– MP, Kempton, PA

ANSWER: I only applied to two universities for my undergraduate work—Lehigh University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I chose Lehigh and, as Robert Frost said in his “The Road not Taken”: “that has made all the difference.” Although dedicated and loyal to Lehigh, I still admit I have the utmost regard for MIT. Hence, I was delighted when I discovered the answer to your question on MIT’s Web site at http://ecg.mit.edu/george/tos/.

The MIT Things of Science home page contains a detailed history of the kits and a complete listing of every kit documented to date. The following is a summary of the historical information:

E. W. Scripps (1854-1926), the newspaper publisher, established the nonprofit Science Service in 1921. The organization’s goal was to provide articles and information about science to the media.

Watson Davis (1896-1967), director of Science Service from 1928 to 1967, was the founding father of the Things of Science program. It was launched in November 1940. Initially, it sent out its science kits as an attention-getter for its story releases. By 1946, the subscriber base was evenly split between individuals, school groups and science clubs.

The initial mailing boxes were brown. The first blue box appears in October 1943. The Science Service obtained the items it put in its kits via donation. As a result, it instituted a 1,000-subscriber limit. Demand was so great the subscriber number was expanded to 5,000 in 1944, 7,000 in 1946, and 12,000 in 1952. The flyer for the 1957 expansion read: “Things of Science: member is sent a different box of unusual ‘Things’ monthly like dinosaur bone, lava, glass fibers, oil—with detailed descriptions, suggested experiments, and museum-type labels. $4 per year. New memberships limited.” Material included in 1960s kits ranged from copper ore and flexible magnets to a polyprophlene hinge and a silkworm’s cocoon.

Science Service ended its production and distribution of Things of Science kits in 1980. Andrew E. Svenson, Jr., the son of a children’s book writer, purchased the company and continued to create new kits until 1989, at which time the right to produce Things of Science kits reverted back to the Science Service. Four hundred and fifty-seven archive boxes of Things of Science records are housed in the Smithsonian as Record Unit 7091.

The exact number of kits produced is open to interpretation. Prior to the 338 kits issued between 1940 and 1968, there were 20 to 22 kits that were not numbered. There was a 25A kit. Kits issued after 1969 were not numbered. In fact, it is difficult to establish a year for some of the kits. The copyright date on the information in a kit is the best dating information.

Things of Science kits appear for sale on eBay and other Internet direct sale Web sites. Kits sell for between $5 and $15. Value considerations include age (earlier kits usually bring a higher price), completeness (many kits had extra parts in addition to the object and booklet), condition and the period mailing box.

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QUESTION: I have eight-place settings of Holly Hobby china, complete with creamer and sugar, serving platter, large serving bowl, and other accessories. The plates have a silver rim, a Holly Hobby blue band, and a picture of Holly Hobby in the center. I bought the dinnerware while living in California in the early 1970s. I know there were not many full dinnerware services made. What is mine worth today?

– SQ, via e-mail

ANSWER: In your e-mail you referred to your dinnerware as “Holly Hobby.” Every Web search referred me to Holly Hobbie. I am moving forward assuming you have Holly Hobbie dinnerware.

When I lay me down to sleep and pray the Lord my soul to keep, I ask the good Lord to save me from ever having to write about certain collecting categories, for example, Avon bottles, My Little Pony, Bratz dolls, and, of course, Holly Hobbie. The good Lord may grant Garth Brook’s unanswered prayers, but he certainly did not grant mine.

Holly Hobbie is a real person and a fictional character. Denise Holly Ulinskas, who married Douglas Hobbie, authored “Toot and Puddle,” the book that introduced the world to the fictional Holly Hobbie.

Holly Hobbie took off when American Greetings obtained licensing rights in the early 1970s. Rex Connors and Bob Childers, members of American Greeting’s Humorous Planning department, helped create support characters and merchandise. Knickerbocker Toys produced a line of rag dolls in 1974.

Holly Hobbie had a face lift in 2006, supported by a Nick Jr. made-for-TV movie “Holly Hobbie and Friends: Surprise Party.” Mattel issued several Holly Hobbie and friend dolls in the same year, supporting them with separate outfits.

I found several versions of Holly Hobbie dinnerware, but not the pattern you described. It is scarce, or the pattern name is incorrect and I am in the wrong ballpark entirely.

I did find a 20-piece Holly Hobbie dinnerware service in another pattern with an opening bid request of $199 on eBay. There were no bids. Perhaps I need to give eBay buyers more credit than in the past for staying away from a rotten deal when they smell one.

A realistic value for your dinnerware service is between $75 and $100. Finding a buyer should not be difficult. There are worldwide Holly Hobbie collectors. List your dinnerware on eBay. Its clientele are global. Ask for an opening bid of $50 and let it fly. Do not place a hidden reserve. As with all antiques and collectibles, your dinnerware is worth only what someone is willing to pay for it. Place your bet and take your chances.

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QUESTION: I have an embossed leather Nov. 30, 1905, menu, measuring approximately 3 inches by 5 inches, from the USS Kentucky. The ship was apparently in Norfolk, Va., for Thanksgiving dinner that year. The menu lists coffee and cigars. A great uncle served on the ship. Any information you can provide would be helpful.

– MD, Bowie, TX

ANSWER: Four ships were named after Kentucky, the 15th State in the Union. The first was the CSS Kentucky, a Confederate transport that was captured by the Union’s Mississippi Flotilla in 1863. The USS Kentucky (BB-6) was a Kearsarge class battleship (March 24, 1898-Jan. 23, 1924) that was part of the Great White Fleet. The USS Kentucky (BB-66), an Iowa-class battleship, had her contract cancelled during construction in 1947. Today the USS Kentucky (SSBN-737), an Ohio-class submarine, patrols the worldwide seas.

The USS Kentucky (BB-6) was built by the Newport News and Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company. She was commissioned on Oct. 26, 1900, and set sail on Oct. 25 for the Far East. The ship remained on Asiatic Station duty until she sailed from Manila to return to the United States on March 13, 1904. The USS Kentucky was overhauled in 1904. She then joined the North Atlantic Fleet transporting troops to Cuba in October 1905. She returned to the North Atlantic Fleet in mid-October.

While it is possible that the “Norfolk” on your menu indicates the location where the ship was built, it is more likely the location of the ship on that date. The USS Kentucky joined 16 other battleships on the famous White Fleet cruise around the world from 1907 to 1908. The ship was in and out of the service several times between late 1908 and 1916. The USS Kentucky served as a training ship during World War I. The end came in 1924 when Dravo Construction Company of Pittsburgh, Pa. bought the ship for scrap.

Meals aboard early 20th Century American battleships were often formal affairs. Menus were printed and cigars were served. Officers kept souvenirs from the more important meals.

