I called in every resource I knew throughout the United States to track down Shea Stadium-appropriate ’69 memorabilia, including this Mr. Met pin.

I think my new name should be Prop Girl. I could be like an antique/memorabilia superhero in Movie Land. Recently, my team and I wrapped up working on the new “Men in Black III” movie starring Will Smith. There is always that little thrill that overtakes me when we get the call from a prop master to begin work on a movie. Prop Girl to the rescue!

Maybe it’s the thought of being part of the creative process, and being able to have your items showcased for people to view. Most antique and memorabilia collectors are obsessed with their inventory, and I am no different. I become almost like Gollum from “The Lord of the Rings.” I must have my precious items loved and shown to the world!

Supplying antique and vintage props for a movie is an extremely strenuous job. You have to be exact about the years you are portraying, and you have to ensure that the quality that is received is superlative and will translate well on screen (See: Running Guns for a Mobster: Providing Prop Pistols for Hollywood’s ‘Public Enemies’). It’s a whole process that can take weeks to form into something tangible you can produce for the prop master just for review, not even purchase!

A vintage Coke stadium cup.

A vintage 7-Up stadium cup.

The third installment of the Men in Black franchise was filmed right here in New York at the old Kaufman Studios in Astoria, Queens. There were many days when you could have seem my team and I lugging boxes of props to the set, and because time was of the essence and shooting could not be delayed, it was often on the run. We brought in radios (had to be a certain brand), hats (like a really cool Styrofoam Hat for the Orioles), cups, visors, hotdog holders, you name it we brought them in for a ballpark scene representing the 1969 World Series, in which the Amazin’ Mets defeated the Baltimore Orioles. The movie also needed coolers for a beach scene, so I wasn’t above sneaking into my friend’s houses and sneaking their old coolers out the back door before they even realized it. My husband almost past out when he found out his 1960s red cooler (almost like his blankie) had now been sold to MIB and was going to be used by an alien.

Our biggest challenge—possibly the toughest prop hunt in the entire history of our company—was having to find authentic 1969 New York Mets memorabilia and at bargain basement prices. Not being a sports collector nor very rarely dealing with this type of collectible, this became a challenge of great proportions. I called in every resource I knew throughout the United States to track down Shea Stadium appropriate ’69 memorabilia. From pins, to banners to hats, you name it, we had to find it. Remember, we also needed to stay within the studio’s (balanced) budget—overruns were not allowed in the prop department—which, in buying rare memorabilia, is not so easy to do. We did it, but it was crazy.

A late-’60s beach cooler, made by Sears.

A Vivitar Flash for an SLR camera.

Sometimes, a scene is written in a movie and even after you find the prop (which, when it is something quite rare or coveted by collectors, can often take days to find), the director shelves the scene. You don’t get to charge the studio for the time spent locating the prop; it’s just time spent that you have lost. This is something that you have to accept when working in this type of business. Sadly, this was the case for one set of props we diligently spent days looking for: several Nathan Hot Dog Vending Boxes from 1969. We found them (there is nothing I can’t find once I put my resources to work), but later on it was decided not use the prop as the scene was written out of the movie. It’s always a letdown when these type of things happen because you are so proud of having accomplished finding the inventory, but it’s part of the job!

Other challenges we faced were finding items “not too blue” for the MIB 3 scenes. Hollywood is a very precise, well-oiled machine, and the people who work on movies, such as set designers, know exactly what they are looking for and why. Thus, when finding—for example—beach towels and chairs for a scene, we had to make sure that we didn’t submit anything too blue that would wash out the scenery. All in a day’s work, but at times quite a challenge when blue is such a prevalent color.

A late 1960s-era ladies’ bag.

Another bag, circa 1969.

We are now onto working on a TV series, something we have never done before. I am finding out that TV is a totally different vibe, as everything happens so much faster than movies in the prop world. Wish us luck, and we will be coming at you soon with another article about our prop endeavors with the TV show we are working on!

GoAntiques seller Laura Trueman runs Truetiques, Inc. and RVT’s Primitives.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

One of the hundreds of little alleyways between dealers’ tents. If you were looking for it, it was there: were vintage Vespas, old tools, antique factory loaders, pinball machines, furniture, doors, tripods, easels, curios, plates, bottles, advertising signs, an eight-foot stained glass chandelier, an early electric sobriety tester, linens (women like linens, I’ve learned), shoe racks, pie safes . . . you name it.

Baseball, apple pie, Elvis . . . add the Brimfield Antiques Show to the list of classic Americana—it doesn’t get any more red, white and blue.

And it’s big, alright—not like a tag sale you might drive by. It’s got scale. Brimfield, if you don’t know, is a small town in south-central Massachusetts that hosts an open-air, rain-or-shine, dawn-’til-dusk antiques extravaganza over the course of several days over three different weeks during the year. This was my first time to join the more than 30,000 people to shop for things known and unknown. As I have become interested in vintage electric fans, I knew what I was looking for, but would be open to other items as well.

I couldn’t possibly cover the whole show in one day and certainly not with my wife. She slows down in hot weather and the 87 degrees was grinding her to a halt. I, on the other hand, had a persistent adrenaline buzz fueled by grit, grime, rust, chipped paint and other indications of age. The sugar-high from two pints of fresh limeade was a nice compliment.

Almost immediately, I saw a nice antique Emerson fan, similar to one that I purchased a few weeks ago, but an earlier piece for sure. Jack from Ohio put a price tag of 95 bucks on it. He said he could do $75. If I had bought it on the spot, it would have meant walking a half-mile back to my car’s hatchback. Carrying it around all day was out of the question. It was 40 pounds at least.

I passed. We had a long day in front of us, and I didn’t want to be hasty.

I think it’s fair to say that we saw a lot of stuff throughout the day. We spent, we’ll call it seven hours, strolling and shopping. There were vintage Vespas, old tools, antique factory loaders, pinball machines, furniture, doors, tripods, easels, curios, plates, bottles, advertising signs, an eight-foot stained glass chandelier, an early electric sobriety tester, linens (women like linens, I’ve learned), shoe racks, pie safes . . . you name it. Even if I didn’t see it, I’ll guarantee it’s there. If you’re a collector, picker, treasure hunter or just someone who likes to see cool stuff, I’ve got a town for you.

But it was Jack’s fan that was buzzing in the back of my head all day. It was that itch that I could only scratch with cash. I saw plenty of other vintage fans but none as nice and as value-priced as Jack’s. So before closing time, I headed back to his tent to see if the unit had sold.

It was still sitting there. So was Jack. I doubt he got out of his fold-away lawn chair all day. We settled amicably at $60—a fair price, I think, for all the work that I created for myself. Got it home, popped off the cage and started to polish the brass blades.

Then I had to talk to Darryl.

As I mentioned in a previous article, Darryl Hudson collects and restores vintage fans. He’s an artist masked by the title of machinist. He makes old fans look like hot rods. Seriously. Wander over to his website and check out his work. I particularly like the 1952 Vornado with metalflake amethyst base paint.

So I shot an e-mail off to Darryl with the model number and he promptly got back to me. “Congratulations,” he wrote and then proceeded to tell me more about the fan anyone could ever imagine.

I saw a nice antique Emerson fan I likes, but if I had bought it on the spot, it would have meant walking a half-mile back to my car’s hatchback. Carrying it around all day was out of the question. It was 40 pounds at least. I passed and later bought it at the end of the day.

Allow me to summarize what he told me about my new Emerson:

• 16-inches, three-speed and oscillating;
• Cast iron construction, brass blades, steel cage;
• Well-made, sturdy and rugged;
• A “work of art”;
• Superior mechanics;
• Superior durability;
• A single-bearing design that allows the fan to never get out of alignment as most other fans will that have a front and rear bearing design. [Sorry, readers, I didn’t know how to summarize that];
• New leather rotor seal and grommets likely needed;
• One of his favorite Emerson designs.

Oh . . . it gets better.

Darryl advised me that I will need to disassemble, thoroughly clean, lubricate, replace worn parts and reassemble the unit for optimal usage and best care. And he’s generously offered to walk me through the whole process. Darryl and I live about 800 miles from one another, so this is getting done over the phone. Keep in mind that I get lost coming out of the shower, so navigating the inner complexities of an antique electric fan—again, via phone—could present a challenge.

I’ll need back-up, and my neighbor Tim just might be the guy. He’s a homebuilder, so a very handy guy by trade. His new pet project is rebuilding a 1968 Camaro from scratch. It’s gonna be sweet and I’m sure he’ll never let me drive it.

If I didn’t have my best friend’s wedding this weekend, I’d be in Tim’s garage with Darryl on the phone right now. This is going to be fun and, naturally, I’ll keep you posted on the progress.

Brimfield is just as much a lesson in American history as it is an antiques fair. Everyone has their stories. I hope you’ve enjoyed mine.

John Londoner is a digital media professional and antiques hobbyist. He frequently attends antique auctions in the Upstate New York area and can be contacted at jlondoner [at] nyc [dot] rr [dot] com.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

If you prepare correctly, you can have a thoroughly enjoyable summer season at outdoor antique shows, such as the Burlington (Ky.) Antique Show, just outside of Cincinnati.

Summer is my favorite time of year for a couple of reasons: 1) the weather is warm (I am not a cold weather person); and 2) the outdoor antique and collectible shopping season is in full swing. There are garage sales on just about every street, outdoor flea markets are filled to capacity with vendors and the very best in outdoor antique shows cover acres of land.

So how do I comfortably navigate the neighborhood garage sales, 100 flea market stalls, and acres of antique shows and still have the energy to attend a cookout at the end of a busy shopping day? Let me fill you in on a few tips and tricks I have picked up over the past 30-plus years.

A few of the necessities are sunscreen, comfortable shoes, a small cooler filled with bottles of water, a couple of granola or protein bars and a folding shopping cart. Oh, and cash!

Get up and out there early; the early shopper finds the good stuff. If I am going out to garage sales for the day I check the newspaper and Craig’s List to plot somewhat of a course. You will run across unadvertised sales along the way, be sure to at least do a drive-by to see if anything catches your eye. At the neighborhood sales, park at one end of the street, don’t forget to grab your folding cart, and work your way up one side of the street and down the other side. I keep a couple of boxes in the trunk of my car so that I can unload my cart. Move throughout the neighborhood in this manner and you will find some real treasures.

BONUS TIP: Old neighborhoods generally have more collectible items. New subdivisions usually have young families and this is where you will find baby items, clothing and white elephant wedding gifts.

I love outdoor flea markets, whether it is a small venue at the drive-in theater on a Saturday morning or the large, multi-acre venue. The difference between an outdoor flea market and outdoor antique show is at the antique show everything will be unpacked, clean, nicely displayed and the merchandise is either an antique, collectible or memorabilia. At the outdoor flea market you will find just about anything and everything, the merchandise is not always neatly displayed, clean or even completely unpacked from boxes. I have found some of my best items buried deep in a box at flea markets.

If I am going to be out in the heat and dirt all day, I add a few items to my survival kit; wet wipes and a wide brim straw hat. Most outdoor events will have plenty of food vendors. This is also where your rolling shopping cart really comes in handy. I don’t take my everyday purse, either. I have a small shoulder bag that will hold my money, cell phone and driver’s license with a strap long enough to go across my chest. Put the cooler and wet wipes in the shopping cart and off we go.

When traveling to a show or flea market, you need to bring packing materials and boxes in order to safely pack your finds—like this table, lamp or figure—so that they can make the trip back home without getting broken.

Also, when traveling to a show or flea market, you need to bring packing materials and boxes in order to safely pack your finds so that they can make the trip back home without getting broken.

Now that you’re outfitted, it’s on to the hunt. Don’t just look at the items on display; glance under the tables and around the immediate area to see if you can spot any boxes with items in them. Before you dive in, ask the vendor if it is okay to dig through the boxes. Keep your eyes peeled, I have spied amazing merchandise sitting in the back of pick-up trucks and tucked under piles of old magazines and records. If you are on the hunt for something in particular always ask; you never know what someone has tucked away.

If you are traveling any distance to a weekend flea market or antique show, be sure to get a hotel reservation in advance. You probably aren’t the only one coming in from out of town to attend the event. Get out and shop for a few hours, but be sure to leave some time to visit the local antique shops. Saturday is your best bet for finding shops open, especially in small towns, as some stores are closed on Sunday and Monday. You can then get up early the next morning and go back out to the event.

