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John J. Audubon’s ‘The Birds of America’ Sells for a ‘Bargain’ at $7.9 Million

Liz Holderman — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:14:02 +0000

John J. Audubon’s ivory-billed woodpeckers in action. Audubon’s “The Birds of America” sold for $7.9 million at auction at Christie’s in London on Jan. 20, 2012.

John J. Audubon’s American flamingo was posed so that it was still life-sized but could fit on a 39-inch page. Audubon’s “The Birds of America” sold for $7.9 million at auction at Christie’s in London on Jan. 20, 2012.

As an accredited book appraiser, book dealer, book collector and book lover, I am always thrilled to see a rare and valuable set of illustrated books come up for auction. And John James Audubon’s “The Birds of America” is one of the most exquisite sets ever produced. Bound in multiple giant volumes, it contains 435 classic, hand-colored engravings in breathtaking detail. It went up for auction in London at Christie’s on Jan. 20, 2012.

At most, 200 first editions were produced, and of those, only 120 are known to still exist in their entirety. Another first edition sold in 2010 for a record $11.5 million so I expected the January auction at Christie’s to be exciting.

Born in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), Audubon (1785-1851) was raised in France but moved to the United States at age 18 to avoid serving in Napoleon’s army. He had painted birds since childhood and wanted to record the image of every bird in North America. He killed the birds he painted so that he could stuff and pose them in lifelike scenarios, using wires to extend wings, arch necks and bend legs. It was a revolutionary concept in ornithological art and, as a result, Audubon’s birds swoop, flock, fish, swim, hunt and nest with every feather and nuance of color accurately portrayed. Because he also wanted the images to be life-sized, the books are massive – measuring more than three feet in height. (The term “double elephant folio,” used to describe the size in book verbiage, has become almost synonymous with Audubon’s greatest work.)

The 200 sets were created over a period of 11 years and at great expense. To fund the effort, subscribers in France, Scotland, England and America (including American politicians Daniel Webster and Henry Clay) paid in advance and received five prints at a time as they were finished. At the completion of the work in 1838, the subscribers’ prints could be retroactively bound (in usually three to five volumes).

The four-volume set that sold at Christie’s in London on Jan. 20 was originally owned by William Henry Cavendish, the fourth Duke of Portland, who purchased it sometime after 1838. Some observers were disappointed that the sale came in at less than $10 million, but I thought $7,922,500 (including buyer’s premium) was a very respectable showing.

If you can’t afford to shell out millions of dollars to own one of these masterpieces, don’t despair. In 2007, the University of Pittsburgh digitized every image of their own set and placed it on the web for everyone to enjoy. You can see all 435 magnificent color plates here.

Liz Holderman is a Worthologist who specializes in collectible books.

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The Comic Speculator – New Comics Roundup 02/08/2012

Matt Baum — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:02:44 +0000

Adventure Time #1 (Cover D)

The Comic Speculator is a blog written by WorthPoint Comic Book “Worthologist” Matt Baum that takes a look at each week’s hot new comics and back issues and the comic market place in general. Prices discussed here are taken from the Overstreet Guide to Comics (OVST), Comicspriceguide.com (CPG) and current online auction sales. Sales numbers and rankings are courtesy of ICV2.com. The codes under the prices of new titles discussed are Diamond Comics order codes that can be used to help your local comic retailer in ordering the issues discussed. If you want to hear what this nerd sounds like you can catch him on his podcast, the Two-Headed Nerd Comicast, where he and his friend Joe discuss the latest comic news, review some new comics, and answer your questions.

New Comics Roundup

Below you will find all the info you could possibly need on the hot, new comics shipping this Wednesday, Feb. 8. For a full list of comics shipping this week, click here. To find a comic shop near you, click here.

Variant Watch

Here’s a list of all the variants shipping from Diamond this week and some info on the hot ones. The variant Ratios (i.e.; 1:10) represent how many of the regular issues the retailer has to order to receive one of the variants. If a ratio is not included it’s because I couldn’t get the information or because the variant is a new printing. The prices I post here are suggested, reasonable prices based on the ratios and may be higher or lower at your comic shop. Click here for this week’s complete shipping list.

AMRYL:

Cavewoman Feeding Grounds #1 (Budd Root Special Edition). Limited to 750 copies.
Cavewoman Feeding Grounds #1 (Budd Root Special Nude Edition). Limited to 750 copies and yep, she’s nekid.

AVATAR

Dicks #1 (John McCrea Classic Black & White Variant Cover), 1:3
Ferals #2 (Gabriel Andrade Slashed Variant Cover), 1:3

BOOM!

Adventure Time #1 (Covers B Jeffrey Brown)

Adventure Time #1 (Covers C Jeffrey Brown)

Adventure Time #1 (Covers B & C Jeffrey Brown), 1:10. These two fit together to make one awesome image. Watch for a $5-$6 cover price.

Adventure Time #1 (Cover D Chris Houghton), 1:25. Great cover here from Chris Houghton, creator of Reed Gunther for Image comics. Watch for a $17-$20 price tag and expect this one to be hot.

Elric The Balance Lost #8 (Cover C Francesco Mattina), 1:10
Peanuts #2 (of 4)(Charles Schultz First Appearance Of Lucy Variant Cover), 1:15

BOUNDLESS:

Lady Death #14 (Michael Dipascale Art Deco Variant Cover), 1:3
War Goddess #5 (Michael Dipascale Art Deco Variant Cover), 1:3

DARK HORSE:

Conan The Barbarian #1 (Becky Cloonan Variant Cover)

Conan The Barbarian #1 (Becky Cloonan Variant Cover), 1:5. Nice variant from Cloonan here. I’m really looking forward to her work on this title. Watch for a $6-$7 price tag.

DC:

Batwoman #6 (Amy Reeder Wraparound Variant Cover)

Batwoman #6 (Amy Reeder Wraparound Variant Cover), 1:25. Again, this one is not a wraparound but a sketch cover. Come on, DC! My copywriting offer stands. I’ll work for free comics even! Watch for an $8-$10 price tag and don’t pay much more because theses sketch variants aren’t selling for much more than that on the back issue market.

Green Lantern #6 (Doug Mahnke Black & White Variant Cover)

Green Lantern #6 (Ivan Reis Variant Cover)

Green Lantern #6 (Doug Mahnke Black & White Variant Cover), 1:200. DC has got to make up its mind with these. Are they going to look like the 1:25 sketch variants that zoom in on part of the cover art or are they going to be straight sketch covers? Which is it going to be, guys? Regardless of their constantly switching design choices, retailers are asking anywhere from $150-$200 for this cover and, like I say every week, it’s way too much. If you need this one you will be able to find it for $100 or less. Copies of the GL #5 1:200 sketch variant are selling for $50-$60 on eBay as I write this. Play it smart and you can get this one for a steal.

Green Lantern #6 (Ivan Reis Variant Cover). Retailers could order this variant based on the lowest-ordered DC New 52 #6 relaunch title for this week. I’m guessing Mr. Terrific is the lowest-ordered at most shops. Stay as close to cover price as possible here. It’s possible that DC printed one of these variants for every issue of Mr. Terrific. Probably not, but the point is these aren’t ratioed variants and most of them are selling for cover price online.

DYNAMIC FORCES

Fall Into Fun Collector’s Set, $50. Limited to 75 copies, but I have no idea what’s in this set. All the solicitation says is “three signed comics (each with DF Certificate of Authenticity), one DF Exclusive edition comic book and mix of 48 great comic books!” So, what’s in it?

Warlord Of Mars #14 (Ale Garza Exclusive Risque Red Cover), $14.99
Warlord Of Mars Dejah Thoris #9(Ale Garza Exclusive Risque Red Cover), $14.99. Limited to 300 copies.

DYNAMITE

Garth Ennis’ Ninjettes> #1 (Admira Wijaya Virgin Variant Cover), 1:10
Garth Ennis’ Ninjettes #1 (Johnny Desjardins Black & White Variant Cover), 1:15
Kevin Smith’s The Bionic Man #6 (Alex Ross Virgin Variant Cover), 1:15
Kevin Smith’s The Bionic Man #6 (Jonathan Lau Black & White Variant Cover), 1:25
Kevin Smith’s The Bionic Man #6 (Jonathan Lau Variant Cover), 1:10
Kirby Genesis Silver Star #3 (Alex Ross Virgin Variant Cover), 1:10
Kirby Genesis Silver Star #3 (Jae Lee Black & White Variant Cover), 1:15
Kirby Genesis Silver Star #3 (Mark Buckingham Virgin Variant Cover), 1:25
Warlord Of Mars #15 (Ale Garza Risque Art Variant Cover), 1:10
Warlord Of Mars #15 (Stephen Sadowski Mars Red Variant Cover), 1:20

IDW:

Doctor Who Classics Series 4 #1 (of 6)(John Ridgway Variant Cover), 1:10
Dungeons And Dragons #15 (Steve Ellis Variant Cover), 1:10
John Byrne’s Next Men Aftermath #40 (John Byrne Black & White Variant Cover), 1:10
Memorial #3 (of 6)(Michael Wm. Kaluta Variant Cover), 1:10
Snake Eyes #10 (Tom Whalen Vertically Inter-Connected Variant Cover), 1:10

IMAGE:

Darkness #90-#95 Signed Set (Issue 90 signed By Phil Hester), $19.99. Limited to 35 sets.
Echoes Complete Signed Set, $9.99. Limited to 125 sets.

MARVEL:

Deadpool #50 (Blank Variant Cover). Retailers had to exceed their orders of Fear Itself X-Force #1 before they could order as many blank variants as needed at the standard cover price, plus discount. That means don’t pay more than cover for these. Then, go to one of the summer’s many comic book conventions and seek out your favorite Deadpool artist and have them do a sketch on the cover. Then turn around and sell it on eBay for a boat-load of cash. Just make sure someone cool does your sketch.

Deadpool #50 (Nick Bradshaw Variant Cover), 1:50

Deadpool #50 (Nick Bradshaw Variant Cover), 1:50. Bradshaw seems to be taking over Marvel Comics of late with a flood of both variant and regular covers. Watch for this one to go up. Dead seems like it’s going to be pretty huge for Deadpool fans and I’d expect all the covers, regular and variant, to be hot. Watch for a $30-$35 price tag.

Secret Avengers #22 (Gabriel Hardman Variant Cover)

Secret Avengers #22 (Gabriel Hardman Variant Cover), 1:30. Outta nowhere, Marvel hits us with a 1:30 ratio. What the hell? I don’t remember the last time I saw a 1:30 from Marvel. Regardless, Gabriel Hardman is coming up and it’s well deserved. His work on Boom’s Planet of the Apes has been stunning and I’m looking forward to more. I couldn’t help but notice Venom on the cover here, but not the regular cover. Coincidence? Watch for a $15-$17 price tag.

Speculator Picks of the Week

These are comics that could sell out very quickly due to conservative ordering, popular demand, shipping errors or even a robot uprising at the new completely automated Diamond Comics shipping hub. Pick them up while you can or pay too much for them later. . .

Adventure Time #1

BOOM!/KABOOM!
Written by RYAN NORTH
Art by SHELLI PAROLINE and BRANDON LAMB

Solicitation: It’s Adventure Time! Join Finn the Human, Jake the Dog and Princess Bubblegum for all-new adventures through The Land of Ooo. The top-rated Cartoon Network show now has its own comic book! With the show exploding in the ratings, garnering rave online reviews, major cosplay at the San Diego Comic-Con, and huge displays dominating the New York Comic Con, it’s clear fandom is obsessed and 2012 is the Year of Adventure Time! Don’t miss out on this new phenomenon—this first issue is sure to get snapped up!

32 pages
$3.99
Sold Out

Why it’ll go fast: If you haven’t had a chance to catch Adventure Time on the Cartoon Network, do yourself a favor, set your DVRs to record and get ready to laugh. Adventure Time is fun, hilarious, creative, suitable for all-ages and won’t insult you or your little guy’s intelligence. It’s like Dungeons and Dragons for kids staring a kid and his talking, shape-changing dog. I absolutely love it. Because of the buzz behind the show, there’s huge demand for the comic and Adventure Time #1 sold out last week. Already a second printing is being rushed to press and pre-sales on the first-prints are going nuts. We had 10 people at my shop add this comic to their pull-files yesterday alone. Watch for Adventure Time #1 to disappear from shelves very quickly.

Deadpool #50

Written by DANIEL WAY
Art by CARLO BARBERI

Solicitation: Could this be it? Has everyone’s favorite Merc With A Mouth finally made an appointment with Lady Death? This February, witness the biggest change in Deadpool’s life as “DEAD” kicks off in Deadpool #50! From the creative team of Daniel Way & Carlo Barberi, Deadpool’s lease on life is about to expire and those around him are going to feel the consequences, including X-Force! Following the epic battle with his former body parts gone rogue, Wade Wilson makes a monumental decision that will forever change who he is. See how it all goes down this February, in Deadpool #50!

40 pages
$3.99
DEC110676

Why it’ll go fast: This is the beginning of the “Dead” story-line, a four-part story in which Daniel Way is going to kill Deadpool, who we previously thought couldn’t die. See, like Wolverine, he’s got a healing factor that keeps him from dying. Unlike Wolverine, Deadpool’s healing factor is based on a mutated cancer gene, which makes him all bumpy and gross under his mask. Fans are pumped for this one, and so am I, but for a different reason: I haven’t been a fan of Way’s Deadpool and I’m hoping this storyline begins his exit from the title. Admittedly, I’m in the minority here because Way’s Deadpool sells very well for Marvel and there is a ton of buzz behind this storyline. Watch for this one to move quickly, but I don’t see it going for much over $10 for too long after the second printings hit.

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Matt Baum is WorthPoint’s comic book Worthologist. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact Matt or post your question below in the Comic Book Forum in the WorthPoint Forums, located in the Community tab. You can also reply to this article in the “leave a reply box below. If you need more comic-nerd in your life, you can follow Matt on Twitter, where he’s always screaming about something nerd-related. Thanks to all Matt’s new followers and keep the comments coming!

Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint to search its database or use its “Ask A Worthologist” feature. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Q & A with Harry Rinker: A Vincent Price Collection Oil Painting from Sears

Harry Rinker — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:08:53 +0000

QUESTION: I received a Robert Watson oil-on-canvas painting from my parents, who purchased it in the 1960s as part of the Vincent Price Collection sold by Sears, Roebuck & Co. The work is titled “Old Building.” It measures unframed 25 inches by 17 inches. The black-and-white tone scene features two small figures standing in front of what appears to be a warehouse wall. The frame has the “Vincent Price Collection” label on the back. What is the value of my painting?

– SH, Ottumwa, Iowa, via e-mail

ANSWER: The following information is from The Ape Sheet: The Vincent Price Collection” was an experiment started by Sears, Roebuck and Co. to sell fine art to the general public. They hired Vincent Price to assemble the collection because he had a recognizable name and a reputation as an art collector. The actor purchased more than 2,700 works and the first 100 went on sale in October of 1962. To the store’s surprise, it worked. People clamored to buy pieces by artists such as Albrecht Durer or Reginald Pollack. Discontinued in 1971, the Vincent Price Collection has been forgotten as an odd art historical moment.”

A 1967 Sears catalog featured a Pablo Picasso oil on canvas entitled “Girl with a Boat” (Maya Picasso) for $800. I wish I had purchased it.

Robert Watson (Jan. 28, 1923 – Dec. 14, 2004), born in Martinez, Calif., is classified as a surrealist and neo-romanticist. He honed his skills studying old masters at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and worked briefly with Frederick Taubers at the University of Wisconsin. He lived for many years in Berkeley, Calif. Gump’s in San Francisco sponsored his first one-man show in 1947. His work is in museum collections around the world. His celebrity clients included Ray Bradbury, Clark Gable, Armand Hammer, Burt Reynolds and Ed Sullivan. Watson did the painting used to illustrate the 1953 edition of Bradbury’s “Martian Chronicles.” To learn more about Watson, visit www.robertwatsonart.com.

On May 28, 2007, Heritage Auctions sold an oil on canvas entitled “Figures” that measures 32 inches by 18 inches that is similar to your painting, based on the photograph image that accompanied your e-mail. It is from the same series. The final selling price was $2,390.

In researching Robert Watson painting values, there was a price disparity of more than 50 percent between prices realized at auction and asked by galleries. Based on modern trends in the surrealist/neo-romanticist market, your painting has a secondary market auction value around $3,000.