Your menu appeals to a variety of collectors; for example, USS Kentucky, Great White Fleet, Kentucky commonwealth, menu and cigar collectors. Obviously, some value it higher than others. Assuming your menu is in very good or better condition (a tricky call when leather is involved), its value is between $35 and $45.

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QUESTION: I have 12 Royal Doulton blue and white Yale University plates dated 1930s on the reverse. Each features a transfer of a different university scene. They are all in good shape except for one that has a chip on the edge. I would like an estimate of what they are worth.

– A G-B, Ripon, WI

ANSWER: Wedgwood manufactured your Yale University plates. Yale was one of dozens of universities to issue commemorative plate series in the 1920s and early 1930s.

The average price for a 1920s-1930s Wedgwood university plate is between $45 and $55. Dealers tend to ask between $70 and $80 per plate, assuming the principal buyer will be an alumnus of that institution who is prepared to pay whatever it takes to acquire the plate.

The chipped plate destroys pair or set value. However, it is more likely that you will obtain more money if the plates are sold separately than as a unit. The unit buyer would expect at minimum 25 percent discount.

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

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

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

Harry L. Rinker welcomes questions from readers about collectibles, those mass-produced items from the 20th century. Selected letters will be answered on this site. Harry cannot provide personal answers. Photos and other material submitted cannot be returned. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5093 Vera Cruz Road, Emmaus, PA 18049. You also can e-mail your questions to harrylrinker@aol.com. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered. Please indicate that these are questions for WorthPoint.

Copyright © Rinker Enterprises, Inc. 2009

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

—lyrics from “That’s Entertainment”

Antiques and collectibles are part of the entertainment industry. Many involved in the trade do not view it from this perspective, but it is true. If we do not entertain, we do not have customers. If we do not have customers, we cannot cultivate new collectors and others who buy our product. The entertainment aspect of the antiques and collectibles business is in the spotlight thanks to the Great Recession of 2008-09.

I called Dave Briddle, a partner along with Larry Gottula in the Brass Armadillo antiques malls chain, and asked him to share his insights into what is happening in the antiques mall scene. Brass Armadillo has mega-malls in Denver, Des Moines, Grain Valley (Missouri, just east of Kansas City), Omaha and Phoenix, and operates an outdoor flea market in Texas. Dave indicated that mall space was at near capacity, booths sales were up while case sales were down, and traffic remained steady.

Given the current state of the economy, I expected Dave to tell me that the Brass Armadillo antiques malls were having trouble retaining existing and attracting new dealers. Just the opposite was true. I asked Dave to share his secret.

Dave and Larry are innovators. They view their dealers as customers, equal in importance as the customers who come to their malls to buy. In surveying their dealers, they found that many viewed selling more as a social than money making activity. The dealers valued the camaraderie the mall environment provided. The mall was a form of entertainment.

Dave and Larry acted on what they learned. They organized informal lunch and dinner meetings so dealers could meet and talk with each other. They encouraged spouses to attend. A few specialized groups began meeting on a regular basis.

Educational programs ranging from object identification to marketing techniques were instituted. A free reference library was created, and dealers were encouraged to use it. Dealers appreciated that they had access to reference books outside their major areas of interest. Dealers asked to become more involved in the selling process, especially being in their booth to greet and talk with customers.

Many of the Brass Armadillo antiques mall dealers make only a small monthly profit. A few do not cover their expenses. Yet, they continue to rent. The strong sense of community Dave and Larry have created keeps them entertained.

Sandy Alderfer, owner of Sanford Alderfer Companies, is one of my sources for trends and other developments within the auction community. Alderfer’s conducts weekly auctions. The registered bidder count often exceeds 500. The firm continues to sell well in spite of the economic woes caused by the Great Recession.

Sandy holds his crowd because his auctions are entertaining. “Give me anything to sell, and I’ll entertain the crowd,” he said. The best auctioneers are entertainers. Their chant is melodic and captivating. Their selling pace develops a rhythm and beat that enthralls the bidders. Their down-to-earth jokes and asides keep the bidders attentive.

Auctions are free entertainment. You do not pay an admission fee. You do not have to buy something. However, when the auctioneer is very good, he creates an atmosphere where you want to buy and usually do. Go and enjoy. The food sold at the concession is often homemade; a bonus attendees appreciate.

PBS’s “Antiques Roadshow” is entertainment. Do not be fooled by its educational guise. The appraiser is expected to create suspense during his presentation and the owner to express delight and surprise when the value far exceeds what he expected. If either fails to happen, the appraisal is likely to end up on the cutting room floor.

The 78 episodes of “Collector Inspector” that I hosted for Home and Garden Television were carefully edited and crafted for maximum entertainment value. Every minute of air time represented an hour in a person’s house, during which 10 to 15 minutes of tape was shot. Scenes were re-blocked and repeated to improve the ambiance. Hands (a close up of my hands holding an object), over the shoulder, and object close-ups were done to be edited into the general walk-through shot. Voiceovers and background music were added. I found myself asking “did I really do that” when I saw many of the final edits.

I work hard to make my appraisal clinics, speaking engagements, WHATCHA GOT? radio show and “Rinker on Collectibles” entertaining. I want my listeners and readers to return. I use entertainment to educate. There is a dull, boring, far too serious side to antiques and collectibles and the business—the more this fact is kept secret and hidden, the better off the trade will be.

Antiques and collectibles show promoters use promotional entertainment hooks to attract customers. An appraisal clinic, book signing, identification booth, lecture, repair service such as a glass doctor, and displays are standard fare. I have attended shows that featured live music, costumed dealers, clowns (definitely not the same as costumed dealers) and face painters for children, celebrity signings, and hourly prize drawings. Many promoters are now creating multiple shows in a single venue. F+W Media Inc.—the parent company of KP (Krause) Publications—announced the cancellation of its Spring 2009 Atlantique Show in order to concentrate its efforts on adding an antiques and collectibles show to its Iola (Wis.) Old Car Show held each July. The Das Awkscht Fescht toy show, held the first weekend in August in Macungie, Pa., also is coupled with a major antique and vintage car show.

Auctioneers, mall owners, show promoters, and television producers appreciate entertainment value. Do the dealers? The answer is yes, as long as it does not involve them. They are happy to reap the benefits; just leave them alone.

If the antiques and collectibles trade is going to survive the Great Recession of 2008-09 and prosper in the future, dealers have to become entertainers. They can no longer afford to sit in a chair watching television, reading a book, or eating a snack at the side of their booth. Dealers must learn how to entertain.

It is not a lot to ask nor difficult to do. First, dealers need to display their merchandise attractively and in innovative ways that will catch customers’ attention. A good display entertains. It makes buyers pause and invites them into the booth. Like a fine painting, a strong booth display makes the viewer want to spend time admiring it. Unlike an art museum, the buyer can handle the objects.

Second, dealers need to improve their customer interaction skills. Personal attention is one of the best entertainment opportunities the antiques and collectibles trade offers. The trade is and will continue to be a one-on-one business. It is the dealer who sells the object today, not the object itself. A dealer who is an unentertaining conversationalist loses customers.

