco Gay Hunter Customer Service Tina mcbean

Customer Service To inquire about an individ-ual subscription or to order a new subscription ($36 one year $4 single copy) call toll-free 800-829-9158 or write to Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles PO Box 420345 Palm Coast FL 32142-0345 or visit our website Kovelscom and click on ldquoContact Usrdquo Editorial correspondence Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles PO Box 22200 Beachwood OH 44122 Website We invite you to visit our website Kovelscom to look up prices read more news visit the free Directory listings check on your subscrip-tion (use the ldquoContact Usrdquo link) register for our free weekly comments and more

KOVELS ON ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES

Dear Lee

What does it take to start a new collecting fad Commercially created collectibles like limited-edition plates or Beanie Babies can do it but so can the demand created by a single collector on a mission We have seen many examples of collector-initiated fads in the past There was the lunch-box craze started by a few East Coast collectors then promoted by a book a website magazine articles and a widely advertised auction Prices went way up but then settled down The same promoter tried the same tactics to push cereal-box collecting but he didnrsquot get the same great re-sults Similar campaigns have affected the markets for Bakelite jewelry Gaudy Dutch ware Fulper pottery Ansel Adams pho-tographs and cookie jars In each case a single collector bought items at high prices igniting demand and making prices go even higher The stories donrsquot necessarily have happy endings It turned out one of the buyers was embezzling and another went

broke Cookie jars jumped in price for a short time because of the publicity surrounding the 1987 sale of Andy Warholrsquos collection but prices settled down after a while

We saw local demand at work when we visited an area flea market Dealers kept telling us about ldquothe button ladyrdquo who was buying bags of buttons We later saw her in action buying more buttonsmdasha single buyer creating a big demand We asked her what she does with all the buttons She said her oldest son is serv-ing in the Army in Afghanistan causing her a lot of stress At a show she went to awhile ago she saw some bracelets made from old buttons Making button bracelets became her new hobby then a business ldquoMaking antique button bracelets has completely taken away my anxiety about my sonrsquos deploymentrdquo she told us Meanwhile dealers at the flea market said theyrsquore going to stock up on buttons to sell to her in the future A mini fad has begun

KoVeLS on AnTIqueS And CoLLeCT-IBLES (ISSN 0741-6091) is published monthly for $36 per year by Antiques Inc 30799 Pinetree Road 305 Cleveland Ohio 44124 Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland ohio and additional mailing offic-es POSTMASTER Send address changes to KoV-eLS on AnTIqueS And CoLLeCTIbLeS PO Box 420345 Palm Coast FL 32142-0345 Copyright 2009 by Terry Kovel All rights re-served No part of this newsletter may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical including photocopying recording or by any information storage and retrieval system with-out permission in writing from the publisher

bull Hotline bull Hotline bull Hotline bull Hotline bull Hotline bull Hotline bull Hotline bull Hotline bull Hotline bull Hotline bull

Collectors of bottles and political memorabilia should look for Black-Draught Dr McElreersquos Wine of Cardui and other patent medicines made by the Chattanooga Medicine Co One of the most notorious politicians of the 20th century Huey P Long sold Chattanoogarsquos patent medicines before he was elected governor of Louisiana Saving money but still a collectibles junkie Try col-lecting free stuff Banana stickers including organic labels are plentiful What about advertising postcards which seem to have multiplied since postage rates went up You could specialize in an interest like home improvement art shows health products or sports Store bags with great designs are sometimes free Save travel brochures maps packaging textile samples beer cans beer bottles caps from imported and microbrewery beer bottles

business cards and even advertising pens and pencils We know a collector of carrot bags both the plastic ones from grocery stores and the restaurant-size bags he gets when he goes out to dinner and asks the waiter for a carrot bag from the kitchen If someone mentions ldquoNatty bohrdquo collecting would you know what it is Many Baltimoreans would know because it is the nickname for national bohemian beer first brewed in balti-more in 1885 Empty cans sell for $20 to $250 depending on age and condition Regional collecting is tricky High prices are paid for local items but there is often little interest across the rest of the country The Internet has changed pricing patterns though Now shoppers for regional items can look online and might have an easier time finding bargains Old cloth diapers make good polishing cloths

ReadeRs WRite bull ReadeRs WRite bull ReadeRs WRite bull ReadeRs WRite bull ReadeRs WRite bull ReadeRs WRite

A subscriber tells us she was looking around an antique shop last December and spotted some Fiestaware She bought an original old sugar and creamer for under $10 then discovered the set is worth $110 Good shopping

Another fan wrote to tell us that the annual Kovelsrsquo An-tiques and Collectibles Price Guide helped her identify a fan-shaped black satin glass vase she bought for 75 cents at a garage sale The vase it turns out is a Tiffin no 310 valued at $95

2 Kovels ndash September 2009

Do you like so many Americans over the years have a fascination with the Wild West You can recapture some of the romance and adventure of ex-

ploring the frontier by going to an auction of Western memorabilia Everything pictured here and hundreds of other cowboy collectibles sold at a Cody old West auction in denver This is just a sampling of the items you can find at a Western auctionmdashbridles saddles bits spurs chaps and other riding equipment as well as weapons boots scabbards clothing badges and even horn furniture Ameri-can Indian memorabilia can be found too along with drawings paintings prints posters and photographs of Western scenes or characters The highest price paid at the Cody auction was $161000 for a near-mint 1883 Main amp Winchester sad-dle and matching pommel bags made in San Francisco and originally owned by Archibald Philip Primrose Britainrsquos prime