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QUESTION: My mother has a copy of a 1984 article you wrote for the Allentown Morning Call in which you talked about a ceramic Jell-O cow pitcher worth $525. My mother acquired a Jell-O cow pitcher in the 1950s and has kept it stored in her dish cabinet since that time. It is in great shape. Now, she would like to sell it. Any information you can supply would be helpful.

– TC, Bethlehem, Pa, via e-mail

ANSWER: I am not the author, at least not to my knowledge. “Rinker on Collectibles” did not begin until late 1987. The author was most likely another syndicated antiques and collectibles columnist and her husband who will remain nameless.

Wondering what caused a ceramic Jell-O cow pitcher to have such a high value in 1984, I did research. The answer is Prescott Baston, creator of Sebastian miniatures. After completing a series of Sebastian miniatures for Jell-O between 1951 and 1955, Baston designed a cow pitcher for Jell-O in 1956.

The Sebastian World website is the source for information about Sebastian figurines: Prescott W. Baston (1909-1984), who attended the Vesper George School of Art in Boston, created his first miniatures for Exeter and Deerfield Academies in 1930. During the Depression, Baston worked for a Boston clock company, a furniture moving company and as a mural painter. In 1938, he designed a miniature for the Shaker Glen House Restaurant. This led to his working with Carborne, a Boston wholesale gift distributor. Between 1939 and 1941, Baston developed a cottage industry producing and painting miniatures in his basement. In 1945, he moved to Marblehead and set up a studio.

Starting in 1950, Baston focused on producing commercial miniatures for advertising and/or giveaway promotions. Radio station WEEI and Jell-O were among his clients. In the early 1960s, Baston expanded his product line to include pen stands, religious pieces and Toby Jugs. Lance Corporation of Hudson, Mass., produced pewter figures based on Baston’s designs starting in 1969. In 1976, Lance assumed production and distribution of all Sebastian miniatures. The Sebastian Miniatures Collectors Society began in 1980.

Sebastian collectors identify the Jell-O cow pitcher as LC-13. It measures 6 ¾ icches long and 4 ¾ inches high. Jell-O offered the pitcher as a premium for $1 plus a coupon from a national Jell-O advertisement. A Japanese manufacturer produced 100,000 pieces.

Current book values vary. The website Sebastian World shows a value range between $210 and $220, although a notation indicates the value was last revised in 2003. Kyle Husfloen’s “Antique Trader Pottery and Porcelain Ceramics Price Guide, 5th Edition” (KP/Krause Publications, an imprint of F+W Publications, 2006) values the pitcher between $345 and $375. When using any price source, it is critical to check the copyright or value source date. The secondary market constantly changes.

A Jell-O cow creamer with glaze damage to one of the hooves listed on eBay with an opening bid of $48.99 (plus $9 shipping) failed to attract any bidders. WorthPoint price information includes an example in very good condition that sold on eBay on October 5, 2007 for $92.99.

Interpreting this price information produced the following results. First, if $525 was a fair secondary market value in the mid-1980s, the secondary market has lost between 40 and 75 percent of its 1984 value, depending on what source you wish to believe. Second, price guides are slow to reflect secondary market price declines. No one likes reading that the value of their favorite antique or collectibles has declined. Third, the secondary market is flooded. Thus, a realistic secondary current market value is between $75 and $85. Fourth, the number of Sebastian miniature collectors has decreased by more than two-thirds (my best guess) from its mid-1980s high. Finally, the likelihood of a future resurgence of collector interest in Sebastian miniatures is slim to none. While there always will be collectors, their numbers will be small.

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QUESTION: I have a tin pail about the size of a paint bucket. It is made of metal and painted with a shiny black ground and features a spread-winged eagle with three stars above its head and its talons holding arrows. The pail and the lid hinge are held together by rivets. Is this a piece of folk art someone created?

— LT, Janesville, Wis., via e-mail

ANSWER: Forget about any folk art attributions. Your pail is a manufactured commercial product.

When I first looked at the images of the pail that accompanied your e-mail, I thought 1930s Colonial Revival accessory. After a few moments’ reflection, I moved the date to the 1950s.

Although living in Michigan for more than a year, Linda and I still are unpacking boxes. Missing in the move, but most certainly among the unpacked boxes, is my collection of merchant (trading) stamp redemption catalogs. If I look at the Colonial Revival maple furniture and accessory pages from a late 1950s or early 1960s catalog, I am certain I will find your pail.

While most collectors think of 1950s maple as western-themed furniture, over half was Early American (Colonial) in motif. Eagle motifs on black surfaces were found on lamp shades, boxes and a host of other decorative accessories.

While your pail has little collector value, it does have decorator and reuse value. An antiques mall dealer would price it between $25 and $35.

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QUESTION: I have a commemorative plate. The front states: “To commemorate the Bi-Centenary of the discovery of Australia 1770-1970.” The image features the HMB Endeavour, Capt. James Cook, and a variety of coats of arms and emblems. The back contains a blurb about Cook and his ships plus “This plate is no. 199 of limited hand painted edition, produced by Wood and Sons Ltd., Burslem, England.” Would you have any idea of its worth?

– KMcM, Brisbane, Australia, via e-mail

ANSWER: I found the following reference on the United Kingdom version of eBay: “Wood & Sons Ltd. Australia Bi-Centenary black & white commemorative plate of the discovery of Australia 1770-1970. Plate is 10” in diameter with decorative scenes of H.M.B Endeavor at sea, picture of Capt. James Cook RN, and various coats of arms. Back of plate has a brief history of James Cook and His Majesty’s Barque Endeavor and backstamp of Woods & Sons Ltd of Burslem. Condition is good.” Since the description matches your plate, they must be one in the same.

The seller is asking £19.99 plus £4.60 for shipping. Since no one has purchased the plate, this number is high. The limited edition number is meaningless.

Your plate has its greatest value in Australia. My recommendation is to search Australian eBay, until you find an example that sells through. The final price should be between $10 and $15 Australian.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out Harry’s 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..

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. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5955 Mill Pond Court SE, Kentwood, MI 49512. 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.

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

What Is It? What’s It Worth? Spinet Piano Conversion Desk

Mike Wilcox — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:18:19 +0000

WorthPoint member Rose W. purchased a desk at an estate sale for what she thought was a great price. She liked its unusual design and it seemed just the thing to use for a computer desk. But when she saw a similar desk and learned that it was really a piano, she started looking at her desk in an altogether different light. Not knowing exactly what she had, she contacted WorthPoint’s Ask a Worthologist service to find some answers.

WorthPoint member Rose W. purchased a desk at an estate sale for $275. It was its unusual design caught her eye, and it seemed just the thing for a computer desk she could use with her laptop. Looking around at an auction sale recently she spotted what she thought was another desk, to her surprise it was actually a piano and not a desk. Back at home she re-examined her desk and it appears that her desk was once a piano as well. She’s not so sure now she got a good deal on her desk because it’s a “made up piece.” She plans on keeping it, but is interested in finding what she can about it and if it was worth what she paid for it. She contacted WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service to inquire about this piece and her inquiry was forwarded to me, here’s her question.

“I’ve always enjoyed buying things at estate sales and auctions for my house and had recently been looking for an antique desk to use with my laptop. All of the modern computer desks clashed with my antiques, so I spent quite while finding a desk that would fit in. The one in the image I sent was perfect, as I could close my laptop, flip the desk closed and it went from home office to antique in a couple of seconds.

“I was quite pleased with this desk, as I thought I had a good deal at $275, at least until I saw what I thought was an identical desk at an auction last month. I was surprised to discover that it wasn’t a desk at all, but a actually a piano. So, it seems now my desk isn’t antique, but a made up piece. I’d like to know what you can tell me about it and if I got the deal I thought I had.”

Here’s my response:

Spinet desks are of two types: factory made pieces, dating from the 1920s through ’40s, or conversions made from Victorian square case pianos. Based on your images, this piece is of the second type. The original Spinet desks were originally made from circa 1840 pianos, converted into desks during the 1920s through the 1940s, when their internal works were beyond repair. Their rosewood and mahogany veneered cases and square design were seen as “old fashioned” at the time, but they was also believed to be too valuable to throw out.

While conversions of this type are sometimes frowned on, the conversions to these pianos into desks were performed so long ago, they’ve now been desks for as long as they were originally pianos.

In the current market, these Spinet conversion desks often sell for good deal more than you paid for yours, even at auction. In the shops, it’s not uncommon to find similar desks retailing in the $650-$850 range.

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

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Rinker on Collectibles: Top Ten Changes in the Last Five Years – Part I

Harry Rinker — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:55:37 +0000

In “Rinker on Collectibles: Twenty-Five Years and Counting”— the 25th anniversary column—I informed readers that I planned to share with them a Top 10 list of changes in the antiques and collectibles field in the last five years. Before doing so, I asked readers to e-mail their suggestions as to what changes should be included on my list and asked Dana Morykan, a friend and colleague, to post on www.harryrinker.com the two December 2007 “Rinker on Collectibles” 20th anniversary columns in which I identified and analyzed the Top 10 changes in the field since this column’s birth. Sufficient time having past, and the 20th anniversary columns being posted, it is time to reveal my Top Ten list. Like David Letterman, I will start at the bottom of the list and work my way up to my Number 1 pick.

10. The Accelerating Loss of Friends

I interpret friends in its broadest meaning. My friends include people, periodicals and institutions. The same applies to loss. Loss is more than death or demise. Loss also involves departure and absence.

Early today, I opened my travel address list for Portland, Ore. Jeff Hill, the publisher of a West Coast trade newspaper who passed away on Sept. 17, 2002, was still included. It seems like only yesterday when Jeff and I were sitting in his living room discussing developments within the trade. Except for Chris and Chuck Palmer and a few close friends, I wonder who else remembers Jeff, one of the most brilliant analyzers of trend the trade has known.

The loss of individuals one knows is a consequence of growing old. Keeping a list, even thinking about it, can lead to depression. Names such as Susan Bagdade, Ralph Kovel, Norman Martinus and Sam Pennington come immediately to mind. What does not come easy is a list of individuals who have replaced them. How many giants can the antiques and collectibles trade lose before the impact is measurable?

[Author’s Aside: My short list is the proverbial tip of the iceberg. A full list would include many more than 100 names.]

Consolidation reduced the number of publishers specializing in antiques and collectibles titles by more than two-thirds in the 1990s and early 2000s. Hence, the demise of any consolidator or survivor has serious consequences. When Random House reduced its House of Collectibles title line—especially price guide titles—little concern was raised. It was assumed other trade publishers would pick up the slack.

The loss of Collector Books was a major blow. Collector Books served the middle portion of the collecting marketplace. Several of its ceramic and glass titles were the bibles for their respective collecting categories. Authors, such as Gene Florence, exited gracefully. The Schroeder family has my admiration and respect for the contributions they made to the antiques and collectibles field’s knowledge base and for staying the course as long as possible. Collector Books will be missed.

“Antiques and Collecting Magazine, formerly Hobbies, has merged with Collectors News, re-emerging as Treasures. The Graham family—Dale (who passed away in February 2010), his wife Francis, and his son Gregory—were an integral part of the trade for more than half a century. It is hard to imagine the trade without them.

Connie Swaim just announced her retirement as a full-time editor at AntiqueWeek. Kyle Husfloen, who served as editor for The Antique Trader when it was under the capable ownership of Ed Babka, and later Landmark and KP Publications (F+W Media, Inc.), now lives in California and contributes only occasionally.

There is a fine line between waxing nostalgic and becoming maudlin. Concerned that I am crossing this line, it is time to move on.

9. Changes in the Price Divides within Collecting Categories

Pricing within an antiques and collectibles category has never been linear. Prices divide into levels or plateaus. In a new collecting category, the number of levels between the bottom and top are few. As a collecting category grows in sophistication, the number of pricing levels within it increase. A major collecting category, where the high-end unit price is in excess of $100,000, can have more than a dozen pricing levels.

Price levels enable buyers (collectors) to enter the marketplace at affordable price points—“something familiar, something peculiar, something for everyone,” borrowing the opening lines from lyrics for “A Comedy Tonight.” The number of buyers involved is one of the measures of a collecting category’s strengths.

The concepts of scarcity and rarity were redefined in the past five years. Many items once consider scarce by collectors proved to be extremely common. In some cases, the number of pieces entering the secondary market flooded it, especially at the bottom and in the middle.

Collecting involves bragging rights. Collectors want to own examples their counterparts do not. When everyone owns the same things, the fun and collector interest vanishes. When a collecting category is thus impacted, the collector exodus is greater at the bottom and middle than the top. The wealth divide between the wealthiest Americans and the middle and lower classes is a perfect analogy, especially when one factors in the declining number of middle class Americans.

The middle price levels in collecting categories are shrinking. In some instances, they have or are disappearing. The possibility exists that in the future, there will be some collecting categories where the only collectors are those focusing on the top one to three percent of the objects in the category. Since the number of buyers for middle and low end material will be minimal, prices will plummet in order to attract buyers.

8. Consolidation Counter Revolution

The antiques and collectibles trade witnessed consolidation throughout the industry in the 1990s and early 2000s. Large media corporations bought trade publications and publishing companies. Several added show venues to their holdings. The vertical holdings company seeking to capitalize on the savings consolidation offered appeared to be the trade’s future. While Landmark and Krause were American corporations, DMB World Media was British based. Foreign invasion does not always have to be military.

Consolidation also occurred within the auction community. Sotheby’s went on a buying spree. Even Bonham’s entered the arena. Individual and regional auction companies fell prey to the lure of quick and easy cash. Who can blame them?

What all these buyers failed to recognize is the personal, individual nature of the antiques and collectibles business. Antiques and collectibles is an industry where individuals want to deal face to face, not with a phone bank of callers based in “God knows where.”

A counter revolution is underway. AntiqueWeek and its sister publications are back in the hands of Gary Thoe and his wife. The field breathed a collective sigh of relief when the news was announced. Ted Hake, Dan Morphy and others regained control of the auction firms they helped create. DMG World Media has sold some of its consumer shows and is in the process of selling others.

Consolidation still rears its ugly head, albeit now in the form of alliances rather than outright purchase. Greg Martin, who broke away from Butterfield & Butterfield to create Greg Martin Auctions, is now aligned with Heritage Auctions. The jury is out on whether the maxim of “there is strength in numbers” will apply.

When I assembled my Top 10 list, I pledged to myself to hold the series to two columns. It will not happen. The series will be three columns in length. I never feel the need to justify my actions, although I offer an occasional explanation. Since no general history of the antiques and collectibles trade exists (there are several high-end histories) nor am I aware of anyone writing such a history, I view “Rinker on Collectibles” as a chronicler of the trade’s journey through the latter half of the 20th century and first part of the 21st. Hence, I favor length over brevity.

Finally, now that readers see where I am heading, I want them to have more time to send their recommendations for the top portion of my Top 10 list. E-mail me at harrylriker [at] aol [dot] com.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out Harry’s 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.

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The Comic Speculator – New Comics Roundup 02/01/2012

Matt Baum — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:45:32 +0000

Stitched #1 (Mike Wolfer New York Comic Con Exclusive Edition)

New Comics Roundup

Below you will find all the info you could possibly need on the hot, new comics shipping this Wednesday, Feb. 2. For a full list of comics shipping this week, click here. To find a comic shop near you, click here.

Variant Watch

ASPEN:

Fathom Volume 4 #4 (Cover C Alex Konat Sketch Incentive). Retailers could order three sketch covers for every 12 regular covers ordered.

Haunted City #2 (Cover C Beastly Incentive). Retailers could order three sketch covers for every 12 regular covers ordered.

AVATAR PRESS

Crossed Psychopath #5 (of 7)(Matt Martin Wizard Austin Con Shark Attack Cover), $5.99. Limited to 850 copies and pretty ridiculous.

Crossed Psychopath #7 (of 7)(Gianluca Pagliarani Auxiliary Edition), $3.99. Limited to 1,500 copies and laughably violent.

Stitched #1 (Mike Wolfer New York Comic Con Exclusive Edition), $3.99. Limited to 1,000 copies and I can’t tell what the hell is going on with this one. What am I looking at and where is that hand coming from?

BOOM!

