Page 48 - Journal of Antiques and Collectibles December 2019
P. 48
T first house is usually furniture Collecting Tip: Terry Kovel
he furniture you select for your
Don’t ask for a personalized autograph if you plan to sell it.
that is as old as the house. A new
Buyers prefer a plain signature over “Best Wishes to Mike.”
modern house probably has lots of
windows, high ceilings, kitchens and Some sports figures, however, always personalize their autographs.
bathrooms made with marble. Most
rooms are painted with either a mixture
of very bright colors or a monotone Q: How much is an original Gambina black doll worth? It was handmade in New Orleans.
shade of white or beige. Furniture looks A paper that came with it says it’s Antoinette.
like the first modern designs—simple A: C.V. Gambina Inc. was founded by Charles Vincent Gambina in the 1970s. Although
shapes, little carving or decoration, it says handmade in New Orleans, dolls were made in Hong Kong and the clothes were
chairs made of bent wood and metal handmade in New Orleans. Cloth, porcelain and vinyl dolls were dressed in ethnic,
rods, and plain rectangular storage historic and other costumes. Antoinette is the “Seafood Lady,” one of the market sellers
pieces and tables. Victorian furniture that are part of a series of dolls dressed to represent historic New Orleans. The doll was
with dark wood, carved and gilt trims, made in 1985. Gambina died in 2004 and the company is no longer in business.
Large, Victorian furniture is out of style and metal plaques, just doesn’t fit in. Gambina dolls sell for less than $15.
and hard to sell. This top-quality cabinet When this 1870 American Renaissance- * * *
didn’t sell even though it was estimated at era cabinet was offered at auction (est.
less than half the price it cost 12 years ago. $8,000 to $12,000), there were few bid- Q: I inherited two unusual 14-karat gold and pearl tuxedo studs from my father's estate. They
ders. Moore, York, & Howell of are square with what looks like a lace-edge handkerchief folded over in a triangle shape. A long
Philadelphia, who exhibited at the 1876 Centennial Exposition, made it. A great pin with a pearl head is stuck through the “handkerchief.” I don’t want to scrap them. How
can I find their value for resale?
example of American Renaissance furniture, over 5 feet high and just short of 5
feet wide, it is a good size for a Victorian room with an 8-foot-high ceiling and A: Even though you don’t want to “scrap them,” it helps to know the meltdown value in
lots of wall space. So, while prices for early modern furniture have gone up, this order to determine the resale value of gold or silver items. You can take the studs to a
cabinet, bought at a 2007 auction for $18,000, was featured in a well-advertised, jeweler to see how much the gold weighs and to find out the current meltdown value.
well-run auction this year and didn’t sell. The pearl also adds value. Jewelers often measure gold in troy ounces, which are heavier
than standard ounces. The meltdown value of 14-karat gold fluctuates, but the value of
a troy ounce is about $875. The jeweler may offer to buy them for a lower price because
they must be able to make a profit. Most tuxedo stud sets include at least four studs and
E ver wonder when rubber boots replaced shoes on rainy days? Hessian a pair of cufflinks. Since you only have two studs, they can’t be worn with a tuxedo shirt.
soldiers wore leather boots, and Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of
Wellington, decided boots made of rubber would be more useful and
* * *
keep feet drier. Charles Goodyear had vulcanized natural rubber in the 1850s
to make tires and he sold the use of the patent to Hiram Hutchinson in 1853 Q: I have a barometer/altimeter that my dad may have gotten when he worked for Charles
Dawes, Calvin Coolidge’s vice president. It is round and about 2 3/4 inches in diameter. It
to use for boots. They became a fashion statement for a few years, but then has a glass front and the case is heavy metal, maybe brass. It’s marked “Queen & Co., Phila”
farmers began to wear them, and then soldiers in both World Wars – the on the back. Can you tell me anything about it and value?
trenches often held rainwater and the boots kept feet dry. The boots continue
to be used by many. They have changed from a semi-pointed toe to a rounded A: James W. Queen & Company was founded in Philadelphia in 1853. It became Queen
toe, to even a metal toe to avoid accidents. & Company in 1893. The company made and imported optical and scientific equip-
Boots were first made of leather and went ment. The name was changed to Queen-Gray Co. in 1912. The company became the
Gray Instrument Company in 1925. It closed in 1952. Aneroid barometers don’t contain
to the knees in the 1840s, then to the calf mercury and measure atmospheric pressure by the expansion of metal. An altimeter
in the 1850s, and to the ankle by the (altitude meter) is a type of aneroid barometer that measures changes in air pressure to
1860s. Today, the terms “wellies,” “gum- measure changes in altitude. Without seeing what you have, we can’t give you a value.
mies” or “gumboots” are used to describe
them. This picture is part of an 1898 cal- * * *
endar advertising Hood Rubber Boots for Q: I have $3,000 to $6,000 invested in my Mutt and Jeff collection and would like to give
children. They are high enough to be con- it to a museum as a charitable contribution. I'm too old to continue collecting and none of my
sidered Wellington boots. The sign, in a family is interested in it. What do you suggest? I'll pay for shipping it to a museum.
