Page 49 - Journal of Antiques and Collectibles December 2019
P. 49
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles and Asheford Institute of Antiques have teamed up to present:
Asheford Institute of Antiques
www.asheford.com
APPRAISERS CORNER A Commitment to Excellence Since 1966
Certified Appraisal Training
Dear Appraiser; The supporting bars (that hold firewood) attached to the back of the light-
Attached are the pictures and paperwork of the brass lighthouse andirons that houses are made of iron.
have been in my family at least 70 years. The paperwork says they were made in The Rostand Manufacturing Company has been in business since 1902
Milford, Connecticut. and has manufactured a variety of items such as fireplace fixtures, lamps, door
Please take a look as any information as to value would be greatly appreciated. knockers, candlesticks, sundials, hardware, cuspidors, and andirons, as well as
Thank You – Robert cast brass and bronze hardware for home and marine use. From what I have
read, Rostand Mfg. Co is a great American success story with the original
Milford Connecticut mill site being on the historic register and part of the
“Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation” project. Rostand Trade catalogs
have been collected by the National Museum of American History (Behring
Center) part of the Smithsonian museum in Washington D.C. They are still
in business today in Pennsylvania. All of the items mentioned above that
Rostand has manufactured throughout the years are collectible; some being
antique (100 years or older).
Your Rostand manufactured lighthouse andirons fall into several collecting
categories; andirons, lighthouses, and nautical items. It is my opinion that if
you were to find a pair of Rostand lighthouse andirons similar to yours at an
upper-end auction, I would expect to pay an estimated $2,500+.
As a side note – I have included the auction realized document of a set of
Rostand lighthouse andirons that sold at auction in 2001 that you included in
your request. You will notice that the “Price Realized” was $7,050, a great
difference from my appraisal. I did not factor your auction realized submission
into my appraisal based on
four reasons.
1.) This auction result is
18 years old. I never use past
auction results that are older
than four years maximum
because the market changes
either up or down for just
about everything considered
antique and collectible.
2.) This auction result was
pre-recession. Just about
everything antique and
collectible formed a new
value base because of the
“Great Recession” of approx-
imately 2007/2010. Just for
the fun of it, I used your
2001 auction result for a set
of Rostand lighthouse
Andirons and tools of $7,050
and a 2007 recession-era auction result for just the lighthouse andirons of
Hello Robert, and thank you very much for
$1,008, and a 2009 set of lighthouse andirons at auction sold for $1,995. In
submitting the classic American antique fireplace 2016 an entire lighthouse andiron set—with fireplace tools and stand—was
andirons for appraisal. It has been a while since I recorded as being sold for $3,500.
have had a pair of great andirons to appraise. 3.) Your auction result included three lighthouse tools and a stand. I have
Andirons and fireplace tools are a centuries-old tradition and just another seen other lighthouse sets sell with three tools but I have never seen the light-
beautiful way to enjoy a fire as many are decorative and beautiful to look at. house handled tools sell before. I believe the lighthouse handled tools are rarer
The purpose of an andiron is to elevate the firewood inside the fireplace than the andirons themselves.
creating space beneath the firewood for paper or flammable fire starter material 4.) Anytime there is an auction with 2 bidders that have the same quest for
for the fire. The wood would be stacked on the iron bars that extended from an item, especially when money is not a factor, I consider a “Katie bar the
the decorative front into the fireplace. The decorative front sometimes had a door, anything can happen!” event. Many a skewed auction result happens
screen that would keep escaping embers from rolling on to the floor outside of when this perfect storm occurs. This is why any certified appraiser worth their
the fireplace. salt will use results of all kinds to come to an opinion of value, and even then,
These particular andiron fronts are brass lighthouses, but I have seen iron it is just simply an opinion.
and brass owl figures with glass eyes, cannonball, duck, Victorian figural,
crossed swords, birds, bears, etc. I even had a pair of andirons in the late 1970s Thank you, Robert, and enjoy these beautiful lighthouse andirons.
that had a grouping of 19th century Colt firearms welded together to make a
decorative front.
Your andirons were manufactured by the Rostand Manufacturing
David Moore is part of the school’s “Ask The Experts” appraising team, and
Company, Milford, Connecticut circa the first half of the 20th century. The is an honors graduate and “Certified” Asheford Institute of Antiques
lighthouses are sitting on a rocky base and measure approximately 29 ¾ inches Appraiser. Mr. Moore is the owner of Waterman’s Antiques, was President
tall by 20 inches deep with the lighthouse portion being made of brass and of the Indiana Archaeo logical Society, and is a published author, with over
50 years of experience in the research and study of antiques and collectibles.
marked ROSTAND.
The Journal of Antiques & Collectibles and Asheford Institute of Antiques have teamed up to provide our readers with professional appraisers to help you learn more
about and value your finds. Do you have questions about something you have acquired? We welcome your questions and photos. Send your information to
editorial@journalofantiques.com or mail to Journal of Antiques & Collectibles, PO Box 950, Sturbridge, MA 01566 attn: Appraisers Corner. To learn more about becoming
a “certified” antiques appraiser, visit www.asheford.com or contact the Admissions Office toll free at 877-444-4508.