Cliver Barker’s Hellraiser #10 (Cover C Tim Bradstreet), 1:10
Valen The Outcast #3 (Cover C Matteo Scalera), 1:10
Valen The Outcast #3 (Cover D Liam Sharp Negative Variant), 1:20
Valen The Outcast #3 (Cover E Ale Garza Sketch Variant), 1:25

Valen The Outcast #3 (Cover F Joe Jusko 9.8 CBC Variant)

Valen The Outcast #3 (Cover F Joe Jusko 9.8 CBC Variant), 1:50. The CGC Census isn’t listing how many of these were graded, but if we look at the last two issues, that number should be 75 copies. The 9.8 CGC graded issues of #1 and #2 are both selling for at least $200 and don’t look to be slowing down. I couldn’t get numbers on issue #2, but only 26 stores in the U.S. qualified for the graded Jusko variant of #1 and I would expect that number to continue to drop with each issue. That will make each of these 1:50 variants harder to find going forward. Watch these, but also, keep in mind that paying $200 upfront on this variant might not get you any kind of return in the future. Don’t go nuts here. Watch for a $100 price tag, but that could be very hard to find.

BOUNDLESS COMICS

Lady Death #10 (Rafa Lopez Auxiliary Cover), $3.99. Limited to 1,250 copies.
Lady Death #7 (Gabriel Andrade Baltimore Comic Con Cover), $9.99. Limited to 750 copies.
Lady Death #9 (Matt Martin Detroit Comic Con Fanfare Cover), $9.99. Limited to 750 copies. All three of these are not incentive variants; these are extra covers and covers left over from last year’s various comic conventions, so don’t pay more than MSRP if you need any of these covers.

DC:

Action Comics #6 (Andy Kubert Black & White Variant Cover)

Action Comics #6 (Andy Kubert Black & White Variant Cover) 1:200. And we’re back to the original look for the DC 1:200 sketch variants. Because, you know, these weren’t confusing enough when it made the switch to look like the 1:25 variants. Regardless, like every week, I’m going to warn you not to go nuts here. Copies of the 1:200 variant of Action #5 are selling as low as $50. So once again, if you can, watch for a $50-$60 price tag or just wait a couple of weeks and snag one off eBay for that price.

Action Comics #6 (Rags Morales Variant Cover)

Action Comics #6 (Rags Morales Variant Cover). Retailers could order this issue based on the number of the lowest-ordered DC New 52 #6 issue shipping this week (my guess is Men of War). These are not incentive variants so don’t pay much over cover price for this variant; you will be able to find it for cover or close to it somewhere. Side note: Do we know if Superman spent time with the Legion of Superheroes in post relaunch continuity?

Detective Comics #6 (Tony S. Daniel Wraparound Variant Cover)

Detective Comics #6 (Tony S. Daniel Wraparound Variant Cover), 1:25. This one is actually a sketch variant. Watch for a $7-$9 price tag and when your retailer tells you, “That’s insane. Where the heck did you get that price?” You tell them that according to Matt at the Comic Speculator™—a well respected comic book blog brought to you by the good people at WorthPoint—sketch variants of Detective #5 are now selling for less than $10 and haven’t hit the $20 mark since the beginning of January. Then you do a bicep-slap-flip-off gesture for added effect. Unless, that is, you plan on shopping with said retailer again.

Stormwatch #6 (Miguel Sepulveda Wraparound Variant Cover)

Stormwatch #6 (Miguel Sepulveda Wraparound Variant Cover), 1:25. DC just announced a creator shift on Stormwatch this week and it’s not because the title is a rollicking success. This one could be hard to find on the basis that most shops aren’t ordering the 25 copies needed to qualify for this variant, but that doesn’t mean you need to drop the $25 some retailers are asking. Wait and you can probably get this one for less than $10.

Swamp Thing #6 (Yanick Paquette Wraparound Variant Cover)

Swamp Thing #6 (Yanick Paquette Wraparound Variant Cover), 1:25. Again, this one is a sketch variant, not a wraparound. I’m just throwing this out there, but if DC needs a copywriter/editor/fact-checker-whateva, I’m available [suppressed laughter – Editor]. This is the third error I’ve seen this week. Just sayin’. Yanick Paquette is an amazing artist and I would guess prices on this cover will be a little higher than the other sketch variants shipping this week. Watch for a $12-$15 price tag.

DYNAMIC FORCES

George R.R. Martin’s A Game Of Thrones #1(Alex Ross Signed Exclusive Cover), $29.99. Limited to 150 copies.

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

Kirby Genesis Captain Victory #3 (Alex Ross Negative Variant Cover), 1:10
Kirby Genesis Captain Victory #3 (Alex Ross Virgin Variant Cover), 1:25
Kirby Genesis Captain Victory #3 (Michael Avon Oeming Sketch Variant Cover), 1:15
Kirby Genesis Captain Victory #3 (Michael Avon Oeming Variant Cover), approx 1:10
Warriors Of Mars #1 (Joe Jusko Black & White Variant Cover), 1:10
Warriors Of Mars #1 (Joe Jusko Negative Variant Cover), 1:15

IDW:

Anne Rice’s Servant Of The Bones #6 (of 6)(Jenny Frison Variant Cover), 1:10
Doctor Who #14 (Matthew Dow Smith Variant Cover), 1:10
G.I. JOE #10 (Tom Whalen Vertically Inter-Connected Variant Cover), 1:10
G.I. JOE A Real American Hero #175 (Larry Hama Sketch Variant Cover),
Infestation 2 Transformers #1 (of 2)(Livio Ramondelli Inter-Connected Tentacle Attack), 1:10
Locke And Key Clockworks #4 (of 6)(Gabriel Rodriguez Variant Cover), 1:10
Locke And Key The Guide To The Known Keys (One Shot)(Gabriel Rodriguez 2nd Printing Variant), $3.99

Locke And Key Volume 1 Welcome To Lovecraft HC (Special Edition), $100.
Limited to approximately 500 copies. Apparently this one is mysterious.

Magic The Gathering #1 (of 4)(Christopher Moeller Variant Cover), 1:20

Magic The Gathering #1 (of 4)(Eric Deschamps Variant Cover), 1:10. It’s funny, and I’ll have more about this in my Speculator Picks below, but the big draw here for most Magic fans is the free, exclusive card that only comes with the regular cover of the comic. Not the variants. Weird, right?

IMAGE

Fatale #1 (Sean Phillips 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $3.50

MARVEL

Avengers X-Sanction #3 (of 4)(Ian Churchill Variant Cover)

Avengers X-Sanction #3 (of 4)(Ian Churchill Variant Cover), 1:50. I always hate it when the Hulk has a gun. Even the Red Hulk. It’s just dumb. Hulk is strongest there is. He doesn’t need a gun. Even if it is a big one. Regardless of Hulks with guns, this is a nice cover and for some reason, it seems a little restrained for Churchill. I could get into this Churchill. I also don’t buy that Cable can just stick a knife into his arm, but that’s a different nerd-rant altogether. We now have two previous X-Sanction 1:50 variants and both are selling for under $25 so watch for a $20-$25 price tag.

Avengers X-Sanction #3 (of 4)(Leinil Francis Yu Variant Cover)

Avengers X-Sanction #3 (of 4)(Leinil Francis Yu Variant Cover), 1:25. The X-Sanction 1:25 variants are part of a four-piece, inter-connected variant that will make a really cool set when the series is complete. That said, people aren’t scrambling to buy these. Copies of the #1 and #2 variant are selling for $10 and sometimes a little less. Watch for a $10-$12 price tag and don’t be afraid to pluck these off eBay if you need them.

Defenders #3 (Adam Kubert Variant Cover)

Defenders #3 (Adam Kubert Variant Cover), 1:25. I love this one. I’m a big Kubert guy (all three of them) and have a serious soft spot for the Silver Surfer, so this one is probably coming home in the new pile. Watch for a $10-$12 price tag.

Defenders #3 (I Am A Defender Variant Cover)

Defenders #3 (I Am A Defender Variant Cover). Retailers had to exceed their orders of Ultimate Spider-Man #3 on this issue and they could order as many I Am A Defender variants as needed. Which, of course, always ends up in mystery pricing. None of these variants are selling for more than $5 online, so try to stick close to that. You might even be able to grab this one for cover price.

Carnage U.S.A. #1 (of 5)(Clayton Crain 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99

Venom #13 (Walt Simonson Variant Cover), 1:50. I know this says Walt Simonson, but I’m not seeing it. I love the guy, but this is unrecognizable. Not bad; just not the Simonson I love. Watch for a $25-$30 price tag and be prepared to pay for this one. All these characters have either seen their sales numbers dropping or, in the case of X-23 and Ghost Rider, their titles canceled. Retailers might be hesitant to order the 50 needed to get this variant, let alone the 100 for the sketch variant.

Venom #13 (Walt Simonson Variant Cover)

Venom #13 (Walt Simonson Sketch Variant Cover), 1:100

Winter Soldier #1 (Gabriele Dell'Otto Variant Cover)

Winter Soldier #1 (Gabriele Dell’Otto Variant Cover), 1:50. Watch for a $20-$25 price tag

Winter Soldier #1 (Joe Kubert Classic Artist Variant Cover)

Winter Soldier #1 (Joe Kubert Classic Artist Variant Cover), 1:25. Nicely executed Silver-Age-war-comic-feel for this one by Kubert senior. Watch for a $10-$12 price tag.

Winter Soldier #1 (Lee Bermejo Sketch Variant Cover)

Winter Soldier #1 (Lee Bermejo Sketch Variant Cover), 1:100. All you need to do to know how amazing Bremejo is at his job is to look at one of his sketch covers. The guy can do this with a pencil. Amazing. Watch for a $45-$50 price tag.

Wolverine And The X-Men #3 (Chris Bachalo 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99

Speculator Picks of the Week

These are comics that could sell out very quickly due to conservative ordering, popular demand, shipping errors or even a complete shutdown of the Eastern Seaboard as New England and New York fans square off in a pre-Super Bowl smack talk-off the likes of which this world has never seen. Pick them up while you can or pay too much for them later . . .

Magic the Gathering #1

IDW
Written by MATT FORBECK
Art by MARTIN COCCOLO

Solicitation: Get ready, Magic: The Gathering fans, there’s a new Planeswalker in town! In search of greater magical knowledge and on the hunt for the people who destroyed his town, Dack Fayden is the greatest thief in the Multiverse. When he gets his hands on his latest prize, though, he has no idea where it will lead him—or to who!

32 pages
$3.99
Sold Out

Why it’ll go fast: Back in the 1990s, you couldn’t wave a light saber in a comic shop without hitting a poly-bagged comic with a collectible card inside. It’s a tried and true practice by publishers and it’s never been more effective than with the new Magic series from IDW. Magic is a playable card game that’s been around for as long as I can remember and continues to be very popular. Whether the fans want to read a comic about their favorite game remains to be seen, but I’m betting the exclusive card drives sales here. #1 is already sold out and the true test will be what ends up on eBay—unopened bagged comics or just the card. IDW has done a fantastic job with their Dungeons and Dragons comics and Magic looks to be of the same quality, so maybe this is another hit. Or maybe it’s a good way for Wizards and IDW to make $3.99 on one card.

Fatale #2

IMAGE
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Art by SEAN PHILLIPS

Solicitation: The second issue of the hottest new series of 2012 is here! In modern times, Nicholas Lash searches for answers about the mysterious woman who ruined his life, while in the mid-1950s, reporter Dominic Raines is drawn down that same murderous path . . . The award-winning team of Brubaker and Phillips keeps the heat on high in this epic horror noir.

32 pages
$3.50
Sold Out!

Why it’ll go fast: Everyone has finally figured out that when Brubaker and Phillips work together, amazing things happen. That means you better have this series on your pull file or you’re not going to find a copy. #1 also sold out before shipping and is already selling for $15 and up for first-printings. Watch for the same to happen here. If you missed #1 and don’t want to shell out 15 bucks, there’s a second printing also shipping this week and it’s definitely worth a read.

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Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint to search its database or use its “Ask A Worthologist” feature. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price.

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Grand Rapids Furniture: Is it Always Grand?

Fred Taylor — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:18:54 +0000

This is the trademark adopted by the Furniture Manufacturers Association of Grand Rapids in 1899. From the time of the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in1876 to the beginning of the American Depression in the late 1920s, the Grand Rapids furniture community considered itself to be the center of the furniture universe. And in many respects it was.

Common wisdom in the furniture trade says that anything made in Grand Rapids is “good stuff.” Is that true? Perhaps, but like so many other things, there is always a “but.”

In this case, the “but” is “made when and by whom in Grand Rapids?” There was a time when the term “Grand Rapids” associated with any piece of furniture implied the top-of-the-line merchandise, where quality was assured. Is that always the case?

In 1913, the publication “The Grand Rapids Furniture Record,” the trade publication for the Furniture Manufacturers Association (FMA) in Grand Rapids, Mich., ran a feature article exposing the fraud of a Spokane, Wash., retail furniture company. The fraud? Calling itself the “Grand Rapids Cash Furniture Company,” implying that its furniture was actually made in Grand Rapids. In 1919, the FMA successfully sued a number of retail outlets in the Cleveland area for using the name “Grand Rapids” even though it didn’t sell Grand Rapids-made items.

What was so important about safeguarding the use of the name of a geographic location? Because from the time of the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in1876 to the beginning of the American Depression in the late 1920s, the Grand Rapids furniture community considered itself to be the center of the furniture universe. And in many respects it was.

How an obscure fur trading post of the early 19th century, located in the wilds of southwestern Michigan, became one of the premier furniture manufacturing centers of all time is an interesting story of hard work, determination and luck.

This was one of the most famous labels to come out of Grand Rapids.

Here is the crown label for the Imperial Furniture Co of Grand Rapids along with the Mahogany Association label that shows the Imperial membership number of 123.

This label was used by the Fred Macey Co after Otto Wernicke returned to Grand Rapids after leaving Globe-Wernicke in Cincinnati. Wernicke acquired Macey and continued to make elastic bookcases based on his original patents, in competition with Globe-Wernicke.

The first business to produce the furniture that Grand Rapids would become famous for—factory produced pieces using power machinery and marketed in distant locales—was a factory started in 1849 by Ebenezer Ball. Ball shipped lumber and chairs down the Erie Canal into upstate New York. By 1850, he had a contract to furnish 10,000 Windsor chairs to single buyer in Chicago! That’s a long ways from Haldane’s one-of-a-kind chairs from only a few years earlier.The first cabinet shop in Grand Rapids was opened in 1836 by an Ohio woodworker, supplying local needs for chairs and beds, working for cash or barter. But the woodworker, a man named Haldane, was not the precursor of the industry that evolved. Haldane made furniture the old fashioned way—one piece at a time, completely by hand. But big change was on the way. By that time, Lambert Hitchcock had been running his machine-driven assembly line chair factory in Connecticut for nearly 20 years and the process was widely understood and accepted in the industry.

In 1857 the first member of a soon-to-be-famous furniture family moved to Grand Rapids. Unlike many cabinetmakers of this transitional period in American furniture history, he was quite amenable to the power-machine factory idea. His name was Widdicomb and the John Widdicomb Co. still survives in Grand Rapids.

In addition to enterprising factory owners and ingenious machine-makers like Charles Buss, who made power planers for the factories, Grand Rapids was blessed with a rare combination of natural assets. It was surrounded by millions of acres of both softwood and hardwood forests and the nearby Grand River provided the route for transporting it all. Timber was felled in the forests and floated down river to the saw mills, which turned out lumber for houses, wagons and furniture. Extra finished lumber was floated further downstream for sale.

This brass tag identified a piece of furniture with its unique serial number as having been made by a member of the Grand Rapids Furniture Makers Guild.

Attracted by the combination of resources a pair of brothers arrived in Grand Rapids to establish themselves. Julius and William Berkey were responsible for a number of important furniture companies that bore their name. The first was the William A. Berkey Co., which was later purchased by Widdicomb. Then Julius had a number of partnerships, including Berkey & Hamm and Berkey & Matter (another famous name) before joining his brother in a new venture simply called Berkey Bros. & Co. When George Gay joined the firm, it became Berkey Bros. & Gay and later was incorporated as just the famous Berkey & Gay, which dominated the Philadelphia Exposition with its Renaissance Revival battleship-size hotel bedroom furniture. By the 1870s, the three leading companies in Grand Rapids were Berkey & Gay, Phoenix, and Nelson, Matter.

Berkey & Gay and Nelson, Matter gradually eliminated the lower levels of their furniture and concentrated on the high-end of factory made furniture. Phoenix maintained a low-cost line for many years.

The Fine Arts Furniture Co worked in Grand Rapids from 1925 to 1977 making occasional tables and chairs.