It is time to abandon the long-held principle that the antiques and collectibles trade is above entertainment. The traditionalist’s belief that aloofness and seriousness are keys to the industry’s survival is false. We need to show the general public that antiques and collectibles are fun to collect and use. Entertainment plays a critical role in getting that message across.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out his Web site: http://www.harryrinker.com

You can listen and participate in “WHATCHA GOT?,” Harry’s antiques-and-collectibles radio call-in show 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 letters will be answered on this site. Harry cannot provide personal answers. Photos and other material submitted cannot be returned. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5093 Vera Cruz Road, Emmaus, PA 18049. You also can e-mail your questions to harrylrinker@aol.com. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered. Please indicate that these are questions for WorthPoint.

Copyright © Rinker Enterprises, Inc. 2009

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

– CDZ, West Hartford, CT, via e-mail

ANSWER: I did a Google search and found information about Venus Paradise coloring sets. Try “Venus Paradise color by number sets.”

Venus Paradise coloring sets were a pencil version of paint by number. Caitlin posted “Paint by Number & Venus Paradise” on Feb. 3, 2009 on the Web site Jiffy Pop Culture. The article notes:

“Another memorable art set from the 1960s was the Venus Paradise Coloring Set. Although these were market[ed] mostly for children, these sets utilized colored pencils and it was easy to learn various colored pencil techniques. The outline artwork was numbered and the colored pencils needed for the illustration were included in the set. These were vibrantly colored, rich media pencils, that would be considered a cross between the hard Berol pencils and the softer Prismacolor pencils, although Venus Paradise colored pencils were hard enough to sharpen to a sharp point without crumbling….”

Subject matter covered a wide range of images—American Indian scenes, animals, landscapes, outer space and scuba diving. The initial cost was $1 per set. The unit price rose slowly over time. Venus Paradise was still in business in 1996. An Internet seller is offering a 1996 Gumby and Pokey Venus Paradise coloring set for $14.95 plus shipping. An eBay seller has a 1982 Smurf set listed at a “best offer” price of $35.

There are several reasons you are not finding sets available. First, the market is small. Once a person has bought an example, he/she leaves the market. You are planning to do this. Second, there is no collectors’ market. The paint by number set collecting craze has passed. Third, when discovered, their low secondary market value encourages finders to discard them. Venus Paradise coloring sets cannot pass the “who cares” test.

Venus Paradise coloring sets that are offered for sale have crossover value. They appeal to the specialized theme collector more than the paint by number collector.

Persistence counts. Keep watching eBay. In a month or two, you will find an example with a theme that pleases you at a price you are willing to pay.

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QUESTION: I have a collection of “Down Beat” magazines that date between 1943 and 1945. They are in good to very good condition. Covers include black and white photographs of Cab Calloway, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller and Dinah Shore. I also have a few issues of “Band Leader” from that same time period, one of which features a color head and shoulder portrait of Glenn Miller. What are they worth?

– MB, Bethlehem, PA

ANSWER: “Down Beat” is alive and well. It started life with a jazz focus and then shifted its coverage to swing, followed by “bop, pop, rock, freedom, fusion and nineties neoclassicism, all from the perspective of the musician.” – downbeat.com.

Albert J. Lipschultz, an insurance salesman by trade, launched “Down Beat” in July 1934. The initial eight-page issue cost 10 cents. The company was headquartered on the eighth floor of the Woods Theater building on the corner of Clark and Dearborn in Chicago. Lipschultz sold his interest to Glenn Burrs in November 1934 when James C. Petrillo, president of Local 10 of the American Federation of Musicians, told Lipschultz he could sell either insurance or magazines to his union members but not both.

“About Down Beat: A History As Rich As Jazz Itself” on downbeat.com notes: “Down Beat covers were a mixture of celebrated musicians and anonymous models. Photos of sexy models in bathing suits and tight sweaters and aspiring starlets adorned every second or third cover…When a top bandleader was featured, it was often at the cost of considerable personal dignity…With rare exceptions, a picture on Down Beat’s cover had absolutely nothing to do with anything inside the magazine, save for a brief identifying caption in a small inside box. From July 1936 through 1952 Down Beat published about 375 covers, and fewer than 145 featured any important jazz figures. Woody Herman holds the cover record in those years with 11. Jimmy Dorsey and Duke Ellington are tied at second with 10 each…

Initially published monthly, it went to a twice a month (first and fifteen) schedule in 1939. In January 1946 the magazine went bi-weekly. It returned to a monthly magazine in April 1979.

The Down Beat Web site contains a detailed history of the magazine. My attempt to find a history of “Band Leader” met with failure.

The secondary market retail value of your “Down Beat” magazines varies from $3 to $4 for issues with swimsuit model covers to $15 to $20 for issues with Hall of Fame musician covers. Most will be collected for their cover illustration, even though there is little to no follow-up inside. An inside article, especially a photo spread of a well-known band, can impact value. Although not as well known as “Down Beat,” 1940s “Band Leader” covers featured cover art of leading swing band leaders and singers. Values range from $10 to $20 per issue. Add a 25-percent premium to both when a cover features a black artist.

“Down Beat” and “Band Leader” magazines appear regularly for sale on eBay and other Internet auction sites. They also can be found at paper advertising, book, and ephemera shows.

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QUESTION: I recently acquired an original signed watercolor by Milton C. Weiler titled “Up the Inlet.” It is triple matted and framed. The inside measurements, mat edge to mat edge, are 16 inches by 9 inches. The back is covered in plain brown paper with a calling card in a clear pocket that reads: “The Sportsman’s Gallery / Of Art and Books, Inc. / 7 East 55th St. / New York, 22, New York.” What is it worth?

– MP, Bethlehem, PA

ANSWER: Milton C. Weiler (1910-1974) is a famous sporting artist. His studio was located in Garden City, Long Island. His friends included Paul Brown and Lynn Bogue Hunt, other famous sporting artists. Weiler, along with his sons Bud and Dale, had a lifelong interest in fly fishing, wing shooting and outdoor activities.

Weiler’s work is collected and appears for sale at auctions and galleries on a regular basis. I found two copies of “Up the Inlet” offered for sale, one at $2,000 and a second at best offer above $3,000. Auction estimates for comparable works are between $2,000 and $3,000.

However, as is often the case these days, auction listings either failed to sell or realized less than the low estimate. The secondary market retail value for your watercolor is between $650 and $750, and a tough sell even at these prices.

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QUESTION: Many years ago I purchased a National Cash Register brass cash register made for Pepsi Cola. I contacted National Cash Register trying to find out more information about it. When I gave them the serial number, they informed me that they had no records of the machine. When you lift up the breast plate, there are number dials that track the number of gallons sold as well as the moneys spent. There are two separate cash drawers. While the outside of the cash register looks new or fully restored, the inside of the drawers and the mechanism show signs of heavy use. What is the value of my cash register?

