Page 47 - Journal of Antiques and Collectibles June 2019
P. 47
I t’s spring and time to plant the seeds that grow into vegetables and flowers Collecting Tip: Terry Kovel
that often are tasty salads for deer, rabbits, squirrels and other local wildlife.
If you move your antiques to a new home in a van, watch
In 1790, a Shaker religious community started to sell packets filled with seeds
out for damage. Check the antiques as they are unloaded.
saved from the previous year. It was a new idea. Seeds for farmers had only sold
in bulk quantities. At first the packets held only vegetable seeds, but by the mid- Sweep the inside of the moving van and save any small pieces of veneer, wood or
1800s, flower seeds were also sold. Sometime before 1918, Shaker seed tape was screws that might have fallen off your furniture.
invented and sold. Today, gardeners can buy seed tape for hundreds of plants or
make their own. Just unroll some toilet paper and press one or two seeds into the I’d like to sell an official Oakland Raiders helmet signed by Ken Stabler, Howie Long,
paper at spaced intervals. Then roll up the paper until it’s time to plant. The seed Q:
Al Davis, George Blanda and a few others. I have photos of each player signing this helmet.
tape (toilet paper) can be The NFL Hall of Fame wanted it donated, but I’d rather sell it to a Raiders enthusiast.
stretched into a shallow line in the How can I reach out to that fan base and get a true estimate of value?
dirt, then covered with more dirt,
watered, and kept free of weeds. A: There are auction houses that specialize in selling sports memorabilia, and they get
Rows of plants will come up in a the highest prices. You can find them by searching online for “sports auctions” or
few days. The American Seed “sports memorabilia auctions.” You can also search specifically for “Oakland Raiders
Tape Company of Newark, New memorabilia.” Past auctions list prices for items sold. You can call or write an email
Jersey, had a seed tape brand to some of these auction houses to see if they are interested in the helmet and what
called Pakro that advertised in the seller’s premium and other charges might be.
farm publications from 1918 to at
least the 1920s. Recently, a Wm. * * *
Morford advertising auction Q: My pewter plate is marked with the impressed letters “T B & Co” in a rectangle. What
offered an early cardboard Pakro does it mean?
seed tape display box that held 60
Advertising collectibles are very popular today A: The letters stand for Timothy Boardman & Company. He was a famous metalsmith
despite decreased interest in displaying old signs in different types of seed tapes in who lived from 1798 to 1825. His company used the mark from 1822 to 1825. A plate
family restaurants, a popular decorating idea in the original small boxes with color
1980s. This seed tape box is in great condition pictures like those on the packets. with this mark in good condition brings a high price from pewter collectors today.
with original small boxes of seed tape filling each The 15- by 18-inch display sold * * *
compartment. It sold for $1,033. for $1,033.
I have an old chair with a U-shaped seat that extends up to support straight arms. The
Q:
legs are an upside-down U shape. It is heavily carved, with animal heads on the ends of
the arms and a crest with flowers and symbols. Can you tell me about it?
C hildren have always wanted to imitate the activities of people they see. So, A: Your chair is a “curule” chair. It’s a style that descends from an ancient Roman
toys have been made for centuries that are dressed to look like friends and,
if possible, let them pretend to cook, play or work like grown-ups. In
folding seat for high-ranking dignitaries. It is called a sella curulis from the Latin
Germany, toy factories made small colorful tin toys from about 1880 to 1914
that could move and imitate a mother cooking or a boy roller skating. The price “currus” meaning chariot. It was used at public events such as the circus or theater.
The style continued through medieval and Renaissance eras as a symbol of wealth,
of the small toy was a penny, so they were named “penny toys” by today’s
power and authority for church officials in Italy and other parts of Europe. The
collectors. About 175 antique penny toys were sold in an important Bertoia Italians, Greeks, French and Spanish all had their versions. Your chair was probably
auction recently and prices were much higher than a penny. The lowest price made during the Renaissance Revival, 1860s to 1880s. There was a renewed interest
was $180. The highest price was $11,400 for a walking camel with a well- in classical design. Chairs like yours have sold from $160 to about $300. Curule chairs
dressed Arab rider. The top of the rider’s turban could be turned to make the by known makers or with exceptional detail would sell for more.
clockwork toy move. There were several toys showing a boy or a girl at school
sitting at the traditional bench attached to a desk. * * *
The child’s arm moved and opened the top of the I bought an enamel and copper ashtray marked “Dane” and would like to know who
desk to show candy hidden inside. This schoolboy Q:
made it.
penny toy sold for $840. Toys today are much
more complicated with electric motors or digital A: This mark was used by Dane Burr (1926-2013), a studio potter, artist and
instructions, but kids still play school. instructor best known for his clay sculptures of whimsical animals and other figures.