minister in 1894-95 The provenance (ownership history) of any antique can have a big impact on price but the quality and condition of this item was also significant For just $173 you could buy a Wells Fargo-style mail pouch and box that once carried precious pos-sessions from Kansas to California or a pair of silver 19th-century offi-cerrsquos spurs made in South America Americans tend to forget that the cowboy lifestyle wasnrsquot a US phe-nomenonmdashit thrived in Mexico and South America too The auction catalog Brian Lebelrsquos 20th Annual Cody Old West Auction June 27 2009 can be viewed via links at CodyOldWestcom Photos are courtesy of Cody Old West Show PO Box 2038 Carefree AZ 85377 To learn more see Cowboys and Trappings of the Old West by Wil-liam Manns and Elizabeth Clair Flood (Zon International Santa Fe NM 1997) and The Official Price Guide to Old West Collectibles by RC House (House of Collectibles NY 1994) Among the publications for collectors are Bit Spur amp Saddle a newsletter published quarterly by the National Bit Spur amp Saddle Collectors Association (PO Box 1969 Addison TX 75001 NBSSCAorg) and TrueWest a magazine published 10 times a year (PO Box 8008 Cave Creek AZ 85327 TrueWestMagazinecom)

Archibald philip primrosersquos main amp Winchester saddle double-rigged high back square skirt matching pommel bags Pommel bags with interior revolver holster pocket and military-style leather saddle holsters for percussion revolvers Primrose (1847-1929) the Earl of Rosebery was Great Britainrsquos prime minister in 1894-95 he either purchased or was given this saddle when he was in San Francisco in 1883 Sold with cloth-lined military leather bags (not pictured) Main amp Winchester Saddle Co San Francisco (saddle near-mint unused) 15-in seat 21-in stirrups 1880s $161000Cp Shipley pinto

woolie chaps bushy white angora wool floral-carved and well-marked belt Made by Charles P Shipley Saddlery Co Kansas City Mo early 1900s $1265Deer Lodge horsehair

bridle prison-made in Deer Lodge Mont Dou-ble round cheeks closed reins and romal twisted leather popper glass and chrome elk-head rosettes three celluloid rings 14 tassels traditional period half-breed bit (2-in por-tion of romal is wrapped in cotton thread and may hide damage) c1915 $4025

Agent badge for combined buffalo billrsquos Wild West and pawnee billrsquos Far East show 2 58 in h by 2 12 in w sold with calling card for James F Donalson ldquoRepresenting Buf-falo Billrsquos Wild West Pawnee Billrsquos Far Eastrdquo card stamped ldquo1913rdquo $2415

pair of early mule-ear cow-boy boots Texas star stitch-ing on front rounded toes 2-inch heels (very good) 1880s 19 12 in h $2415

buscadero rig with Colt Double Action revolver Colt New Service in 455 Eley cal antler grips Mexico or California rig with large caliber loops rawhide-wrapped edging engraved three-piece sterling buckle sets gold horse-heads on belt and holster $920 for set

Early Scout shirt deer hide bib front scalloped collar and pockets brass buttons Trade cloth lining fine fringe on shoulders and back 1870s-80s $2588

GS Garcia US Army bit 2-inch heavy coin silver conchas on cheeks silver-inlaid striped cheeks and slobber bar marked Made by GS Garcia Co Elko Nev (mountings fine iron with surface rust) c1910-15 $1380

Cowboy Collectibles

Kovels ndash September 2009 3

French cameo glass is elegant and itrsquos also expensive Expense bought elegance at a summer James Julia auction where

more than 100 cameo glass vases most made by Daum (1875-present) Galleacute (1874-1931) and Muller Fregraveres (1895-1936) sold close to presale estimates An 8 14-inch Daum vase with bees and spider webs auc-tioned for $14950 A 9 12-inch Galleacute vase with blown-out rasp-berries and leaves on an orange ground sold for $7188 Less expensive and a lot smaller was a miniature Daum vase 1 12 inches high depicting a tree and grass on a mottled gray ground It sold for $345 Also at $345 was a 6 14-inch DrsquoArgental cameo vase with purple morning glories on a shaded camphor ground Cameo glass was first made by the Romans over 2000

years ago By the mid 19th centu-ry English art-ists were making cameo glass and the French be-gan producing it in the late 1800s Itrsquos a layered glass with one surface cut away to leave a raised design The pro-cess can involve several layers of different colored glass powdered colors inserted between layers of

glass wheel cutting acid-etching and enameling Sometimes thick enamel colors are added to the glass to make a raised design emile Galleacute was the first to sign his work He used many different signatures sometimes hidden in the design Other com-paniesrsquo signatures may be etched cut enameled or gilt Cameo glass copies have been made since the 1980s many with fake marks The Important Lamp and Glass Auction catalog June 19-20 2009 is avail-able from James d Julia Inc Po box 830 Fairfield Me 04937 JamesdJuliacom Photos are courtesy of Julia Auctions For more information see French Cameo Glass by Henry Blount and Berniece Blount (Wallace-Homestead Des Moines IA 1982)

Note The condition of all pictured vases was described as ldquovery good to excellentrdquo except as noted

The priciest of the French vases in the auction was this Galleacute vase with marquetry cro-cuses that sold for $34500 Marque-try introduced by Galleacute in 1897 is a technique in which semi-molten glass is pressed onto the surface of the vase before cooling The glass is carved when itrsquos cooled

Chic Cameo Glass

Galleacute cameo glass scenic vase mountain range with lake and forest deep purples and medium blues mottled frost and blue back-ground Signed 5 in h $2300

Galleacute cameo glass lily pond vase frosted back-ground Signed 12 in h $4600

PICTuRed on CoVeRGalleacute cameo glass dragonfly vase aquatic plants and pond frosted background two applied frosted handles Signed (factory grind near foot) 8 in h $3910

Galleacute cameo glass floral vase several layers of red on off-white background red foot Signed (very good rim grinding) 8 in h $690

Daum Nancy cameo and enamel freehand floral vase bees two large cameo spider webs yellow to orange background receding to purple mottled ground purple ped-estal foot Signed Cross of Lorraine mark 8 14 in h $14950