– LS, Bethlehem, PA

ANSWER: The antiques and collectibles business is not always a good news business. This is one of those times. Your cash register is a fantasy piece, an example that did not exist historically. Technically, it is a fake, deliberately made to deceive. It was sold initially for what it was, a fact that became lost as it passed through the hands of subsequent sellers.

I called Allan Petretti (Nostalgia Publication, PO Box 4175, River Edge, NJ 07661; nostpubl@aol.com), a good friend and author of prices guides to Coca-Cola and soda pop collectibles. Allan informed me that a gentleman in Chicago in the period between 1979 and 1983-84 had phony cash register front (breast) and top plates made for Coca-Cola and Pepsi. He purchased period cash registers and replaced the existing front and top plates with his fantasy plates.

Time is the enemy when identifying reproductions (exact copies), copycats (stylistic copies), fantasies and fakes. When these items first enter the market, word spreads among auctioneers, collectors, dealers and others. Since there are no reproduction-fake databanks, time slowly irradiates the information. Thirty years have passed. Individuals 50 or younger are probably unaware that these items are not correct.

The good news is that the balance of the cash register’s body and the interior mechanism are period. Hence, your cash register’s value is based on what a similar National Cash Register brass cash register from the same time would realize, in this instance between $300 and $350.

You now face an ethical dilemma. If you offer your fake Pepsi cash register for sale on eBay or in another venue and do not provide its history, an unsuspecting buyer will assume it is a period piece and may pay an inflated price. I am certain you paid far more than $350. Consider the price difference as tuition, part of the cost of learning the antiques and collectibles business. Sell your mistake honestly. Do not send it back into the trade so it becomes the next owner’s problem.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out his Web site: http://www.harryrinker.com

You can listen and participate in “WHATCHA GOT?,” Harry’s antiques-and-collectibles radio call-in show 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 letters will be answered on this site. Harry cannot provide personal answers. Photos and other material submitted cannot be returned. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5093 Vera Cruz Road, Emmaus, PA 18049. You also can e-mail your questions to harrylrinker@aol.com. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered. Please indicate that these are questions for WorthPoint.

Copyright © Rinker Enterprises, Inc. 2009

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

– LR, Titusville, FL

ANSWER: An Internet search revealed that Art Marwal Industries, Inc., currently doing business as Rum Vin Import, is a “private company categorized under Art goods and supplies and located in Miami, FL. Our records show it was established in 1962 and incorporated in Florida.”

A Polynesian craze swept across America in the 1950s. James A. Michener’s “Tales of the South Pacific” (1948) and the Broadway musicals “South Pacific” (1949, movie 1958) and “The King and I” (1951, movie 1956) served as catalysts. Tiki gods and other South Seas paraphernalia decorated bamboo bars from home basements to Trader Vic’s, a restaurant franchise still found in Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta and other locations. The publication of Michener’s “Hawaii” (1959) chronicled the pinnacle of America’s Polynesian fascination.

Marwal offered a wide variety of plaster of Paris statuary, among which were several variations of head and shoulder busts of Polynesian/Hawaiian woman/girls and men/boys. Spanish themes included head and shoulder busts of conquistadors, bullfighters and senoritas. Reproductions of famous sculptures featured Michelangelo’s “Moses” and “Pieta” and Michel Lucchesi’s “The Ascent of Man.” The garden statuary line had an 18in ostrich.

This subject matter suggests the company was in business in advance of its 1962 incorporation. An analysis of the themes of the Marwal pieces offered for sale on eBay indicates the company withdrew from the decorative/reproduction plaster of Paris sculpture market by the end of the 1960s. Hence, your bull was most likely made between the late 1950s and the mid-1960s and was part of Warmal’s Spanish theme line. Olé!

Several dozen Warmal plaster of Paris listings appear daily on eBay. Comparing auction sales results with “By it Now” offers and store lists reveals a large monetary gap between all subcategories of Warmal items except one—nudes. My readers are clever enough to know why.

Many items listed for sale failed to attract bids, even though initial bid requests ranged from $8.99 to $24.99. Several Polynesian head and shoulder busts sold for less than $15. Scarce forms do sell above the $100 mark. The ability to separate common from scarce pieces falls within the provenance of the advanced collector.

Damaged items failed to attract any bids. The Marwall survival rate is high. Buyers are willing to wait and pay a premium price for an example in fine or better condition. The three pictures that accompanied your letter show your bull sculpture has paint loss along the edge of the base and at numerous spots on its body, thus negating its value to collectors. If you desire to sell, any value above $10 makes you a winner.

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QUESTION: My mother has a complete set of Reed and Barton’s “The 12 Days of Christmas” silver-plated bells. She wants to sell them, but I am scared to death that she will get hosed by someone on eBay. What is the minimum price she should expect?

– TC, Aberdeen, WA, via e-mail

ANSWER: The picture that accompanied your e-mail was critical to identifying the correct bell series. Reed & Barton issued several bell and ornament series based on the 12 days of Christmas. One series was a flat bell ornament series; another, still ongoing, is a three-dimensional bell ornament series. Your mother’s series was issued between 1977 and 1982. A complete unit consists of the bell, the box, and accompanying literature. All three components must be present to achieve maximum value.

The Reed & Barton Web site provides this brief history of the company: “Founded in 1824, Reed & Barton enjoys a reputation as one of the country’s foremost marketers of fine tableware and giftware . . . Today the Reed & Barton name graces fine flatware, dinnerware, crystal, giftware, and picture frames, as well as a wide variety of expertly-made handcrafted flatware and jewelry chests. Reed & Barton is also the exclusive distributor of Belleek Fine Parian China in the United States . . .”

Your mother’s Reed & Barton bells were manufactured when the collector edition/limited edition collectors craze was at its peak. Many individuals bought them as investments. The speculative secondary market collapsed in the mid-1980s. Many of these items now sell for a fraction of their initial cost.

Since the bells are silver plated, they have no melt value. Further, the picture shows only the bells. Where are the boxes and accompanying literature?

“Which value is the right value?” is being asked more and more frequently in today’s antiques and collectibles trade. “Whose value can you trust?” is a second question worth considering.

If you believe the values from replacements.com, you will be a very happy camper. Individual bells without boxes are priced at values ranging from $45.99 to $99.99. The box and literature appear to add another $60. Before dismissing Replacements’ “retail” values, be aware that it has buyers who pay these amounts.

If you believe prices realized on eBay, you have a much more realistic understanding of the true secondary market value, albeit you are likely to be a very unhappy camper. A complete set of the 1977-1982 Reed & Barton “The 12 Days of Christmas” bells without boxes sold on eBay on September 6, 2009 for $79.95 plus shipping. The average cost was between $7.50 and $8 per bell. That there was only one bidder is further bad news. Now that he/she is gone, who is left to buy the next set? A Number 7 (swan) bell is listed for $10.50 or “best offer.”