There is nothing wrong or insulting about price haggling at any of these shopping venues. If you see an item or have a pile of goodies you’ve picked out, make a reasonable offer to the seller—reasonable being the keyword here. You may be pleasantly surprised. People have garage sales to get rid of excess clutter and most people are more than willing to accept a reasonable price, especially if they are going to get rid of several items at once.

There is an art to haggling on prices. You have to have cash, as this just doesn’t work if you are going to use a debit or charge card, and most people don’t want a check. Tally up the asking price on your items and make your first offer at 30-percent off the marked total. If the seller accepts this you are good to go, if they don’t accept your offer hopefully they will come back with a counter offer. If not, ask what they will take. A good haggle is when you can get a 15-percent discount. Don’t be upset or offended if you don’t get a price break. Some people just aren’t going to give anyone a discount. If you really want to pay less and don’t mind running the risk of your item(s) getting sold, you can always check back later and see if the seller is ready to come down a little on the price.

A few words of wisdom, though: The best time to buy an antique or collectible is when you see it.

Michelle Staley, who insists that collectors are the happiest people, is an antique collector and dealer. Her shop, My Granny’s Attic Antiques, Collectibles and Memorabilia, is in Lenexa, Kansas.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

At the Chicago Antiques Market last month, I asked a dealer a question about an Eames DSR chair. He told me what he knew and then was surprised that he directed me to another dealer for more information. Just about everyone I spoke to was friendly and helpful.

The monthly Chicago Antique Market at the Randolph Street Market’s first weekend of the summer/fall season had a wet but cheery opening May 28-29, as vendors, collectors and a wide range of antiques enthusiasts braved rain for the chance to hunt down and buy that missing piece for their collections.

Outside, booths to the east were separated from the larger, furniture-heavy vendor set-ups to the west by a central hub with snacks and a live band. Vendors and buyers alike were energetic, despite the weather, as everyone was trying to cram in as much browsing and buying as possible before the rain came again.

Worthologist Harry Rinker also recently attended the Chicago Antique Market at the Randolph Street Market: A Study in Contrasts: Old vs. New Antiques Markets

A community atmosphere was clear from the outset. Seeing an Eames DSR chair directly opposite the entrance, I asked the vendor, John Smith, about the base. He talked about the differences between the office base—the chair he was selling once belonged to an IBM office somewhere—and the “Eiffel Tower” base. “But,” he added, “I’m just a novice here. You should go talk to Don over past the hot dog stand.” And just like that, the path around the market began.

Don Colclough, of Mr. Modern Estate Liquidation Services (Oak Park, Ill.), had two DSR chairs with the same office base Smith had, and when I asked him about the value of the office base versus the “Eiffel Tower” base, he referred me to a man named Mark, across the row.

Mark indeed turned out to have quite a perspective on modern furniture. After grabbing my attention by calling Herman Miller the “Slut of furniture building” because they would do whatever a customer asked (“including,” he decired, “painting an entire base white”), he showed me the different feet that Herman Miller put on the various chair bases, and how feet can affect value separately from the actual condition of a piece.

The crowd at the Chicago Antiques Market large and the buyers seemed to be of a younger set who were also actively shopping in the Indie Designer Market and among the vintage booths.

Of course, it’s basically impossible to discuss these things without historical context, and Mark obliged in a long discourse on the Herman Miller molds, Modernica, and the way “continuation” pieces flood the market during trendy upswings. Before I went inside, he showed me a stack of a dozen or so bases that he kept from a customer who only wanted the Eames chair shells. “People want the craziest things,” he shrugged.

Now, armed with more information than when I started, I walked back to Colclough’s space. He had a large collection of wooden Mid Century Modern furniture, including a daybed set up in an imagined living room that looked like it belonged in a high-rise off Waikiki.

I told him I admired the day bed. “Oh, I don’t bring my best stuff here,” Colclough told me. “I keep a lot of it in the warehouse.” He added that he’s careful putting his wares outside—a concern that proved wise, with all the rain—and that he saves his best stuff for other events, like 20th Century Cincinnati.

At first I was disappointed that the Randolph Market was considered inferior in some ways, I realized by the end of the weekend that the lower status of the market may well be to its benefit. The dealers are wholly approachable, and, although the rain may have played a part, the market never felt overcrowded.

In any case, I made another loop outside and noticed that the recent vintage trend of industrial lighting and workspaces was just as, if not more, prominent than Modern and Mid Century Modern items. Many vendors featured steel tables and the kinds of lighting pieces that come from factories—not high-rise offices.

Inside, the crowd was larger and younger, as buyers sought not only cover from the rain, but the clothing spread between the Indie Designer Market and vintage booths.

Two young women told me they were there for the fashion. “I’m very contemporary with my furniture,” one said, “so I didn’t love the stuff outside. But I like the vintage look of some of the clothes in here.”

Her friend was less enthusiastic about the clothes. “I know it’s a little neurotic, but I don’t like to wear clothes that others have worn. I’m here mostly for the art.”

The friends agreed on one thing, though: the accessories. The hall was packed with gold and silver necklaces, bracelets, rings, scarves, bags and more.

That might surprise George Zukowski, of the Gurnee Antique Center, who took me through the various intricacies of his silver collection and bemoaned some of the market’s changes.

Items that fit the recent vintage trend of industrial lighting and workspaces were prominent at the CAM. Many vendors featured steel tables and the kinds of lighting pieces that come from factories—not high-rise offices.

“The market is much different this year,” Zukowski told me. “There’re more clothes and jewelry and less silver and antiques.”

I mentioned there does seem to be a lot of people here for clothes and asked if he thought customers were missing the antique vendors.

“It’s hard to tell,” he said, “because the indoor crowd could be inflated from the rain outside. But nowadays, people want Mid Century, clean lines. They see the vintage stuff as clutter. And now you see things that are rare, timeless pieces that may never return to their actual value.”

Zukowski’s associate Andy, fingering a large Tiffany spoon with the kind of intricate engraving that would be unthinkable on the modern furniture outside, agreed. “These are pieces they just don’t make anymore. The Tiffany molds have worn down, and people are more interested in the brand value than the pieces themselves.”

“And worse,” said Zukowski, “The younger generations don’t see any value in the flatware. If they can’t put it in a dishwasher, they don’t want it.”

Still, it wasn’t all doom and gloom. The indoor vendors were amusingly eclectic, selling treasures like vintage baseball mitts and balls, retro matchbook cases and a surprising number of compelling ice buckets. Just like outside, the vendors were never too busy to answer any question or share stories and memories.

That antiquing community—between vendor and vendor, buyer and buyer, and vendor and buyer—is the presiding feeling at Randolph. Novices and experts overlap and, from affordable Eames chairs to rare Tiffany silver, can find what they’re looking for.

If You Go: The Chicago Antique Market at the Randolph Street Market is open monthly on the following dates: June 25-26; July 30-31; Aug. 27-28; Sept. 24-25; Oct, 22-23 (Modern Vintage Chicago); and Nov. 19-20 (Holiday Market). Admission is $10 and will be refunded after making a purchase.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

My first live auction was much like the first time I walked into a casino. I wasn’t sure of protocol; I was uncomfortable betting money and I’m sure everyone had picked me out as a novice. I don’t go to casinos very often, but when I do I now feel right at home.

Here are a few tips to help you get more comfortable with the auction experience and help you understand what to expect. Let’s begin.

Once you arrive at the auction, you’ll need to register with the house. This will require a photo ID and a valid credit card that they will keep on file for the auction. At that time, you will be issued a bidder number—usually on an enlarged index card. This number is your unique identifier for the auction and will be shown to the auctioneer should you be the winning bidder of an item. Without registration and a bidding number, you will not be eligible to participate in the auction.

Items at auction are sold “as is,” so preview, preview, preview. There are no returns. The house will set times for auction-goers to preview the items up for sale. This is an important phase to the whole process. Even if you can view photos online, it’s always best to see the items in person. Often, you’ll see something that looks great in photos, but upon closer look, the item might not be in as good condition as presented. It might be a little banged up; it might be smaller or larger than expected. It can be chipped, torn, scratched, wobbly . . . the list goes on and on, so thoroughly inspect the items that you’re interested in.

Auctions can last hours if you stay for the entire show, so get comfortable. It’s a grind. You might consider bringing a seat cushion, as the chairs provided are often not padded. That said, the auction may be standing-room-only, so wear comfortable shoes as well—you might not get a seat.

I won these W.F. Whitney Tiger Maple chairs with sprung seats and original labels and benchmade butterfly table, circa 1911, at auction.

Hopefully, the item(s) that you’re interested in aren’t the first to be auctioned, so get a feel for the auctioneer. Try to figure out his style and tempo. Try to get a feel for the time elapsed between final bid and close of sale. “Going once, going twice, sold” is rarely the language an auctioneer will use. Fair warning of close will be given, but different auctioneers can use different language.

Once your item comes up for auction, don’t be the first to bid. The auctioneer will start the bidding at a reasonable price but if there are no interested bidders at that level, the auctioneer might drop the bid to entice the floor. The opening price can sometimes be dropped dramatically, so be patient. You might be able to get your item well below the original opening bid of the auctioneer.

Personally, I like to stand or sit in the back of the house. This way, I can see who is bidding on an item, how aggressively they bid and what they look like—which can be important. I was once bidding on a nice piece of Danish Modern furniture at an auction but I had competition. She was an attractive, stylish woman bidding confidently, taking notes and keeping her cool. I immediately pegged her as a dealer, and she wasn’t backing away from the item. I dropped out knowing I wasn’t going to beat her. I approached her later and indeed I was right. She was bidding on behalf of one of her clients (who happened to be a well-known children’s author) and wasn’t letting go. She thanked me for recognizing her dealer status, more so for backing off.

If you’re trying to bid on an item and the auctioneer doesn’t see you, it’s perfectly acceptable to call out (politely, of course) to get the auctioneer’s attention. After all, you’re upping the bid and he wants to hear from you. This is especially important toward the end of a sale. You won’t get another chance once the item has closed.

Another of my auction victories: An 1880 walnut two-door cupboard.

At the end of the auction, you’ll need to settle up with the house. Cash or check is usually preferred. Once you’ve settled up, you can collect your merchandise and call it a night. The house will usually offer a grace period to collect your winnings—sometimes up to two weeks—but be sure to understand their policy regarding pick-up. If you’ve won bigger items that require some form of shipping or moving, the house can help you with arrangements. Typically, they have preferred moving companies that they work with. This, of course, will be at your expense. Free shipping doesn’t exist in the auction world.

Don’t be surprised when you get your bill and it’s more than the total of your winning bids. You have to pay Uncle Sam and you have to pay the house—that’s known as the “buyer’s premium.” Usually, a buyer’s premium is no more than 15 percent and is added to your bill. This is a big part of how the auction house stays afloat. Be sure to understand all of the conditions of the auction in advance of any bidding; the auction house will always post the amount of a buyer’s premium.

Hopefully, these tips will encourage you to find and attend the next auction in your area. Check local newspapers and penny savers to help you locate them.

Good Luck!

John Londoner is a digital media professional and antiques hobbyist. He frequently attends antique auctions in the Upstate New York area and can be contacted at jlondoner [at] nyc [dot] rr [dot] com.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Our auctions were mid-range, yet once in awhile we pulled something great out of woodwork. When we put together a nice auction, we would advertise in the Antiques and the Arts Weekly and sometimes in the Maine Antiques Digest. Our name was well-known for auctions in the seacoast and we had participants bidding nationwide. We had a few big auctions at the time, but nothing earth shattering.

One day I was in the office and received a call from a gentleman in Manhattan. He told me that he and his mother had some great pieces for auction. They had a few homes full of fine antiques that had been had moved to their apartment in Manhattan. He also said his mother had a house at Margate, N.J., full of antiques and a Rolls Royce to sell. I asked him why he contacted us in Maine and wondered why he was not using the hundreds of auction galleries in his area. After all, New York is considered the nation’s hub of antiques. He said he saw our ads in the Antiques and the Arts Weekly and did not trust anyone in New York. A red flag should have popped up, but I was young and all I could think about was the nice items he described to me. I told him that I had to speak with my father about this and put him on hold.

My father was working with the floor crew setting up an auction and I filled him in on the details. He jumped on the phone for about a half hour, and then I heard him taking down directions. After he hung up, he proclaimed that we were heading for New York the Monday after our auction that week.