Around the turn of the 20th century, other famous names began to show up in Grand Rapids. Among them were Stickley Brothers, started in 1891 by Albert and John George Stickley—two of Gustav’s younger brothers. Arts & Crafts powerhouse Charles Limbert established his company in 1894. Stuart Foote started Imperial Furniture Co. in 1903 and Robert W. Irwin acquired Royal Furniture, then Phoenix and merged them into the Robert W. Irwin Co.

Around this time, the term “Grand Rapids” became solidly associated with high-quality furniture, and that’s when the FMA began to feel the need to protect itself and the reputation of the city against impostors trying to take advantage of the name. The first effort to positively identify Grand Rapids furniture as the genuine article began in 1899, when the FMA developed the red triangular trademark known as the “Grand Rapids Made” logo. This mark appeared on every piece of furniture made by FMA members from 1899 to 1913. This was followed in 1931 by the formation of the Grand Rapids Furniture Makers Guild. The Guild cooperatively marketed members’ products to a selected number of retailers, assuring them a constant supply of guaranteed Grand Rapids Furniture. To each piece of Guild furniture was affixed a brass tag certifying it as a product of “True Grand Rapids Cabinet Making” and each piece was individually registered with the Guild.

The cover of Christian Carron’s book mentioned above shows the type of “battleship” furniture made by Berkey & Gay about the time of the 1876 Centennial Exposition

After the Second World War, Grand Rapids declined in importance as the major furniture center of America, but it continues today to produce a smaller quantity of high-end goods.

So, is Grand Rapids origination a guarantee of high quality? Probably, but, like I said, you still need to know when it was made and by whom in Grand Rapids to know for sure.

For detailed information on the history of Grand Rapids and the companies that made it great, see “Grand Rapids Furniture: The Story of America’s Furniture City” by Christian Carron, published by the Public Museum of Grand Rapids.

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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Tangential Circus Collectible: Champion Imagination Series Paper Sample Book

Larry Kellogg — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:00:53 +0000

The cover was plain black with a tipped-on picture.

Searching for cross-collectibles can uncover interesting items for your circus collection. In my last article titled “Advertisers, Just Like the American Public, Loved the Circus,” I highlighted circus-themed advertising by General Electric, Ivory Soap, Kodak Film and other major American companies. It brought to mind an item in my own circus collection that is unknown to many collectors.

In 1963 the Champion Paper Company began producing a series of paper sample books in their Imagination Series. Paper companies provided paper sample books to printers, advertising agencies and others to demonstrate the various uses for their products. The Champion Imagination Series continued until 1986 with a total of 26 different books. Each book had a different theme—“The West,” “Fire,” “Boats,” “The Man in the Moon,” “Safari” . . . themes that would spark the imagination. Book No. 11 was titled “Circus” and contained many classic circus images.

Each spread in the booklet had words describing paper and printing techniques. As an example, the text inside the cover said: “The cover of Imagination 11 has a photographic album look that suggests the nostalgia of circus days past. It consists of Champion Papers Colorcast® Drum Finished Litho, Black-on-black, laminated to Champion Papers Carnival® Cover, Antique Finish, White/ 90lb. The tipped-on photograph is reproduced in two colors on Champion Papers Carnival® Cover, Antique Finish, White/65 lb.” Similar descriptions were on each spread.

The tiger image was taken from an early Ringling Bros. World’s Greatest Shows poster. The art was later used by the combined Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The black bars on the left were die-cut and folded open to reveal text that described the circus coming to town.

Text on this page told about the wide-eyed child in all of us and our love of the circus. The ticket reproduced on this page was for the Great National Circus which toured America in the mid to late 1800s.

This painting by Robert Weaver was titled “Madison Square Garden, 1967.” It was accompanied James Whitcomb Riley’s poem, “The Circus-Day Parade.”

The next two spreads were titled “It All Began With Barnum,” and in just a few paragraphs explained the metamorphosis from Barnum to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey.

Posters, artwork and photos of various attractions were included with the text.

Clowns were the subject of the next section. The first spread was die-cut on the right page with a laughing mouth in the opening. When the page was turned it revealed the mouth belonged to a laughing woman.

Opposite the woman were brief bios of four clowns—The Great Grimaldi, Dan Rice, Tom Belling and Emmett Kelly.

Circus motion pictures were in the next section. Two double-sided inserts slid up and down with still frames from circus films being revealed in the die-cut opening.

Circus artwork by Calder, Lautrec, Renoir and Chagall was in the next section.

A beautiful sunburst wagon wheel from a circus parade wagon dominated the left page. A circus toy was on the right.

Stunning images by famed photographer Richard Avedon were on the last two spreads.

The final blue page gave descriptions and credits for the images shown.

So how do you find a copy of the Champion Paper Imagination 11 book? It’s not easy, but if you are able to find one, the price isn’t unreasonable. In February 201,1 a set of eight different Champion Papers Imagination books, which included the Circus book, sold on eBay for $32.99. As I am writing this article, a single copy of the Circus book is being offered on Amazon for $35.

Larry Kellogg is a Worthologist specializing in circus memorabilia.

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Unloved Antiques: Those Stacks of Old Books

Mike Wilcox — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:55:04 +0000

How can one get an idea of what granddad’s books are worth? Is it even worth researching or having an appraiser examine them? Just like every category of antiques and collectibles, there are some basic guidelines.

In today’s example of an Unloved Antiques, let’s look at something nearly everyone has, almost never throws out and are often thought to be quite valuable. Old books. I’m as guilty as anyone, as my home is filled with books I’ve bought, borrowed or inherited over the years. Hundreds of pounds of them stashed in book cases, on coffee tables, under the furniture, in boxes and large plastic bins in the basement.

Most, to be perfectly honest, I’ve not looked at in years, except when looking for more room for yet more books that have taken over the living room, bedroom and kitchen (cookbooks seem to reproduce in the kitchen).

To most of us, books are a bit of a mystery as far a value goes. We all see and hear media reports of some rare book selling for the price of a villa in France, after lying undiscovered in Aunt Winifred’s bedside table drawer since 1947. But the truth is, even books that are more than a 100 years old often sell for less than the cost of coffee and donut. Yes, you read that right; the majority of old books are often only worth a couple of dollars apiece. At auction today, most 19th- to early 20th-century hardcover books are regularly by the boxed lot for $20.

This “Decorum & Dress Etiquette Book” from 1880 sold for $58 on eBay in 2010. The value of this book is more for the content than as a book.

So, how can one get an idea of what granddad’s books are worth? Is it even worth researching or having an appraiser examine them? Well, in the case of anything you are not sure is valuable or not, one really should call in the experts, but there are some basic guidelines. There are many ways that publishers identify books as a first edition, the examples that appear most often are as follows and can be found in most books on the publishing and copyright page, generally found on the first few pages of the book. One should look for the following:

• First if the rule of “firsts”—look for words such as “First Printing,” “First Published,” “First Impression” or “First Edition.”
• A line of numbers like this: “9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1” (the number one missing would indicates a second edition).
• There is no listing of later printings on the copyright page.

If you find something similar to what’s listed above on the copyright pages, it could indicate it is a first edition and is worth looking into its value. Even with first editions, there are basic guidelines for value. With books value, the next indicators are just about always “author, inscription and condition*,” meaning that values for signed, first editions of a book in very good condition by a famous author trump most other factors. The only other factor that would best the first edition guideline for a book, regardless of the printing or edition, would be a provenance to a very famous person. A good example would a family bible belonging to the family of famous outlaw Jesse James. With a genuine provenance to his family, the value of what would normally be an $80 common, mass-printed 19th-century bible can go to more than $3,000.

A modern example of the first edition “author, inscription and condition” guidelines in action would be, say a signed, first edition of Stephen King’s “Carrie,” published in 1974. In today’s market, many antiquarian book sellers list this one at as much as $7,500, but in comparison, an unsigned 1983 printing in “as new” condition often lists for less than $75. Further down the chain, a “book club” or very late reprint of the same book in good condition can sell for as little as a couple of dollars.

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* The various conditions normally used by book sellers to describe books are listed as can be seen below:

• As New: Means just that; flawless right from the store.
• Fine: Close to the condition “As New,” but not as crisp. Still, there must also be no defects.
• Very Good: Describes a used book with some small signs of wear but no rips or tears on either binding or paper. Any defects will be noted in the description.
• Good: An average used and worn book that still has all pages or leaves. Any defects will be noted in the description.
• Fair: Describes a worn book that has complete text pages including maps or plates, but may be missing end papers. The binding will generally be worn in spots, and any defects will be noted in the description.
• Poor: A book that is so worn that its only rates as a reading copy with a complete text, but it could have missing maps or plates, exhibit loose joints or bindings. These examples also tend to be scuffed or stained, and any defects will be noted in the description.
• Ex-Library: Former library books must always be listed as such no matter what the condition of the book. Any defects will be noted in the description.
• Binding Copy: Is a book in which the pages are perfect, but there could be damage to the binding or the binding could be missing
• Book Club Editions are always listed as such regardless of the condition of the book.

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Previous “Unloved Antiques” articles:

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

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

The Comic Speculator – New Comics Roundup 01/25/2012

Matt Baum — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:15:18 +0000

King Conan The Phoenix On The Sword #1 (of 4)(Gerald Parel Variant Cover)

New Comics Roundup

Below you will find all the info you could possibly need on the hot, new comics shipping this Wednesday, Jan.25. For a full list of comics shipping this week, click here. To find a comic shop near you, click here.

Variant Watch

BOOM!

Incorruptible #26 (Cover B Matteo Scalera), 1:10

DARK HORSE:

King Conan The Phoenix On The Sword #1 (of 4)(Gerald Parel Variant Cover), 1:5. Geral Parel has been coming up through the ranks of comic painters for the last couple of years and with this new Conan variant, it might be safe to say he’s arrived. This is textbook fantasy comic painting, cheesy sunset and all. I love it. Watch for a $6-$8 price tag.

DC:

Aquaman #5 (Ivan Reis & Joe Prado Variant Cover), 1:25. Another of the 1:25 sketch variants from DC and I’m still digging on the layouts on these. Sales on the back issue market seem to have flattened out on these variants between $10-$14. Watch for a $10-$12 price tag here but they could go lower in the coming weeks.

Batman The Dark Knight #5 (David Finch & Richard Friend Variant Cover), 1:25. Same deal here as the Aquaman sketch cover, but I will say the Batman sketch covers seem to be selling for more than those of the other DC titles. Probably due to the popularity of the artists drawing them. I would guess this one will perform much like the Tony Daniel Sketch Variant of Detective Comics, which is selling for between $15-$18. Watch for a $12-$15 price tag initially.

Aquaman #5 (Ivan Reis & Joe Prado Variant Cover)

Batman The Dark Knight #5 (David Finch & Richard Friend Variant Cover)

Flash #5 (Francis Manapul Black & White Variant Cover), 1:200. You may notice that unlike the other DC New 52 1:200 sketch variants, this variant looks just like the 1:25 sketch variants. But it’s still a 1:200 variant, which could be upsetting for those collecting the 1:25 sketch variants. I’m getting dizzy just writing this. The point is, I don’t get it. Why switch now? It just don’t make no sense. Regardless, I’m sticking to my “don’t pay the suggested $200 retail price” diatribe because you can get it for at least $100 less.

Flash #5 (Gary Frank Variant Cover)

Flash #5 (Gary Frank Variant Cover). Retailers could order this cover based on their lowest-ordered DC New 52 title for this week. I’m guessing Blackhawks is this week’s big loser (it’s canceled with issue #7). Again, these variants are typically selling for cover price, so DO NOT PAY MORE THAN COVER! Just because your retailer only ordered one copy of Blackhawks #5 does not mean this variant was one per store.

Green Lantern New Guardians #5 (Tyler Kirkham & Batt Variant Cover)

Green Lantern New Guardians #5 (Tyler Kirkham & Batt Variant Cover), 1:25. Like I said, I’ve been digging these variants but is it just me or did they pick a weird part of the cover to focus on?

Justice League #5 (Eric Basaldua Variant Cover)

Justice League #5 (Eric Basaldua Variant Cover), 1:25. Nope, not a sketch variant. This is a different 1:25 variant by Eric Basluda, who is being referred to as E-Bas in some solicitations which makes him sound like a rapper. Basaluda got his start at Image Top Cow working on Witchblade back in the late 1990s. Since then, he’s continued to work with Top Cow and Zenescope and only recently has started working on covers for Marvel and DC. Watch for more from eBay in the future for a $15-$17 price tag.

Justice League #5 (Jim Lee Black & White Variant Cover), 1:200. Yep, two 1:200 sketch variants in one week. This should push the price of both down even more. Like the Flash 1:200 variant, this one has the same look as the 1:25 sketch variants and also leaves me scratching my head wondering why. Again, watch for a $90-$100 price tag.

Superman #5 (George Perez Variant Cover), 1:25
Teen Titans #5 (Brett Booth & Norm Rapmund Variant Cover), 1:25

DYNAMIC FORCES

Uncanny X-Men #544 (Dynamic Forces)(Greg Land Signed Edition) , $19.63. If ordered after FOC (final order cutoff) of Jan. 4, the price goes up to $39.95

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

Garth Ennis’ Jennifer Blood #8 (Ale Garza Variant Cover), 1:15
Garth Ennis’ Jennifer Blood #8 (Tim Bradstreet Black & White Variant Cover), 1:10
Garth Ennis’ Jennifer Blood #8 (Tim Bradstreet Virgin Variant Cover), 1:10
George R.R. Martin’s A Game Of Thrones #5 (Mike Miller Black & White Variant), 1:10
George R.R. Martin’s A Game Of Thrones #5 (Mike Miller Virgin Variant Cover), 1:15
Kirby Genesis #5 (Alex Ross Marvelous Acetate Variant Cover), 1:20
Kirby Genesis #5 (Alex Ross Sketch Variant Cover), 1:25
Kirby Genesis #5 (Ryan Sook Black & White Variant Cover), 1:15
Kirby Genesis #5 (Ryan Sook Variant Cover), 1:10
Last Phantom #11 (Jonathan Lau Variant Cover), 1:15
Last Phantom #11 (Stephen Sadowski Variant Cover), 1:10
Robocop Road Trip #2 (Fabiano Neves Black & White Variant Cover), 1:10
Vampirella #13 (Paul Renaud Blood Red Variant Cover), 1:15
Vampirella #13 (Wagner Reis Black & White Variant Cover), 1:25
Warlord Of Mars Fall Of Barsoom #5 (Francesco Francavilla Variant Cover), 1:10
Warlord Of Mars Fall Of Barsoom #5 (Francesco Francavilla Virgin Variant Cover), 1:20
Warlord Of Mars Fall Of Barsoom #5 (Joe Jusko Black & White Variant Cover), 1:10

FLESK PRODUCTIONS

Naughty And Nice The Good Girl Art Of Bruce Timm HC (Limited Signed Edition), $100. Limited to 1,000 copies.

IDW:

30 Days Of Night #4 (Kieron Dwyer Variant Cover), 1:10
Dead Rising Road To Fortune #3 (of 4)(Dead Rising Game Concept Art Team Variant), 1:10
Godzilla Kingdom Of Monsters #11 (Matt Frank Titanosaurus Variant Cover),1:10
Infestation 2 #1 (of 2)(David Messina Variant Cover), 1:10
Infestation 2 #1 (of 2)(Duane Swierczynski Signed Edition), 1:25
Infestation 2 #1 (of 2)(Joe Phillips Licensed-Character Sketch Variant Cover), 1:50
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6 (Rob Guillory Enter The Dragon Spoof Variant), 1:10
Transformers Robots In Disguise #1 (Dan Khanna Autobot Sketch Variant Cover), 1:50
Transformers Robots In Disguise #1 (Marcelo Matere Wraparound Variant Cover), 1:10

MARVEL:

Alpha Flight #8 (Leinil Francis Yu Variant Cover)

Alpha Flight #8 (Leinil Francis Yu Variant Cover), 1:15. This one could be tough to find, seeing as Alpha Flight has been a pretty big sales disappointment for Marvel, again. And I have to say, I love Yu’s art and Sasquatch is one of my favorite Marvel characters. But I do not love Yu’s Sasquatch. Watch for a $5-$6 price tag.

Avengers Solo #4 (of 5)(Movie Variant Cover), 1:15
Fantastic Four #602 (Kalman Andrasofszky Venom Variant Cover), 1:50

FF #14 (Michael Ryan Venom Variant Cover)

FF #14 (Michael Ryan Venom Variant Cover), 1:50. Not a bad cover but, happy Venom kids? Weird, right? But I love the Venom-Dragon Man. Watch for a $30-$35 price tag.