You have several disposal options. First, you can write Replacements, Ltd. and ask what interest, if any, they might have in buying your mother’s set. Replacements’ offer to buy depends on the amount of customer demand it has. They have four bells in stock for all but one bell in the series. Second, try eBay. If you do, list the full set. Do not sell the bells individually. Craigslist is a third alternative. If you decide to use the Internet, list the bells in mid- to late November. Take advantage of the seasonal mindset. Fourth, consider passing the set down in the family. Of course, as is too often the case these days, none of the kids, grandchildren, or others may want it. Finally, consider making a charitable donation. Your conscience is your guide as to the deduction amount you or your mother takes. Make a copy of Replacements’ price list. Wipe the smile off your face.

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QUESTION: I have a Heisey syrup pitcher. It has a clear crystal body with an etched floral design that wraps around each side. It has a very smooth stainless top, with a thumb spring opener. It stands 4 ½ inches tall and is marked with an H in a diamond on one side of the spout. It belonged to my mother, who has been dead for 30 years. What can you tell me about it?

– MS, Shelbyville, IN

ANSWER: Augustus H. Heisey (1842-1922) founded the A. H. Heisey Company in 1895. After serving in the Civil War, Heisey became a sales clerk for Ripley & Company, Pittsburgh, Pa. He advanced to salesman. In 1870 he married Susan N. Duncan, whose father George Duncan, Sr., purchased Ripley & Company, renaming it Geo. Duncan & Sons. Heisey eventually became part owner.

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Heisey left Geo. Duncan & Sons to start his own firm. A. H. Heisey manufactured high quality tableware and glass figurines. Automobile headlights and Holophane Glassware lighting fixtures enhanced the company’s financial line.

Glass syrup pitchers became a standard household tabletop item during the later half of the Victorian era and remained so until the 1960s when commercial syrup containers went directly from the refrigerator or storage cabinet to the table. Syrup pitchers were a popular form collectible through the final two-thirds of the 20th century. The number of syrup pitcher collectors is diminishing, albeit a small but dedicated group still exists in New England. The same holds true for Heisey collectors, albeit their geographic base is broader.

Heisey sold blanks to engraving houses that applied the decoration and marketed the finish product. A single syrup body can be found in multiple variations. Dealer asking prices for Heisey syrup pitchers with floral engraving range from $50 to $75, while $65 appears to be the average asking price.

A seller recently posted a1910-1920s Heisey floral engraved syrup pitcher on eBay. With five days to go, no one opted to open the bidding at the requested $20 minimum.

Realistically, think $45 to $50 for your syrup pitcher. Further, its value is decreasing rather than rising. The number of people who collect—no, the number of people who know and care about—Heisey are dying. Young collectors are not replacing older collectors. If you are thinking of selling, do it now—the longer you wait, the less you will get.

Go to the Heisey Museum Web site to learn more about Heisey. When your travels take you to the greater Columbus, Ohio area, consider taking time to visit the Heisey Museum in Newark. Tell them Harry sent you.

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QUESTION: I have a short, stubby, white glazed, earthenware vase that belonged to my grandmother. The vase’s tapered cylindrical body ends in a high, waist neck and slightly flared rim. Gold highlights accent the raised geometric motif on the rim and center of the body. It measures 6 inches high. The bottom is marked with a “W” and “P” flanking a crest featuring a bird’s head on each side flanking a central torch beneath which is “LA BELLE / CHINA.” Is it valuable?

– RD, via e-mail

ANSWER: When I first saw the picture attached to your e-mail, I thought it was shaving mug or small vase from a toilet set. While I still think there is a possibility it is a vase from a toilet set, I favor an independent form, i.e., not part of a set, based on its size.

The “W” and “P” indicate the piece was made by the Wheeling Pottery Company, founded in 1879. In 1887 Wheeling Pottery created La Belle Pottery Company, combining the two in 1889. Wheeling Pottery had four potteries—Avon, La Belle (South side of Wheeling), Ohio Valley (North Wheeling), and Riverside (North Wheeling). All of them made glazed-earthenware (semi-porcelain) artware and sanitary wares.

Your vase has limited decorative value. Its appeal rests primarily with individuals decorating in a Country or Victorian look. Its value, assuming no damage, is between $20 and $30.

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

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

“SELL, KEEP OR TOSS? HOW TO DOWNSIZE A HOME, SETTLE AN ESTATE, AND APPRAISE PERSONAL PROPERTY” (House of Collectibles, an imprint of the Random House Information Group), Harry’s latest book, is available at your favorite bookstore and via Harry’s Web site: http://www.harryrinker.com

Harry L. Rinker welcomes questions from readers about collectibles, those mass-produced items from the 20th century. Selected letters will be answered on this site. Harry cannot provide personal answers. Photos and other material submitted cannot be returned. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5093 Vera Cruz Road, Emmaus, PA 18049. You also can e-mail your questions to harrylrinker@aol.com. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered. Please indicate that these are questions for WorthPoint.

Copyright © Rinker Enterprises, Inc. 2009

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Before proceeding, I must inform you of my role in the numbers-tossing game. In the course of my career in the antiques and collectibles field, I have authored or edited 40-plus price guides. I do a dozen more appraisal clinic appearances, affectionately called “guess-the-goodies” clinics when I do them, in the course of a year. I host “WHATCHA GOT?”—a nationally syndicated antiques and collectibles call-in radio show—that airs on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. EDT and is streamed live on the Internet. On the show I “guess-the-goodies” without even seeing the objects. Well, “That’s Entertainment,” the song states.

I try my best to provide reliable information—emphasis on reliable rather than accurate. Accurate is a term that defies definition when applied to antique and collectible value. An accurate price at one moment may be totally invalid the next.

Try as I might, though, I do not get the price right every time. I did not get a 100 in every test I took in high school and college, either. Just recently, I blew a value call on “WHATCHA GOT?” A listener called the show’s toll free number, 800-259-5791, and asked about a ceramic Cheadle luncheon set. I did not recognize the pattern name as one of Royal Winton’s chintz patterns and provided her a value for a 1950s generic ceramic luncheon set. Fortunately, Ian from Toronto, who listens to “WHATCHA GOT?” on the Internet, immediately e-mailed me urging me to revise my answer to reflect the value for Royal Winton chintz. I raised the value considerably.

I do the best I can. So do the Antique Roadshow appraisers, albeit I find myself disagreeing with their valuations more frequently now than I did in the past. The pressure to find an object that is “show worthy” has become highly competitive. I understand their desire and need to push the envelope, so they are selected for on air time, especially given that the Antique Roadshowdoes not reimburse the appraisers for their expenses or time.