The following Monday, we got up early in the morning and started our five-hour trip south to New York. I was driving and I am the first to admit I was scared to drive in the city. Not to our surprise, we got lost and kept getting more lost. I had a knack of coaxing the beeping horns of taxis. It was turn after harrowing turn, and then finally we were on the correct street somehow. We drove past the address, but that didn’t matter, we couldn’t find parking anyway. I noticed it was not the best of areas, and I also knew my dad and I would stand out like a sore thumb. We might as well have tattooed “Country Hicks” on our foreheads. We had to walk for several blocks and I remember my father saying “This is the city; don’t make eye contact with anyone.” This was coming from a man that always said hi to everyone, everywhere.

“We called from a payphone to tell our clients we were on foot and nearby. The apartment was on the 5th floor, it was a hot, muggy summer day and the elevator did not work. My father had a few pounds on him and by the time we got near the top flight, he was panting and dabbing sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief. ”

We called from a payphone to tell our clients we were on foot and nearby. The apartment was on the 5th floor, it was a hot, muggy summer day and the elevator did not work. My father had a few pounds on him and by the time we got near the top flight, he was panting and dabbing sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief. We rested for a minute before approaching the door. The hallway was dark and it was noisy living; you could hear people talking, music and televisions playing through the thin walls.

When I knocked on the door you could hear about 10 locks snapping open. The door opened to reveal a stocky elderly woman who was greeting us with a raspy voice. She seemed nice enough, but there was something unusual about her. I had just spoke to the son on the phone and asked if he was there. She said he would be joining us soon. The entryway was well lit and right away I noticed a five o’clock shadow on the elderly lady as well as an Adam’s apple. I don’t have a problem if a man wants to dress as a woman, but this was supposed to be the mother of the son we had been dealing with. She had lots of make-up caked on, nice clip on earrings, a fashionable, flowery summer dress and heels.

The furniture was stacked up to the ceiling and took me aback. It is hard to portray what we were looking at. It was a three- to four-bedroom flat that had every square inch spoken for. There were small paths just wide enough to squeeze through. Most of the rooms were very dark as the furniture was stacked against the windows and blocking most of the overhead lighting. I asked if she had a flashlight we could use and she curtly said that she did not. My father smoked a pipe at the time and his lighter came in handy.

“There was a fine Philadelphia Chippendale highboy, other period highboys, chests on chests, lowboys, a wonderful block-front Chippendale chest, Hepplewhite chests, sets of Chippendale & Federal chairs, period mirrors, folk art and impressionist paintings stacked thick to the wall, marble and bronze sculptures, tapestries, antique Persian rugs and on and on.”

We could not believe what we were seeing. Everything he had mentioned on the phone and more. There was a fine Philadelphia Chippendale highboy, other period highboys, chests on chests, lowboys, a wonderful block-front Chippendale chest, Hepplewhite chests, sets of Chippendale & Federal chairs, period mirrors, folk art and impressionist paintings stacked thick to the wall, marble and bronze sculptures, tapestries, antique Persian rugs and on and on. Every single room was stacked tight up to the ceiling. There must have been 20 sets of period chairs alone.

While the lady was showing us around and describing pieces, she leaned down and the back of her wig lifted to reveal a nice thick head of short black hair.

When my father and I were alone in a room, he said that we needed to talk. I told the lady that we were going to get some lunch and be back in awhile. She said her son should be back by the time we return.

As we stepped out into the hallway, my father was saying that there was something fishy about the whole situation. To my total amazement, he had not noticed we had been talking to a man. I got a good laugh out of that, but he became even more concerned. We found a restaurant several blocks away and my father was a bit upset at the cost of our delicious, $12-cheeseburgers. We slowly meandered our way back to the building talking about what our next step would be. I remember I was intrigued by the actions and sounds of the city, but felt out of place. After we crested the dreaded stairs for the second time, the son greeted us at the door. We asked where his mother was and he said she was resting and will be out soon.

I noticed he had heavy traces of make-up foundation under the chin and neck. Keep in mind, this was way before “Mrs. Doubtfire” had hit the theaters.

My father said that we would love to deal with the items, but need some sort of proof of ownership. I spoke up and asked if he and his mother would sign an affidavit stating the property was theirs. He sternly said if we took these pieces, he would give us the property at Margate. We looked around a little more and I kept seeing things I had not noticed the first time through. I asked one more time if he would sign an affidavit and he suddenly got angry and told us to leave. As I was winding my way back toward the door, I yelled farewell to his mother for fun.

My father and I had a few laughs on the long drive home. We came up with all kinds of scenarios on the situation. We were never able to figure it out and never saw the collection come up at auction. We were glad to get out of the city and came to the realization that being country auctioneers wasn’t so bad after all.

Martin Willis is Worthologist and auctioneer who owns Tiburon Arts Consulting. You can hear his podcasts at the at Antique and Auction Forum, featuring interviews with key players in the antiques and collectibles trade

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A late Victorian sterling silver figural dog's head cane, valued at $650.

Walking sticks, or canes as they are sometimes known, have been in the hands of man since he first walked the earth. Since then, walking sticks have been used for both practicality and decoration throughout history. King Tut had more than a hundred buried with him to accompany him in the afterlife. King Louis XIV never appeared in public without one. Henry VIII and his court are pictured with highly embellished canes. Queen Victoria had a whole collection of them. George Washington bequeathed to his brother the gold-handled cane that Benjamin Franklin had left to him.

Walking sticks have represented symbols of power and defined class, and in the 16th century they evolved into a fashion accessory for the socially prominent. Men of means and rank—be they European or American—were depicted in portraits with their walking stick. In the mid-19th century, Victorian walking sticks were a part of the elegantly dressed gentleman’s attire, and he would change a cane as often as he changed his clothes. A gentleman never carried a cane—he “wore” one. And when women began smoking in public, they also wore walking sticks. The golden age of canes flourished between 1830 (with their most widespread popularity in the latter half of the 19th century) and the First World War.

An early 20th-century, large carved ivory Greyhound cane, with glass eyes, hallmarked Sterling silver collar (engraved with a monogram and a crest) and hardwood shaft. Valued at $975.

This Victorian ivory horse cane with Sterling silver collar, decorated with a horseshoe, jockey's cap and whip over ebony shaft, is valued at $2,100.

By the late 19th century, the Victorian influence had spread to the United States, and fashionable American gentlemen and women owned several canes for different occasions and social events. They became the ultimate fashion accessory, like the hat and gloves. Many of these walking sticks had handles that were engraved with the owner’s monogram or, when decorated with inscriptions, served as mementos or presentation pieces. Manufactories and shops specializing in walking sticks began to flourish as canes were designed by renowned artists like Tiffany in America, Faberge in Russia, Thomas Brigg & Sons in England, Magasin Antoine in Paris and the Meyers family in Germany. By the first two decades of the 20th century, there were approximately 265 cane manufacturers in existence and more than 100 companies specialized in handles alone. During the whaling era in the 19th century, American sailors at sea fashioned scrimshaw canes made from baleen, whalebone vertebrae and whale ivory.

An ornate, gold-filled chased & engraved dress cane with snakewood shaft, circa 1870s, valued at $750.

Canes fall into a few categories: folk art, decorative or dress canes, and gadget or system sticks, which actually do things due to the variety of mechanisms and devices that could be embedded in their shafts and handles. The main parts of the cane are its handle, the collar, the eyelet, the shaft and the tip, also known as the ferrule. Handles could be crutch, knobs, L-shaped, pistol grip or crook in shape and may be of ivory, bone, tortoise shell, rhino horn, ebony and other hardwoods, gold, silver and even glass. The collar is the strip below the handle concealing the joint between the handle and the shaft, which is the straight part, made of ebony, hardwood, bamboo, bone and often other exotic materials. During the mid-18th and mid-19th centuries, eyelet holes were drilled through the shaft by the handle so a cord could pass through and encircle the wrist and people could be hands-free. The tip protected the shaft from wear and was usually made of metal, horn or bone. Originally, these ferrules had protected the shaft from mud before roads became surfaced. Even pedestrians used sticks like a staff to help them navigate ditches and ruts. Often one can gauge the age of the cane because the longer the ferrule, the earlier the cane.

A rare, turn-of-the-century carved-ivory figure of bear. Bear, rabbit and pig handles are scarce. This one is worth $1,500.

A deer-antler frog with horn inlay for eyes, dating from first half of 20th century, on turned hardwood shaft. It’ll cost you $700 for this one.

After the 1920s, the walking stick lost its popularity as the arrival of automobile, the cigarette, the brief case and a less fashion-conscious society ended their demand. They were no longer considered fashionable articles of wear. With the 1929 crash of Wall Street in the United States, the Great Depression spread worldwide, and by that time canes weren’t even considered much of a collectible. Canes were used by those whose age and health required them or by hikers and climbers.

But today, walking sticks are enjoying a tremendous resurgence among collectors who appreciate their unique history, design and wide range of materials. Antique shows, shops and auctions are good places to find them. They can be scored for a few hundred dollars and priced as high as several thousands of dollars, depending on their uniqueness and condition.

A rare, Victorian 11mm pin-fire gun cane with horn cap on the tip. Protection like this will cost you $2,750.

A John Day-patented cap & ball gun cane, circa 1830, which may be used as a pistol or a rifle. John Day is credited with being the first to develop a percussion lock mechanism for a gun cane Valued at $2,250.

A horn, pistol-grip sword cane with push-button release and 15-1/2 in. blade concealed in twig-like hardwood shaft, circa 1870. Valued at $1,750.

I am always bemused whenever someone walks into my booth at an antiques show, exclaims in awe and appreciation over the array of walking sticks, and promises to return when he “needs a cane.” These people miss the point. Unless they are made-up pieces and new, most sticks are rarely sturdy enough to function for total support and were never meant to, though some can and others are stout enough to “spot” the person as they maneuver around. Meanwhile, because of the great range of walking canes out there to be hunted down, they are tremendous fun to collect and don’t take up a lot of room to display.

An extremely large figural seated dog made of horn, circa 1920. Valued at $800.

Kathy Moses Shelton, based in Nashville, Tenn., is owner of Just Looking, which specializes in American antiques, accessories and art (19th century to Modernism), silver, folk and outsider art, and whimsical things. She has been a guest on Martha Stewart Living Television and was an invited speaker on Southern folk and outsider art at Oprah Winfrey’s Color Art Show. You can also view her inventory on GoAntiques.com.

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Running Fire,” a bronze by Austrian artist Carl Kauba (1865-1922), while not at the level of works by Remington or Russell, is still of value.

Jarvis C. sent a question in to WorthPiont’s “Ask a Worthologist” service, writing:

“This piece belonged to my grandfather and over the years it was always referred to as the ‘Remington bronze.’ Being that it sat on top of a rather tall book case for at least 30 years, I never really examined it until after I inherited it. I know Remington bronzes are worth a small fortune, but this one must be one of those reproductions I’ve seen sold on TV, although I haven’t found one that matches it, and it’s marked ‘C. Kauba.’ Any information you could find on this piece is much appreciated.”

Well Jarvis, this particular piece is called “Running Fire,” and you are correct that it is not a Remington piece. The good news is that it’s not a reproduction and I wouldn’t be too upset that it’s not by the famous sculptor Frederic Remington (American, 1861-1909), because “C. Kauba” was a well-respected sculptor in his own right. Carl Kauba (Austrian, 1865-1922) is ranked along with Remington and Charles Marion Russell (American, 1864-1926) as one of the best sculptors of American Western subjects, but his work is not as well known to the American public.

Kauba studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna and academies under Carl Waschmann and Stefan Schwartz until about 1886. It was at this point he is said to have to left for America, but there is some speculation that Kauba never actually visited the U.S. and that his interest in the Old West was fired by written accounts by well-known authors such as Karl May (1842-1912), whose books set in the Old West were popular fair in Europe. Of the experts who believe Kauba did visit the U.S., it is believed he completed numerous sketches and notes that he used to base his bronzes once he returned to Austria.

His bronzes were all produced in Austria and, like the Remington pieces, were finely detailed. They were cast for the American market between 1895 and 1912 and were equal to the best examples of Viennese bronzes made at the turn of the century. Today, examples of Kauba’s work can be found in the Harmsen Collection of American Western Art. As for value, while this piece isn’t up there with works by Remington or Russell, comparable examples of this piece by Kauba have sold in the $4,000-$6,000 range. Some of his larger pieces have sold for considerably more, and a large figure of a Plains Indian Chief titled “Peace” was sold in March of this year at a Christie’s sale for $25,000.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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Walt Kolenda, better known as Auction Wally, appraises an antique print at the Readsboro, Vt. Historical Society's Antiques Appraisal event.