Daum Nancy cameo glass bat vase freeform triangular shape internally decorated background grayish purple foot with subtle outline of city skyline Signed Cross of Lorraine mark 10 in h $6325

Galleacute cameo glass clematis vine vase blue and purple clematis clambroth blue and purple background Signed 6 34 in h by 9 in dia $1610

Galleacute cameo glass poppies vase pop-pies in various stages of bloom windowpane technique yel-low shading to red background Signed 12 12 in h $4025

4 Kovels ndash September 2009

If yoursquore a Rookwood collector donrsquot be afraid to reach be-yond vases tiles steins and bookends Pick up a figurine

paperweight bowl bust compote coffeepot plate pair of can-dleholders or even a clock You could find all of those items and more at Cincinnati Art Galleriesrsquo summer Rookwood auction A variety of unusual pieces are pictured including a rare bluejay figurine (shown on cover) made in 1934 that auctioned for $4600 But a 1950 black panther clock was $460 and an 1883 porridge bowl sold for just $173 Some of the auctioned pieces were porcelain rather than earthenware Rookwood introduced its Soft Porcelain line in 1915 and Jewel Porcelain a less expensive line in 1920 Unlike earthenware porcelain has a semi-translucent bodymdashyou can see light through it The auc-tion included a porcelain tea-pot $1035 and plate $863 Rookwood Pottery oper-ated in Cincinnati from 1880 to 1960 It concentrated on art pottery and tiles until the early 1900s when it started making novelties too By the 1930s when Rookwood was fac-ing financial difficulties the factory turned to methods of mass-production that lowered quality More prices Clown tray yellow costume Sallie Toohey design (restora-tion crazing cracks) 1929 $219 Rooster paperweight cream tan red amp green William P McDonald design matte glaze 1929 $518 Pelican ash receiver Ivory Matte glaze over green underglaze (green shows through in places) 1939 4 by 6 in $403 Pin tray art nouveau nude draped along rim Anna Valentien design Ivory Matte glaze 1933 $259 The Rookwood XIX Keramics and Art Glass catalog June 5-7 2009 is available from Cincinnati Art Galleries 225 E Sixth St Cincinnati OH 45202 CincyArtcom Photos are courtesy of Cincinnati Art Galleries For more infor-mation see Rookwood Pottery The Glorious Gamble by Anita J Ellis a Cincin-nati Art Museum catalog (Rizzoli NY 1992) and Kovels American Art Pottery by Ralph and Terry Kovel (Crown NY 1993)

Not Your Usual RookwoodRookwood panther clock case Nubian black glaze Marked with impressed Rookwood logo year and shape no 7039 case and clock face also marked ldquoRookwoodrdquo 1950 $460

Rookwood porcelain lidded tea-pot decorated by Sara Sax band of white sailboats on tan ground Lid marked with Sax monogram Base marked with impressed Rookwood logo date special shape no S1891 and Sax monogram c1915 $1035

Rookwood compote White Madder glaze hand-thrown hand-painted heavy slip dragon by Earl Menzel Marked with Rookwood logo date ldquoSrdquo for special shape ldquoRookwood Anniversary 75thrdquo diamond and incised name ldquoRE Menzelrdquo 1955 5 in h by 6 38 in dia $1380

Rookwood porcelain plate decorated by Jens Jensen Marked with impressed Rook-wood logo year shape no 6461 and Jensenrsquos monogram 1934 5 78 in dia $863

Pair of Rookwood fish candleholders Adventurine glaze designed by Kataro Shirayamadani decorated by Lorinda Epply Marked with impressed Rook-wood logo year shape no 6057 and Epplyrsquos black slip monogram 1928 5 in l $1150

Rookwood Turkish coffeepot decorated by Albert Valentien owl sitting on branch as bats fly through cloudy sky fired-on gold highlights Marked with

impressed word ldquoRookwoodrdquo in block letters large anchor mark small kiln mark year ldquoRrdquo to indi-

cate red clay and Valentienrsquos initials (professional restoration) 1883 $978

PICTuRed on CoVeRRookwood bluejay on magnolia branch figurine designed by Arthur Conant hand-painted by Lorinda Epply One of about 30 pieces made for the family of a Rookwood benefac-tor during the Depression Marked with Rookwood logo year ldquoOctober 10th 1934rdquo incised name ldquoConantrdquo and Epplyrsquos blue slip monogram (minor glaze skips on base) 1934 10 14 in h $4600

Rookwood seal ashtray Nubian black glaze de-signed by Kataro Shi-rayamadani Marked with impressed Rookwood logo

year and shape no 2668 1923 6 34 in h by

3 34 in dia $920

Rookwood porridge bowl decorated by Martin Rettig in the Limoges manner scene

of three bats flying above oriental grasses gold trim Marked with impressed word ldquoRookwoodrdquo in block letters year ldquoSrdquo to indicate sage clay and Rettigrsquos incised initials (overall crazing) 1883 2 58 in h by 5 34 in dia $173

Kovels ndash September 2009 5

Looking for a modern chair thatrsquos comfortable but raises a few eyebrows Check these out Theyrsquore modern all right