Because of my participation in the numbers-tossing game, I am aware of the potential for abuse. As I already have pointed out, mistakes happen. I apologize for my mistakes and I can be forgiving of others’. I keep my mouth shut and comments stifled. More than I should, sometimes.

But when I do get mad, my dander rises. It happened recently, on July 25, when I was looking through the lead stories of AOL’s homepage and came across a picture of a 1954 Superman lunchbox captioned:

“A 1954 Superman lunchbox broke records when it sold for a whopping $11,500 in auction. Though most vintage lunch boxes won’t score a sliver of that price, many good-condition carriers still hold their weight in worth. Here’s a countdown of classic lunchboxes’ blue book value. Who knows? You might have some cold hard cash collecting dust in your attic!”

If the person who wrote this caption has a college education in English/Writing and, heaven forbid an MFA in Creative Writing, he wasted his money. What does “sliver of that price” or “weight in worth” mean? These phrases are not creative writing. They are pure crap. Their false cleverness is enough to make a sensible reader gag. Poor writing aside, the phrase “blue book value” raised my hackles. There are no blue book values in the antiques and collectibles business. Values float. There are several Blue Books (see bluebookinc.com) in the trade. My recommendation is that the owner of these titles considers having his attorney contact AOL and demand it stop abusing the phrase Blue Book, Inc., it tries so hard to honor.

An example of the 1954 Superman lunchbox in question.

I often share auction prices realized with my “WHATCHA GOT?” listeners. Someone getting $11,500 for a lunchbox is worthy of comment. However, when I researched the auction on the Internet, I discovered the 1954 Superman lunchbox in question sold in a December 2003 MastroNet, Inc. auction. An identical 1954 Superman lunchbox sold on eBay in mid-2006 for $4,649, suggesting the market fell by more than 50 percent in less than three years. Who knows what the value is in these tough economic times. Given this, what is AOL doing touting the $11,500 value?

The answer is that AOL was using a list of values from lunchboxes.com, a site devoted to selling lunchboxes: “Here you will find rare, all-time classic lunch boxes from the glory days of yesteryear – maybe even the one you carried to school as a kid. These boxes are the originals, and all post-1960s lunchboxes in mint or near-mint condition . . .”

What do all these lunchboxes have in common? The answer is that they had not sold by the time they appeared on AOL.

Their appearance on AOL was a blatant infomercial disguised as a factual presentation of lunchbox prices. As it has already has been proven, a buyer who is willing to comparison shop can find these same lunchboxes at far more affordable prices.

Shame, shame, shame on you AOL for posting deceitful information. Now that I understand what you have done, how can I trust any information that appears on your site? You tossed around these lunchbox price numbers without any concern for their accuracy. The tragedy is that your subscribers accepted them as gospel. Hopefully, the owner of lunchbox.com gave you a handsome commission for any boxes sold in the month following their appearance.

The values that accompanied the lunchboxes pictured on AOL are referred to in the trade as “feel good” numbers, numbers tossed around indiscriminately by appraisers and others to avoid the resulting pain from telling the truth. No appraiser will ever say “it’s a piece of junk,” albeit he may think it.

There is an appraiser I know of—who uses an academic degree in her moniker—who is renowned in the trade for the most ludicrous feel good numbers imaginable. Her reputation is such that local auctioneers often refuse to sell any item that she has appraised. Why? When they do, the final value is often less than half of what she told the owner. When this happens, the owner blames the auctioneer and not the appraiser for his misfortune. The appraiser is supposed to be the expert. How could she possibly be wrong, especially since she charged so much for the appraisal?

In addition to her blatant use of feel good prices, this appraiser also specializes in misidentifying objects. I speak from personal experience. Individuals who have taken objects to her to be appraised have brought them to me for a second opinion. Alas, on these occasions, I must play the heavy; the person who tells them that (1) what they have is not what she told them and (2) it is worth nowhere near the value she assigned.

It is not difficult to understand why she does what she does. It is good for business. Audiences love her, especially when she discovers hidden treasure after hidden treasure in the material presented to her for appraisal. She reaffirms the “it is worth a great deal of money” dream. It is a great dream, as long as the person never needs to wake up.

There are thousands of Halls of Fame. None exists for the antiques and collectibles field. It is for the best. It would generate too much controversy and ill will. What the antiques and collectibles field does need is a Hall of Shame, an institution in which those who harm the trade can be enshrined. The appraiser I’ve been carping about above tops my list of candidates for the inaugural class of inductees.

The careless tossing about of numbers in the antiques and collectibles field is endemic. It is part and parcel of how business is done. It is a lesson everyone active in the trade must learn. The only defense is to question every number. Check and double check. Do background research. Try to understand from where the value came and the length of its validity if reliable.

Finally, beware of any individual who takes a God-like approach to the numbers. Even when an individual provides qualifiers, be suspicious. Dreams, hopes, and aspirations in the antiques and collectibles field, especially in the area of values, are a far cry from cold, harsh reality.

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

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

“SELL, KEEP OR TOSS? HOW TO DOWNSIZE A HOME, SETTLE AN ESTATE, AND APPRAISE PERSONAL PROPERTY” (House of Collectibles, an imprint of the Random House Information Group), Harry’s latest book, is available at your favorite bookstore and via Harry’s Web site http://www.harryrinker.com.

Harry L. Rinker welcomes questions from readers about collectibles, those mass-produced items from the 20th century. Selected letters will be answered on this site. Harry cannot provide personal answers. Photos and other material submitted cannot be returned. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5093 Vera Cruz Road, Emmaus, PA 18049. You also can e-mail your questions to harrylrinker@aol.com. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered. Please indicate that these are questions for WorthPoint.

Copyright © Rinker Enterprises, Inc. 2009

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Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

Damage done by insects to the frame and stretcher of an oil painting.

I have had customers come to me with oil painting on which they recently noticed small holes developing near the edges of the canvas and also found small piles of wood dust on the floor under the paintings. They took the paintings off the wall and discovered that the back of the frames and stretchers had been eaten by some type of insect or termite.

Some household insects are attracted to organic (non-living) materials that are commonly used to create furniture, paintings, works on paper and sculpture. These pests can easily enter your home and feed on wood, glue, paper, linen, wool, cotton, leather, horn and feathers, and it is best to defend your art, antiques and collectibles against these art-loving pests.

There are two types of insects that destroy wood, those that attack fresh wood (trees and fresh wood in storage) and those that attack dry worked wood. They can remain active in the same piece of wood long enough to completely consume it. Often times, they will tunnel through a support leg or side panel on a piece of furniture, causing extensive structural damage. Their caustic work usually goes unnoticed until after much of the damage has already been done.

Only a few types of insects have an appetite for dry worked wood found in furniture, stretchers for paintings and picture frames. The most common are the woodworm or furniture beetle (Anobium punctatum), the long-horn house beetle (Hylotrupes bajulus) and the powder post beetle (Lyctus brunneus), including their relatives. Most wood-boring insects have life cycles of just a few years. They develop and change in four stages known as metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult insect). The larvae that hatch from eggs bore their way through wood, grinding it up and sometimes actually eating it.