Walt Kolenda is a busy man, indeed.

Probably better known as “Auction Wally,” Kolenda has turned his love for and knowledge of auctions, antiques and appraisals into a highly successful—and enjoyable—business.

Born and reared in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Kolenda now makes his home in Barre, Mass., where he hosts a radio show, publishes a newsletter, writes a national auctions-and-antiques column for The Examiner newspaper, manages a free online appraisal archive, and—in his spare time—works as an auctioneer.

In an interview with WorthPoint, Kolenda said that antiques and auctions have always been a business for him—not just a hobby.

Kolenda always has an eye out for something that will be of use in this radio show, newsletter, national newspaper column, appraisal archive and auctioneer business.

“I began by selling some personal items, like records and books, to shops on the East Side of Providence. A couple of book dealers taught me what to look for and told me what they’d buy and for how much, so I started picking up more of it, and branched off into glass, jewelry furniture and then anything thought I could re-sell at a profit. I really became a picker right away in the business, and still consider myself to be one.”

We asked Kolenda how important the Internet had been in developing his business.

“It wasn’t that critical in developing the different lines so much, but was a huge boost to my overall bottom line. Now, instead of every item going to a wholesaler, I get my inventory directly into the hands of collectors, or, if not collectors, then at least to dealers who will pay more than what I was used to getting.”

Kolenda says that the many charity auctions he does are both fun and important: “Like a lot of auctioneers and antiques dealers, I do events for local charities, libraries, community centers and other non-profit groups.

“The most unusual events I’ve done were two ‘Llamas for Ludlow’ auctions in Ludlow, Vermont. The first was for about 35 full-sized hand-painted or sculpted llama statues. There were llamas on a wide range of themes. I even sold Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees llamas. The Yankees llama beat out the Red Sox llama by about $500.

“The highlight was a llama made with thousands of tiny pieces of stained glass. It went for $10,000,” Kolenda said. “It was a fun sale, and we grossed more than $80,000 for ‘Streetscapes of Ludlow,’ a non-profit art organization.”

Kolenda says his business rode out the recent Great Recession fairly well. “Much better than most businesses,” he said. “Prices are down a bit, but because so many people are liquidating, there is more activity than ever before.”

As for the major trends in the auctions and collectibles business in 2010, Kolenda says that “the public waking up to the fact that antiques and collectibles are much cheaper than their current counterparts.

“It’s a myth that the average antique is priced exorbitantly. Sure, an authentic Chippendale highboy can cost many thousands of dollars, but there is an enormous amount of nice, solid late-19th-century oak furniture passing the auction block for less than $100 a piece! If you go later into some of the very well made 1920s to ’40s mahogany pieces, you can get many of them for $50-$75 each.

“I think people are finally catching on that the particle-board furniture at the big box stores, accessorized with cheap sheet metal and plastic lamps set on wafer-thin rugs that curl up at the edges is not a bargain at any price.

“Most of these shoddy goods break or wear out long before the credit-card payments are complete. You can still get new furniture that is of equal quality to antique furniture, but it’s not at the big box discount stores, it’s at fine furniture outlets.

“I was in one such place recently that had beautiful, high-quality spindle-back benches for $1,000, solid oak and mahogany dining room sets starting at $3,500, and bedroom sets at about the same price. So you can furnish your house with quality furniture that will match the workmanship of many antiques, but for an average home, you’re probably looking at a cost of $35,000 to $50,000 for a full-house of furniture and accessories.

“Or, you can be patient, pick your battles and have fun at auctions, antique shops and flea markets. A savvy buyer can get a house-full of furniture and accessories for less than $3,000. You won’t be able to order it from a catalog and pick out exactly what you’re looking for, but for people who love this stuff, the thrill is in the hunt. Not only that, but if and when it comes time to sell it, there’s a good chance you’ll make a profit or at least re-coup a good part of your investment.”

“And here’s an added plus: Antiques and used items are the ultimate green products. After all, there’s no manufacturing impact on the planet for an item that’s already made.”

Kolenda’s endeavors include his weekly auction in Barre that is a general merchandise sale, which usually features a good selection of antiques and collectibles. He’s excited about an upcoming antique sale on May 20, which will feature an excellent Henry XVI bronze & marble clock, fine porcelain figurines glass and china.

Ongoing projects keeping him busy are his online appraisal archive, where he also answers questions about auctions and antiques in his column, “Ask an Auctioneer.”

He loves sharing his knowledge of antiques, auctions & negotiating. He is most proud of his business roots as a picker and is currently finishing up a new e-book, “How to Buy Antiques Like a Pro,” in which he’ll be sharing his best information, tips and secrets on buying antiques that he’s gathered in his 30 years as a picker.

For more information on Auction Wally, please visit his:

Free Online Appraisal Archive

National Examiner column

Weekly Newsletter

Auctioneer Business

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First I have to laughingly try to define, “younger.” For the sake of argument, I will define that as people younger than me, which is younger than 50.

I totally disagree with the thought process that younger people don’t collect. I do believe that they:

• Buy differently than we have in the past. For example, they generally do not want to drive all over the countryside to find one item. Thus, as I noticed at the Miami Beach International Antiques Show in January, they will go to shows where a large group of quality items are in one place. They also shop online, as it is quick to find a group of items that they are interested in and they are comfortable making online purchases.

• They buy different items then we did. This should not come as a surprise as this happens with every generation. Styles and tastes change. Also, furniture trends have been bad for years, as first home sizes shrank and the amount paid in mortgages went up. Thus, smaller collectibles and antiques became increasingly popular, especially things that could be put in the mail and paid for out of next week’s paycheck.

• Typically, for those in what I call the “hormone years,” collecting stops. People in the 18-35 age group, are chasing each other and put their collections aside. Once they catch one in other, they start collecting again, filling their dwelling with things that will tie them to their past. I resumed my collecting with Lionel trains and coins.

Collecting is in people’s genes and is not removed in a generation. And it will always tie a person securely back to a point in the past.

As a dealer, I must also remember that I am also, by definition, a marketer. This means I need to look for groups of buyers and determine how much money they have to spend and how to reach them. I then need to translate that knowledge into what I buy for resale. If you see me in your booth or shop, you will also see that I ask a lot of questions as I am always trying to learn about something new.

Looking at potential customers aged 12 from 40; what are they buying or collecting? I have seen a host of items. Some might associate a younger audience with a collectible such as PEZ dispensers, and others would just scratch their heads when you tell them there is a market for Sandinista rebel art. Personally, I did not know the latter existed. My best PEZ buyer is 14 and I learned I could also sell a certain PEZ dispenser for more than $1,000. Other items younger people collect are Civil War accoutrements, Marilyn Monroe, Japanese Manga art, Transformers, inside door knockers and postcards. I am always asking young people what they collect. Glass seems to be fading, but it has also been dropping from everyday use for some time.

One of my friend Krista’s postcards from your collection, advertising a vintage bicycle company. The fact that Krista, who is in her 20s, is collecting postcards, shows that younger people are collecting; they’re just collections include items that we older folks seldom think about.

I spend a lot of time in Columbus, Ohio, where WorthPoint has it tech facility, and consequently, spend several nights a week living at a hotel. One of my favorite 20-something cocktail waitresses there, Krista, is a collector. She collects postcards, which was something that surprised me. But it should not have, as I have a 12-year-old who collects them, too. Post cards were once a way of life, first popularized at the Columbian Worlds Fair. They were hugely popular up into the 1960s, but are disappearing from the shelves of the newsstands at the airports and hotels. Pretty soon, we may not be able to find current postcards, as they are disappearing from our lives, along with all the other paper items that used to be part of the our daily lives. They are quickly being replaced with digital photos I take from my cell phone and e-mail. The later is quicker and I can send the photo I want to, for free.

Krista brought her collection of postcards in for me to see. I have included some of these with this article. They fell into various groups of subjects, and they spanned about 80-plus years. (I have included some that I took pictures of with my cell phone.) Subject matters included;

• Hot looking guys. (Why not, men collected their pin up photo postcards for years of hot girls.)
• Photo postcards of art she enjoyed. It was always priced more reasonably than original works of art. The artists ranged from the 1920s to modern.
• Humor
• Geographical. Krista is Hispanic and many of the cards tied her back to places she had been to the Caribbean.

A couple more postcards from Krista’s collection. First, the iconic photograph from the end of the Second World War.

The second, a postcard featuring Marilyn Monroe. Who says youngsters have no appreciation of history.

I had a blast going through her collection and it took me more than an hour to go through it with her, as her attention was interrupted by paying customers wanting service. I also learned a lot more about Krista as a person. It is always fun to do this and to make new friends this way. It helps make new customers, which expands my sales and helps to grow an industry I love. I now have a new postcard customer in Krista. She will join my younger 14-year-old PEZ collector in my group of “younger customers.” When you start to realize that the 14-year-old kid in your booth may lay out $1,000-plus for a PEZ dispenser, your view of these kids takes on a whole new vantage point. Just take the time to ask the kids what they collect. You may help yourself to a new market and also help build new collectors for the industry.

Will Seippel is the president and CEO of WorthPoint. Will has been an avid collector since 1974 and dealer of just about all things—with a emphasis on ephemera—antique since 1984.

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This 35-centimeter Steiff donkey from the 1950s shows the lulac style well, with its elongated legs. Steiff lulac animals from the ’50s are fairly rare, and can sell for more than $1,000.

The Steiff Company has always been a pioneer in the toy industry. Steiff is best known for creating the first jointed Teddy bear in 1902, but the company’s list of other achievements is quite long and impressive. For example, did you know that the company produced and sold nearly one million Teddy bears in 1907, a whopping achievement given the fact that a large share of those bears were produced by local seamstresses working at home? Or, that given an absolute dearth of materials right after the First World War, Steiff created a line of play products made from plush literally woven from paper and wood fibers?

Steiff’s creativity also extends to its designs, with the company still producing some models originally drafted more than 100 years ago, while also designing and producing at least three robust collections of new products every year.

There are certain Steiff patterns that are so original and so distinctive to the company that most collectors could recognize them a mile away. One of these, the “lulac” design, was introduced in the early 1950s, a period of great “thinking outside the box” for the company. Lulac animals have comically long arms, legs and torsos. They are long and lanky, usually five-ways jointed, and have a very playful air about them. It is interesting to note that the German verb “to laugh” is lachen, and the word for smile is lächeln, suggesting that this style was designed to have a comical appearance and to bring a smile to the face of the owner.

The first lulac animal produced was called Lulac Floppy Rabbit. He debuted in 1952 and measured 43 centimeters. This rabbit was made from caramel-colored mohair and his hands and feet were detailed with especially shaggy mohair. Lulac Floppy Rabbit’s mouth was open and lined in peach colored felt; his little pink triangular nose was hand embroidered. He had blue and black googly style eyes. The original Lulac Floppy Rabbit pattern was also produced in 60 cm; the 43-cm version was in the line from 1952 through 1974, while the larger size made a more limited appearance from 1964 through 1966. Although early Lulac Floppy Rabbits are of interest to collectors, the 60-cm version is extremely sought after due to its limited time in the line. On the other side of the coin, the original 43-cm lulac rabbits are not hard to find on the vintage secondary market because many more were produced over a longer time period.

A lulac bear, dog and cat from the 1960s.

The success of Floppy Lulac Rabbit really got the Steiff design team to shake a leg and create many more lulac-styled products. Other early 1950s lulac items included a 35-cm donkey, a 40-cm elephant, a 90-cm tiger, an 80-cm poodle, and an 80-cm lion. All of these models were produced exclusively for the United States market and only for a year or so. These odd mohair treasures are extremely rare and collectible; if in good condition, they can value north of $1,000 each.

The lulac invasion continued into the 1960s—with a twist. Steiff began “marrying” some of its most popular traditional animal patterns with the lulac “leggy” design. As a result, collectors were treated to Zolac, a lulac version of Zotty Bear; Sulac, a lulac version of Susi Spaniel; and Kalac, a lulac version of the black Tom Cat. All were 40 cm and produced in the 1964-through-1966 time frame. Like their older cousins from the 1950s, these hybrid lulacs also have quite the following; if in good condition, they can sell for $500 or more.

Lulac animals are still an integral and important part of the Steiff product line today. The lulac-style rabbits are a regular staple in Steiff’s springtime catalog; at least one has appeared in the line every year since the 1970s. Over the years, Steiff has produced numerous lulac-inspired plush frogs, dogs, cats, tigers, birds, foxes and even a rat! These more modern “long-limbed lovelies” won’t cost you an arm and a leg, and are a great way to begin a collection of these really fantastic and unique Steiff items.