gold leaf frame, 14 by 24 inches, sold at a A. Mutt and Jeff wasa comic strip created by Bud Fisher that ran in newspapers from 1907
Kimbell Sterling auction in Johnson City, to 1983. You didn't indicate if you have original art, comic strips, or toys and other items
Tennessee, for a bargain at $81.40. The associated with the strip. The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at The Ohio
company called the boots “galoshes.” State University (cartoons.osu.edu) in Columbus, Ohio, has the world’s largest collection
of materials related to comics and cartoons. You can also contact The Cartoon Art
Some advertising collectibles are bargains. Museum (cartoonart.org) in San Francisco and The Society of Illustrators (societyillus-
This picture was the top of an 1898 calendar trators.org) in New York City. If you have toys, games or other items, you might want
probably given to customers who bought the Hood to contact an auction that specializes in comic art and see if they can sell them. A museum
company rubber boots. The framed picture cost probably won’t want everything, but you can offer it to be displayed or sold to benefit
only $74 plus a 10% buyer's premium. the museum.
CURRENT PRICES
Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.
Ewer, figural handle, winged nude, rams’ heads, flowers, Meissen tureen, underplate, lid, pink rose finial, flower bou- Needlepoint sofa, flower bouquets, carved mahogany frame,
gourds, acanthus, green, gilt metal, 20 inches, $110. quets, insects, latticework, marked, 5 1/2 x 9 inches, $450. leaves, flowers, berries, 33 x 90 inches, $540.
Vaseline glass pickle castor, silver plate frame, fans, C-scrolls, Murano art glass vase, cobalt blue, frosted, millefiori, signed Ottoman bonbonniere, silver, melon shaped, repousse,
finial, marked Bersh, 11 inches, $180. Rons Murano, 11 3/4 x 7 1/2 inches, $490. chased, leaves, hinges, 9 1/2 x 8 3/4 inches, $3,750.
Game box, rosewood, S-scrolls, flip-top compartments, Tiffany & Co. cup, silver, marching children’s band, flute, Harp, semi-grand, 8 pedals, gilt, blue, filigree, flowers, paw
escutcheon, hinges, 7 x 17 inches, $240. tambourine, hand cart, trees, 3 1/2 x 4 inches, $510. feet, J.F. Browne & Co., 69 x 44 inches, $4,800.
answers as many questions as possible through the column. By sending a letter with a question, you give full permission for use in the column or any other Kovel forum. Names, addresses or email addresses
Terry Kovel
will not be published. We cannot guarantee the return of any photograph, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. The volume of mail makes personal answers or appraisals impossible. Write to Kovels,
(Journal of Antiques and Collectibles), King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019.
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
46
he furniture you select for your
Don’t ask for a personalized autograph if you plan to sell it.
that is as old as the house. A new
Buyers prefer a plain signature over “Best Wishes to Mike.”
modern house probably has lots of
windows, high ceilings, kitchens and Some sports figures, however, always personalize their autographs.
bathrooms made with marble. Most
rooms are painted with either a mixture
of very bright colors or a monotone Q: How much is an original Gambina black doll worth? It was handmade in New Orleans.
shade of white or beige. Furniture looks A paper that came with it says it’s Antoinette.
like the first modern designs—simple A: C.V. Gambina Inc. was founded by Charles Vincent Gambina in the 1970s. Although
shapes, little carving or decoration, it says handmade in New Orleans, dolls were made in Hong Kong and the clothes were
chairs made of bent wood and metal handmade in New Orleans. Cloth, porcelain and vinyl dolls were dressed in ethnic,
rods, and plain rectangular storage historic and other costumes. Antoinette is the “Seafood Lady,” one of the market sellers
pieces and tables. Victorian furniture that are part of a series of dolls dressed to represent historic New Orleans. The doll was
with dark wood, carved and gilt trims, made in 1985. Gambina died in 2004 and the company is no longer in business.
Large, Victorian furniture is out of style and metal plaques, just doesn’t fit in. Gambina dolls sell for less than $15.
and hard to sell. This top-quality cabinet When this 1870 American Renaissance- * * *
didn’t sell even though it was estimated at era cabinet was offered at auction (est.
less than half the price it cost 12 years ago. $8,000 to $12,000), there were few bid- Q: I inherited two unusual 14-karat gold and pearl tuxedo studs from my father's estate. They
ders. Moore, York, & Howell of are square with what looks like a lace-edge handkerchief folded over in a triangle shape. A long
Philadelphia, who exhibited at the 1876 Centennial Exposition, made it. A great pin with a pearl head is stuck through the “handkerchief.” I don’t want to scrap them. How
can I find their value for resale?
example of American Renaissance furniture, over 5 feet high and just short of 5
feet wide, it is a good size for a Victorian room with an 8-foot-high ceiling and A: Even though you don’t want to “scrap them,” it helps to know the meltdown value in
lots of wall space. So, while prices for early modern furniture have gone up, this order to determine the resale value of gold or silver items. You can take the studs to a
cabinet, bought at a 2007 auction for $18,000, was featured in a well-advertised, jeweler to see how much the gold weighs and to find out the current meltdown value.