Mighty Thor #10 (Gerald Parel Venom Variant Cover)

X-Men Legacy #261 (Mirco Pierfederici Venom Variant Cover)

Mighty Thor #10 (Gerald Parel Venom Variant Cover), 1:50. This is another painted Geral Parel variant and, just like the Conan cover he also did this week, it’s amazing. Parel is definitely going to be one to watch this year. Watch for a $30-$35 price tag.

X-Men Legacy #261 (Mirco Pierfederici Venom Variant Cover), 1:50. And one more Venom variant from another of the very talented stable of artists Marvel has been recruiting from Italy. Watch for a $30-$35 price tag.

Speculator Picks of the Week

These are comics that could sell out very quickly due to conservative ordering, popular demand, shipping errors or even registered Republican UPS drivers staying home to try to figure out which one of the two GOP candidates is richer and lying more about the other while trying to cover their own past. Pick them up while you can or pay too much for them later . . .

Grimm Fairy Tales: Alice in Wonderland #1

ZENESCOPE
Written by RAVEN GREGORY
Art by ROBERT GILL

Solicitation: Decades ago, a girl named Alice was sacrificed into the horror-filled realm of Wonderland, but her terrifying and awe-inspiring experiences there have been shrouded in mystery. The one thing known is that her time spent in a world full of insanity left her a broken adult. However, her courageous will to survive is what ultimately saved humanity. Now, the story of Alice’s visit into Wonderland is fully revealed and the truth of the terror will be told in full! From Raven Gregory, Ralph Tedesco and Joe Brusha, the same minds behind Grimm Fairy Tales and Return To Wonderland comes the newest series that Zenescope fans have been waiting for. What every Zenescope fan has been waiting for is finally here! Follow Zenescope back down the rabbit hole and find a world of madness like you have never seen before!

$2.99
Sold Out

Why it’ll go fast: I’m not a big Zenescope reader, due to the cheesecake factor (cheesecake is a term to refer to scantily-clad women in compromising positions), but I can’t deny they have a ravenous fan base that seems to push all its new titles into sellouts. As of writing this, two of the tree covers offered have already sold out and I’m sure the other is soon to go. The early Zenescope Grimm Fairy Tales first printings are starting to sell for alarming prices, with complete runs selling anywhere from $300-$2,875 (1-65 with all variants). Alice is yet another Zenescope title that will be hard to find and sought after later on.

Transformers: Robots in Disguise #1

Written by JOHN BARBER
Art by ANDREW GRIFFITH

Solicitation: The war for Cybertron is over-now the hard part begins! This first of two new ongoing Transformers series offers an excellent jumping-on point and all-new direction as Bumblebee and his fellow Autobots struggle to maintain control of a world without Optimus Prime!

32 pages
$3.99
Sold Out!

Why it’ll go fast: I was as surprised as anyone after reading Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #1 for my Podcast and loving it. Who knew IDW was writing a socio-political drama starring transforming robots from my youth? And no, the storyline has nothing to do with the atrocious summer blockbuster movies. Like More Than Meets the Eye, this new series #1 also sold out before shipping and is going to be hard to find very soon. Already the other series is selling for $5 and up on eBay and I’m guessing this one will be a similar situation. Seriously, IDW’s Transformers series is great. Pick this one up if you can find it.

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Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint to search its database or use its “Ask A Worthologist” feature. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Real World Worthopedia Applications: Calls from WorthPoint Customers

Gregory Watkins — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:38:53 +0000

Bruce from Virginia called us recently, telling of his experience at a local garage sale. He paid $25 for an old walnut-cased shelf clock a gilt Statue of Liberty and the word “Liberty” on the glass front. Checking the Worthopedia, he found the exact same clock that sold at Cowan’s Auctions in Cincinnati for $747.50 in 2005.

The fact that WorthPoint is an Internet company will not come as a surprise to you; it is my guess that you are reading this on a computer or tablet or, maybe—if your eyes are strong—a smart phone. As such, most of our communication with our members is through the computer. But we do sometimes receive phone calls from WorthPoint users, often because they wanted to tell us, first-hand, how we were able to help them identify and value their items.

John, from Ohio, called to tell us the story of his great find. He and his brother- in-law were cleaning out an old warehouse office and about to throw out a bunch of old junk. But there was an old, hand-operated printing press that caught his eye, so instead of heaping it into the Dumpster with the rest of the garbage, John decided there might be some value to it, so they loaded it up and took it home. He said the thing wasn’t granted a permanent reprieve; if he couldn’t figure out what it was, it would make its way to the Dumpster to join the rest of the office flotsam and jetsam.

Later, after looking up in the Worthopedia, John was able to identify the piece as a Chandler Price Pilot Off-Set Printing Press, and even better than just recognizing the piece, an example just like the one he and his brother-in-law saved had sold earlier last year for $3,000 on eBay.

John said he just wanted to call thank us for helping him figure out what he had.

A Statue of Liberty Garage Sale Steal

Bruce from Virginia also called us recently, telling us of his experience at a local garage sale. He spotted an old walnut-cased shelf clock a gilt Statue of Liberty and the word “Liberty” on the glass front. He liked the look of the clock, so he dropped $25 for it.

Later, after logging into his account and checking the Worthopedia, he found the exact same clock that sold at Cowan’s Auctions in Cincinnati for $747.50 in 2005.

The Lost Secret of the Osmond Brothers’ Mother’s Meat Loaf

Finally, Beth from Florida told us about how she had an “Osmond Brothers’ Mother’s Cookbook” Her mother had passed the book down to her and she loved the recipes in the book. But the cook book went missing after she moved into a new house and was distraught at the loss. Later, she couldn’t believe her luck when she actually found another one at a thrift store.

The recipes were collected by Olive Osmond, the matriarch of the Osmond family, and each recipe was “hand-written” inspirational sayings written on the other side. Having secured a replacement cook book, Beth looked it up in the Worthopedia to see what, if anything it might be worth. To her amazement, a third copy of the cookbook brought $105 when it sold on eBay in 2008.

Beth from Florida told us about how she had an “Osmond Brothers Mothers Cookbook” but lost it in a move.

After she found a replacement in a thrift store, Beth found that a third example of the cookbook sold for more than $100.

Even better than knowing the cookbook has a certain monetary value, what she really called to tell us was that in her original cookbook, the page with the recipe for the Osmond meatloaf was partially missing, so she always had to free-style that one a bit. Now she had the complete recipe.

While she was excited that she only paid a few dollars for the replacement cookbook, and knowing she might be able to secure up to $100 if she tried to sell it, Beth said she would never part with it again.

When you make a purchase or find something hidden in your attic, you are successfully able to identify it and it turns out that it’s a really good find, it’s only natural to want to crow about it. So if you need to give us a call to brag on yourself, well, we understand.

Happy hunting.

Gregory Watkins is the editor of WorthPoint.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Q & A with Harry Rinker: Yearbook Featuring Charlton Heston & Rock Hudson

Harry Rinker — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:56:48 +0000

QUESTION: I am seeking the value of a 1941 New Trier High School yearbook that contains Charlton Heston’s senior picture, along with his photograph as a member of the Dramatics Club and other senior activities, such as the Rifle Club. The same yearbook includes a sophomore class photo of R. Fitzgerald, who later became Rock Hudson. Unfortunately, Heston did not sign the yearbook. I have tried to find comparable values on the internet but have not been successful. Can you help?

– S.F., Chicago Area, Ill., via e-mail

ANSWER: Entertainment websites and periodicals love running “guess who” yearbook celebrity pictures. The collecting of celebrity yearbooks began in earnest in the 1990s. In 2002, Southeastern Antiquing and Collecting Magazine published Brandon Ross’s “Celebrity Yearbook Values.”

New Trier Township High School was founded in 1901. It has two campuses, one located in Winnetka (Ill.) and the other in New Trier West near Northfield (Ill.). In addition to Charlton Heston and Rock Hudson, other actors and actresses who graduated from New Trier include Ralph Bellamy, Bruce Dern, Virginia Madsen, Hugh O’Brien, Charlotte Ross, Hall Sparks and Rainn Wilson.

Michele Alice’s article “Collector’s Corner: Yearbooks as Collectibles” published in ecommerceBytes.com on June 15, 2006,] notes: “Recently, a Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) fan was willing to spend $661.55 for a 1980 (Montesano, Wash.) high school yearbook bearing Cobain’s image. And for $432.50, someone really wanted a 1941 New Trier (IL) Yearbook with photos of Rock Hudson and Charlton Heston. (All prices mentioned in this article were taken from online auctions completed between June 01 and June 22, 2006).”

I found a dealer listing a 1943 New Trier yearbook featuring an unsigned senior picture of R. Fitzgerald (Rock Hudson) for sale at $90. The picture was unsigned.

First, does a signature add value and, if so, how much? The answer is yes. Add an additional 25 to 35 percent, if the famous personality signed his photograph in his/her yearbook.

Second, time affects value. Interest in Charlton Heston and Rock Hudson memorabilia is declining with each passing year. The late 1990s and early 2000s were the peak years, as $432.50 is too high for a 2012 value. A realistic price is between $200 and $250.

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QUESTION: In the early 1940s, my father, a doctor, bought an Eversharp “Command Performance” pen and pencil set. The set remains in its period box. The pen and pencil are housed in individual leather cases. The box contains a folded “Guaranteed Forever” document and a price card that reads: “EVERSHARP / Command Performance (script lettering) / Fourteen Karat Gold Throughout / $125.00.” What is my set worth?

– F.B.K, Roanoke, Va.

ANSWER: Prior to 1940, Parker, Shaeffer and Wahl were among the largest fountain pen manufacturers in the United States. When Wahl experienced financial difficulties in 1940, the company reorganized as Eversharp, capitalizing on the sales strength of its Eversharp repeater pencil, introduced in 1936.

Realizing a new line of pens was necessary if Eversharp was to recapture market share, Eversharp hired industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss (1904-1972). Dreyfuss developed a Streamlined Modernist design that was a distinct departure from Wahl’s previous Art Deco designs.

Eversharp introduced Dreyfuss’s “Skyliner” design in the spring of 1941. The design captured the streamlined design associated with period aircraft. Initial advertising noted: “Magic Feed prevents ink flooding or leaking high in a plane . . . so of course at ground level too.” Design historians see linkages between Dreyfuss’s Skyliner design and his design for the New York Central 20th Century Limited locomotive.

Skyliner pens came in a wide variety of styles, most of which contain no markings. There were three basic models—Demi (Lady), Standard and Executive. All designs had a matching pencil. Pen and pencil set prices ranged from $3.50 (all plastic) to $125 (14 karat gold). A double checkmark on the clip signified an Eversharp lifetime warranty. Because of the Skyliner’s over-the-top clip design, it was a favorite among military users.

[TRIVIA QUIZ: The Skyliner design also worked well with another popular Dreyfuss-designed object. What was it?]

Although the Skyliner was the most popular pen sold in America in 1945, Eversharp decreased its Skyliner advertising in favor of the Fifth Avenue model and, after 1948, the Symphony model.

Introduced in the early 1940s, Eversharp’s Command Performance pen and the pen and pencil set were advertised as the “gift of a lifetime.” The model was made only in the Standard size. Although advertisements picture only a pen and pencil with a smooth body, collectors believe pens and pencils with engraved or machined pattern cases exist. The pen (Model 78SY) sold for $75 and the matching pencil (Model 178SY) for $50. Although expensive at the time, sales were brisk. Collectors classify the pen and pencil set as common.

[Author’s Aside: Eversharp also made a pen and pencil set featuring a solid cap and barrel in platinum. The set sold for $200 in 1941. Collectors considered it to be very scarce.]

David Nishimura’s Vintage Pens website lists a Command Performance “wartime lever-filler, 13.3 cm long, with matching 1.l mm injector pencil…” at $1,200, noting that the “Asking price is less than $100 over current gold value.” I found several internet sales for the pen alone with prices realized ranging between $300 and $600.

The pen and pencil set has multiple values in today’s marketplace. A Modernist collector with an emphasis on industrial designer pieces might pay between $700 and $900. Given the current melt value of gold, this price is considerably below the melt value found in the pen and pencil cases. While I cringe when I recommend melt value, it may be easier to dispose of the pen and pencil set in this fashion than taking the time and making the effort to find a collector who would pay top dollar.

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QUESTION: I have a copy of Volume No. 1 of “ELVIRA Mistress of the Dark” magazine issued by Marvel on Oct. 1, 1988. What is its value?

– T, Madisonburg, Pa.

ANSWER: The “Elvira, Mistress of the Dark” movie was directed by James Signorelli. Cassandra Peterson, who played Elvira, John Paragon and Sam Egan wrote the script. The movie was released on Sept. 30, 1988. In 1989, Peterson received a nomination for a Razzie as Worst Actress, but lost to Liza Minnelli for roles in “Arthur 2: On the Rocks” and “Rent-A-Cop.”

Peterson (born Sept. 17, 1951) began her role as Elvira on Los Angeles’s KHJ as host of “Movie Macabre” in 1981. Her sexy/punk vampire look featured a tight-fitting, low-cut black grown that showed her ample cleavage, heavily-applied pancake-horror makeup and a towering black beehive wig. Her movie introductions include risqué double entendres.

Elvira became a frequent guest on “The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson.” She also was featured in television advertisements for Coors-Light Beer and Mug Root Beer. TV guest appearances included “CHiPs” and “Fantasy Island.” In 1982, Knott’s Theme Park hired Elvira to host its annual Halloween Haunt.

Do not confuse the comic book promoting the movie with the comic book series from DC Comics, Eclipse Comics and Claypool Comics. The Eclipse/Claypool series consists of 166 issues.

Copies of the movie promotion comic are common. I found numerous sale listings on the Internet with prices at or below $10.

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QUESTION: I have a VHS Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles tape that was a 1990s Burger King premium. Does it have any value?

– J, Reading, Pa.

ANSWER: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arrived on the scene in 1984 in a comic book format published by Mirage Studios of Dover, N.H. The four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, trained by an anthropomorphic rat sensei in ninjutsu, evolved from the imagination of Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.

In 1986, Dark Horse miniatures produced a set of 15mm lead figures. Playmates Toys, Inc., followed with a line of action figures a years later. Playmates produced a mini-series to promote its toy line. After repeating the series three times with limited success, Group W provided funding to create additional episodes. CBS picked up the show. By the late 1980s, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles craze was in full swing. Turtles images were everywhere, from breakfast cereal and PEZ containers to cameras and video games.

In 1990, Burger King offered four VHS Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle videos as promotional giveaways through its Kids’ Club: “April Foolish,” “Invasion of the Turtle Snatchers,” “The Great Boldini,” and “Sky Turtles.” Although some internet sellers are asking as high as $13 plus shipping, the sell-through average on eBay is between $3 and $4, with shipping ranging from $2.50 to $4. The survival rate for all four videos is high.

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TRIVIA QUIZ ANSWER: In 1937, Dreyfuss designed the rotary telephone. The blunt end of the Skyliner pen doubled as a telephone dialer.

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

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

A Mysterious, Uncataloged Black, Begging Steiff Poodle

Rebekah Kaufman — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:13:46 +0000

Steiff’s “article number 4328,” also known as Snobby Poodle, has become one of Worthologist and Steiff collector Rebekah Kaufman’s greatest treasures.

Every enthusiast has extra-special items in their collections—a certain piece that just take a Gold Medal for its rarity, design or simply the story behind the piece. Here is one of those treasures from my hug of more than 700 vintage Steiff collectibles.

The item:
One thing that all enthusiasts share—regardless of specific passion—is the utter and sheer delight of coming across something incredibly rare and unexpected. Something so out of this world that once it lands with you, it just brings your collection, and your enthusiasm for collecting, to the next level. Such is the case with the most boringly named Steiff “article number 4328,” also known as Snobby Poodle.

What we have here, besides a series of numbers, is Steiff’s 28-centimeter, three-ways jointed (head and arms) black mohair poodle named Snobby. She is in the “begging” position, meaning that she is looking at you in such a way to suggest that you should share whatever you are eating with her. This poodle has longish mohair on her legs, arms, ears and muzzle, and short mohair on her body trunk and head. Her face is detailed with lovely, hand-blown tri-colored (white, brown and black) almond-shaped glass eyes, a black hand-embroidered nose, an open peach felt-lined mouth, and a dark pink felt tongue.