Rebekah Kaufman is a Worthologist who specializes in vintage Steiff and other European plush collectibles.

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The “face chair” movement was a prime beneficiary of the press back technology, which allowed for the quick and inexpensive production of a chair with what looked like hand-carved decorations.

The carving of 17th-century “Sunflower” chests explains a lot about the ins and outs of New England Colonial carving of the time. They highlight the real world priorities of the period and the fact that decorating an otherwise perfectly fine plain chest was a luxury that few could afford to buy or had the time to produce. But since the Sunflower chests all had certain constants—such as panel size, stile design and trim dimensions—it was actually possible for the turner and the joiner and the carver to stockpile basic elements of the chests for use when the demand arose.

While that is not exactly production line work, it is the beginning of an industrial mindset whose roots reached into deeper and firmer ground as the next two centuries rolled by in Colonial/Federal America. The urge to decorate plain surfaces appears to be a universal human trait that appeals to the “art” in all of us no matter how deeply buried.

The replication of effort in difficult tasks in the cabinetmaker’s shop is what allowed large true sets of chairs to be turned out in the 18th century and by the early 19th century, entrepreneurs like Lambert Hitchcock really did produce furniture in an assembly line manner, with each worker performing the same task repetitively on endless lines of chairs. Even the decorations were “by the numbers,” with stencils producing the same cornucopia thousands of times on the crest rails of thousands of chairs.

By the mid 1800s, J. H. Belter had nearly a hundred German woodworkers and carvers in his factory located next to his rooming house in Manhattan, while the Meeks brothers had a new factory close by and even had an outlet in New Orleans. But even with all the labor and all those tools and factories, it was still relatively expensive and time consuming for Belter to turn out a parlor set in “Rosalie Without the Grapes” or for Meeks to order up a five-piece “Stanton Hall” set. But the desire for decoration was still there, and as long as somebody could afford it . . .

By the turn of the 20th century, things had changed both in society and in the factory. Despite some ups and downs, the decades after Civil War were prosperous and America’s population was growing both in numbers and in wealth. And those wealthier citizens were willing to pay for a little decoration in their lives—within reason.

The mail-order catalog phenomenon was in full swing and was the primary furniture distributor of the period, and price was the key. How could Sears or Larkin produce decorative furniture to compete with the intricate carvings of the mid-century? No one wanted to a) pay that much or b) wait that long.

They didn’t have to. In the very late 1800s along came a process that could produce elaborate designs on chair parts for a cost of next to nothing. It even had a lot of people thinking it was hand carved. The process? The steel die stamp. A design with sharp edges was etched into a metal plate. That plate was mounted on a roller and under great pressure was passed over a waiting chair crest rail that had been precut to shape and steam-bent to match the curve on the roller. The result was a perfect impression of the etching that was literally pressed into the wood, giving the effect of a three dimensional carving. Thus began the great era of the “press back” chair in American furniture.

In the simplest case, a rather shallow design was pressed into the waiting crest and, without further ado, was mounted to a chair ready to be finished. That allowed a mail order house like Sears to offer a dining chair in 1902 for 63¢ that had “handsome carving” on the back. Other chairs were enthusiastically—and erroneously—described as having “rich hand carving,” “beautifully turned and carved back,” or simply a “richly carved back.” Maybe the catalog writers didn’t know about “the process.”

Here a few examples of press back chairs, along with a few that are combinations of pressing and hand-chasing, and a few that are not press backs but are from the same period:

The Cheap press back has a shallow pattern that required single pass of the die.

Cheap: This chair has a shallow pattern that required single pass of the die on the birch crest. This was simply a decorative touch and made no real effort to look hand carved. This would have been a very inexpensive chair at the time.

The Larkin press back a little more depth and texture but still a fairly simple look.

Larkin: A design with a little more depth and texture but still a fairly simple look is shown in this Larkin chair that was sold in 1908 for 25¢ and one Larkin certificate or in a set of four for five certificates with no cash.

The Heywood Brothers and Wakefield Co. press back.

HW: The Heywood Brothers and Wakefield Co. offered this chair around 1900 that showed a good deep design with stiles topped by Victorian era “honey dipper” finials.

Face: Of course the “face chair” movement was a prime beneficiary of the press back technology. Mythological creatures could now be instantly transferred to chair backs without all that tedious carving (see above).

The “creature feature” worked its way into the press back theme book.

Dragons: Of course, the other main movement of the period, the “creature feature” worked its way into the press back theme book. These two dragons are about to mix it up.

These traditional winged griffins that have been pressed into service.

Griffins: The two figures on this back are traditional winged griffins that have been pressed into service.

This Mission style chair was first pressed, then followed by hand chasing that removed background material.

Hand chased: The Holy Land scene on an otherwise severely plain Mission style chair was first pressed, then followed by hand chasing that removed background material and left visible tool marks to enhance the notion of hand carving.

This windmill scene may have been pressed, but the main work was indeed hand carved.

Windmill: The outline of these happy cloggers may have been pressed, but the main work was indeed hand carved.

The bottle nose dolphins on this chair are true carvings, although one could assume they were pressed..

Not pressed: At first glance this may appear to be a press back candidate, but the bottle nose dolphins are true carvings applied over the quarter sawn veneer on the crest.

Fred Taylor is a antique furniture Worthologist who specializes in American furniture from the Late Classicism period (1830-1850).

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Send your comments, questions and pictures to me at PO Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423 or info [at] furnituredetective [dot] com.

Visit Fred’s website at www.furnituredetective.com. His book “How To Be A Furniture Detective” is now available for $18.95 plus $3 shipping. Send check or money order for $21.95 to Fred Taylor, PO Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423.

Fred and Gail Taylor’s DVD, “Identification of Older & Antique Furniture,” ($17 + $3 S&H) and a bound compilation of the first 60 columns of “Common Sense Antiques,” by Fred Taylor ($25 + $3 S&H) are also available at the same address. For more information call 800-387-6377, fax 352-563-2916, or e-mail info [at] furnituredetective [dot] com.

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WorthPoint member John S. wanted to find out if his copy of Currier & Ives’ “New England Winter Scene” was an original or a copy, so he engaged “Ask a Worthologist” to get the answer.

John S. had what he believed to be an antiqueCurrier & Ives print, but didn’t know much more than what was printed at the bottom of the image. He didn’t know if it was an original or a copy, but he was hoping it was the former. He engaged WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service, and it was forwarded to me. Here is John’s question:

I picked up this print at an estate sale; it was part of a box lost of junk picture frames the frame and glass was quite dingy. I picked up the box for $10. Going through it this piece looked like the best piece in it. It’s titled “New England Winter Scene,” in very small print under the print it says “entered according to act of congress in the year 1861. By Currier & Ives in the clerk’s office of the district court of the United States for the southern district of N.Y” It measures about 18 inches by 23 inches. I’d be grateful for any information you could give me about this piece.

I had some good news to report to John after I did the valuation on the print:

John,

Based on your image and the dimensions, you might have made a very good find. The size of your print indicates that it could be an original Currier & Ives “New England Winter Scene” from 1861. Currier & Ives was America’s longest-running printing establishment, publishing more than 7,000 images covering a span of 73years.

This particular piece was made in what’s referred to as a “Large Folio*,” originally published with an image size of 16.7 inches by 23.10 inches. While the Currier & Ives prints have been reproduced on a regular basis since the 1930s, most have been in smaller sizes, such as 8 inches by 10 inches, 12 by 19 inches, etc.

There are some very good sources for researching your piece, such as “Currier & Ives Prints An Illustrated Check List,” by Frederic A. Conningham, and “Currier & Ives A Catalogue Raisonne,” by Gale Research. That being said, the potential value of this piece warrants having it examined by an appraiser. The last original sold through a Skinner’s American Furniture & Decorative Arts sale, on Feb. 17th, 2008, went for $7,000.

* Currier and Ives Prints were issued in the following sized folios: Small folio prints are approximately 8 inches by 12 ½ inches; medium folios are approximately 10 to 14 inches by 14 to 20 inches; and large folios were anything larger than about 14 inches by 20 inches.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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This metal emblem was used by members of the Grand Rapids Furniture Makers Guild, beginning in 1931, to certify each individual piece of furniture by number as having been made by a Guild member.

Furniture making in America in the 19th century ranged from the small shop, like that of Duncan Phyfe in downtown New York at the turn of the century, to the huge factories of Grand Rapids and Buffalo at the turn of the next century. Phyfe was one of the rare early century cabinetmakers who actually used paper labels and tags to identify some of his work. In fact, some items can be dated by the address on the label since his shops constantly expanded and the streets were renamed. But most makers of the early period either scrawled their name or mark under a drawer somewhere or didn’t bother to mark their products at all.

Beginning around mid-century, the advent of the factory system meant most furniture was made in a commercial facility under the auspices of a company name and very few individual craftsmen labeled their product. Even the companies of the time were a little lax in marking the work. By the end of the century, people like Gustav Stickley and the major manufacturers in Grand Rapids, Cincinnati and Chicago had developed elaborate logos and trademarks and few quality items escaped some sort of identification. This has been a boon to modern collectors, giving them the start of a trail of clues to establish age and origin of older furniture.

But like so many things of the 20th century, what started as a simple method of marking furniture quickly became confusing by the second decade. Finding a label on a piece of furniture now means that the collector has to know what kind of label it is to decipher its meaning.

Labels found on 20th-century furniture generally fall into three categories—Manufacturers, Retailers and Associations.

Manufacturers’ Labels:

This is who actually produced the furniture, from a design to a finished product. Many manufacturers had clues in the names themselves that left no doubt as to their identity. One of these was Colonial Manufacturing Co. of Zeeland, Mich., a famous maker of hall clocks. Another was Green Manufacturing of Chicago, a maker of parlor frames for the custom trade. The use of the word “manufacturing” in the company name was unambiguous about what the company did. Other company names, however, were less straightforward. Even some of the best known makers, such as Berkey & Gay, Century and Phoenix used only the term “Furniture Co.” in their official names. To the uninformed, this could be the name of a retail furniture store rather than a maker. Some specialty factories were a little better, including their main product in the name, such as Sikes Chair Co. in Buffalo or the Grand Rapids Desk Co. These offer a slightly more solid reference to the company as a maker and not a retailer.

Some variation of this Mersman Brothers label appeared on more than 30,000,000 tables made by the company.

The “Quaint” trade name was so popular for Stickley Brothers that it used it for various lines of furniture for more than 30 years.

This is the famous coin-style label used by Berkey & Gay in the 1920s and 1930s.

The Cutler Desk Co. of Buffalo used this escutcheon plate for its label.

This is a very early label for Heywood-Wakefield, circa 1921, when the name was first used after the reorganization.

This was the last variation of the Flint label in the early 1930s ,when the company was a retailer.

Retailers:

Around the turn of the 20th century, the largest furniture retailer of self-labeled goods was Sears & Roebuck. Sears didn’t actually make any of its own products in its own factory. The company was strictly a retailer. It sometimes did have manufacturers make a specially designed line of certain items for it, but the mark on the furniture was always from Sears. This was also a common practice in the piano industry. A major store would have a promotional line of instruments made with its name on it, omitting the name of the manufacturer. That practice was called “stenciling” and is still in use today both in pianos and in furniture.

Another famous name found in furniture that is often believed to be that of a manufacturer is “John Stuart, Inc.” But John Stuart was a high-end retail showroom in Grand Rapids and New York that sold quality products made by, but unlabeled by, a number of manufacturers in Grand Rapids.

One clue that a company is a retailer and not a maker is the inclusion of another product line. An example is Hartman Furniture and Carpet Co. of Chicago. The inclusion of “carpet” is a dead giveaway. Hartman bought furniture from a number of factories, but when it was sold it carried only Hartman’s name. The same is true if the name of the company includes terminology like “department store” used by Federated.

A little more difficult to identify are companies that were at one time a manufacturer but later became a retailer or department store. One such example is the firm of Flint and Horner. George C. Flint was a mid-19th century cabinetmaker whose business was acquired by R.J. Horner around the turn of the 20th century. Flint and Horner became a well known maker of early Depression-era furniture, but sometime later it ceased manufacturing and became a broad based retailer in New York.

At then time this label was used in the early 20th century Robert J. Horner was both a manufacturer and a retailer.

By the time this label was used, Horner was no longer making furniture and was just a retailer.

