by Deborah Abernethy and Mike McLeod
$803 (54 bid, 15 bidders): Victorian L1894 Sampson Mordan Solid Silver Chatelaine Dictionary.
A superb rare English antique Victorian solid sterling silver chatelaine dictionary holder, by the silversmiths Sampson Mordan & Co, and with full English silver hallmarks for London 1894. Excellent quality, genuine 121-year-old example, with a slide action opening and original gilded interior and has a magnifying viewer on the lid. Comes with its original tiny dictionary containing 384 pages and is all complete and includes the title page and engraved name of original owner on reverse and year date. No repairs and no nasty knocks or dents. Measures approximately 1.45 inches x 0.9 inches and is 0.45 inches deep.
Lovely condition, no splits or cracks to the silver case, no solder repairs, and no nasty knocks or dents, a couple of very minor shallow surface bruises, really nothing. The slide-action lid opener works perfectly, and the original interior gilding is virtually all intact. The magnifying viewer has no chips or cracks, (just minor surface scratches). Complete with its silver attachment ring. Very nice, unusual item. (Photo: eBay seller kentsfinest.)
Prices for chatelaines vary greatly with sterling silver ones having a higher value than some other metals. Seventeenth century chatelaines sell for more money than later ones. Multiple implement chatelaines usually sell for more than single implements. This one is obviously sterling, dated 1894, and with the 8magnifying glass could be considered two implements. It sold for the mid-range of values. I would say that this was a fair price.
$894 (31 bids, 6 bidders): Antique Inuit Eskimo Yupik snow goggles, antler, Bering Strait.
This item (and many others) my grandfather brought from the Soviet polar expedition to the Bering Strait in 1950-55s. I do not know exactly which of the people living in the area made it. In this area were Chukchi, Yupik, Eskimo, Aleut, Yakut, Inuit and many others. Length: 5 3/4 inches. (Photo: eBay seller sprezzaturaparfume.)
$3,760 (40 bids, 16 bidders): Vintage Farman Goliath F.60 WWI Wooden Airplane Propeller.
This is a gigantic antique wooden airplane propeller from a WWI-era France Farman Goliath F.60 Twin-engined Bomber. This is a huge, 12 feet long and has brass metal tips and leading edges. It has several markings including “Goliath Salmson 3585” on the hub face, a larger “3585” on one blade, and a small logo and numbers that I can’t read well near the hub. The Goliath was designed to be a bomber during World War I, and after the war, they served as early airliners. This is the second of these I have had over the years, and this one came with the other that I sold a couple years ago; I assume they may have been a set at one time. It has been refinished over the years (with the hub face left original intact), but it is still in good and very attractive condition. Truly a massive and impressive wooden airplane propeller.
So this propeller had 40 bids with 16 bidders. There is a strong market for this type of collectible and the price is on par with other similar ones. I did find a 9-foot Salmson propeller offered for sale at $2,995. The one selling on eBay for $3760 is 12 feet long.
$3,000 (35 bids,): Goldscheider Art Deco Wien Josef Kostial Harlequin with Flute Figurine.
Stunning and extremely rare Wien Australian figurine of a harlequin jester playing a flute; #5102 designed by Josef Kostial, ca. 1923, and produced by Goldscheider Factory. Excellent condition, measures 12 inches tall by 7.25 inches long by 5.25 inches deep. Marked on the bottom with factory stamp and model numbers; signed by the artist on the back. (Photo: eBay seller emporium1973.)
Many similar porcelain figures can be found for sale at retail operations for $2,500 to $6,000. These objects are somewhat rare and very collectible.
Deborah Abernethy is a certified appraiser with the International Association of Appraisers. She can be contacted at 404-262-2131 or Deborah@expert-appraisers.com. Her website is www.expert-appraisers.com.
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