Her history and design legacy:
Very little is known about this particular poodle design, as she does not appear in any standard reference books. Clearly, she is based somewhat on Steiff’s classic “Snobby Poodle” design that was introduced in 1953 and appeared in the line through 1974 in 10, 14, 22, 35 and 43 cm. Classic Snobby was produced in gray, black or white mohair, was five-ways jointed, and had a little, round red felt tongue. Her coat was cut in what Steiff refers to as the “modern trim,” meaning that her limbs, face, tail tip and head crown were long mohair, while her body and neck were short mohair. Classic Snobby proved so popular that she was soon being produced in as a riding toy, a puppet and as a soft, curled up resting animal. However, “Classic” Snobby did not have a distinctive, open mouth or a long, protruding tongue.

Why she’s so special to me:
Back in the summer of 2005, I had the wonderful opportunity of attending the 9th annual Festival of Steiff Auction, an event that is held annually in Giengen, Germany—the hometown for the Steiff Company. This auction—a paradise for vintage Steiff enthusiasts—features rare and sometimes never-before- seen Steiff treasures from around the world; all for sale to the highest bidder. One of the lots, #035, was particularly appealing to me, as I had never seen this Steiff dog before. The catalog read:

“Snobby Poodle (1956-57) Item no. 4328, this begging poodle is 28 cm tall. It was manufactured for only two years as an exclusive item and this is the first and only sample we know of. Head and forelegs are jointed, open mouth with felt tongue. Very good, unplayed with condition, with button, minimal remains of the ear tag, and chest tag “Snobby.”

Of course, it was love at first sight and I thought with her €250 estimate, I might have a shot at bringing her home without having to declare bankruptcy. I guess a few other people felt the same way, as this superb Snobby sold for close to €1,700 that evening! I left the auction a little heartbroken but determined to add this blue-ribbon beauty to my collection at some point, someday.

Fast-forward six years. I was browsing an online sales portal and looking for unusual Steiff treasures when I came across a listing for a black, sitting “Steiff looking” poodle with an open mouth and almond eyes. Could this be the elusive Snobby from the auction? After a few e-mail exchanges with a photo or two—my deepest hopes were realized! Here was another one of Steiff’s Snobby 4328 models, albeit in somewhat less pristine condition. I made an offer, it was accepted, and I was on cloud nine! When she arrived, I noticed that she was missing her original red leather collar, didn’t have any ID, and both ears needed to be restitched to her head. But no worries, dog-gonnit, I had indeed scored this most unusual Steiff rarity from the 1950s!

A close-up of Snobby Poodle’s hand-blown tri-colored (white, brown and black) almond-shaped glass eyes, a black hand-embroidered nose, an open peach felt-lined mouth, and a dark pink felt tongue.

Her value:
It is most challenging to value items that have limited comparisons or are rarely seen on the collector’s marketplace. So many things go into the actual “value” of an item: general global economic conditions; the number of people vying for the item at any given time; the condition of the item relative to others like it; what else is on the market at the same time; where it is being offered for sale, etc. Clearly, a Steiff auction in Germany during robust economic times calls for high prices. On the other side of the coin, one of these standing Steiff Snobby poodles was offered as part of a lot of four Steiff dogs at the 2010 Steiff Christie’s Auction. Including the buyer’s premium, the quartet brought in a relatively modest $1,286.

That all being said, something is worth what someone will pay for it. Steiff rarities will always generate interest and will without a doubt appreciate over time. It is my best guestimate that this dog today values in the $400 to $600 range.

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

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Comics Auction Watch – Silver-Age Captain America, Amazing Spider-Man & X-Men

Matt Baum — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:19:23 +0000

UPDATED Wed., Jan 25, 2011 – 4:10 p.m.

The Comic Speculator is a blog written by WorthPoint Comic Book “Worthologist” Matt Baum that takes a look at each week’s hot new comics and back issues and the comic market place in general. Prices discussed here are taken from the Overstreet Guide to Comics (OVST), Comicspriceguide.com (CPG) and current online auction sales. Sales numbers and rankings are courtesy of ICV2.com. The codes under the prices of new titles discussed are Diamond Comics order codes that can be used to help your local comic retailer in ordering the issues discussed

The Back Issue Report

Welcome back true believers. It’s time again to set sail for the treacherous, icy waters of comic book back-issue marketplace in search of the catch of the month. (Today’s writing soundtrack was The Whole Love by Wilco)

Auction Watch!

Comic Link’s January Focused Auction begins closing this week, starting Tuesday, Jan. 24, and there are some amazing Marvel Silver-Age comics up for bid. Here’s a look at some of the most notable Comics up for Auction:

Avengers #4 (Marvel, 1964) CGC 9.4

• Avengers #4 (Marvel, 1964) CGC 9.6: This was the first appearance of Cap with the Avengers and the first Silver-Age retelling of his origin. Cap first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 (Timely, 1941) but fell into obscurity in the mid 1950s. This Avengers issue not only reinvigorated Cap’s popularity but set him as one of Marvel’s most important characters. Last summer’s “Captain America: The First Avenger” movie was a huge hit, and with the buzz around the upcoming Avengers movie, you can bet prices on this first Silver-Age Cap appearance will continue to rise. Currently, this auction is sitting at $50,000 with 39 bids, but I’d expect that price to go up considerably before the auction ends Tuesday night just after 9 p.m. EST.

UPDATE: Avengers #4 CGC 9.6 – Sold for $50,000. I was a little shocked with this one but, after checking the CGC census, there is 12 other copies in this same condition. Still, this seems like a steal to me.

Amazing Spider-Man #8 (Marvel, 1964) CGC 9.8

• Amazing Spider-Man #8 (Marvel, 1964) CGC 9.8: This is the highest-graded example of Amazing Spider-Man #8 with only five other copies graded in the same condition (one of which sold for $72,000 on Comic Link in January of 2010. This issue features the Fantastic Four, the Living Brain and Peter Parker’s first fight with his high-school nemesis, Flash Thompson. Currently, this issue is sitting at $20,250 with 40 bids. I’d expect this issue to go for at least $25,000 before the auction ends Tuesday at 7:45 p.m.

UPDATE: Amazing Spider-Man #8 – Sold for $21,250. This was well below where I thought this one would sell but, when talking about early Spidey issues, I guess #8 isn’t a landmark issue (no first appearances or deaths) and 21 grand is nothing to laugh at.

X-Men #1 (Marvel, 1963) CGC 8.0

• X-Men #1 (Marvel, 1963) CGC 8.0: If there’s such thing as an affordable copy of the first appearance of Marvel’s Mutants, The X-Men, this might be it. With 41 copies of X-Men #1 in CGC graded condition, this issue isn’t exactly a white whale, but high-grade copies of X-Men #1, slabbed and un-slabbed—like this one—are continuing to rise in price. Currently, this copy is sitting at $8,510 with 24 bids, but I would be surprised if it sells for less than $12,000 when the auction ends Wednesday night at just after 11 p.m. EST.

Incredible Hulk #181 (Marvel, 1974) CGC 9.8

• Incredible Hulk #181 (Marvel, 1974) CGC 9.8: And if there’s such thing as a comic most of us will never be able to afford, this copy of the Incredible Hulk #181, the first appearance of Wolverine, in CGC 9.8 condition has to be it. An amazing 50 copies of this issue in CGC 9.8 condition are counted in the CGC census, but that doesn’t stop it from routinely selling as the most expensive Bronze-Age Marvel comic in the world. There was one copy in CGC 9.9 condition—the only in existence—that sold for $150,000 on Comic Link in March of 2011 and since then prices on all high-grade Hulk #181s have been rising. Last December, a copy sold on eBay for $13,499 and previous copies in the same condition have sold for upwards of $15,000. Currently, this issue is sitting at the very low price of $8,096 with 38 bids. I would almost guarantee that price will double before the auction ends just before 8 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Jan. 25.

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What Is It? What’s It Worth? Art Nouveau-Style Trinket Box

Mike Wilcox — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:51:27 +0000

WorthPoint member Isabel R. wished to know more about this trinket box she inherited from her mother, so she engaged WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service. The report back states that the piece originated in Limoges, France, and is painted in a floral Art Nouveau-style popular during the turn of the 19th century.

Isabel R. inherited a porcelain trinket box that appears to be hand-painted. There are no markings on it other than “Jenny Miles- 97” on the bottom, and had originally belonged to her mother. It was used in a sewing cabinet for needles and thread, and no one could recall where it came from originally. Isabel has no plans on selling it, as it’s already found use on her vanity, for rings and costume jewelry, but she is interested in finding all she can about it, particularly the artist who painted it. She contacted WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service to inquire about this piece, its origins and value. Her inquiry was forwarded to me. here’s her question:

“I inherited this box from my mother, she’s always used it for pins, needles and thread, and it has sat in her sewing cabinet for years. Nobody in the family can recall where it came from, as my mother tended to pick things up at church bazaars and yard sales over the years just because she had a use for it or liked the look of it. The only marking on it is on the bottom, it’s signed “Jenny Miles- 97.” I think the number 97 might be for 1897. Could Jenny Miles be the name of the artist who painted this piece? I tried to look up her name on the Internet, but could not find any other porcelain trinket boxes signed by her, but found similar pieces with other names and dates on them. I’m not going to sell this piece, as I already use it on the vanity for small bits of costume jewelry, but I’m really interested if you anything can find out about the artist, and of course what the piece is worth.”

Here’s my response:

Based on your images and the marking, your trinket box originated in Limoges, France, and is in the floral Art Nouveau-style popular during the turn of the 19th century. The number “97” in our opinion is, indeed, for the year 1897. Limoges was the home of many porcelain companies during the last quarter of the 19th century. Most of these companies were producing fine decorative china for the export market, mainly to the USA.

A good deal of this ware came as “white ware” blanks and were hand-decorated by hobbyists and pottery studio’s in both Europe and North America. “China painting,” as porcelain decorating was called at the time, was a popular pastime from the last quarter of the 19th century until the First World War. Unfortunately, the work of many of these studios and the signatures of the artists who decorated them are either undocumented or little reference material for them is still available. This trinket box is one of these pieces.

This piece was most likely decorated in North America but, sadly, we have no listing for the artist “Jenny Miles” in any of the standard reference material or databases used to identify markings and signatures for porcelain decorators. The majority of the amateur American china painters were women either by occupation, or as a hobby. But then these Studio pieces were not generally mass produced, nor is much research material available.

While not mass produced, such pieces were made in large numbers, so values are still modest for them. In the current market, comparable hand-painted Limoges based trinket boxes of this period and style often sell at auction for less than $75.

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

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The Comic Speculator – New Comics Roundup 01/18/2012

Matt Baum — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:21:23 +0000

Batman #5 (Andy Kubert Variant Cover)

New Comics Roundup

Below you will find all the info you could possibly need on the hot, new comics shipping this Wednesday, Jan. 18. For a full list of comics shipping this week, click here. To find a comic shop near you, click here.

Variant Watch

AVATAR

Caligula #6 (of 6)(Jacen Burrows Golden Age Of Rome Variant Cover), 1:3

Crossed Psychopath #7 (of 7)(Jacen Burrows Black & White Retailer Bonus Edition). Retailers had to exceed their orders on Crossed Psychopath #6 and they could order one Black and White variant.

Crossed Psychopath #7 (of 7)(Jacen Burrows Red Crossed Cover), 1:3

BOOM!

Peanuts Happiness Is Warm Blanket Charlie Brown HC (SDCC 2011 Variant), $39.99. Limited to 100 copies.
Planet Of The Apes #10 (Cover C Mitch Gerads), 1:10
Steed And Mrs. Peel #1 (of 6)(Cover B Ian Gibson), 1:10

BROADSWORD COMICS

Tarot Witch Of The Black Rose #71 (Deluxe Edition), $19.99. Limited to 500 copies.

DARK HORSE

Mass Effect Invasion #4 (of 4)(Paul Renaud Variant Cover), 1:5

Animal Man #2 (Travel Foreman 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $2.99

Batman #5 (Andy Kubert Variant Cover). Retailers could order this variant based on their lowest-ordered DCU New 52 relaunch title for this week. I’m guessing this week it’s Blue Beetle. Here’s the thing: the only Image I can find for this cover does not look like an Andy Kubert cover. It’s great but, I’m not sure this is Kubert.

Batman #5 (Greg Capullo Black & White Variant Cover)

Batman #5 (Greg Capullo Black & White Variant Cover), 1:200. Once again retailers all over the net, and possibly at your local comic shop, are trying to sell these variants for $200. But you won’t do it. Why? Because you read this blog and you know you can get this 1:200 variant for half that; because you’re smart and good looking and, dammit, you’re the king of your world. So, of course, you’ll do the right thing and wait patiently until you can snatch one of these off eBay for $100 or even less.

Batman Odyssey Volume 2 #4 (Of 7)(Neal Adams Variant Cover), 1:10
Wonder Woman #5 (Cliff Chiang Variant Cover), 1:25

DYNAMIC FORCES

Wolverine And The X-Men #1 (Dynamic Forces)(Matching Signed Set), $349.99. If ordered after Dec. 20, 2011, this set goes up to $449. Set is two copies: one signed by Stan Lee and one signed by John Romita Sr.

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

Kirby Genesis Dragonsbane #1 (Alex Ross Negative Art Variant Cover), 1:25
Kirby Genesis Dragonsbane #1 (Alex Ross Sketch Variant Cover), 1:15
Kirby Genesis Dragonsbane #1 (Jack Herbert Black & White Variant Cover), 1:10
Kirby Genesis Dragonsbane #1 (Jack Herbert Variant Cover), 1:10
Lord Of The Jungle #1 (Alex Ross Negative Variant Cover), 1:10
Lord Of The Jungle #1 (Alex Ross Sketch Variant Cover), 1:100
Lord Of The Jungle #1 (Lucio Parrillo Virgin Variant Cover), 1:50
Lord Of The Jungle #1 (Ryan Sook Black & White Variant Cover), 1:75
Voltron #2 (Alex Ross /bNegative Variant Cover), 1:25
Voltron #2 (Alex Ross Virgin Variant Cover), 1:10
Voltron #2 (Sean Chen Red Variant Cover), 1:15

IDW

Cobra #9 (Nick Runge Variant Cover), 1:10
Danger Girl Revolver #1 (of 4)(J. Scott Campbell Sketch Variant Cover) 1:25
Ghostbusters #5 (Jose Holder Variant Cover), 1:10
Memorial #2 (of 6)(Michael WM Kaluta Black & White Variant Cover), 1:10

Star Trek #5 (Photo Variant Cover)

Star Trek #5 (Photo Variant Cover), 1:20. The photo variants for this new Star Trek series started out a little slow, but recently seems to be gaining some steam in the back-issue market. Photo variants of #1 and #2 are both selling for $25 and up and #3 and #4 are right behind, selling at the $15-$20 price range. Watch for a $10-$12 price tag.

Star Trek #5 (Sharp Brothers Be A Redshirt Variant Cover)

Star Trek #5 (Sharp Brothers Be A Redshirt Variant Cover), 1:25. This variant was part of contest that fans could enter to have their faces on the cover as a redshirt, (the joke among Trekkies is that the no-name characters that always get killed on away missions wore redshirts). It was a fun idea; the winner gets their face rendered on a redshirt taking a phaser blast for their retailer. Three-hundred copies were printed originally, but 100 went to the winning fan and his or her retailer, and another 100 were given to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, which will sell them to keep representing retailers in legal trouble free of charge. That only leaves 100 variants out there for other retailers to fight over. This one could be worth watching. Expect a $12-$15 price tag.

Star Trek #5 (Tim Bradstreet Sketch Variant Cover),
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (Global Conquest Edition), $3.99
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2 (Global Conquest Edition), $3.99
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3 (Global Conquest Edition), $3.99
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4 (Global Conquest Edition), $3.99
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5 (Global Conquest Edition), $3.99

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series #1 (Raphael)(Global Conquest Edition), $3.99. I couldn’t get much info as to what these Global Conquest Edition reprints were other than they are reprints with very low print runs. Treat them as such, I guess.

MARVEL:

Amazing Spider-Man #678 (Humberto Ramos Venom Variant Cover)

Amazing Spider-Man #678 (Humberto Ramos Venom Variant Cover), 1:50. I’m being told this one is by Ramos, but the cover I found sure doesn’t look like Ramos to me. It’s a fun take on the classic quote from Amazing Spidey #42, but I don’t think this is Ramos. Regardless, watch for a $30-$35 price tag and unlike, the 1:200 variants I yell about so often, expect that price to stay around there or go up slightly in months to come. A few are still selling for less than $30 but seem to be creeping up from there.