Associations:

Sometimes, the only label found in a piece is that of a trade association or guild. The most famous of these is the ubiquitous “Mahogany Association” that many collectors mistakenly believe to be a company name. Around the turn of the 20th century, aniline dyes were introduced into the American furniture market. This new tool for coloring wood produced some very confusing results. With anilines, almost any wood could look like almost anything else. The most common use was to make secondary woods like gum, poplar and birch look like more expensive woods, such as walnut and mahogany. Without proper labeling, it was easy to confuse the consumer.

As the furniture industry got organized early in the century, a number of promotional organizations took form. One of the umbrella groups was the Hardwood Manufacturers Association, based in Memphis, Tenn. It had several “service bureaus” within it to promote different woods. Among them were the Oak Bureau and the Gumwood Bureau. In addition, there was a separate American Walnut Manufacturers Association based in Chicago, the Northern Hard Maple Manufacturers in Oshkosh, Wis., and the Birch Manufacturers, also in Oshkosh. And, of course, there was the Mahogany Association in Chicago, which issued decals to assure a customer that the furniture was in fact “genuine mahogany” and not a cheap substitute.

This Mahogany Association label bears the number 123: the member number of the Imperial Furniture Co of Grand Rapids.

This mark was used by members of the Furniture Manufacturers Association of Grand Rapids between 1899 and 1913 to identify true “Grand Rapids Made” furniture and to differentiate it from imposters of the period.

Information Labels:

Some labels were designed to convey more than just a name or association. These labels have a story to tell.

In 1866, when George Clark developed a thread that was strong enough to be used in the newly invented mechanical sewing machine, he didn’t have a name for it. He simply called it “Our New Thread” and the initials “ONT” became a staple on thread cabinets after that.

This unusual label was found on the inside of a cabinet. It is not the label of the manufacturer but the label of the maker of the machinery that made the drawer joinery in the cabinet.

This label, from the famous maker of Arts & Crafts furniture, the Charles P. Limbert Co., was used to announce that D. B. K. Van Raalte had assumed control of the company after the death of Limbert in 1923.

The new version of the Hitchcock Company, formed in the late 1940s, used a distinctive label to make sure it was never confused with an original Hitchcock piece. The new label used backwards “N’s” in the label, something never used in the original Hitchcock labels of the 1830s.

Fred Taylor is a antique furniture Worthologist who specializes in American furniture from the Late Classicism period (1830-1850).

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Send your comments, questions and pictures to me at PO Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423 or info [at] furnituredetective [dot] com.

Visit Fred’s website at www.furnituredetective.com. His book “How To Be A Furniture Detective” is now available for $18.95 plus $3 shipping. Send check or money order for $21.95 to Fred Taylor, PO Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423.

Fred and Gail Taylor’s DVD, “Identification of Older & Antique Furniture,” ($17 + $3 S&H) and a bound compilation of the first 60 columns of “Common Sense Antiques,” by Fred Taylor ($25 + $3 S&H) are also available at the same address. For more information call 800-387-6377, fax 352-563-2916, or e-mail info [at] furnituredetective [dot] com.

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Below is an alphabetical list of a few just some of the hundreds of circus-themed movies produced by Hollywood and beyond. I’ve listed the title, release year, stars and sometimes additional information about each movie. You will note the absence of the Cecil B. DeMille, Oscar-winner “The Greatest Show On Earth,” which is the topic of a separate article titled Collecting ‘The Greatest Motion Picture On Earth.’

“3 Ring Circus” (1954), starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. This movie was filmed on the Clyde Beatty Circus when it traveled by rail. Clown Bobby Kaye has a role.

“4 Devils” (1928), starring Janet Gaynor and Charles Morton (also titled “Four Devils”). “The New York Times named this one of the 10 best films of 1928. The film was silent, but a part-talkie version was also released. Unfortunately, no known copies of the film exist today. The original story was based on a short story, “Les Quatre Diables,” by Danish author Herman Bang. After the picture was released, Gosset & Dunlap printed a book with illustrations from the screen play. My friend Charlotte Shive (Maxwell) worked on the film as a stunt double in the trapeze sequences. You can read about Charlotte in a series of three articles I have on this website: Fascinating Story Behind Antique Circus Wagon Wheel, The Circus Fraternity: My Friend Charlotte and the Ubangis, and Memories of a Life in the Circus – Odds and Ends from the Big Top.

This book was published in 1928 by Gosset & Dunlap following the release of “4 Devils.” On the right page it says “Novelized by Guy Fowler from the Fox Picture produced by F.W. Murnau.” On the left you see the four stars of the motion picture—Charles Morton, Janet Gaynor, Nancy Drexel and Barry Norton. Other scenes for the movie appear throughout the book. Prices for this book range from $25 to $80.

“Africa Screams” (1949), starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello and Clyde Beatty. Scenes of world famous animal trainer Clyde Beatty highlight the movie. A cage made of bamboo is constructed in the “jungle” and Beatty trains the animals just captured. This movie was filmed in black and white. Both black and white and colorized versions are sold for less than $5. You can even watch the entire film on YouTube.

One of the first VHS versions of “Africa Screams” was released in the mid 1980s and featured this artwork on the box.

“At the Circus” (1939), starring the Marx Brothers.

“Big Cage, The” (1933), starring Clyde Beatty, Anita Page, Andy Devine, Wallace Ford and Mickey Rooney. This was Clyde Beatty’s first film and he starred as himself. It was based on the Edward Anthony book by the same name. The book featured many photos from the motion picture. Edward Anthony is listed in the writing credits in adapting the film from his book.

The Big Cage” book was copyrighted in 1933 and published by The Century Company. The book featured many photos from the motion picture. Prices on the internet range for as little as $15 for a worn copy to a high of $500 for a first edition with dust jacket.

“Big Circus, The” (1959), starring Victor Mature, Red Buttons, Rhonda Fleming, Vincent Price and Peter Lorre. Aerialist Fay Alexander has a minor un-credited role and also an un-credited role as technical advisor. Barbette, who worked with the Ringling Barnum show in the 1940s, was choreographer for the film. Real circus performers appearing the movie were Hugo Zacchini, Dick Walker’s Lion Act, The Flying Alexanders, and wire-walker Gene Mendez. The movie is available on DVD for $20-$30.

This Dell comic book was sold in conjunction with the release of Irwin Allen’s “The Big Circus.” You can find copies of this comic for $10 or less.

This lobby card was created for appearances of “The Big Circus” at theatres in Mexico. Value is $15 to $20.

“Big Show, The” (1961), starring Robert Vaughn, Esther Williams and David Nelson.

The cutline on the back of this 8 x 10 inch publicity photo says “Cliff Robertson (center) and members of the Krone circus family are aerialists in “The Big Show” on THE ABC SUNDAY NIGHT Movie. Robert Vaughn, Esther Williams and David Nelson co-star Sunday, December 24 at _______ in color on Channel _______ and the ABC Television Network.” Photos of this type are valued at $5 or less.

“Billy Rose’s Jumbo” (1962), starring Doris Day, Stephen Boyd and Jimmy Durante. Actual circus acts used in the film included Ron Henon, The Carlisles, The Pedrolas, the Wazzan Troupe, Poodles Hanneford, Billy Barton, Corki Cristiani, Victor Julian, Richard Berg, Joe Monahan, Miss Loni, Adolph Dubsky, Pat Anthony, Janos Prohaska, and The Barbettes. Al Dobritch was listed as coordinator of circus acts.

“Chad Hanna” (1940), starring Henry Fonda, Dorothy Lamour and Linda Darnell. The movie is based on the Walter Edmonds novel by the same title—also released in 1940. Betty Miles, who appeared with S.L. Cronin Circus and other shows as an equestrian, doubled for Dorothy Lamour and Linda Darnell. This movie shows up occasionally on TV, but as of this writing is not available on DVD.

“Charlie Chan at the Circus” (1936), starring Warner Oland in the title role. Interesting side show scenes appeared in this movie. John Aasen had an un-credited role as the circus giant. In the 1920s, Aasen appeared with Al G. Barnes Circus. This movie is sometimes available on DVD for $20 or $30.

“Circus Ace, The” (1927), starring Tom Mix.

“Circus Clown, The” (1934), starring Joe E. Brown, Patricia Ellis, Dorothy Burgess and Don Dillaway. Equestrian Poodles Hanneford played himself in an un-credited role. One of the most remarkable scenes featured famous aerialist Alfredo Codona, but he wasn’t flying; he was shown standing on the trapeze platform assisting the other flyers. Codona was seriously injured in a fall in 1933 and was unable to perform again as an aerialist.

“Circus Days” (1923), starring Jackie Coogan as Toby Tyler. This black-and-white, silent movie was the first film version of the James Otis novel, “Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks With a Circus.”

“Circus Girl” (1937), starring June Travis and Robert Livingston.

Circus Girl” is available on DVD for less than $10. According to the text on the back of the DVD box, the feats in the movie were performed by circus stars, The Escalante Family.

“Circus World” (1964), starring John Wayne, Claudia Cardinale and Rita Hayworth. Famous wire walking clown Pio Nock performed in the movie. Franz Althoff of Germany’s Althoff Circus was credited as technical advisor. Bob Dover, longtime performance director with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, was an un-credited special technical advisor and circus performances coordinator. Bob Dover’s real name was Billie Rosenthal.

Even though “Circus World” was filmed in Cinerama, you can find the movie on VHS or DVD for less than $10.

Circus World” was filmed in Cinerama. This image shows both sides of a flyer that advertised the film showings at the McVickers Cinerama Theatre in Chicago.

“Circus, The” (1928), starring Charlie Chaplin. This film is available on DVD for less than $20. Sometimes you find it in a package of several Chaplin films.

“Darkest Africa” (1936), starring Clyde Beatty. This was actually a 15-episode serial and not a feature film. All the episodes are available on DVD for less than $10. Used VHS copies run considerably higher. The serials also featured Manuel King, who was billed as the “World’s Youngest Animal Trainer.” A typical problem with many movies set in Africa was the appearance of tigers, which are not native to that continent.

“Fearless Fagan” (1952), starring Janet Leigh, Carleton Carpenter and Keenan Wynn. This movie was based on a story that appeared in the February 12, 1951 issue of “Life Magazine.” The story told about Floyd Humeston and his efforts to find a home for his trained lion, Fagan, after Humeston was drafted in the Army.

“First of May, The” (1999), starring Julie Harris, Charles Nelson Reilly, Robin O’Dell and Mickey Rooney. Much of the film was shot on Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus. The movie was inspired by the book “The Golden Days,” by Gail Radley. Circus performers appearing in the movie were Atos Zamperla, Ermes Zamperla, Mafalda Zoppe, Olissio Zoppe and Matt Zoppe Zamperla.

“Fixer Dugan” (1939), starring Lee Tracy and Virginia Weilder.

“Flying Fontaines, The” (1959), starring Michael Callan and Evy Norlund. Clown Bobby Kay appeared in the movie.

“Freaks” (1932), Directed by Tod Browning and starring Siamese twins Daisy and Violet Hilton, midget Harry Earles (also known as Harry Doll), half-boy Johnny Eck, the living-torso Prince Randian and many other side show attractions of the day. This is considered by many to be the greatest cult film of all time. It was also known by these titles: “Forbidden Love, Nature’s Mistakes” and “The Monster Show.”

“Great Wallendas, The” (1978), starring Lloyd Bridges as Karl Wallenda. Britt Ekland and Cathy Rigby also appear. This was a made-for-TV movie. Karl Wallenda was credited as the technical advisor.

This is the VHS tape box for “The Great Wallendas.” It can sometimes be found on the internet.

“Halfway to Heaven” (1929), starring Charles “Buddy” Rogers and Jean Arthur.

“Hearts and Spangles” (1926), starring Wanda Hawley and Robert Gordon.

“I’m No Angel” (1933), starring Mae West and Cary Grant. Mae West appeared as a lion trainer in this movie that can’t decide if the setting is a carnival or a circus. People often confuse the two. Typically, a carnival has rides, like the merry-go-round and Ferris wheel, and games of chance. The carnival often appeared in conjunction with a state fair or county fair. The carnival would usually stay in town for a week or longer. Circuses feature wild animals, a big top performance and would normally move to a new town every day. Both circuses and carnivals would usually have a side show.

“ Laugh, Clown, Laugh” (1928), starring Lon Chaney and Loretta Young. This is a silent movie.

“Lost Jungle, The” (1934), starring Clyde Beatty, George “Gabby” Hayes and Mickey Rooney. This was a 12-part serial that was made into a feature film. Animals from the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus appeared with Clyde Beatty.