but they were created not only for their avant-garde appearance but also with the human body in mind And yoursquoll find that their prices at auction can be lower than those of high-quality new chairsmdasheven new chairs in the same design (not cheap knock-offs) All of the chairs sold at a summer sale at Los Angeles Modern Auction which specializes in 20th-century design The chairsrsquo designers are all well-known Among the most famous are Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Charles and Ray Eames Many of their designs are still in production A post-1972 ldquoBarcelonardquo chair and ottoman designed in 1929 by Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969) sold separately for $1560 and $600 A brand new Barcelona chair and ottoman set costs up to $6600 A vintage ver-sion of the equally famous lounge chair and otto-man designed in 1956 by Charles Eames (1907-1988) and his wife Ray (1912-1988) auctioned for $2880 Design Within Reach sells a new Eames chair and ottoman for $3900 A lounge chair and ottoman by Vladimir Kagan (b1927) sold for $4320 and a ldquoGrass-hopperrdquo chair and ottoman by Eero Saarinen (1910-1961) brought $3420 A ldquoDonnardquo chair and ottoman designed in 1969 by Gaetano Pesce (b1939) went for $3600 Other designers whose chairs sold included Karl Springer (1931-1991) Harvey Probber (1922-2003) Sergio Rodrigues (b1927) Verner Panton (1926-1998) Poul Volther (1923-2001) Norman Bel Geddes (1893-1958) and Milo Baugh-man (1923-2003) The June 7 2009 auction catalog is available from Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) 16145 Hart St Van nuys CA 91406 LAModerncom Pho-tos are courtesy of LAMA To learn more about modern chairs comfortable and excruciating see 1000 Chairs by Charlotte and Peter Fiell (Taschen Cologne Germany 1997)

PICTuRed on CoVeRpoul m Volther ldquoCoronardquo chair Model EJ 206 designed 1961 Made by Erik Jorgensen 36 12 in h by 34 in w by 31 in d $4800

Ludwig mies van der Rohe ldquobarcelonardquo ottoman and chair Mod-els MR 251 and 250 designed 1929 Made by Knoll after 1980 and 1972 ldquoKnoll Internationalrdquo tag on each both 29 in h by 30 in w by 29 in d $600 for ottoman $1560 for chair

Eero Saarinen ldquoGrasshop-perrdquo chair and ottoman designed c1948 Made by Knoll chair 35 12 in h by 26 12 in w by 33 in d $3420

Comfy Modern Chairs

Vladimir Kagan chair and ottoman designed c1970 Made by Kagan-Dreyfuss chair 40 in h by 27 in w by 37 in d ottoman 18 in h by 21 in sq $4320

pair of Karl Springer club chairs c1975 Made by Spring-er 31 in h by 30 in w by 29 in d $4080

Charles and Ray Eames lounge chair and ottoman Models 670 and 671 designed 1956 Made by Herman Miller chair 32 14 in h by 32 in w by 34 in d $2880

6 Kovels ndash September 2009

Toledo Ohio ndash Part 2

This continues Terryrsquos report on the PaperweightCollectors Association Convention in Toledo Ohio

Day 4 It began with a lecture about the Bergstrom-Mahler Mu-seum in Neenah Wis It opened 50 years ago and has become one of the countryrsquos major paperweight museums Next and for me the best was the ID Clinic Three club mem-bers who are particularly knowledgeable adlibbed comments and jokes while they identified weights brought in by club members They also told us their secrets Look for the obvious first Is the base ground or polished Is the weight heavy How is a flower made Look for a signature on the bottom or in a cane One piece they decided was not a weight at all but something else with a broken top Commemorative weights often include a date that is not the age of the paperweightmdashit could be honoring an earlier event A bubble trapped in the top of a weight if the maker is talented shows the entire weight in miniature one flower weight was iden-tified by the two leaves on the stemmdashthey were directly opposite each other on the stem not spaced on alternating positions A New England glass flower weight was identified by the U-shaped veins in the leaves Other companies used straight veins A Saint-Louis glassworks (France) weight was identified by its five-and-one patternmdasha center millefiori cane surrounded by five equally spaced smaller canes Other makers used different numbers of canes They also told us that many weights sold today to tourists in Murano Italy are made in China Then on to the dealersrsquo fairmdashand of course I bought I picked up small millefiori weights for my grandchildren only $18 each (negotiated price) an expensive 3-inch ldquocheckerboardrdquo millefiori weight by a modern maker to give to a friend and two medium-size millefiori weights one for my daughter Kim and one for myself I liked several other weights and when I got home

I realized why Ralph bought paperweights at house sales and had a collection in his

office After taking a closer look at the marks on his weights I identified a flower weight by Paul Ysart (one of its small canes was marked ldquoPYrdquo) a signed weight filled with vegeta-bles by Ken Rosenfeld a tiny snake

weight by Debbie Tarsitano and a weight with a tree and hummingbird by Grant Randolph Studios Great weekend It was a new expe-rience educational and fun Collectors are the best

on the road

pair of Harvey probber sling lounge chairs designed c1968 Made by Harvey Probber Inc 27 12 in h by 29 in w by 30 in d $2400

Gaetano pesce ldquoDonnardquo chair and ottoman Models UP5 and UP6 designed 1969 polyure-thane foam over stretched fabric Made by CampB Italia 42 in h by 45 in w by 54 in d $3600

Verner panton ldquoHeart Conerdquo chair Model K3 designed 1958 Made by Fritz Hansen 35 in h by 39 12 in w by 25 in d $1620

pair of milo baughman ldquoScooprdquo chairs designed c1954 Made by Thayer Coggin upholstery tag dated 1955 29 in h by 26 12 in w by 26 12 in d $3000 Saint-Louis glassworks

paperweight identified by its five millefiori canes surrounding a larger central cane

Paperweight identified as a New England weight because of the curved veins in its leaves

Kovels ndash September 2009 7

Toys that move and make noise even if itrsquos just ldquoplink-plunkrdquo are collector favorites Here are some early 20th-century clock-

work musician toys that sold at a summer Noel Barrett auction The toys all made in Germany mimic musicians playing instruments Theyrsquore not sophisticated automatons donrsquot play

real music and arenrsquot hand-painted They were made for the masses using inexpensive lithographed tin and simple clockwork movements Prices ranged from $748 for a Bing violinist and danc-ing couple (not pictured) to $4025 for a Staudt clown play-ing the harp (pictured) Most sold for $1000 to $3000 All of them were from a single large collection of clockwork toys (ldquoClockworkrdquo toys have mechanisms like a clockrsquos and keep a toy in motion longer than the simpler workings of ldquowinduprdquo toys) Some of the companies that made them are listed in the accompanying Dictionary of Marks

