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By Terry Kovel and Kim Kovel

ntiques are given many names, often changed to be written in a new
language or used in a different way, and there can be confusion. Is a Collecting Tip:
A“cave a liqueur” the same as a Tantalus? Both have decanter bottles; Never try to polish or clean bronze-colored book-
both have drinking glasses; both can have locks; and both are used to serve ends. They have a bronze coating and collectors
liquor to guests, one usually before dinner, and the other during and after a like the patina. Cleaning lowers the value.
meal. In the past, formal service of alcoholic drinks was important. The Terry Kovel
Tantalus bottles held liquor, a distilled alcoholic drink like scotch. And it
should be easy to remember that a cave a liqueur held—what you would Q: We’d like to know what the record album Tales of Uncle Remus for Children,
expect—liqueur, an after-dinner fermented sweet drink like brandy, flavored from Walt Disney’s Song of the South is worth. It’s from the movie soundtrack and
with fruit or spices. The names sound alike but are spelled differently. was produced by Capitol Records. There are three two-sided 78 RPM records.
The two containers and contents follow formal rules of design. The A: The movie Song of the South was produced by Walt Disney and released in
Tantalus has decanters in an open rack with tops that are locked, opening only 1946. Capitol Records produced an album of the soundtrack in 1947 in a
with a key. The Tantalus was named for Greek King Tantalus, who was con- book-style set. In 1949, a boxed set of 45 RPM records was produced. Other
demned to stand in a pool of water in Hell and never be able to get a drink. versions were made later and sold under different labels. Price varies depending
The cave a liqueur holds small decanters and on condition of the album cover as well as the records. The original Capitol
glasses suitable for the small after-dinner Records sets like yours sell for $10 to $128 depending on condition.
drink. Both of the serving boxes were large,
often made of wood with added brass or ***
other metal and gold-painted accents. They Q: I have a vintage Reddy Kilowatt pin that belonged to my father, who died in
were much in style from 1850 to 1900. 1954. It’s 1 inch long and almost an inch wide. I’m not sure if it qualifies as vintage
There are many jokes about the locked advertising. Is it worth anything?
liquor supply, but it seems possible that the A: Reddy Kilowatt, a character with red lightning-bolt arms and legs and a
locks were meant to keep the household round head with a light bulb nose and electric-outlet ears, was created by
help from taking drinks and leaving empty Ashton B. Collins Sr. for the Alabama Power Company. The character was used
decanters or adding water or other liquid. to promote using electricity and first appeared in a newspaper advertisement
This oak 19th-century “cave a liqueur” holds 4 decanters, 16 liqueur glasses, is decorated in 1926. Reddy Kilowatt’s image was updated by cartoonist Walter Lantz, the
with silvered hunting dogs. The box sold at New Orleans Auction Galleries for $4,250. creator of Woody Woodpecker, in 1946; he was given a bigger smile and whites
were added to his eyes. His hands were changed so he wore four-finger white
gloves instead of the five-finger safety gloves he originally wore. At the peak in
ettlach, Germany, is a town known for manufacturing beer steins at 1957, over 200 electric utility companies used the character in their advertising.
the Villeroy and Boch factories since about 1842. They made all The use declined in the 1970s, and Reddy Kilowatt is used by only a few utility
Mtypes of pottery. companies today. Reddy Kilowatt pins, earrings and tie clips were made. The
It started in 1809 when Pierre-Joseph Boch established a company in the pins sell online for about $20.
remains of a cathedral built in 786 A.D. To avoid destroying the trees used for ***
fuel, a coal-burning kiln was developed by 1816. Famous artists were hired to Q: I inherited a large collection of cigar bands. Is there any interest in collecting
create the designs. There were eight V&B factories making ceramics. these? I’d like to sell them but haven’t a clue how to go about it. There are three
In 1836, Mettlach merged with Villeroy & Boch, forming a company run
by Eugene, son of Pierre-Joseph. They adopted new styles, new products like cartons full of photo albums with the bands under protective sleeves, labeled
alphabetically. Many bills of sale are included. All are in excellent condition.
tableware, and new types of ceramics. After a fire destroyed the factory and
records in 1925, they reproduced many old items. A: Gustave Bock, a cigar maker in Cuba, began putting paper bands with his
Collectors since the 1970s pay the highest signature on them on his cigars in the 1830s. By 1855, most other cigar makers
prices for the pre-fire pieces. “Earlyware Relief” were also banding their cigars to advertise their brands and their “superior”
pieces were made before 1880. Molded pieces qualities. Collecting cigar bands was popular in the early 1900s but isn’t as
resembling vines were added and colored green or popular now. The pictures on the bands and their condition determine value.
brown with platinum accents. Mettlach marks tell Elaborate designs, colorful images, embossing or gold trim add value. Look
the story of a piece, with as many as nine marks for dealers or auctions that sell cigar-box labels and other tobacco-related
on a piece. collectibles. Some cigar bands sell for up to $80. Your albums of bands would
This Mettlach Earlyware mustard pot sold at sell for more in a cigar advertising auction. If the cigar bands are pasted to the
Fox Auction Co. in Iowa for $90. pages, they are almost worthless

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.
CURRENT PRICES
Kitchen, chocolate mold, three Dolly Dingle dolls, Toy, sky rocket, Douglas B-335, wings marked Furniture, screen, Gustav Stickley, leather, brass studs,
hinged, signed “Weygandt,” 10 inches, $35. with U.S. Navy & U.S. Air Force insignia, tin, oak frame, with trestle base, c. 1910, 35 x 31 x
lithographed, pilot in plastic bubble, Bandai, Japan, 11 inches, $2,500.
Telephone, candlestick, polished brass, cylindrical box, 6 x 18 x 4 inches, $340.
stem, domed base, hard-rubber earpiece, marked Noritake cup, yellow bird with little chick, perched on
“Western Electric,” “Pat. Jan 26 15,” 11 1/2 Box, humidor, mahogany, dovetailed construction, flowering branch, Mother’s Day 1973 in gilt letters on
inches, $95. metal lining, hinged lid, label, Benson & Hedges, bottom, slightly flared shape, 3 x 3 1/2 inches, $15.
12 3/4 x 25 inches, $210.
Furniture, desk, plantation, Sheraton, cherry, red Sewing box, made by sailor, wood, carved, spool
stain, cupboard top with two paneled doors, hinged Jewelry, charm bracelet, dogwood flower, rope-twist holder top, drawer, whale ivory and whalebone
writing surface, drawer, turned legs, 1800s, 77 x 35 chain, sterling silver, marked, Tiffany & Co. and 925, knobs, spool picks and decoration, 19th century,
inches, $435. 7 inches, $300. 11 x 9 1/2 inches, $375.

Terry Kovel and Kim Kovel answer questions sent to the column. By sending a letter with a question and a picture, you give full permission for use in the column or any other Kovel forum. Names,
addresses or email addresses will not be published. We cannot guarantee the return of photographs, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. The amount of mail makes personal answers or
appraisals impossible. Write to Kovels, (Journal of Antiques & Collectibles), Kovels.com P.O. Box 23192, Beachwood, Ohio 44122.
34 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles