ON ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES VOL. 37 NO. 1 THE NEWSLETTER FOR COLLECTORS, DEALERS AND INVESTORS SEPTEMBER 2010 A Christmas toy sold at a News recent James Julia auc- Scottish Agate Flash tion for $161,000. It be- comes the most expensive Victorian tin toy sold in the past 15 years and possibly the Jewelry most expensive toy of any type auctioned in the Dazzled by the stones in this agate past three years. The 18-inch-long toy—Santa in and citrine bracelet, a collector paid a sleigh pulled by goats—was originally sold in $2,726 for it at a Boston auction. the late 19th century by Althof, Bergmann & Co. We dangle more information about of New York. Victorian Scottish agate jewelry on Marble collectors are dealing with sad page 6. news. The Peltier Glass Co. of Ottowa, Ill., has closed after 124 years in business making mar- bles and other glassware. Only one other compa- ny in the United States, Marble King of Paden City, W.Va., still produces machine-made mar- Baby Dolls bles. Most of the world’s marbles are made in Mexico and Asia. For Collectors “I’m continuously shocked and surprised In the world of never-grow-up, this by how much prices are increasing,” says Ker- c.1925 German-made baby doll was ry Taylor, a textile consultant to Sotheby’s Lon- carried away from an Ohio auction for don. Speaking to Forbes.com about the prices of $560. We show you more antique and vintage clothing, she goes on: “If we’re looking vintage baby-face dolls on page 10. at really wonderful pieces from say the 1920s or ’30s, it’s really not unusual to have them selling for £20,000 to £30,000 [$30,000-$45,000]—pos- sibly more. Ten years ago, that would have been unheard of.” Prices of “cabinet” pieces—small objects Pisgah Forest’s of glass or ceramic or metal that can be dis- played in a glassed breakfront—have been going Art Pottery down. Decorators prefer big and bold. Picture this 1943 cameo pitcher Someone or some group of collectors is decorated with a Western scene running ads looking to buy “crooked knives.” in your collection. It was made at A crooked knife (we looked it up) has a blade the Pisgah Forest Pottery in North that’s bent toward the wide side of the handle so Carolina and sold for $288 at an that when it’s used like a drawknife (pulled to- auction in the same state. Travel over ward you), the curved blade can scoop out the in- to page 8 to learn more. side of a bowl or canoe. The knives were popular among North American Indian tribes. Some have very decorative handles. Good old examples sell Pennsylvania for $500 and up. IN THIS ISSUE Furniture: Plain Sale Reports: & Practical Chinese “Bargains” ...................................................3 Fenton Glass ..............................................................4 Here’s a handy workstand made in Non-Sports Hartland Figurines .................................5 Lancaster County, Pa. It’s the work of a Victorian Scottish Agate Jewelry...............................6 rural Pennsylvania cabinetmaker who was Rural Pennsylvania Furniture ....................................7 probably of German heritage. The little Pisgah Forest Pottery .................................................8 Baby Dolls ...............................................................10 table auctioned for $735. Take a look at Dictionary of Marks – Pisgah Forest Pottery .................9 practical Pennsylvania furniture on page 7. Buyer’s Price Guide ..................................................... 11 Collector’s Gallery .......................................................12 Kovels – September 2010 1 LETTER TO LEE ColleCting Conversations Dear Lee, Collectors like to talk about their collections and some of the We know people who go to house sales but won’t buy unexpected conversations they have had about collecting. The anything that can be traced back to an unhappy home—a divorce, strangest reason we ever heard for not wanting something “old” a death or another trauma. They believe luck and emotions live came up in conversation at a party. A couple wanted to find on in furnishings. But some collectors don’t mind if an antique an apartment and we suggested an old building that had been they bought is haunted. They are sure only friendly ghosts travel remodeled. “Oh,” said the wife, “we would never move into a with antiques. Clocks seem to be the most likely to be haunted— used apartment.” We never did invite her to our house, which is they’ll ring at odd hours, keep poor time or lose the winding key. not only old, but also has almost no new furnishings. It took