Pieces of chewed wood and waste particles combine to form bore dust (frass), which is often species-specific in color and shape, allowing experts to identify the type of infestation. This sawdust or sand-like material can usually be found near where the fully formed beetle emerges through the bore or flight holes into the open air. Flight holes are a clear indication of previous or active infestation, requiring an inspection to determine if treatment or structural restoration is needed. Furniture beetles are attracted to softer woods in areas where temperatures are warm and humidity levels are high, while powder post beetles prefer a dry, warm environment to feed on starch and protein.

What to Look For:

Wood eaten away by insects can ruin antiques, weakening legs and supports until they break completely through.

Many insects are reclusive and are difficult to find because of their size and color. Look for insect remains, empty egg cases, termite wings, casings or skins that have been shed by larvae.

WOOD: Look for bore holes and sawdust. Lightly tap areas of wood where infestation is suspected with your finger tip to find hollow areas that may have been tunneled or eaten by insects.

TEXTILES: Look for small holes and areas that have become unusually thin.

PAPER: Look for small holes, tattered edges and areas where the paint or color appears to be abraded or erased. The abrasion can be caused by silverfish as they travel across the surface of a print, painting or document.

PAINTINGS: Look for small holes on the surface of the canvas, or bore/exit holes in panels, stretchers and frames. Many times insect remains are found in spider webs on the back of the painting. Small fly “specks” or droppings are commonly found on the surface of a painting and can be safely removed by an experienced restorer.

What to do if You Find Insect Damage:

Bore holes show where an infestation has taken place.

Isolate the object by placing it in a sealed plastic bag or wrap to prevent the insects from spreading to other objects while you seek help.

Collect and preserve samples of any insect remains and bore-hole dust for inspection by an experienced art and furniture restorer or conservator and exterminator.

Do not spray pesticides directly on treasured objects of art or antiques, as they can stain, discolor and damage the surface or finish.

Some objects like wood and paper can be frozen to kill adult insects, larvae and eggs. Do not freeze paintings, photographs, lacquered surfaces or layered items.

Prevention Tips:

Keep your house and storage areas clean: Insects thrive on dusty, dirty and dark environments.

There are a number of practical measures that individuals can take to prevent an infestation in their home or office:

• Make sure that window and door screens prevent insects from entering;
• Do not bring outdoor plants into your home;
• Keep your house and storage areas clean: Insects thrive on dusty, dirty and dark environments;
• Lower the temperature and humidity levels, and increase air circulation;
• Art and antique items, documents and photographs that are stored should be kept in clean, airtight plastic containers in a controlled environment.

—by Douglas Eisele
Old World Restorations

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This portrait of a German woman in oil on canvas is in good condition regarding age, with some scratches on frame and one small restoration on canvas. It is dated 1897.

There is a small strip of paper glued to the back (written in German) detailing the artist’s vitals – born in 1848 and died in 1917.

This column continues my response to a request from Steve Dennis of Orlando, Fla. for a few insider tips that would help him decide whether to buy an oil painting that he might find at a garage/yard sale or flea market for resale. Steve wants to buy low and sell high in a short period of time.

I encourage auctioneers, collectors, dealers, and others to develop a quick sort mentality, i.e., divided objects quickly into a small number of categories, to deal with the infinite variety of items in the antiques and collectibles field. In the case of oil paintings, I use six groups: (1) paint-by-number artists, (2) starving/hack artists, (3) department/furniture store art, (4) self-taught amateurs, (5) local artists with some academic training (emphasis on “some”), (6) and professionally trained artists. I discussed the first five groups in Part 1 of this column.

Most collectors focus on works by professionally trained artists, i.e., those artists who are documented in art texts and whose works are included in museum collections. This sixth group divides into four subgroups: (a) copyists, (b) portraitists, (c) realist painters, and (d) abstract painters.

Copyists: Copying masterpieces by academically trained artists is a centuries-old practice. Thousands of copies flooded into the American art market between the 1870s and 1920s. There is a viable secondary market for these copies, many done by well-trained artists. Do not confuse these exact copies of period art with paintings done by contemporary artists in the style of a famous artist. The market for these latter works is very limited.

Portraitists: Early American portraits, i.e., portraits dating prior to 1820, have appeal. Many fall within the folk art category. Portraits painted after 1820 are tough sells unless the subject is known (ideally someone famous regionally or nationally), the painting has an unusual feature, e.g., a person holding a dog or recognized landscape scene in the background, or is by a famous artist, e.g., Whistler, William Merritt Chase, etc.

Realist Painters: Most collectors favor realistic paintings, generic landscape and town scenes that speak period and are highly decorative. The artist is the key. Name counts more than aesthetics. It is a market where artists float in and out of favor. When researching value, use only sales records from the past three to five years.

Abstract Painters: While pre-1960 abstract art has stood the test of time, more recent abstract art has not. The current economic crisis has greatly tempered prices in the post-1960 modern art market, especially for contemporary painters. Many contemporary artists change styles as they respond to shifts in taste. Always consider if the style of the artist is in or out of vogue.

It is time to return to the hunt. Never buy a painting that is not signed. Ideally, the signature should contain a first and last name (a middle initial is a plus), initials (three is better than two), or one or two initials and a last name. A date is a bonus. Many artists provide title and/or location information via a label on the back of the frame or painted directly on the canvas, a major aid in researching the artist and piece.

Examine the signature area closely to determine if the signature began life as part of the painting or was added later. If the signature area appears disturbed in anyway, be suspicious. The varnish surface surrounding the signature should be identical to that over the signature. The quality of the signature should match that of the painting. If the signature appears above the surface varnish, it is false.

My favorite story involves an abstract painting that I saw at an appraisal clinic in Nashville, Tenn. The signature on the painting was Monet. When asked if it was authentic, my response was “to the best of my knowledge Monet never signed his paintings with a felt tip pen.”

Be suspicious of all oil paintings that have a 3-by-5-inch to 8-by-10-inch preprinted biography on the back, especially if the biography is about a European artist for whom you can find little to no information. Most of these artists are not as well-known as their biographies imply.

Also, never buy any oil painting (or print for that matter) purchased at auction on a cruise ship. This art rarely sells for more than ten cents on the dollar in the secondary market. The art is over-hyped, and the purchase price is elevated by professional shills in the audience.

This large Modernist oil of “Times Square in New York City” was painted by George Schwacha in 1960, which puts it right on the edge of the time frame where the prices for these kinds of contemporary pieces can tumble.

The signature by George Schwacha.