The Toys of Summer Antique Toy Auction catalog June 19-20 2009 is avail-able for $35 from Noel Barrett Antiques amp Auctions PO Box 300 Carversville PA 18913 NoelBarrettcom Photos are courtesy of Noel Barrett For more infor-mation see the books cited in the Dictionary of Marks

Note The instrument-playing action of all the toys pictured is accom-panied by ldquoplink-plunkrdquo music

PICTuRed on CoVeRThree cat musicians clockwork toy Gunthermann painted tin cats play clarinet drum and trombone (very good to excellent paint loss and restoration) 9 in h by 11 in w $3738

Two clown musician clockwork toys Staudt painted tin fabric cloth-ing each seated on decal-decorated drum Left Harp player painted composition head die-cast metal harp (very good to excellent paint and decal loss pants frayed) 11 15 in h $4025 Right Zither play-er painted celluloid head (very good to excellent paint loss on zither dusty clothing) 12 in h $2012

piano player and violinist clock-work toy Bing painted tin crank-operated (good to very good paint loss) 9 12 in w $1955

Two minstrels clockwork toy Gunthermann painted tin musicians play violin and mandolin brass relief disk on base with image of figure holding shield emblazoned with a ldquoG (very good to excellent restored) 8 12 in w $1265

White and black xylophonists clockwork toy Gunthermann painted tin figures with molded composition heads and some fabric clothing (very good paint loss to base and one head) 10 in h by 8 12 in w $1725

Clockwork Musicians

Two clown musi-cian clockwork toys Staudt painted tin fabric clothing each seated on decal-decorated drum Left bass player painted composi-tion head (very good to excellent paint loss) 12 in h $3162 Right mandolin player painted celluloid head (excellent paint and decal loss) 10 12 in h $1495

Three black musi-cians clockwork toy Germany paint-ed tin musicians play violin bass and guitar (very good to excellent paint loss) 10 in w $4025

musical trio clock-work toy Bing painted tin crank-operated musicians play violin harp and bass (very good to excellent paint enhancement on base) 9 12 in dia $2875

8 Kovels ndash September 2009

Toys that move and make noise even if itrsquos just ldquoplink-plunkrdquo are collector favorites Here are some early 20th-century clock-

work musician toys that sold at a summer Noel Barrett auction The toys all made in Germany mimic musicians playing instruments Theyrsquore not sophisticated automatons donrsquot play

real music and arenrsquot hand-painted They were made for the masses using inexpensive lithographed tin and simple clockwork movements Prices ranged from $748 for a Bing violinist and danc-ing couple (not pictured) to $4025 for a Staudt clown play-ing the harp (pictured) Most sold for $1000 to $3000 All of them were from a single large collection of clockwork toys (ldquoClockworkrdquo toys have mechanisms like a clockrsquos and keep a toy in motion longer than the simpler workings of ldquowinduprdquo toys) Some of the companies that made them are listed in the accompanying Dictionary of Marks

The Toys of Summer Antique Toy Auction catalog June 19-20 2009 is avail-able for $35 from Noel Barrett Antiques amp Auctions PO Box 300 Carversville PA 18913 NoelBarrettcom Photos are courtesy of Noel Barrett For more infor-mation see the books cited in the Dictionary of Marks

Note The instrument-playing action of all the toys pictured is accom-panied by ldquoplink-plunkrdquo music

PICTuRed on CoVeRThree cat musicians clockwork toy Gunthermann painted tin cats play clarinet drum and trombone (very good to excellent paint loss and restoration) 9 in h by 11 in w $3738

Two clown musician clockwork toys Staudt painted tin fabric cloth-ing each seated on decal-decorated drum Left Harp player painted composition head die-cast metal harp (very good to excellent paint and decal loss pants frayed) 11 15 in h $4025 Right Zither play-er painted celluloid head (very good to excellent paint loss on zither dusty clothing) 12 in h $2012

piano player and violinist clock-work toy Bing painted tin crank-operated (good to very good paint loss) 9 12 in w $1955

Two minstrels clockwork toy Gunthermann painted tin musicians play violin and mandolin brass relief disk on base with image of figure holding shield emblazoned with a ldquoG (very good to excellent restored) 8 12 in w $1265

White and black xylophonists clockwork toy Gunthermann painted tin figures with molded composition heads and some fabric clothing (very good paint loss to base and one head) 10 in h by 8 12 in w $1725

Clockwork Musicians

Two clown musi-cian clockwork toys Staudt painted tin fabric clothing each seated on decal-decorated drum Left bass player painted composi-tion head (very good to excellent paint loss) 12 in h $3162 Right mandolin player painted celluloid head (excellent paint and decal loss) 10 12 in h $1495

Three black musi-cians clockwork toy Germany paint-ed tin musicians play violin bass and guitar (very good to excellent paint loss) 10 in w $4025

musical trio clock-work toy Bing painted tin crank-operated musicians play violin harp and bass (very good to excellent paint enhancement on base) 9 12 in dia $2875

8 Kovels ndash September 2009

dictionary of Marks

Clockwork tin toys that sold for the equivalent of 50 cents or less a century ago bring high prices today These tin

toys which date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries excite todayrsquos collectors Most tin toys that sold in the United States from the 1890s until just before World War I were imported from Germany France or England In 1939 German toy factories were con-

verted to manufacture goods for the war effort so no German toys were made again until after World War II Not all of these toys were marked and some marks were simply paper labels The marks pictured here were used by European makers of clockwork tin toys The marks shown are from The Art of the Tin Toy by David Pressland (Crown NY 1976) and Toys and Dolls Marks and Labels by Gwen White (Charles T Branford Co Newton MA 1975)