us We even have one friend who insists she remembers an years to find just the right antiques for our home, and she would antique from her past life in the 19th century. Why does everyone probably scorn them as “used” furniture. who remembers a past existence always recall living in a well- The most unusual reason we’ve heard for not buying an furnished home with a rich spouse and gifted children? antique was told to us by a dealer. He sold a set of Victorian Our view of living with antiques is the easiest: We buy what Haviland dishes as a wedding gift. The bride’s mother returned we like when we see it, even if it costs a little more than we them because the family kept kosher and had no way of knowing expected. An advertising collector once told us, “You never pay if non-kosher food had ever touched the dishes. There is a too much for an antique—you just buy it too soon.” religious method to treat dishes with this problem, but the bride’s mother wasn’t convinced it would be OK. • Hotline • Hotline • Hotline • Hotline • Hotline • Hotline • Hotline • Hotline • Hotline • Hotline • A repaired emerald green Bryant’s Stomach Bitters cone Wood carvings, baskets, furniture, paintings, pottery, jewelry, bottle sold for $40,320 at a spring American Bottle Auction. tools, toys and even musical instruments were made by internees Houses aren’t selling, so interior designers have fewer using their limited supply of scrap lumber, shells, toothbrush homes to decorate. That means leather-bound books favored by handles, peach pits, rocks and other found objects. decorators have dropped in price. Seen at a show: an unused electric chrome egg-cooker As a general rule, dark-colored Oriental rugs are selling for $145. It was manufactured by Samson-United Corp. of for less than light-colored rugs. In the past, dark was more Rochester, N.Y. Some people must still prefer to boil their eggs at expensive. the breakfast table, because we noticed a new Salton egg-boiler Look for American Indian baskets made from wire. Early for $35 in a catalog. ones were fashioned of fencing wire; more recent baskets are Hankies, scarves, tablecloths, dish towels and yard goods made of colored telephone wire or thin copper wire. Good old with printed designs of tourist spots were popular from the 1930s wire baskets sell for hundreds of dollars. through the ’70s. Road-trip vacations were common and the Possible new and inexpensive collectibles: mouse pads, prints carried memories home. Early fabrics were decorated with potholders, aprons and towels. realistic pictures of places, events or topography. By the late ’40s, Prisoner-of-war art objects of the 19th century are often many featured cartoons in bright colors. Some collectors frame elaborate ship models made of tiny pieces of wood and ivory. the fabrics, but others use them in ways that could destroy their Prisoner arts and crafts made in the 20th century include ship collector value. A recent magazine article suggests transforming models made from matchsticks, and purses and belts made from the textiles into curtains, window shades or pillows. We disagree. folded cigarette packages. Now collectors are looking for gaman, The best souvenir fabrics are not faded or worn. Some are rare the crafts made in Japanese internment camps from 1942 to 1946. and command high prices. Most sell for $20 to $50. KOVELS ON ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES Photos are not reproduced to scale; actual size Customer Service: To inquire about an individ- KOVELS ON ANTIQUES AND COLLECT- of items pictured is given whenever possible. Out- ual subscription or to order a new subscription ($36 IBLES (ISSN 0741-6091) is published monthly for of-print reference books mentioned in articles may one year, $4 single copy), call toll-free 800-829-9158; $36 per year by Kovels Antiques Inc., 30799 Pine- be available through interlibrary loan or from book or write to Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles, P.O. tree Road, #305, Cleveland, Ohio 44124. Send ad- search services. Box 420345, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0345; or visit our dress changes to KOVELS ON ANTIQUES AND website, Kovels.com, and click on “Contact Us.” COLLECTIBLES, P.O. Box 420345, Palm Coast, FL Editor and Publisher: Terry Kovel; Editor Editorial correspondence: Kovels on Antiques 32142-0345. in chief: Marcia Goldberg; CFO and Website Di- and Collectibles, P.O. Box 22192, Beachwood, OH rector: Kim Kovel; Designer: Jeffrey Clark; As- 44122. Copyright 2010 by Terry Kovel. 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