Burr was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art.
The toy schoolboy sold at auction was admiring Some of his pottery and paintings were exhibited at the May Show at the Cleveland
a picture on the desk top that was hiding candy. Museum of Art in the 1950s. He also taught art at various locations. Burr and his wife
Discovering and eating the candy made the toy great fun. moved to Waynesville, North Carolina, in 1995 and opened a studio and gallery
Today it is a collector’s treasure costing $840. there, where he continued to work. Your enameled ashtray is worth $50.
The excellentndition of the original paint adds to the price.
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.
Clock, Petal style, green, blue, orange, composite, enamel, Lustres, cranberry, bohemian glass, scalloped edge bowls, Vanity, bird's eye maple, walnut, three drawers, glass top,
metal, style of George Nelson, 17 1/2 in. $75. cut glass prisms, enamel & gilt flowers, 14 in. pair. $680. Art Deco, Gilbert Rhode for Herman Miller, 27 1/4 x 51
3/4 in. $2,080.
Delft Charger, pedestal, fern fronds, flowers, blue, white, Rookwood vase, trees, bushes, vellum, blue, green, purple,
14 in. $280. Lorinda Epply, 9 1/2 in. $920. Majolica bowl, jardiniere, two tier, cherubs, shells, multi-
color, Hugo Lonitz, c. 1880, 20 x 11 1/2 in. $3,000.
Elephant Match Safe, silver plate, cream tusks, trunk Vase, gourd shaped, red & orange flowers, brown leaves,
down, c. 1900, 2 1/4 x 1 1/2 in. $430. white ground, Zsolnay, 15 in. $1,100. Sconce, 12-light, patinated brass, flowers, upright arms,
unmarked, attributed to C. Jere, 1970, 35 x 20 in. $65.
Coat hook, fox head, wreath of leaves, black forest, Inkwell, marble, classical cameos, Mt. Vesuvius water
Germany, c. 1900, 10 x 6 in. $460. color, lobed, black, red, 4 3/4 x 3 in. $1,480. Fireplace fender, rectangular panel, cherubs, scrolls, ball
finials, c. 1880, 10 1/2 x 41 in. $390.
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.
July 2019 45
that often are tasty salads for deer, rabbits, squirrels and other local wildlife.
If you move your antiques to a new home in a van, watch
In 1790, a Shaker religious community started to sell packets filled with seeds
out for damage. Check the antiques as they are unloaded.
saved from the previous year. It was a new idea. Seeds for farmers had only sold
in bulk quantities. At first the packets held only vegetable seeds, but by the mid- Sweep the inside of the moving van and save any small pieces of veneer, wood or
1800s, flower seeds were also sold. Sometime before 1918, Shaker seed tape was screws that might have fallen off your furniture.
invented and sold. Today, gardeners can buy seed tape for hundreds of plants or
make their own. Just unroll some toilet paper and press one or two seeds into the I’d like to sell an official Oakland Raiders helmet signed by Ken Stabler, Howie Long,
paper at spaced intervals. Then roll up the paper until it’s time to plant. The seed Q:
Al Davis, George Blanda and a few others. I have photos of each player signing this helmet.
tape (toilet paper) can be The NFL Hall of Fame wanted it donated, but I’d rather sell it to a Raiders enthusiast.
stretched into a shallow line in the How can I reach out to that fan base and get a true estimate of value?
dirt, then covered with more dirt,
watered, and kept free of weeds. A: There are auction houses that specialize in selling sports memorabilia, and they get
Rows of plants will come up in a the highest prices. You can find them by searching online for “sports auctions” or
few days. The American Seed “sports memorabilia auctions.” You can also search specifically for “Oakland Raiders
Tape Company of Newark, New memorabilia.” Past auctions list prices for items sold. You can call or write an email
Jersey, had a seed tape brand to some of these auction houses to see if they are interested in the helmet and what
called Pakro that advertised in the seller’s premium and other charges might be.
farm publications from 1918 to at
least the 1920s. Recently, a Wm. * * *
Morford advertising auction Q: My pewter plate is marked with the impressed letters “T B & Co” in a rectangle. What
offered an early cardboard Pakro does it mean?
seed tape display box that held 60
Advertising collectibles are very popular today A: The letters stand for Timothy Boardman & Company. He was a famous metalsmith
despite decreased interest in displaying old signs in different types of seed tapes in who lived from 1798 to 1825. His company used the mark from 1822 to 1825. A plate
family restaurants, a popular decorating idea in the original small boxes with color
1980s. This seed tape box is in great condition pictures like those on the packets. with this mark in good condition brings a high price from pewter collectors today.
with original small boxes of seed tape filling each The 15- by 18-inch display sold * * *
compartment. It sold for $1,033. for $1,033.