Gebruumlder bing Nuremberg Germany1863-c1932Mark used 1902-1906Ignaz and Adolf Bing founded their com-pany as a retail business in 1863 Bing manufactured tin toys from the early 1880s until c1932 The company was the worldrsquos largest toy manufacturer in the early 1900s but went out of business dur-ing the Depression

Johann DistlerNuremberg Germany1895-1962Thistle and initials markDistler made novelty toys ldquocrazyrdquo action toys trains and replicas of real cars An-other mark a globe trademark was intro-duced in the 1920s and rsquo30s Toys made from 1945 to 1949 were marked ldquoUS Zone Germanyrdquo Not all Distler toys were marked

S GuumlnthermannNuremberg Germany1887-1965Mark used 1890s-1903The company was founded by Sifried G Guumlnthermann in 1887 He died in 1890 and his widow married Adolf Weigel Both Guumlnthermannrsquos and Weigelrsquos initials were included in the mark until Weigel died The company was taken over by Siemens in 1965

Fernand martinParis France1878-c1919Fernand Martin made novelty toys Martin died in 1919 and the company was later taken over by Victor bonnet et Cie

Georg Leonhard StaudtNuremberg Germanyc1880-c1914This mark labeled as that of ldquoGeorg Lenhard Standtrdquo is pictured in Toys and Dolls Marks and Labels by Gwen White We suspect it is actually Staudtrsquos mark Please email us (edi-torKovelscom) if you can provide additional information about this com-pany or mark

Victor bonnet et CieParis FranceVictor bonnet et Cie took over Fernand Martin Co after 1919 The company continued to make toys that Martin had made but marked them with the ldquoVb et Cierdquo mark During the 1940s and rsquo50s the company used ldquoVeberdquo as a trademark

Watch out for reproductions of Hull floral patterns They started showing up early in this decade and keep on coming Among the patterns copied are Bow Knot Magnolia Matte Orchid Sueno Tulip and Woodland Fakes are usually slightly smaller and weigh less than originals The clay used to make fakes is pale white while the clay of originals is yellow or beige The marks on fakes have the word ldquoHullrdquo in script Itrsquos printed in block letters on most origi-nals Compare glazes too to those listed in reference books many fakes have finishes that are the wrong color or sheen Reproductions are a problem for candy container collec-tors Today you can find reproductions of glass containers made from original molds and others imported from Asia Collectors also make and sell reproduction metal and wooden parts for con-tainers and labels and lampshades for containers are being made using computers and copy machines Beware (Candy Gram the newsletter of the Candy Container Collectors of America)

EuropEan CloCkwork Toys

If possible vacuum donrsquot dust your books to prevent the spread of mold spores Do not light a cabinet filled with glass with light bulbs over 25 watts Stronger bulbs generate too much heat There are some new types of bulbs that are brighter and give off less heat To remove chewing gum from the carpet put an ice cube in a zip-up plastic bag then set it on the gum When the gum hardens you can usually peel it off Never wrap your oil paintings in bubble wrap that touch-es the painted surface It could leave dot marks on the surface of the paint If transporting an oil painting in hot weather cool the car first then put the unwrapped painting flat in the cargo area Donrsquot leave the painting in the car in hot weather Some old medical instruments could still carry germs or chemicals that are dangerous Be careful when handling any old medical items They should be thoroughly disinfected

tipsreproductions

Kovels ndash September 2009 9

Children of all ages fondly remember their favorite childhood books They might be The Wizard of Oz and The Secret Gar-

den books your parents read to you at bedtime or The Story of Ping and The Poky Little Puppy (a Little Golden Book) books you read when you were first learning to decipher words or Anne of Green Gables and The Phantom Tollbooth books you read when you were a bit older You can relive some of your childhood memories by hunting for old editions of your favorites Take a look at the offerings of Aleph-Bet Books a childrenrsquos book dealer Wersquore picturing a few

we read during our own or our childrenrsquos childhoods Serious book collec-tors donrsquot just look for favorite titles They want first editions or editions illustrated by a particular artist and they want books in the best condition pos-sible Thatrsquos why the same edition of a book can be found for widely varying prices Aleph-Bet Books publishes catalogs and sells books on its website AlephBetcom Photos are courtesy of Aleph-Bet 85 Old Mill River Rd Pound Ridge NY 10576 To learn more see Collec-torrsquos Guide to Childrenrsquos Books Vols 2 and 3 by diane McClure Jones and Rosemary Jones (Col-lector Books Paducah KY 1998 2000) and Warmanrsquos Childrenrsquos Books Identification and Price Guide by Steve Santi (Krause Iola WI 2007)

Collecting Childrenrsquos Books

book TermsFirst edition The first pub-lished copies of a book printed from the same typeface and distributed at the same time some collectors limit the defi-nition to the first print run (the first impression)Folio quarto octavo etc These Latin words define the size of a book and were originally used to describe how many times a sheet of paper was folded before binding A folio book has leaves folded only once if a folio leaf is folded again itrsquos a quarto and so forth A folio leaf is about 13-15 inches high a quarto 11-12 inches an octavo 8-9 inches etc

Stuart Little by Eb White Harper Bros New York 1945 illustrated by Garth Williams stated first edition Tan cloth-over-boards cover dust wrapper 87 black amp white illustrations (fine piece off bottom of spine chips repairs) octavo 131 pp $450

Nurse Nancy by Kath-ryn Jackson Little Golden Book Simon amp Schuster New York 1952A (first edition) illustrated by Corinne Malverne Complete with Band-Aids on title page color illustrations (fine) companion to Doctor Dan The Bandage Man 28 pp $400

Dorothy and the Wiz-ard in Oz by L Frank baum Reilly amp Britton Chicago 1908 illustrated by JR neill first edi-tion first state secondary binding with shorter spine imprint Blue cloth-over-boards cover with pasted-on gold-ground illustration spine stamped in black and silver 16 full-page color plates (near-fine scratches on cover plate edge mend) quarto 137 pp $850