December 2019 47
Asheford Institute of Antiques
www.asheford.com
APPRAISERS CORNER A Commitment to Excellence Since 1966
Certified Appraisal Training
Dear Appraiser; The supporting bars (that hold firewood) attached to the back of the light-
Attached are the pictures and paperwork of the brass lighthouse andirons that houses are made of iron.
have been in my family at least 70 years. The paperwork says they were made in The Rostand Manufacturing Company has been in business since 1902
Milford, Connecticut. and has manufactured a variety of items such as fireplace fixtures, lamps, door
Please take a look as any information as to value would be greatly appreciated. knockers, candlesticks, sundials, hardware, cuspidors, and andirons, as well as
Thank You – Robert cast brass and bronze hardware for home and marine use. From what I have
read, Rostand Mfg. Co is a great American success story with the original
Milford Connecticut mill site being on the historic register and part of the
“Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation” project. Rostand Trade catalogs
have been collected by the National Museum of American History (Behring
Center) part of the Smithsonian museum in Washington D.C. They are still
in business today in Pennsylvania. All of the items mentioned above that
Rostand has manufactured throughout the years are collectible; some being
antique (100 years or older).
Your Rostand manufactured lighthouse andirons fall into several collecting
categories; andirons, lighthouses, and nautical items. It is my opinion that if
you were to find a pair of Rostand lighthouse andirons similar to yours at an
upper-end auction, I would expect to pay an estimated $2,500+.
As a side note – I have included the auction realized document of a set of
Rostand lighthouse andirons that sold at auction in 2001 that you included in
your request. You will notice that the “Price Realized” was $7,050, a great
difference from my appraisal. I did not factor your auction realized submission
into my appraisal based on
four reasons.
1.) This auction result is
18 years old. I never use past
auction results that are older
than four years maximum
because the market changes
either up or down for just
about everything considered
antique and collectible.
2.) This auction result was
pre-recession. Just about
everything antique and
collectible formed a new
value base because of the
“Great Recession” of approx-
imately 2007/2010. Just for
the fun of it, I used your
2001 auction result for a set
of Rostand lighthouse
Andirons and tools of $7,050
and a 2007 recession-era auction result for just the lighthouse andirons of
Hello Robert, and thank you very much for
$1,008, and a 2009 set of lighthouse andirons at auction sold for $1,995. In
submitting the classic American antique fireplace 2016 an entire lighthouse andiron set—with fireplace tools and stand—was
andirons for appraisal. It has been a while since I recorded as being sold for $3,500.
have had a pair of great andirons to appraise. 3.) Your auction result included three lighthouse tools and a stand. I have
Andirons and fireplace tools are a centuries-old tradition and just another seen other lighthouse sets sell with three tools but I have never seen the light-
beautiful way to enjoy a fire as many are decorative and beautiful to look at. house handled tools sell before. I believe the lighthouse handled tools are rarer
The purpose of an andiron is to elevate the firewood inside the fireplace than the andirons themselves.
creating space beneath the firewood for paper or flammable fire starter material 4.) Anytime there is an auction with 2 bidders that have the same quest for
for the fire. The wood would be stacked on the iron bars that extended from an item, especially when money is not a factor, I consider a “Katie bar the
the decorative front into the fireplace. The decorative front sometimes had a door, anything can happen!” event. Many a skewed auction result happens
screen that would keep escaping embers from rolling on to the floor outside of when this perfect storm occurs. This is why any certified appraiser worth their
the fireplace. salt will use results of all kinds to come to an opinion of value, and even then,
These particular andiron fronts are brass lighthouses, but I have seen iron it is just simply an opinion.
and brass owl figures with glass eyes, cannonball, duck, Victorian figural,
crossed swords, birds, bears, etc. I even had a pair of andirons in the late 1970s Thank you, Robert, and enjoy these beautiful lighthouse andirons.
that had a grouping of 19th century Colt firearms welded together to make a
decorative front.
Your andirons were manufactured by the Rostand Manufacturing
David Moore is part of the school’s “Ask The Experts” appraising team, and
Company, Milford, Connecticut circa the first half of the 20th century. The is an honors graduate and “Certified” Asheford Institute of Antiques
lighthouses are sitting on a rocky base and measure approximately 29 ¾ inches Appraiser. Mr. Moore is the owner of Waterman’s Antiques, was President
tall by 20 inches deep with the lighthouse portion being made of brass and of the Indiana Archaeo logical Society, and is a published author, with over
50 years of experience in the research and study of antiques and collectibles.
marked ROSTAND.
The Journal of Antiques & Collectibles and Asheford Institute of Antiques have teamed up to provide our readers with professional appraisers to help you learn more
about and value your finds. Do you have questions about something you have acquired? We welcome your questions and photos. Send your information to
editorial@journalofantiques.com or mail to Journal of Antiques & Collectibles, PO Box 950, Sturbridge, MA 01566 attn: Appraisers Corner. To learn more about becoming
a “certified” antiques appraiser, visit www.asheford.com or contact the Admissions Office toll free at 877-444-4508.
December 2019 47