well-run auction this year and didn’t sell. The pearl also adds value. Jewelers often measure gold in troy ounces, which are heavier
than standard ounces. The meltdown value of 14-karat gold fluctuates, but the value of
a troy ounce is about $875. The jeweler may offer to buy them for a lower price because
they must be able to make a profit. Most tuxedo stud sets include at least four studs and
E ver wonder when rubber boots replaced shoes on rainy days? Hessian a pair of cufflinks. Since you only have two studs, they can’t be worn with a tuxedo shirt.
soldiers wore leather boots, and Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of
Wellington, decided boots made of rubber would be more useful and
* * *
keep feet drier. Charles Goodyear had vulcanized natural rubber in the 1850s
to make tires and he sold the use of the patent to Hiram Hutchinson in 1853 Q: I have a barometer/altimeter that my dad may have gotten when he worked for Charles
Dawes, Calvin Coolidge’s vice president. It is round and about 2 3/4 inches in diameter. It
to use for boots. They became a fashion statement for a few years, but then has a glass front and the case is heavy metal, maybe brass. It’s marked “Queen & Co., Phila”
farmers began to wear them, and then soldiers in both World Wars – the on the back. Can you tell me anything about it and value?
trenches often held rainwater and the boots kept feet dry. The boots continue
to be used by many. They have changed from a semi-pointed toe to a rounded A: James W. Queen & Company was founded in Philadelphia in 1853. It became Queen
toe, to even a metal toe to avoid accidents. & Company in 1893. The company made and imported optical and scientific equip-
Boots were first made of leather and went ment. The name was changed to Queen-Gray Co. in 1912. The company became the
Gray Instrument Company in 1925. It closed in 1952. Aneroid barometers don’t contain
to the knees in the 1840s, then to the calf mercury and measure atmospheric pressure by the expansion of metal. An altimeter
in the 1850s, and to the ankle by the (altitude meter) is a type of aneroid barometer that measures changes in air pressure to
1860s. Today, the terms “wellies,” “gum- measure changes in altitude. Without seeing what you have, we can’t give you a value.
mies” or “gumboots” are used to describe
them. This picture is part of an 1898 cal- * * *
endar advertising Hood Rubber Boots for Q: I have $3,000 to $6,000 invested in my Mutt and Jeff collection and would like to give
children. They are high enough to be con- it to a museum as a charitable contribution. I'm too old to continue collecting and none of my
sidered Wellington boots. The sign, in a family is interested in it. What do you suggest? I'll pay for shipping it to a museum.
gold leaf frame, 14 by 24 inches, sold at a A. Mutt and Jeff wasa comic strip created by Bud Fisher that ran in newspapers from 1907
Kimbell Sterling auction in Johnson City, to 1983. You didn't indicate if you have original art, comic strips, or toys and other items
Tennessee, for a bargain at $81.40. The associated with the strip. The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at The Ohio
company called the boots “galoshes.” State University (cartoons.osu.edu) in Columbus, Ohio, has the world’s largest collection
of materials related to comics and cartoons. You can also contact The Cartoon Art
Some advertising collectibles are bargains. Museum (cartoonart.org) in San Francisco and The Society of Illustrators (societyillus-
This picture was the top of an 1898 calendar trators.org) in New York City. If you have toys, games or other items, you might want
probably given to customers who bought the Hood to contact an auction that specializes in comic art and see if they can sell them. A museum
company rubber boots. The framed picture cost probably won’t want everything, but you can offer it to be displayed or sold to benefit
only $74 plus a 10% buyer's premium. the museum.
CURRENT PRICES
Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.
Ewer, figural handle, winged nude, rams’ heads, flowers, Meissen tureen, underplate, lid, pink rose finial, flower bou- Needlepoint sofa, flower bouquets, carved mahogany frame,
gourds, acanthus, green, gilt metal, 20 inches, $110. quets, insects, latticework, marked, 5 1/2 x 9 inches, $450. leaves, flowers, berries, 33 x 90 inches, $540.
Vaseline glass pickle castor, silver plate frame, fans, C-scrolls, Murano art glass vase, cobalt blue, frosted, millefiori, signed Ottoman bonbonniere, silver, melon shaped, repousse,
finial, marked Bersh, 11 inches, $180. Rons Murano, 11 3/4 x 7 1/2 inches, $490. chased, leaves, hinges, 9 1/2 x 8 3/4 inches, $3,750.
Game box, rosewood, S-scrolls, flip-top compartments, Tiffany & Co. cup, silver, marching children’s band, flute, Harp, semi-grand, 8 pedals, gilt, blue, filigree, flowers, paw
escutcheon, hinges, 7 x 17 inches, $240. tambourine, hand cart, trees, 3 1/2 x 4 inches, $510. feet, J.F. Browne & Co., 69 x 44 inches, $4,800.
answers as many questions as possible through the column. By sending a letter with a question, you give full permission for use in the column or any other Kovel forum. Names, addresses or email addresses
Terry Kovel
will not be published. We cannot guarantee the return of any photograph, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. The volume of mail makes personal answers or appraisals impossible. Write to Kovels,
(Journal of Antiques and Collectibles), King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019.
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
46