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder Harper Brothers New York (1935) stated eighth edition 1938 illustrated by Helen Sewell Pictorial cloth-over-boards cover color frontispiece black amp white illustra-tions (fine chipped dust wrapper) second title in Little House series octavo 200 pp $450

Madelinersquos Rescue by Ludwig be-melmans Viking new York 1953 illustrated by author first edition Caldecott Medal winner Cloth-over-boards cover dust wrapper color illustrations (fine chips along spine some tears) folio 56 pp $875

East of the Sun and West of the Moon Doran New York c1920 Norwegian fairy tale illustrated by Kay Nielsen Yellow cloth-over-boards cover dust wrapper repeats title page illustration color-illustrated endpapers 25 mounted color plates other illustrations in black amp white (fine dust wrapper chipped) small quarto 204 pp $1000

10 Kovels ndash September 2009

Buyerrsquos price Guide

Prices compiled monthly from sales and advertisements For 44000 current prices and 2500 color photographs and factory marks see Kovelsrsquo An-tiques amp Collectibles Price Guide 2009 41st edition available at local bookstores and libraries from Kovelscom or by mail from KoVeLS Po Box 22200 Beachwood OH 44122 ($2795 plus $495 postage and handling)

ADVERTISINGPratts monthly poultry calendar photos of chickens

list of general care amp maintenance remedies feeds amp disinfectants for poultry 1920s 25 x 19 in $75

Drink Lehnertrsquos Beer tip tray photo of St Bernard dog made in Catasauqua Pa 1910 4 14 in $145

7-Up bottle sign tin lithograph green bottle with logo Stout Sign Co St Louis 1960s 13 x 45 in $210

Chanel no 5 factice (display bottle) filled with colored water 1940s 8 12 x 5 34 in $350

Tidewater Oil Co sign porcelain white red logo black letters ldquoOur Creed Friendliness Cleanliness Honest Values quality amp Servicerdquo 1940s 11 x 8 in $400

DOLLS amp TOYSBuffy paper dolls color photo on back of Anissa Jones

holding Mrs Beasley doll Whitman 1969 uncut $95Mechanical Spacecraft Jupiter toy tin lithograph clear

plastic dome built-in key astronaut in spacecraft marked ldquoJupiterrdquo 1960s Ohta Japan 5 in $125

Twiggy Fashion Tote vinyl white ground with orange turquoise amp pink designs photo of Twiggy on front copyright 1967 12 x 12 in $225

German baby doll rotating bisque head with 3 faces sleeping smiling amp crying blue glass eyes cloth body knob on head 14 in $460

Pull toy dog chases crawling baby wearing paper hat string pull painted tin Gunthermann 10 12 in $1435

FURNITUREGeorgian invalidrsquos chair 3-slat back turned finials

shaped arms iron wheels 19th century $490George III camelback sofa white upholstery arched

back rolled arms inlaid mahogany legs spade feet 1855 38 x 79 in $1035

Georgian chest-on-chest mahogany stepped cornice lipped drawers bracket foot base 1820 75 x 41 in $1500

Edward Wormley sofa by Dunbar mahogany frame with exposed supports gray wool upholstery reverse tapered legs 1950s 90 x 31 in $2800

Gustav Stickley dresser with mirror No 911 2 small drawers atop 2 larger drawers arched front original copper hardware 48 x 22 x 66 in $3000

GLASSBaltimore Colts 1964 team roster drinking glasses

facsimile signatures of team members including Don Shula 8 glasses box 5 12 in $175

Cut glass decanter gooseneck spout engraved grapevines hammered pewter stopper with attached chain 11 x 11 12 in $315

Murano ldquoaquariumrdquo rectangular 4 fish in pink green purple amp orange 19 x 8 in $1120

Daum cameo glass vase footed enameled orange flowers amp green leaves yellow to amethyst ground signed c1905 3 x 6 in $2160

POTTERY amp PORCELAINMoorcroft box heart shape Hibiscus pattern hinged

c1940 1 12 x 2 12 in $175Rookwood chamberstick standard glaze with holly

design c1898 5 x 3 in $235Paul Revere dresser jar sky blue ground painted

Viking ship sailing on sea round signed dated 12-23 4 x 2 in $480

Roseville Futura vase shouldered shape with blue green amp brown geometric design mottled yellow matte glaze 6 x 8 in $510

Teco vase No 185 bulbous with 4 out-turned handles green matte glaze impressed mark 6 x 7 in $1600

SILVER amp OTHER METALSChrome art deco cocktail shaker red amp black Bakelite

trim marked ldquoWest Bendrdquo 1930s 10 in $115Pewter amp tin suppository mold box style 12 cavities

c1860 removable lid $165Sterling silver snuff box hinged cover engraved fox-

hunt scene Birmingham Eng 1868 1 x 4 x 2 12 in $805Tiffany Studios bronze frame Graduate pattern

gold doreacute patina signed 7 x 9 in $990Iron torcheres tripod bases with applied leaves amp

vines red amp green paint 1910 51 in pair $1100TEXTILES amp CLOTHINGSouvenir tablecloth Florida white ground pink

flamingos 1950s 48 x 46 in $100Childrsquos dress shoe black leather with blue-colored kid

lining 1 button closure black velvet ribbon bows metal buckles leather soles nailed heels c1890 $125

1969 Ted Williams game-worn Washington Senators home pants white flannel Wilson label 41-in waist $530

Crib quilt Bearrsquos Paw pattern red amp white squares c1845 40 in $3000

MISCELLANEOUSBoy Scout pocket watch text on upper portion of dial

says ldquoIngersoll Shock Proofrdquo Boy Scouts of America emblem on face c1930 1 34 in $175

The Beatles Show 1963 tour book opening act was Gerry amp the Pacemakers 16 pages $420