This lobby card, advertising “The Lost Jungle,” is valued at $25-$35.

“Main Attraction, The” (1962), starring Pat Boone and Nancy Kwan.

“Man on a Tightrope” (1953), Directed by Elia Kazan and starring Frederic March, Terry Moore, Gloria Grahame and Cameron Mitchell. The Circus Brumbach from Germany was used during the filming.

“Mighty Barnum, The” (1934), starring Wallace Beery, Adolphe Menjou and Virginia Bruce. The film is filled with inaccuracies about the life of P.T. Barnum.

“O’Shaugnessey’s Boy” (1935), starring Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper and George “Spanky” McFarland.

“Peck’s Bad Boy with the Circus” (1938), starring Tommy Kelly as Peck, Edgar Kennedy and George “Spanky” McFarland. This was also a book by Hon. Geo. W. Peck, with a 1905 copyright.

Peck’s Bad Boy with the Circus” is available on DVD for less than $10.

“Perils of the Jungle” (1953), starring Clyde Beatty. DVDs of this movie are available for less than $10.

“Polly of the Circus” (1932), starring Clark Gable and Marion Davies. “Polly of the Circus” appeared as a book in 1908. In 1917, a silent version of the film was made by MGM starring Mae Marsh and Vernon Steele.

“Red Wagon” (1933), starring Charles Bickford, Anthony Bushell and Greta Nissen. This movie was based on the novel by Lady Eleanor Smith, published in 1930. The New York Times reviewed it in their June 22, 1936 issue. The reviewer was not impressed with the movie and said “Had director Paul Stein engaged Mr. Dexter Fellows as technical advisor we feel sure that ‘Red Wagon’ would have emerged as a far more engaging film.” Dexter Fellows, mentioned by the reviewer, was the long-time press agent for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

“Ring of Fear” (1954), starring Clyde Beatty and Mickey Spillane. Poodles Hanneford and Karl Wallenda appeared in the film but were un-credited. Clyde Beatty was technical advisor. The movie was filmed on the Clyde Beatty Circus when it was a railroad show.

Ring of Fear” is available on DVD for less than $15.

“Rings Around the World” (1966), with host Don Ameche. This was a documentary spinoff of Don Ameche’s TV series, “International Showtime,” which was very popular in the 1960s. The show was filmed in the Copenhagen’s Circus Schumann, Circus Krone in Germany, the Spanish National Circus in Munich, Circus Scott in Sweden, and the Circus Knie from Switzerland. Top circus acts included Gunther Gebel Williams (before he came to America), Tito Gaona, Fredy Knie, Vivien Larible, Gene Mendez and Pablo Noel.

A VHS version of “Rings Around the World” shows up on the Internet and usually sells for $45 to $50.

This is the inside center section of the theatre press kit for “Rings Around the World.” These kits had advertisements in various sizes and ordering instructions for posters and other promotional items. Value is about $20.

“Sally of the Sawdust” (1925), directed by D.W. Griffith and starring W.C. Fields and Carol Dempster as Sally. This was a silent film and was based on “Poppy,” a Broadway musical which also featured W.C. Fields. This film is available on VHS or DVD for $15-25. In 1936, Paramount pictures released a film titled “Poppy,” with W.C. Fields and Rochelle Hudson as Poppy.

“Sideshow, The” (1928), starring Marie Prevost and Ralph Graves. Ralph Madsen, who was billed as the Texas Giant, appeared in the film.

“Spangles” (1926), starring Marian Nixon and Pat O’Malley. The film was based on the novel by Nellie Revell, published the same year.

“Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus” (1960), starring Kevin Corcoran, Henry Calvin, Gene Sheldon and Bob Sweeney. This Walt Disney classic is now available on DVD for about $15.

“Trapeze” (1956), starring Tony Curtis, Burt Lancaster and Gina Lollobrigida. Famous aerialist Fay Alexander was the stunt-double for Tony Curtis. He was also listed as “Flying Sequences Technical Advisor.”

“Under the Big Top” (1938), starring Marjorie Main, Anne Nagel and Jack La Rue.

“Unknown, The” (1927), directed by Tod Browning and starring Lon Chaney.

“Wagons Roll at Night, The” (1941), starring Humphrey Bogart, Eddie Albert and Joan Leslie.

“You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man” (1939), starring W.C. Fields, Edgar Bergen and his ventriloquist dummy Charlie McCarthy. The movie was filmed on the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus. Blacaman, who was billed as the “Hindu Animal Hypnotist,” appeared in the film.

Larry Kellogg is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in circus memorabilia.

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Sheleighly

Sheleighly: The number-one item for the month was a sheleighly. While I know a sheleighly is Irish weapon for whacking someone, I do not know enough to understand whether it is primarily whacking a leprechaun or another person (perhaps for a leprechaun to whack a person?). In my research to learn more about sheleighlies, I realized they are obscure, as you can not find it in dictionary.com and it is not in my Microsoft Word spellchecker. Hmmm . . . WorthPoint has one made by Blackthorn of Ireland that sold for $70. We’ll see if the Irish are searching for them now that St. Patrick’s Day has past or whether the popularity continues.

Coca-Cola Sample Ice Chest

Coca-Cola Sample Ice Chest: Second in popularity was a Coca-Ccola sample ice chest. I will also give it third place, as well, as people were also looking at the 1939 salesman sample coolers. We had a lot of other Coca-Cola searches last month, for that matter. Coca-Cola memorabilia is actually the most-collected group of items in the world, from what I have read. I always know I do not have any difficulty selling Coke memorabilia and actually have a good customer for the items on Malta. These salesmen samples are difficult to come by and were for the salesmen to carry to the stores to show the storekeepers what they would look like. (The miniatures are easier to carry around in your car!) I do not know whether Coke sold the chests or gave them to the store owners for selling their products. I could never imagine collecting the “real thing,” as they are so large, but imagine the size and rarity of the samples would make them popular.

Gold Lutz Marble

Gold Lutz Marble: The fourth item in the Top 10 is a gold Lutz marble. I love these, although I am not a “marble” person. I will also say, you “know one when you see it,” as a gold Lutz is unique and beautiful. Essentially, it is a marble with gold flakes/specks in it. While I would guess that these were for richer kids back in the day, gold sold for a lot less than today and it could be used to enhance a toy. Today, you would expect to pay several hundred dollars for a nice example, and they go up from there. There are many common antique marbles, starting with pottery Benningtons with a hard ceramic glaze. These are pretty and have infinite variations. Inevitably, the collectors advance and will want to advance to the sophistication of the Lutz.

Vintage Gas Pumps

Vintage Gas Pumps: Vintage Texaco gas pumps come in at number #5. These are really cool and a thing of the past, when a trip to the gas station was an adventure instead of a painful hit to the wallet. We have a few of these on WorthPoint that are fun to look at, including a set up of several pumps and oil rack that sold for more than $8,000. They were restored, but would look great with their vintage glass globes atop of the pumps lit up. These glowing globes were to ensure the passing driver could not help but see that the station was open and predate the large, lit gas station signs that shine out in the night today.

Rolls Razor

Rolls Razor: Sixth was a barbershop item; a 1927 Rolls razor in particular. I do not know if the name was a take-off of the automobile and meant to convey high-end status. The thing to remember is that—although there is always a buyer for razors, as they are very collectible—they are also extremely plentiful, as at one time, every man had one and they did not tend to throw them out. Thus, it is a case where only the rarest bring much money. In the case of the 1927 “Rolls,” they are much cheaper than the car, and most seem to sell for around $15. Several nicer ones in a case went up to the $100 range, though. If buying, I would be very careful if I did not know my razors, as there were many more in the $15 range.

Magna Art

Magna Art: Seventh was another Japanese magna art item. I had never heard of magna prior to this year, having been introduced to it by one of my daughters, who is taking a Japanese class. Apparently, it has been produced for years in Japan, but traditionally discouraged as cheap art. I sense the person who takes the time to look for the best as “underpriced art” will do well in appreciation. It is now the art of masses. I found more than 10,000 items in the Worthopedia. For this particular item, “Inuyasha doujinshi RARE kagome,” there were a dozen items and prices ran from $20 to more than $100.

World War Two Paper Memorabilia

World War Two Paper Memorabilia: Eighth was some Second World War paper memorabilia in “Insult the Axis Powers” cards. WWII stuff is always easy to sell, but I am amazed that these six sheets of stationary had so many people looking at them. They are much better than the usual soldiers’ stationary ones sees, and sold for a very reasonable $58. It does show you how much WWII items are in demand.

P.T. Barnum Circus Eisenmann Photos

P.T. Barnum Circus Eisenmann Photos: Ninth were some Eisenmann photos of the P.T. Barnum Circus. Taken around the turn of the century, they are traditional “cabinet” photos and there are many nice examples in the Worthopedia. The high-selling photo was an autographed photo of P.T. Barnum, which sold for $678. There was also an array of Side Show photos of giants, fat ladies and such that generally sold for around $100. I wonder if Larry Kellogg, our circus Worthologist, has perused through the Worthopedia lately.

Vintage Louis Vuitton Trunks

Vintage Louis Vuitton Trunks: Last, and maybe not the least, is the 1920’s Louis Vuitton trunks. These were the trunks for people who traveled in style. It is somewhat eye-opening to me that designer luggage has been around for more than 100 years. I had no idea before starting to do research for this article. There are thousands of sales recorded on WorthPoint for this link of luggage and I found some that were valued at much more than $5,000. There is obviously a lot more that can be learned here, as there has to be a reason as to why some are worth $5,000 and others $1,000. I am sure original condition and restoration come into play, but am also sure that there is a lot more than that.

Well, that summarizes what’s hot in antiques search for the month of March and I’m looking forward to see what stays hot in April.

Will Seippel is the president and CEO of WorthPoint. Will has been an avid collector since 1974 and dealer of just about all things—with a emphasis on ephemera—antique since 1984.

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Abraham Lincoln’s watch is considered a “hands down” Civil War relic.

It may seem you’d need to be very gullible to believe what many sellers put in their descriptions, namely that every other key-wound pocket watch on eBay is a “Civil War Watch.” Sounds a little too-far fetched to be true, but in many instances, they are 100-percent correct, if the watch in question pre-dates the spring of 1865.

Truth be known, many thousands of pocket watches were manufactured, both in America and Europe, during this tumultuous time, and imported to the USA. So, just what is a “Civil War watch?” A definition is probably in order.

There are several differing schools of thought, and I will attempt to relate them to you and bring some clarity as to what a Civil War watch actually is. To start, we’ll need to clarify the difference between a Civil War watch and a “Civil War relic.”

The Civil War was an American War, so Civil War enthusiasts claim the only real Civil War watch is a Waltham, made by the only American watch company in existence prior to and during the Civil War. If we are to fall in line with this line of thinking, life would be simpler, but it just isn’t so. There were many other watchmakers doing business and making watches right here in the good ’ol U.S. of A., back to Colonial times, in fact. Waltham is considered to be the first American watch company to successfully produce watches using Eli Whitney’s method of mass production, but that’s another story. Still, there is much credence to this school of thought, and any Waltham watch with a serial number under 180,000 is considered a Civil War watch.

An example of a Waltham issued to a telegrapher for the Union Army’s Military Telegraph Corps.

The rifle most favored by Civil War enthusiasts and consider the “Civil War gun” is the Springfield Percusion Rifle, the first successful product ever mass-produced under Eli Whitney’s patented method production with interchangeable parts. This rifle was carried almost exclusively by Union soldiers, and Confederate soldiers would carry a Springfield when they could capture one. While all Springfields produced before 1864 are considered “Civil War,” not all were carried by soldiers, and these should not be considered Civil War relics, even though they sometimes are. They are all guns—weapons of war—and hold a distinction that a watch simply cannot. However, a watch can be a Civil War relic; all we need is a little thing called “provenance.” Simply put: a documented history or obvious evidence of the history of the particular item.

About a year ago, I wrote an article on the inscription hidden in Abraham Lincoln’s watch. This famous watch is considered a “hands down” Civil War relic. Having been carried by the Supreme Commander of the Union Forces, we can even say it “saw action.” This watch is not only documented, it contains a hidden inscription pertaining to the war. This very, very “Civil War” watch was actually made in England, cased and sold in the U.S. to Lincoln before the war. Another more recent article is on a Waltham issued to a telegrapher for the Union Army’s Military Telegraph Corps, made in this country by an American company during the Civil War and issued to a members of a branch of the Union military service, which makes it another a genuine Civil War relic (if one is to believe the engraving!).