I have an old chair with a U-shaped seat that extends up to support straight arms. The
Q:
legs are an upside-down U shape. It is heavily carved, with animal heads on the ends of
the arms and a crest with flowers and symbols. Can you tell me about it?
C hildren have always wanted to imitate the activities of people they see. So, A: Your chair is a “curule” chair. It’s a style that descends from an ancient Roman
toys have been made for centuries that are dressed to look like friends and,
if possible, let them pretend to cook, play or work like grown-ups. In
folding seat for high-ranking dignitaries. It is called a sella curulis from the Latin
Germany, toy factories made small colorful tin toys from about 1880 to 1914
that could move and imitate a mother cooking or a boy roller skating. The price “currus” meaning chariot. It was used at public events such as the circus or theater.
The style continued through medieval and Renaissance eras as a symbol of wealth,
of the small toy was a penny, so they were named “penny toys” by today’s
power and authority for church officials in Italy and other parts of Europe. The
collectors. About 175 antique penny toys were sold in an important Bertoia Italians, Greeks, French and Spanish all had their versions. Your chair was probably
auction recently and prices were much higher than a penny. The lowest price made during the Renaissance Revival, 1860s to 1880s. There was a renewed interest
was $180. The highest price was $11,400 for a walking camel with a well- in classical design. Chairs like yours have sold from $160 to about $300. Curule chairs
dressed Arab rider. The top of the rider’s turban could be turned to make the by known makers or with exceptional detail would sell for more.
clockwork toy move. There were several toys showing a boy or a girl at school
sitting at the traditional bench attached to a desk. * * *
The child’s arm moved and opened the top of the I bought an enamel and copper ashtray marked “Dane” and would like to know who
desk to show candy hidden inside. This schoolboy Q:
made it.
penny toy sold for $840. Toys today are much
more complicated with electric motors or digital A: This mark was used by Dane Burr (1926-2013), a studio potter, artist and
instructions, but kids still play school. instructor best known for his clay sculptures of whimsical animals and other figures.
Burr was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art.
The toy schoolboy sold at auction was admiring Some of his pottery and paintings were exhibited at the May Show at the Cleveland
a picture on the desk top that was hiding candy. Museum of Art in the 1950s. He also taught art at various locations. Burr and his wife
Discovering and eating the candy made the toy great fun. moved to Waynesville, North Carolina, in 1995 and opened a studio and gallery
Today it is a collector’s treasure costing $840. there, where he continued to work. Your enameled ashtray is worth $50.
The excellentndition of the original paint adds to the price.
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.
Clock, Petal style, green, blue, orange, composite, enamel, Lustres, cranberry, bohemian glass, scalloped edge bowls, Vanity, bird's eye maple, walnut, three drawers, glass top,
metal, style of George Nelson, 17 1/2 in. $75. cut glass prisms, enamel & gilt flowers, 14 in. pair. $680. Art Deco, Gilbert Rhode for Herman Miller, 27 1/4 x 51
3/4 in. $2,080.
Delft Charger, pedestal, fern fronds, flowers, blue, white, Rookwood vase, trees, bushes, vellum, blue, green, purple,
14 in. $280. Lorinda Epply, 9 1/2 in. $920. Majolica bowl, jardiniere, two tier, cherubs, shells, multi-
color, Hugo Lonitz, c. 1880, 20 x 11 1/2 in. $3,000.
Elephant Match Safe, silver plate, cream tusks, trunk Vase, gourd shaped, red & orange flowers, brown leaves,
down, c. 1900, 2 1/4 x 1 1/2 in. $430. white ground, Zsolnay, 15 in. $1,100. Sconce, 12-light, patinated brass, flowers, upright arms,
unmarked, attributed to C. Jere, 1970, 35 x 20 in. $65.
Coat hook, fox head, wreath of leaves, black forest, Inkwell, marble, classical cameos, Mt. Vesuvius water
Germany, c. 1900, 10 x 6 in. $460. color, lobed, black, red, 4 3/4 x 3 in. $1,480. Fireplace fender, rectangular panel, cherubs, scrolls, ball
finials, c. 1880, 10 1/2 x 41 in. $390.
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.
July 2019 45