1913 California license plates with matching dashboard medallion silvered metal plates are 14 x 4 14 in medallion is 2 in $785

$20 amp UNDERMcCormick Ground Cloves tin white with blue amp red

bands c1950 1 18 oz $10Campfire Girl button multicolored with image of girl

1930s 78 in $12Depression glass cup Adamrsquos Rib pattern 3 38 in $16Ronald McDonald whistle doll put whistle in his mouth

amp squeeze his tummy Hasbro 1978 21 in $19Romper Room Physical Fitness 45 rpm record

with ldquoThe Posture Basket Songrdquo 1960s $20

Kovels ndash September 2009 11

Q I bought this ring at an estate sale and was excited to learn that itrsquos a ldquoLittle Orphan Annie Silver Star Secret

Compartment Ringrdquo Therersquos a lid on the ring thatrsquos held on with metal tabs but I canrsquot get it off easily and I donrsquot want to break it Any thoughts or advice

A If the metal on your ring is corroded donrsquot try too hard to pry it openmdashthe ring is worth a lot of money Little Or-

phan Annie first appeared as a comic strip character in 1924 A radio serial sponsored by Oval-tine until 1940 ran from 1931 to 1942 Ovaltine offered pre-miums including decoder pins rings and mugs to members of the Radio Orphan Annie Secret Society fan club To achieve ldquoSilver Starrdquo status kids had to encourage at least three friends to drink Ovaltine ask them for the inner seals from the con-

tainers then mail them in along with parentsrsquo signatures and a dime Your Orphan Annie Silver Star Triple Mystery Secret Compartment Ring was offered as a premium in 1938 Itrsquos made of silvered brass The letters ldquoROArdquo on each side stand for Ra-dio Orphan Annie The top which opens to reveal a small secret compartment is held on by two prongs slides over and lifts off to reveal the memberrsquos ID number Rings like yours are rare and sell for $700 to over $2000

Letters from readers help us keep track of the changing world of antiques and collectibles We wish we could answer all questions individually but that just isnrsquot pos-sible We do read every letter but only a limited number of questions of general interest are answered Values given are average for the type of antique not a specific appraisal No questions about coins stamps books or oil paintings please Send written questions to PO Box 22200 Beachwood OH 44122 Photos should be in focus and processed by a traditional photo lab computer-generated prints on regular paper cannot be used We try extra hard for subscribers so include your newsletter label and a large self-addressed stamped envelope Email questions and digital photos using the form at wwwKovelscomcontactuscollectorsgalleryhtml We regret that we cannot return any photos We retain the right to use them in this publication or other Kovel forums regardless of medium Please do not send old letters cards or papers of value Sometimes research takes time so please be patient

coLLectorrsquos GaLLery

Q Irsquove been told this cast-iron Uncle Sam bank is original

It was given to my boyfriend by his grandmother and stood on his dresser for years The patent date impressed on the bottom is June 8 1886 The bank is 11 12 inches tall including the base which is 4 78 by 4 in I know copies of this bank have been made so Irsquom hoping you can confirm that itrsquos an original and also tell me what itrsquos worth

A Reproductions of your Uncle Sam bank have been made but yours appears to be an original made by the Shepard Hardware Co of Buffalo NY However the extra photos you sent show the lever

on the top of your bankrsquos base (behind Uncle Samrsquos umbrella) and the coin trap on the backmdashand theyrsquore not like those wersquove seen on originals The lever on originals is a round button while yours is a tab And the original trap is painted red and has a single key-shaped hole while the trap on yours is unpainted white metal with a round hole and knob Shepard Hardware manufactured mechanical banks from 1882 into the 1890s If you put a coin in Uncle Samrsquos hand and press the knob on the top of the base Sam lowers his arm and opens his mouth as

the satchel opens to catch the coin Clean your bank carefully with soap and water to remove some of the grime but donrsquot repaint it Repainting lowers the value A retouched Uncle Sam bank sold at Brunk Auctions in May for $920 Original Uncle Sam banks with original parts and near-mint original paint can sell for tens of thousands One auctioned for $55000 in 2007 Originals with worn paint like yours sell for about $2500 The replaced parts on your bank lower its value even more perhaps to about half that Plastic reproductions sell for $10 or so

Q I would like to know if this teapot is Gaudy Dutch Gau-dy Welsh or Gaudy Ironstone And can you identify the

pattern I have several Gaudy pieces in various patterns and shapes

A Your teapot is a typical ironstone shape called

ldquoGothicrdquo so itrsquos a piece of Gaudy Ironstone Gaudy Iron-stone was made in England in the 1850s Like Gaudy Welsh and Gaudy Dutch itrsquos covered with colorful (ldquogaudyrdquo) Japa-nese Imari-style decorations The pattern was easy to iden-tify as ldquoStrawberryrdquo once we saw the strawberries along the bottom Gaudy Dutch pottery was made in England from 1800 to 1820 Sixteen different patterns have been identified Gaudy Welsh heavier and with cruder decorations was made at potter-ies in England and Wales from about 1820 to 1860 Close to 300 patterns of Gaudy Welsh have been identified including Straw-berry which was also used on Gaudy Ironstone pieces A Gaudy Ironstone Strawberry paneled teapot sold at auction in April for $440 but it had a repaired lid and spout lip If yours is in perfect shape it could sell for more For more information see our article on Gaudy Dutch pottery in Kovels newsletter Nov 2008 Also see Kovelsrsquo American Antiques 1750-1900 by Ralph and Terry Kovel (Random House Reference NY 2004) The Collectorrsquos Ency-clopedia of Gaudy Dutch and Welsh by John A Shuman III (Collector Books Paducah KY 1991) and A Second Look at White Ironstone by Jean Wetherbee (Wallace-Homestead Lombard IL 1985)

12 Kovels ndash September 2009