Q
& A with the Antique Detective
Q. I know little about this fruit basket display. Each piece of fruit is
blown glass, wax coated and hand painted. The glass dome is 36" high and fits
into a groove in the wood base. The basket is wicker. Can you tell me anything
about it and value? R.J.C. - Bradenton, FL
A. Your domed display was one of
the many lady's crafts popular in the mid-19th Century. It could sell in a shop
for several hundred dollars.
Q. This covered cheese plate confuses me. The
stamp says "Meissen", but the symbol seems to be from England. Could you figure
out what this piece is worth and the age? J.A.S. - Falls City, NE
A. Take a
closer look at the names on the bottom. "Carro Meissen" is the name of the blue
and white Meissen style pattern. The other name reads "Staffordshire England"
where the piece was made around 1890. It could sell in a shop for $250.
Q. I
am the owner of 18 pairs of porcelain Dorothy Doughty birds that I am
considering selling. Can you suggest the best way to do it? B.M., Chicago,
IL
A. There are many ways. First know the retail (shop) value, then cut that
in half for your asking price. You could check on the Internet or the library
for collector's clubs or try eBay. Or run an ad in this publication.
Q. What
can you tell me about this cookie jar marked, "Little Red Riding Hood"? No other
marks. An antique shop owner told my sister-in-law it had matching bowls and was
worth $2,700. N.L.P., Payson, Utah
A. Talk is cheap. Your cookie jar was made
by Cronin China Company and sold by the Pottery Guild of America. The Pottery
Guild was in business from 1937 through 1946. Your jar, listed under Pottery
Guild of America on the Internet under "Red Riding Hood Cookie Jars", has a shop
value of $100/150. Many pottery companies made Red Riding Hood cookie jars,
often using the same molds.
Q. What is this porcelain object and what was it
used for? It is 2 1/2" high and 6 3/4" long, marked "Germany". It is like a cup
with a long spout. B.S., Freeport, PA
A. Your object is an invalid feeder. It
allowed the sick person to suck soup or liquids through the spout. It was made
in the late 19th C. and could sell in a shop for $50 or less.
Q. I inherited
this secretary from my uncle in 1946, but know it is older. It has no markings.
I would like to know the history, maker, and value. A.W., Skokie- IL
A. Your
secretary is in the "modern Gothic" style, made around 1875-85, probably by one
of the many Chicago furniture makers working at the time. Look inside the
drawers for a maker's name. Or it could have had a paper label. It could sell at
auction for $2,000 or more.
Q. This lamp is 21" high and weighs about 6
pounds. The female figure is gold in color. The shade is green glass. I can find
no marks. Any information appreciated. It has been in the family at least 60
years. T.R.T., Ford City, PA
A. The weight offers a clue that the figure is
bronze. Make a tiny scratch. If it shows bright gold, it is bronze. It is in the
Art Deco style. It may have had a paper label. Similar lamps sell at auction for
over $1,000. Have it looked at by an appraiser specializing in Art Deco from the
'20s and '30s.
Q. We are interested in any information about this red cash
register. It measures 6" x 4" x 5".
A. Your child's toy cash register was
made in 1931.It has been reproduced. A vintage example could sell in a shop for
$50 or more.
|
1875-85 modern Gothic-style secretary,
possibly $2,000
"Carro Meissen", not Meissen, $250.
Domed fruit basket display, a few hundred.
Bronze Art Deco lamp with green shade, maybe $1,000.
Crodin China Red Riding Hood cookie jar, $100-$150. |