Avengers #21 (Carlo Barberi Venom Variant Cover), 1:50

Avenging Spider-Man #3 (Humberto Ramos Amazing Spider-Man 50th Ann Variant)

Avenging Spider-Man #3 (Humberto Ramos Amazing Spider-Man 50th Ann Variant), 1:50. The Amazing Spider-Man 50th Anniversary variants start here with a great one from Humberto Ramos. Watch for a $35-$40 price tag.

Daredevil #8 (Lee Bermejo Variant Cover)

Daredevil #8 (Lee Bermejo Variant Cover), 1:25. This is the second Lee Bremejo variant for the DD/Spidey crossover and I still think his Spider-Man looks weird. Maybe I’m just used to his covers being so much darker. Watch for a $12-$15 price tag.

Invincible Iron Man #512 (Larry Stroman Venom Variant Cover)

Invincible Iron Man #512 (Larry Stroman Venom Variant Cover), 1:50. Love this one! This is a great Venom variant by Stroman. I love the way the symbiote is coming out of the armor rather than making the armor look scary. Watch for a $25-$30 price tag.

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #6 (Mark Bagley Variant Cover)

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #6 (Mark Bagley Variant Cover), 1:50. This is a fantastic variant by Bagley in memory of Ultimate Peter Parker. The doves are a nice touch (*sniff, sniff*). Watch for a $25-$30 price tag.

Uncanny X-Force #20 (Paul Renaud Venom Variant Cover)

Uncanny X-Force #20 (Paul Renaud Venom Variant Cover), 1:50. This is another nice one but, is it just me, or does it look like these three are transforming into Venom outside Superman’s Fortress of Solitude? Watch for a $25-$30 price tag.

Uncanny X-Men #5 (Greg Horn Venom Variant Cover), 1:50
Venom #12 (Mike Del Mundo Venom Variant Cover), 1:50
Wolverine And The X-Men #2 (Chris Bachalo 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99

Speculator Picks of the Week

These are comics that could sell out very quickly due to conservative ordering, popular demand, shipping errors or even the Occupy Diamond Comics movement amping up its protests and forming human chains to block UPS pick-ups. Pick them up while you can or pay too much for them later . . .

Prophet #21

IMAGE
Written by BRANDON GRAHAM
Art by SIMON ROY
Covers by MARION CHURCHLAND and ROB LIEFELD

Solicitation: The distant future Earth is inhabited by alien settlers that feed off of the ape-men mankind has devolved into. John Prophet awakes from cryosleep on a mission to restart the human empire.

32 pages
$2.99
Sold Out

Why it’ll go fast: There’s huge buzz on the net about this one. Prophet was originally the creation of Rob Liefeld during the early days of Image Comics and Liefeld’s Extreme Comics imprint. The original story wasn’t very good, or even very clear for that matter. Prophet was similar to Cable, also created by Liefeld but lost to Marvel when he left for Image, a time-traveling solider with huge guns and lots of bandoliers and pouches. Unlike Cable Prophet was a far more violent and had a penchant for quoting the book of revelation. Other than that there wasn’t much story to catch up on. Prophet #21 picks up the numbering where the last series left off but looks to be an entirely new take on the character with a Sci-Fi-via-1980s-Heavy Metal-comics vibe. Rich Johnston over at Bleeding Cool.com (staple reading for comic fanboys) called this new take on the character “Terminator meets Twelve Monkeys” and “What Avatar could have been.” The new series finds John Prophet in the far future battling for the remnants of humanity in a strange world and it looks very cool. This one sold out before shipping so grab what you can find.

Daredevil #8

MARVEL
Written by MARK WAID
Art by PAOLO RIVERA

Solicitation:

• Spider-Man and Daredevil Team Up part two!
• Picks up where Amazing Spider-Man #677 left off.
• The next great love triangle of the Marvel U continues here.

32 pages
$2.99
Sold out

Why it’ll go fast: First of all, Marvel, the bullet-point solicitations have got to go. They make you look lazy. If you need a guy to write copy, I’m available and cheap, (just ask my WorthPoint masters) [He’s right; Matt works for a pittance. — WorthPoint Master]. Now back to our story. Mark Waid’s Daredevil was one of the most critically acclaimed comics of 2011 and for good reason. It’s some of the best DD stuff that’s ever been printed. This one sold out before shipping—which hasn’t happened to DD since its #1 relaunch issue—on the weight of the Amazing Spider-Man readers who want to see what happens next. More people read Spidey than DD so, boom! Instant sellout. Now, hopefully, that translates into even higher sales for DD, but that remains to be seen. For now, this could be a tough issue to find and really is a must-buy even if it never sells for more than cover price.

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Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint to search its database or use its “Ask A Worthologist” feature. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price.

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Rinker on Collectibles: How Behavioral Economics Effect Our Purchases

Harry Rinker — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:08:22 +0000

The antiques and collectibles business does not operate in isolation in respect to economic, marketing, scientific and sociological principles that govern other business practices. Since there is no formal “theory of the trade,” I searched other business and scientific operating theories seeking possible connections to the antiques and collectibles trade.

The June 1, 2000 issue of “Science Daily” contained an article that discussed how the brain “fills in blanks” to help us see and interact with objects by inserting missing information. The scientific concept involved is perception theory.

Perception theory principles apply to the antiques and collectibles trade in numerous ways. I hear countless stories from individuals who tell me about examining and purchasing an object only to get it home and discover a crack, chip or defect they overlooked during the initial inspection. When buying jigsaw puzzles, I have to exercise care if the puzzle is assembled, placed on a dark cardboard, and shrink wrapped. If I look straight at the puzzle, I occasionally overlooked one or more missing pieces. Correcting what my eyes see, my brain fills in any missing pieces. Nature abhors a vacuum. So does the human mind.

Holding and examining the object at an odd angle or against an unfamiliar background is the method used to avoid seeing missing defects. The mind only corrects defects and missing information when the eyes view objects in the traditional/standard mode.

I keep ample reading material in the room where I usually find myself on a daily basis with time for reflection. AARP The Magazine is one of these resources. The May/June 2011 issue contained an article by David Kestenbaum entitled “Why We Fall for This.” It is worth reading.

The article focuses on behavioral economics, “which explores how money plays tricks with our heads.” The website Investopedia defines behavioral economics as: “The study of psychology as it relates to the economic decision-making process of individuals and institutions. The two most important questions in this field are: 1. Are economists’ assumptions of utility or profit maximization good approximations of real people’s behavior? 2. Do individuals maximize subjective expected utility?” Investopedia goes on to explain: “Behavioral economics explores why people sometimes make irrational decisions and why and how their behavior does not follow the predications of economic models . . .”

Is this scientific fact or hooey when applied to the antiques and collectibles field? The answer is fact.

[Author’s Aside: I debated for months whether or not to write this column. I was a strong supporter of Mark Chervenka’s efforts in providing the trade with authentication information that informed us how to differentiate between period pieces and reproductions (exact copies), copycat (stylistic copies), fantasy pieces and fakes. At the same time, Mark’s efforts also provide information to manufacturers and fakers about how to correct the faults in subsequent production, thus making the authentication process more difficult. It is the perfect example of damned if you do and damned if you do not.

The same applies to what follows. By identifying and discussing several marketing traps and pricing tricks that fake out the brain, I am providing a methodology that unscrupulous dealers and others in the trade can employ. Since caveat emptor (let the buyer beware) governs the antiques and collectibles industry, I decided that to beware, one must be aware.]

Kestenbaum utilizes a cause and effect approach in his “Why We Fall for This” article. He notes: “Companies exploit . . . brain scrambling effects to get us to buy things we don’t need. The good news: If you see them coming, you can use the same tricks to save money—and make money.”

Using a high price to make a lower price seem reasonable even if it is not is one of the traps Kestenbaun identifies. He cites the example of a restaurant wine list that contains a $200 bottle of wine, which no one is likely to order, so that bottles of wine priced around $100 seem reasonable.

Applying this concept to the antiques and collectible field, especially at antiques malls and antiques shows, is easy. When examining merchandise in a booth or showcase, the first thing I check out is the merchandise pricing. Is it what I expect? If not, is it high or low? How do prices on one object relate to the others?

Aware of the above example, I recall numerous booths and showcases where there were one or two high (also read “over”) priced objects that made the values on the other objects in the booth or showcase appear more reasonable than they were. Whether the sellers deliberately utilized the above behavioral strategy is open to question. My friend David Lindquist of Whitehall at the Villa Antiques always advises me “to give a dealer the benefit of the doubt.” I prefer to consider dealers far smarter than David would like me to believe.

I was victimized by a variation of this trap early in my buying career. While attending a show, I saw numerous objects that I would have liked to own priced at or slightly more than $100—at the time, a challenging sum. When I encountered objects I desired priced between $35 and $45, I bought eagerly. At the end of the day, I had spent more than $400 on my “reasonably priced” purchases. I learned to add up my purchases as I made them to maintain a firm grasp of how much money I was spending.

There are two methods to avoid this trap. First, do market research before buying. Understand the scarcity level and the price-point spread of the collecting category and object. Second, know what you are willing to pay and do not pay more. Kestenbaum suggest that you pick an object at a set value—a concept known as a price anchor—and use it as a reference point. Compare what you are buying to the price anchor. Is paying more worth “the show” value?

Another behavioral trap is loss aversion. Once we own something, our concept of its value increases. “The pain of losing outweighs the joy of winning.” Every month I receive letters and e-mails from individuals telling me they purchased an object at venues ranging from an auction to an antiques show to Goodwill and asking me to tell them what it is worth. Since they just bought it, they obviously know what it is worth. However, once they own it, they become obsessed with the concept that it has to be worth more than they paid for it. Everyone loves a bargain. I have lost track of the number of times that I have had to tell a person that he/she paid too much rather than too little.

The same applies to my use of the phrase “you should have kissed the hand and taken the money” at appraisal clinics. It is not difficult to tell when I provide a disappointing value. The owner’s eyes are a giveaway. When I ask what the problem is, the owner says, “I was offered three times that amount five years ago.” “Why did you not sell?” I ask. The owner’s response ranges from “if that person thought it was worth that much, I knew it had to be worth more” to “since it is now five years later, the object has to be worth more.”

Kestenbaum notes that in the stock market, “we tend to hold losers too long and sell winners too early.” The same applies in the antiques and collectibles field.

What was just described also relates to another behavioral trap. The lure of a huge payoff overshadows low-odds situations. Everyone in the trade, from collectors to dealers, is out for the kill, the cheap purchase that sells for hundreds of thousands. Dreams, not reality, is one of the primary commodities sold in the antiques and collectibles industry.

Behavioral science most certainly has more to offer in terms of understanding how the antiques and collectibles trade operates than those examples offered above. I welcome any additional connections from readers who are behavioral anthropologists, economists, psychologists, or sociologists. Send your observations to harrylrinker [at] aol [dot] com.

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

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Collecting That Masked Man: A Look at Lone Ranger Memorabilia

James Burrell — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:33:31 +0000

Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels as The Lone Ranger and Tonto. The Lone Ranger has been thrilling fans with his heroic exploits for nearly 80 years.

One of the most beloved of fictional western characters, the Lone Ranger has been thrilling fans with his heroic exploits for nearly 80 years. Created by radio station owner George W. Trendle and writer Fran Striker, the character made his debut via a radio program broadcast from Trendle’s Detroit, Mich., station WXYZ on Jan. 30, 1933. Conceived as a cowboy variation on vigilante characters like Zorro, the Lone Ranger is actually John Reid, the only survivor of a group of six Texas Rangers (of whom the captain was older brother Dan) ambushed by the outlaw Butch Cavendish gang. Shot and critically wounded, Reid is fortuitously found by a Native American man, Tonto, who realizing he is the same person who saved his own life years prior, tends to John’s injuries.

Upon regaining his health, Reid makes a vow to bring both the Cavendish band and any other lawbreakers he comes across to justice and dons a domino-like mask cut from the vest of his slain brother to prevent anyone from learning his true identity. After Tonto offers to aid him in his quest, the pair comes across a gored white stallion which they nurse back to health. Naming the steed Silver, the masked rider and his companion ride off to tackle Cavendish and help restore law and order to the Old West.

An immediate hit, “The Lone Ranger” captured the public’s imagination like few radio programs before it and managed to draw in listeners of all ages who anxiously awaited the next installment to hear the rousing strains of its theme music—the William Tell Overture—and the Ranger’s shout of “Hi-yo, Silver! Away!” On the airwaves for more than 20 years, the stalwart program ended its run in September of 1954 after more than 2,950 episodes. But the success of the character went much further than the radio show; it lead to the release of two late-1930s movie serials—the eponymously titled “The Lone Ranger” (1938) and “The Lone Ranger Rides Again” (1939), the fondly remembered 1949-57 television series starring Clayton Moore as the masked hero and Jay Silverheels as Tonto, two late-1950s spinoff feature films, “The Lone Ranger” (1956) and “The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold” (1958) also starring Moore and Silverheels, as well as various animated series, a 1981 big-budget film and even a 2003 WB TV movie.

With the success of these projects, a flurry of Lone Ranger-inspired collectibles would wind up flooding the market, helping to add to the character’s already immense popularity. From the 1930s to the present, hundreds of different items based upon (or adorned with images of) the Ranger, Tonto and their trusty steeds—Silver and Scout—have been released. These include rings, cap guns, badges, tin lunchboxes, wallets, clothing, statues, toy playsets, dolls, comic books, trading cards, children’s novels, action figures, colouring books, plastic model kits, puzzles, Halloween costumes, collector’s plates, Christmas tree ornaments and much more.

Gold Key Comics’ The Lone Ranger, No. 9 (January, 1968) and The Lone Ranger, No. 7 (2007), Dynamite Entertainment. Dynamite is currently running a new series of Lone Ranger comics.

Among some of the earliest items was a 1938 board game manufactured by Parker Brothers called, simply enough, The Lone Ranger Game. Featuring colorful box artwork of the Ranger wearing his very early outfit of red shirt and black pants, the game came with two spinners (one for number of spaces to move; the other for what direction to head in) and several mini Ranger-on-horse pieces that were needed to try and capture a bandit “hiding out in the mountains”—depicted by colorful illustrations on the board. Also available that year was the Hi-Yo Silver The Lone Ranger Target Game by Louis Marx & Company. Featuring a gun with suction-cup darts, it also included a 16-by-27-inch tin target board with beautifully lithographed images of the Lone Ranger and Silver and various targets framed within his lasso.

Other items, like a pair of Lone Ranger and Tonto stuffed dolls by the Dollcraft Novelty Company, were marketed in 1938. With their beautifully-made composition heads, hands and feet, and highly-detailed cloth costumes and weapons, these dolls remain highly sought-after collectables. The late-1930s and early ’40s would also see the release of several children’s novels in Whitman Publishing’s beloved Big Little Books line; and in 1947, the Esquire Novelty Company would put out a Lone Ranger Cap Gun and Holster Set.

Tonto and Lone Ranger action figures, made by Gabriel following the release of “Legend of the Lone Ranger” (1980).

Promotional items or “premiums” were also big throughout this period, with rings, “pocket-sized” comic books and small toys given away or offered as mail-away items in boxes of cereal and other products. Cheerios offered especially nice premiums like a Lone Ranger Movie Film Ring (shaped to somewhat resemble one of the masked man’s silver bullets) which came with a tiny strip of 8-millimeter film that was viewable by looking through a small lens on the end of the ring. Another great Cheerios item (or, in this case, items) was a set of nine different “Frontier Town” cardboard buildings, issued in 1947. The buildings were printed separately on the backs of the cereal boxes and could be cut out and constructed to make an elaborate playset. Kids could also mail away 10 cents to get four different maps for use with the set.

During the 1950s, Lone Ranger dress-up costumes, cap guns and toy rifles were very popular items for boys, with numerous versions made available for sale. Meanwhile, Whitman continued to release various items, such as coloring books and frame-tray puzzles, while Dell Comics would put out comic books featuring colorful photo covers of Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels. In the ’60s, Gold Key released its own line of Lone Ranger comics (though many were merely reprints of stories from the Dell series). Among the most desirable items from this era, however, were the Ideal Toy Company’s two Captain Action Lone Ranger Uniform costume sets: one featured the red shirt and black pants; the other, his more familiar blue outfit, as well as a costume set of Tonto. For those unfamiliar with the line, Captain Action was a 12-inch action figure whose identity could be altered by re-dressing it with other costume sets (consisting of a mask, highly detailed outfit, weapons and other accessories) that were sold separately. Extremely rare, the Lone Ranger sets, along with the uniforms produced for TV and comic book characters like Batman, Spider-Man, the Green Hornet, Captain America and The Phantom, can command hundreds of dollars apiece nowadays when found in complete, mint condition.