So, examples like these aforementioned watches must be considered are genuine, documented Civil War relics, and hold a place in American History. Therefore, they will command a greater price from a collector or at auction.

Below you will find photos of four Civil War watches, only one of which has the provenance to make it a Civil War relic:

This watch (above) belonged to Lt. Charles White, who commanded a Confederate Army volunteer unit—the Auburn Guards. I was presented this watch by his men on Oct. of 1860 (if the engraving is to be believed!). This watch has seen much use and most certainly was carried by Lt. White during the war. The first Volunteer Regiment of Alabama Militia was formed in Mobile in 1845 and commanded by Col. John B. Todd from 1845 to the outbreak of the war. The regiment consisted of the Mobile Rifles, the State Artillery Company, the Mobile Cadets, the German fusiliers, the Washington Light Infantry, the City Troop, the Independent Rifles, the Gardes Lafayette and Gulf City Guard. The 2nd Independent Volunteer Regiment of the State of Alabama was formed in Montgomery on July 25, 1860, under Col. Tennant Lomax, and included the Montgomery True Blues, the Tuskegee Light Infantry, the Auburn Guards and The Metropolitan Guards. The Auburn Guards, from Montgomery, which also formed in 1860, became part of the 2nd Alabama Volunteer Regiment. More information and some photographs about 2nd Alabama Volunteer Regiment, click here.

Next is an English-made Joseph Johnson watch (above) housed in an American-made gold hunter case. There is no documentation, Civil War or otherwise, be it engravings or etchings, on this watch, but it most definitely of the Civil War period. Its estimated value is $2,000, mainly for the gold content.

Third is an American-made Waltham #156531, circa1864, housed in its original American Waltham Watch Co. 18K gold hunter case. Again, there is no historical documentation, engravings or etchings to give it provenance as being carried by a military man, but it, too, is of Civil War vintage. Its estimated value is $2,500, with the gold content again being a significant factor.

The final example is watch made prior to hostilities. It is Waltham #10186 (above), circa 1858, housed in its original silver hunter case, and also has no historical documentation or engraving, but the likelihood of this watch having been carried during the Civil War is much greater than the first two examples. Still, it is not a Civil War relic; merely a Civil War period watch. Its value is $2,500 because it is a rare Waltham.

The case marking of a gold Waltham was an American eagle, but also dubbed the “broken-wing chicken.” This is the typical marking for an American Civil War-era watch, gold or silver.

This last photo (above) is of a gold Waltham’s case marking, which was dubbed the “broken-wing chicken,” or, more accurately, the American eagle. This is the typical marking for an American Civil War-era watch, gold or silver.

I have chosen these four examples because they so closely typify the “Civil War watch,” or at least cover the obvious. There are many other watches out there that are of Civil War era and don’t look anything like these, be they made in England or Switzerland, imported to the US and retailed by an American jeweler. Any one of these watches could have been in the pocket of a soldier as he fought in any battle of say, Gettysburg of the Wilderness, but without documentation, it’s just another antique watch. Actually, the likelihood of a typical infantryman carrying an expensive pocket watch with him on a military campaign or into battle would be rare, if not unheard of. What would a foot soldier need a watch for? An officer would have a need for a watch, but it would need to be a relatively inexpensive and durable timepiece. English and Swiss watches of the day were prohibitively expensive and fragile, as well as difficult to repair. The American Waltham watch was the perfect watch for the job, as they were well-made, durable and relatively easy to repair, thanks to Whitney’s system of mass production and interchangeable parts. The technology of the day had not yet advanced to “stem winding,” so all Civil War watches are “key wind.”

My thanks and credit to the Waltham Watch Co. Abe Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and of course Generals Lee and Grant and all the foot soldiers they commanded.

David Mycko is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in antique and vintage watches.

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An example of the 1972 Lincoln Mint’s Salvador Dali sterling silver Easter plate entitled “Easter Christ.”

A reader from Oshkosh, Wis. Writes:

“After my parents died, I inherited a 1972 Lincoln Mint, Salvador Dali, sterling silver, Easter plate entitled “Easter Christ.” The plate measures 9 inches in diameter. It is number 2021 of an edition of 20,000. I have no clue what my mother paid for it in 1972. I do know she bought it as a symbolic gesture for the first Easter following my brother’s tragic, accidental death in July 1971. The plate is currently framed, but I have the period box and documentation. I enclose a photocopy of the promotional sheet, registration certificate, and mailing label. I would appreciate any information you can provide about the Lincoln Mint, the commonness or rarity of the plate, and whether or not I should insure it and for how much.”

I found two pieces of good news for him. First, the plate is sterling silver. This means it has melt value. The current price for sterling silver is approximately $16.50 per ounce. Second, your plate has family/sentimental value. This is its real value.

The Lincoln Mint was created to take advantage of the collectors’ plate craze of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The company issued plates in 1971 and 1972. Your plate was issued in gold on silver, silver, and pewter. The gold on silver plate sold for $200, the silver plate for $150, and the pewter plate for $45.

While designed by Salvador Dali, it is a mistake to consider the plate a “truly unique masterpiece,” as touted in the promotional sheet. The plate is mass-produced and is readily available in the secondary market. In March 2001, three examples were offered for sale on eBay—one failed to attract a bid with an opening price request of $74.99, the second sold for $68, the third brought $82.50. Currently, there are three of these plates on eBay. Two have “Buy It Now” prices of $499 and $240, while the third has an opening bid of $4.99.

There is no need to obtain fine arts insurance for the plate. It should be covered by your homeowner’s policy, albeit it would be wise to check if your policy has a general deductible and/or a loss limit for precious metals.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out his Web site.

You can listen and participate in Harry’s antiques-and-collectibles radio call-in show “Whatcha Got?” on Sunday mornings between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern Time. It streams live on the Genesis Communications Network.

“Sell, Keep Or Toss? How To Downsize A Home, Settle An Estate, And Appraise Personal Property” (House of Collectibles, an imprint of the Random House Information Group), Harry’s latest book, is available at your favorite bookstore and via Harry’s Web site: http://www.harryrinker.com.

Harry L. Rinker welcomes questions from readers about collectibles, those mass-produced items from the 20th century. Selected queries will be answered on this site. Harry cannot provide personal answers. Photos and other material submitted cannot be returned. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 22 Stillwater Circle, Brookfield, CT 06804. You can e-mail your questions to harrylrinker [at] aol [dot] com. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered. Please indicate that these are questions for WorthPoint.

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This 18-centemeter maize mohair Easter Rabbit was only produced in 1949 and was one of the very first Steiff items produced after the Giengen factory reopened after the Second World War.

As the seasons turn from winter to spring, it is not too early to start thinking about Easter and all of the wonderful traditions that come along with it. For many people, the Easter Rabbit is practically synonymous with the holiday of Easter itself. As a matter of fact, the concept of an “Easter Rabbit” has its first origins in Germany around 1687. Given its Germanic roots, it comes as no surprise that the German toy manufacturer Steiff has featured rabbits in its product line for almost 120 years!

Of course, history dictates that the Easter Rabbit is supposed to deliver sweets and brightly colored eggs to children in celebration of the arrival of spring and the resurrection of Jesus. But, as a collector, wouldn’t it be even more delightful if the most perfect Steiff Easter Rabbit just magically appeared to mark the holiday? Believe it or not, that happened to me with this marvelous Steiff find.

Here’s her story…

A few Saturdays before Easter, I was browsing through my favorite antique mall. The mall has five floors and over time, I have figured out which vendors are more likely to have Steiff items for sale. Having found nothing on the first three floors, I headed up to the fourth, hoping for better luck. I headed over to the corner case, where I had purchased a few items in the past . . . and there I spotted her! It would be hard to miss this amazing Steiff treasure.

The attendant handed the rabbit to me, and I started to conduct my usual identification and quality assessment routine (albeit with trembling hands this time):

• First the big sniff test, to make sure the find doesn’t have a foul or rotting smell, which can be indicative of overall problems. No smells. Check.

• Second, the body inspection of the materials, jointing and condition of the stuffing, to make sure the piece has structural integrity. Good as new. Check.

• Third, a review of the item’s detailing, including the eyes, mouth, facial and claw/paw stitching, to help identify the period of the piece. All there and pointing towards the 1940s or ’50s. Check.

• And finally, the identification test; checking for a “button in ear,” chest tag, and/or other Steiff markers to confirm authenticity. Check and Bingo!

Much to my surprise, my find had a very unique combination of IDs: a US Zone tag sewn into her hind seam and a blank steel button. This post-war blank button first appeared 1947 and was used for just a handful of years. Sometimes the blank button was painted blue, but not in this case. And just how rare is the post war blank button? In my collection of 500-plus vintage Steiff items, this is the only one that sports this marker. Needless to say, I was so excited when I discovered her and her unusual credentials that I actually started doing the bunny hop in the store aisle!

So, who exactly is this rare rabbit? This 18-centemeter maize mohair hare was only produced in 1949 and was one of the very first Steiff items produced after the Giengen factory reopened after the Second World War. She was also manufactured in a 15-cm size and in white. She is head jointed and retains her original red silk ribbon, and has glass pupil eyes and a red floss nose and mouth. Her ears are lined in light pink felt.

From the historical perspective, rabbits are a really popular Steiff item, perhaps because Easter is such a traditionally prominent holiday in Germany—second only to Christmas in importance. Rabbits are so critical to Steiff that they have their own chapter in the Steiff Sortiment books, the gold standard reference books for collectors around the globe. Rabbits have been a presence in the Steiff catalog since its debut in 1892; as a matter of fact at least eight different rabbit models appeared in this first publication alone.

As for value, Steiff rabbits in very good to excellent condition from the later 1940s and early 1950s, with the rare and unusual blank button, may bring in north of $300. Now that’s what I call a “Money Bunny!”

Rebekah Kaufman is a Worthologist who specializes in vintage Steiff and other European plush collectibles.

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A 12-inch T. C. Weygant and Company mold of a rabbit holding his hat. This mold is noted for its fine detail.

How can we think of Easter without a chocolate bunny? Today, the foil-wrapped confections are mass-produced by the hundreds of thousands. But there was a time when they were handcrafted, using individual molds. And those original molds are now antique collectibles.

Cocoa is believed to have first harvested in the Amazon more than 4,000 years ago and a bitter chocolate drink (mixed with vanilla and dried chilis) was enjoyed by the Mayans as early as 500 A.D. Spanish explorers brought cocoa beans back from the New World and the Spaniards mixed the drink with sugar in the 1500s to create a version of the sweetened liquid that we know today. It was not until the 1700s, however, that solid chocolate appeared—in Turin, Italy.

Around 1830, the first chocolate molds were created by pressing tin-coated metal sheets into various shapes. The molds were in the peak of their production between 1880 and 1940, particularly in Germany, France and the United States. After World War II, the ease of mass-production replaced the artistry of individual candy makers and the molds fell out of favor.

Chocolate molds come in all shapes and sizes, so collectors can search the world over for unique versions of animals, buildings, flowers, story characters, dolls, baskets, ornaments and virtually anything else. In addition to an unlimited assortment of forms and figurines, the molds can also be grouped by style and composition. Molds come folded, framed, doubled or hinged. They can be made of heavy-gauge tin, copper, silver plate, pewter and nickel. And they can be locked with rings, clamps, clips, pins, straps, screws or rods. Rectangular block molds were also created to produce several smaller pieces at once. A varied collection can easily number in the hundreds.

An Anton Reiche eagle from the 1920s.

A rare 19th-century brass dolphin mold, manufactured by Charles Trottier of Paris.

What makes a mold valuable? All of the parts must be present, including the locking mechanisms. Those with intricate detailing are valued higher and the ones stamped with the maker’s name or mark also bring higher prices. Some of the more famous early producers include Germany’s Hermann Walter (began production in 1866), Anton Reiche (began production in 1870) and Karl Dresden (who began in 1876). Unusual and rare shapes are always sought (because rabbits, Santas, snowmen, hearts, chicks and eggs are relatively common).

This block mold makes 60 one-sided cherries.

Like almost all valued antique collectibles, the chocolate molds are also made new today. Some are advertised as reproductions, but they can end up in secondary markets where that designation is lost. How can you tell? Newer molds are much lighter and less detailed. They might be made of lighter grade tin or stainless steel and are usually not marked. And they will generally be shinier with a much younger patina.

Liz Holderman is a Worthologist who specializes in collectible books.

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