The Lone Ranger Reissue Uniform and Equipment Set for a Captain Action doll, produced by Playing Mantis (2000).

A 3-inch Tonto PVC figurine, made by Palladium, 1990.

Throughout the 1970s, numerous products would continue to make their way to store shelves—most of it courtesy of Gabriel Toys. The company, which began putting out Lone Ranger toys in 1973, would become closely identified with the property by producing a plethora of high-quality 10-inch figures, plus scale horses and playsets for use with them. Along with figures of the Ranger, Tonto and Butch Cavendish, kids were also offered such characters as Sheriff Tex Dawson and the villainous El Lobo, as well as “disguise” sets for them. Other memorable ’70s items included two plush dolls (one being a 24-inch talking version; the other a 19-inch non-talking one) released by the famed Mego Corporation in 1974; a set of Lone Ranger and Tonto water guns also put out that same year by Durham Industries; and a 45 RPM Book-and-Record set released by Peter Pan Records in 1977.

With the release of the 1981 film, “The Legend of the Lone Ranger” starring Klinton Spilsbury as the Lone Ranger and Michael Horse as Tonto, Gabriel once again put out a slew of figures (but this time in the 3 ¾-inch scale and made popular by Kenner’s phenomenally successful “Star Wars” toy line) as well as several horses. As a nod perhaps to old-time cereal promotions, Gabriel offered their own premium—a free cardboard “Western Town” playset—when kids mailed away the proof-of-purchase for any four figures or horses. Other collectables from the film included a board game from Milton Bradley, a set of Viewmaster reels from GAFF, a soundtrack album of composer John Barry’s score from MCA Records, a storybook from Random House and a tie-in novelization by Ballantine Books. Cheerios was even back with another free mail-away promotion obtainable with three proofs-of-purchase: the “Deputy Kit” which included a mask, badge, poster, booklet and “Deputy Certificate.”

The Lone Ranger Keepsake Christmas Ornament, produced by Hallmark Cards, Inc., 2000.

Since the early 1980s, Lone Ranger items have appeared with much less frequency; but every so often, a new toy, comic book series or collectible is produced. Some of the more recent examples include a reissue of the Captain Action costume by Playing Mantis in 2000, Christmas ornaments from Hallmark in 2000 and Carlton Cards in 2003, a Lone Ranger and Silver Bobber figure and cookie jar by Vandor in 2003, both a 2006 and 2008 comic book line from Dynamite Entertainment and just released this year: a 14-inch high 75th Anniversary Statue from Dynamic Forces.

Through eight decades of radio, television, film and a mountain of merchandise, the Lone Ranger and Tonto have gained millions of fans worldwide and the characters have become revered icons of popular culture. There is currently another Long Ranger comic being published by Dynamite and, if the planned big-budget, Disney-backed film starring Johnny Depp indeed comes to pass, there’s sure to be renewed interest in both the characters and collectables inspired by them for many more years to come.

James Burrell writes about film, pop culture and collectibles for a variety of publications and online sites, including Rue Morgue and Canuxploitation! A life-long collector of vintage science-fiction, fantasy and monster-themed toys and movie memorabilia, he resides in Toronto, Canada.

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Great Depression Legacy: Enduring Furniture & Terms Still in Use Today

Fred Taylor — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:55:45 +0000

This cocktail table even came with a glass serving tray. But because a cocktail was frowned upon by a portion of the society, it was renamed a “coffee” table, which was more socially acceptable. (Fred Taylor photo)

Most Americans alive today did not live through the Great Depression of the late 1920s and 1930s, and for that we can be glad—ask anyone who did live through it—it was a tragic and sad time. But, like most bad times, it did have a few bright spots and some of those are with us today.

The period not only left us with a legacy of factory-made family heirlooms—many of which are regarded as true antiques by some today—the era left us with new additions to the vocabulary, some of which expired during the War years and later, but some of them survive today with the rekindled interest in the furniture and forms of the period.

Lifestyle words like Prohibition, speakeasy, bath tub gin and flapper come to mind (late 1920s & early ’30s), as do governmentally generated ideas like the NRA (National Recovery Act), the WPA (Works Project Administration), the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) and the New Deal. And, of course, there were darker words like breadline, soup kitchen and the match girl that reflect the desperation of the times. Just as the previous examples, there is an entire furniture vocabulary related to Depression-era furniture that may come in handy somewhere down the line. Here are just a few:

This little sewing box was a mainstay in Depression households. (Fred Taylor photo)

Priscilla: This is a small, lightweight stand with a slanted top that lifts on both sides, used as a sewing cabinet. There is a handle above the lift-top for carrying the stand. This ubiquitous sewing stand was named after a very popular treadle sewing machine of the early 20th century. In the 1920s, the company published a sewing magazine called “Modern Priscilla” and makers of the sewing stand adopted the name.

Borax: The term “borax furniture” means the extremely cheaply made but showy furniture aimed at the bottom of the Depression market. It was usually made of gum or poplar wood, which was painted in a yellowish wash. Then the pattern of fancy veneer was actually printed onto the surface and router lines produced an “engraved” look on the printed surface.

This Art Modern bedroom set is veneered in the distinctly striped “Oriental walnut.” (Fred Taylor photo)

Oriental Walnut: Literature of the period frequently refers to the wood used in a piece as
“Oriental walnut,” an easily recognized geometrically striped wood that almost looks artificial in its uniformity and used extensively in Art Moderne furniture. However, the wood was neither oriental nor walnut. In fact, it grows only in the coastal region of Queensland Australia. The technical name is Endiandra palmerstonii and is not even in the wood family we commonly refer to as “walnut.”

Antimacassar: This term actually was in use before the Depression era but it became more common then, when new fabric for upholstery was too expensive. The term refers to the cover many meticulous homemakers put on the top back of upholstered furniture to protect the fabric. Men’s hair styles of the day ran to the “wet look,” which was achieved by the use of various scented oils. The original oil was supposedly imported from the Macassar district of the island of Celebes, but other oils—such castor oil—were often used in its place.

The vertically striped trim below the drawer is veneerite, printed paper glued to the surface. (Fred Taylor photo)

Veneerite: This is the predecessor of the notorious “photo finish” of the 1980s. Similar to the borax process, the imprint of fancy veneer is printed onto thin paper and the paper is then glued to the wood, producing the look of elaborate edge banding and inlay without the expense—not really a premium product but it was creative for the time and allowed a richer look for folks who couldn’t afford the real thing.

Coffee Table: This common phrase ordinarily doesn’t bring the Depression era to mind, but that’s where it originated. The 18th Amendment—Prohibition—prompted the form. During Prohibition, a great deal of America’s liquor was homemade and it had an abominable taste. Thus, the development of the highball—the mixture of alcohol with a pleasant-tasting drink to mask the flavor. This was the “cocktail.” When Prohibition was repealed in 1933, furniture manufacturers were quick to market a low profile “cocktail” table for the newly legalized drink. The backlash against the practice of publicly marketing what everyone wanted in private led to the manufacturers renaming their tables as socially acceptable “coffee” tables.

This stand with ashtray, cigarette or cigar holder and metal lined tobacco storage space was a common site in Depression era homes. (Fred Taylor photo)

Smoking Stand: Another vice of the period created a form that appears in almost every antique store and mall—the smoking stand with the accompanying ashtray, often equipped with a metal lined storage compartment for tobacco. Smoking stands had been popular since the turn of the century, but manufacturers during the Depression placed special emphasis on small specialty items, such as magazine racks and tea carts, to get people who couldn’t buy a complete dining room or bedroom set to at least buy something. The stand became an art form in itself and some are highly prized today, even if the original reason for their existence is in decline.

There are many more terms, phrases and forms from the Depression era that are important today and can be found in the following books, among others:

“Furniture of the Depression Era,” by Harriett and Robert Swedberg, published by Collector Books.

“Popular Furniture of the 1920s and 1930s,” from Schiffer Books.

“American Manufactured Furniture,” by Don Fredgant, also published by Schiffer.

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.

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Clinchfield Pottery Plate, Lafayette Rittgers Figurines

Harry Rinker — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:02:27 +0000

QUESTION: I am trying to identify an earthenware dinner plate that belongs to a cousin. The body has a white glaze. There is a medallion at 12 o’clock on the flat front border that features a head-and-shoulder portrait of a pretty lady inside a horseshoe that is flanked on each site by a swastika and floral arrangement. The backstamp consists of a crown on top of a circle. Within the border inside the circle is: “CLINCHFIELD / CHINA.” “S. P. I.” is in the center of the circle. Beneath the mark is the number “4-26.” Can you help?

– S.B., via e-mail

ANSWER: The detailed images of the medallion and mark attached to your e-mail were helpful in dating and identifying the maker of your plate.

The woman’s image and the surrounding presentation are typical of images used on ceramics in the late 1910s and early 1920s. The swastika, an equilateral cross whose arms are bent at right angles in either a clockwise or counter clockwise motion, is a decorative symbol that dates back to antiquity. The word’s origin is suastika, a Sanskrit word associated with any lucky or auspicious object. Cultures as diverse as Buddhism, Greco-Roman, Hinduism, Native American, and Slavic used the symbol.

[Author’s Aside: The swastika is found in right-facing (counterclockwise) and left facing form (clockwise motion). The example on the plate is right-facing, the same image that eventually become the symbol for the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) from the 1920s through 1945. Although the two images are identical, there is no association between them. The designer of the medallion on the plate selected the swastika for its “good luck” connotation in support of the horseshoe surrounding the pretty lady.]

In the middle of the 1910s, the Clinchfield, Carolina and Ohio Railroad sought to encourage new industry along its line. E. J. Owen, formerly associated with the East End Pottery in East Liverpool, Ohio, Owen China Company in Minerva, Ohio, and Paden City Pottery, founded Clichfield Pottery in Erwin, Tenn., in 1917. The first products were dinnerware, often featuring gold trim and applied decals.

In 1920, Clinchfield Pottery was incorporated as Southern Potteries Incorporated (S.P.I.). From 1917 until 1938, most pieces were marked with the crown Clinchfield China mark. A limited number, approximately 15, dinnerware blanks were utilized to produce pieces, variety created by changing the applied decal or trim. The company also produced a large number of advertising ceramics, such as calendar plates during this period. The number “4-26” most likely indicates the mold blank (4) and the decal number (26).

Collectors for Clinchield period Southern Pottery pieces number fewer than 50, perhaps even 25. Your plate has more curiosity than dollar value. Its secondary market value is less than $5.

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QUESTION: I have nine, 1940s Lafayette Rittgers figures that include two baseball players and an umpire, two football players, a lady and male bowler, and a boxer and referee. How much are they worth?

– S.P., Phoenix, Ariz., via e-mail

ANSWER: Lafayette (Fay) L. Rittgers (April 15, 1904-Feb. 14, 1984) grew up in Oklahoma City. Upon finishing high school, he moved to Denver, where he met and married Helen in May 1929. While in Denver, he was employed as a window decorator at the John A. Brown Department Store. In 1937, Lafayette and Helen moved to Chicago. Lafayette enhanced his sculpting skills by attending art school. Eventually, he established his own studio.

Rittgers introduced his first commercial novelty figurines in 1939: a standup and tied-up wrestler. An umpire with a chest protector appeared in 1940. The baseball player, another wrestler, football player and bowlers (male and female) appeared in 1941. Sports series were sold in sets of two or three, depending on the grouping, wholesaling for $2 and retailing between $3 and $5.

By 1941, Rittgers employed six individuals to produce and paint his humorous figures. In 1943, he moved his novelty business from his 51st and Harper Avenue location to a storefront building near 56th and Harper. A year later the company moved to 5628 South Lake Park Ave.

Rittgers sold his novelties through Suttle and Asmus, a wholesale distributor who displayed at gift shows throughout the Midwest. While Rittgers Novelties did not issue catalogs, examples of Suttle and Asmus catalogs featuring Rittgers pieces survive.

Rittgers signed and copyrighted his work. Although Rittgers ended his novelty business in 1956, he continued to sculpt models on a commission basis for advertising and other purposes. Rittgers figures appeared in a series of 1950 Buick advertisements.

The label on the bottom of a figure dates it. Two labels were used from 1941 to 1945: (1) “Original Humor by / RITTGERS / Copyrighted by Lafayette L. Rittgers / CHICAGO” and (2) “Distributed by / SUTTLE & ASMUS / CHICAGO, ILL.” The label “DISTRIBUTED / Exclusively by / SUTTLE and RITTGERS Inc. / Evanston, Illinois” dates from the mid-1940s through the early 1950s. “Copyright by / LAFAYETTE LASO RITTGERS / CHICAGO 37, ILL.” is the last label used.

The difficulty in providing a value for your figurines is that variations abound. Molds were changed slightly. Decorators used various paint schemes. Some baseball players and other sports figures feature specific team or company logos on their uniforms.

Charlie Bulko’s “Collecting Rittgers: The Complete Collector’s Guide,” published by the author in 2011 (ordering information available by e-mailing cbulko [at] excite [dot] com) contains a detailed history of Rittgers Novelties and a desirability scale. With 10 indicating most desirable and 1 least desirable, your sports sets are in the 1 to 2 range.

Common baseball, wrestling and bowling sets, assuming very good or better condition, sell between $175 and $225 at auction. Add another $50 for the football set. Individual figures begin around $65 and go up in value depending on scarcity. Buy It Now prices on eBay tend to be higher. Figurines with damage of any kind are tough sells.

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QUESTION: I have a vintage Santa with a label reading “Rushton Star Creation” on one side and “The Rushton Company / Atlanta, Ga. / 1” on the other. Santa is 18 inches tall and a Coca Cola collectible. He has a Coke bottle under one hand. The bottle is dark molded with the letters “Coca Cola” beneath which is “Trademark registered.” The bottle cap reads: “Drink / Coca Cola / Reg. US Pat. Off.” His face and hands are molded plastic. His eyes are brown. His belt is black plastic. His boots are black vinyl and not molded. The boots have white stitching around the sole. The examples I have found on the internet have molded white or black boots. Listings indicate these were made in the late 1950s. I believe my Santa dates back to the 1940s. Can you help me date it?

– G.S., Mars Hill, N.C., via e-mail

ANSWER: Yes, your Santa dates from 1957. The Rushton Coca-Cola Santa was introduced in that year to market Coca-Cola during the holiday season. The company did not exist in the 1940s. The 1957 selling price was $3.98. The labels you describe above were attached to the soles of the feet.

There are several listings for Rushton Coca-Cola Santas with “stitched vinyl boots,” which indicate yours as an early version of the doll. There are three sizes—14, 15 and 16 inches. How precisely did you measure your doll? In your defense, I did find an 18-inch Rushton Star Creation Santa online.

The period bottle is a value-added feature. Most examples listed either are missing the bottle or are being sold with a replica bottle.

For more information about the history of Rushton Company here.

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QUESTION: I have a “BURRY’S 10 CENTS OFF COUPON FOR PEPSI COLA” with an expiration date of December 31, 1961. I found the coupon in the bottom of a friend’s kitchen cabinet during remolding. The coupon was to be mailed to the Burry Biscuit Corporation of Elizabeth, New Jersey. Does the coupon have any value in today’s marketplace?

– M.L., Florida, via e-mail

ANSWER: The Burry Biscuit Company, Elizabeth, N.J., traced its history back to 1888. In 1959, it was a division of Quaker Oats, which subsequently sold off Burry in the early 1980s. In 2003, Burry was part of Interbake Food, Inc., which canceled the Burry trademark in 2005. Burry’s former Elizabeth, N.J. factory suffered a major fire on Dec. 22, 2011.

Burry produced a variety of cookies in the 1960s, including Gauchos (a peanut butter-cream filling inside an oatmeal shell), fudge-filled shortcake, and pecan penuche. Burry also made Girl Scout cookies in the 1930s and possibly later.

Your coupon has no redeemable value and very little collector value. Alas, society has long passed the point where a 10-cent rebate is viewed as an incentive. A Pepsi collector might pay $1 to $2 based more on novelty than collectible value, but do not hold your breath.

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

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