Avoid all oil paintings that are damaged or show heavy signs of repainting or repairs on the back of the canvas. You are not in the painting restoration business. However, if the surface image is dark, the pigments show minimal age cracking, and the canvas is strong, you might want to take a chance. Usually, surface darkness means the varnish has darkened. If all that has to be done to revitalize the painting is remove and replace the old varnish, a purchase might be a worthwhile gamble. Do not attempt to remove or replace the varnish. Have it done by a professional.

Examine the quality of the frame. If the frame is high quality and has aging characteristics that suggest it is 75 years old or older, it improves the chances that the oil painting it contains has strong value. Older paintings can be reframed. Modern copies are put into older frames to make them appear older than they are. Every rule has exceptions.

The frame itself can have value. In the case of many late nineteenth and early twentieth century genre oil paintings, the frame often is worth more than the painting. This assumes the frame has no or minimal damage. If the frame is heavily damaged, discount it from a value point of view but still use it to assess the potential age of the oil painting it contains.

The key information you need is whether or not the artist has a viable secondary market. This market needs to be firmly established and extend over a minimum period of five or more years. The fastest way to check is via an Internet search. Today’s phone technology allows you to conduct a search while standing in front of the oil painting that you are considering buying.

Do a general search before turning to specialized websites. Be creative with name searches. Although an artist may use initials for a first or middle name, the key to finding the artist on the web is to know the full name. In some cases, the first and last name is the key, skipping the middle name even if know.

A number of specialized websites provide auction records of art sales. Most are subscription driven. Artfact.com allows you free access to one year’s worth of records. It is a great offer and worth utilizing. Other sites allow two to five free searches. Use these wisely.

Often there is more than one artist with the same name. When this occurs, seek out images of the artist’s work. If the work’s style does not conform to the oil painting you are seeing, it is most likely not by that artist.

“A Still Life of Fish and Lobster,” by Alexander Dalziel (1781-1832), oil on canvas. The painting is signed and dated 1827.

When considering buying an oil painting at a garage/yard sale or flea market, you do not have time to run to your local art museum or library to check out the artists in their reference books and auction sales catalogs. You need to make a decision on the spot. Sellers will not hold a painting until you come back. You must make a yes or not decision on the spot. Library research is an after the purchase activity.

Think auction rather than gallery or private sale if the goal is to turn the oil painting quickly. Do not dismiss eBay. EBay has proven to be a great market for decorative and regional art. After checking eBay past auction results and discovering similar paintings sold well, use it.

If your painting is by a regional artist, then sell it at a middle range auction house in its area of its origin. Otherwise, send it to a middle-level house near a large metropolitan area. One always dreams of a find that is sold at Christie’s or Sotheby’s. However, unless it is a top of the line piece, it will be buried within the sale. Better to be a star in an auction at a lesser house than a peon in an auction at a major house. Today I recommend to clients that they sell at auction houses that have active Internet bidding during the sale. Follow this advice.

Finally, be prepared to make mistakes. You will. View them as tuition. Buying art on the fly is a learned experience, emphasis on “learned.” Once you completed the learning process, you have the one thing that counts more than any other when making the decision to buy or not to buy—your gut.

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

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

“SELL, KEEP OR TOSS? HOW TO DOWNSIZE A HOME, SETTLE AN ESTATE, AND APPRAISE PERSONAL PROPERTY” (House of Collectibles, an imprint of the Random House Information Group), Harry’s latest book, is available at your favorite bookstore and via Harry’s Web site http://www.harryrinker.com.

Harry L. Rinker welcomes questions from readers about collectibles, those mass-produced items from the 20th century. Selected letters will be answered on this site. Harry cannot provide personal answers. Photos and other material submitted cannot be returned. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5093 Vera Cruz Road, Emmaus, PA 18049. You also can e-mail your questions to harrylrinker@aol.com. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered. Please indicate that these are questions for WorthPoint.

Copyright © Rinker Enterprises, Inc. 2009

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Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

– KT, Adamstown, PA, via e-mail

ANSWER: Mention Rin Tin Tin and the first image that comes to my mind is “The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin,” a 166-episode television show that aired on ABC between Oct. 15, 1954 and May 8, 1959. The show starred Lee Aeker as Rusty and James Brown as Lt. Ripley “Rip” Masters. “The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin” was ABC’s answer to CBS’s “Lassie.”

Rin Tin Tin’s history begins near the end of World War I. Lee Duncan, an American serviceman, found a litter of shell-shocked five-day old German shepherd pups in a bombed-out dog kennel in Lorraine, France on Sept. 15, 1918. Betty des Flandres was the mother, Fritz de la Chasse Royale was the father. Duncan adopted a male and female, naming them Rintintin and Nanette after children’s puppets.

Duncan received permission to bring the dogs to the United States. Nanette became ill during the ocean voyage and died shortly after arrival. In February 1922, following an unsanctioned two-day Shepherd Dog Club of America show, Charles Jones made a film of Rin Tin Tin, which he then sold to the Novograph Picture Company. The company offered Duncan $350 to shoot a second film. Duncan’s initial attempts to locate a studio to star Rin Tin Tin in feature films failed. Eventually, he encountered a Warner Brothers crew trying to shoot a scene with a very uncooperative wolf. Duncan convinced them to use Rin Tin Tin instead. When Rin Tin Tin died on August 10, 1932, he had appeared in 26 pictures. At his peak, he received 10,000 fan letters a week. Rin Tin Tin silent films, such as “Where the North Begins” (1923), “Shadows of the North” (1923), “Clash of the Wolves” (1925), “A Dog of the Regiment” (1927), and “Tiger Rose” (1929) received worldwide distribution, including Germany.

TRIVA QUIZ: Rin Tin Tin is reputed to have died in the arms of what famous Hollywood actress? (answer below)

Duncan toured during the 1930s with Rin Tin Tin Junior. During World War II, he and Rin Tin Tin III worked with the U.S. Army at Camp Hahn to train German shepherds for wartime use. After the war, Duncan worked to untrain the dogs and return them to civilian life. The Rin Tin Tin bloodline survives today thanks to the efforts of Lee Duncan, Jannettia Brodsgaard Propps and Daphne Hereford.

The Russians captured Vienna in a fierce battle in the first half of April 1945. Following the war, Austria was declared a “neutral” country. Displaced person camps were created in Austria, Great Britain and West Germany for WWII refugees, primarily from Eastern Europe, and many of whom were Jewish.

I have handled dozens of prisoner-of war-artifacts, some dating as early as the Napoleonic War, during my career. My favorites are from the WWII German POW camps that were scattered along the West Coast and throughout the Southwestern and Midwest U.S.

POWs and displaced persons had plenty of leisure time. Many traded handmade products, paintings and artwork for cigarettes, food and other supplies. Chances of identifying the carver of your plaque are miniscule. Based on your description, the individual was talented. Hence, your plaque is not the only one that he made. How it came to the United States is and likely will remain a mystery.

There are multiple buyers for your plaque. Its value to a German shepherd or a WWII displaced person artwork collector is between $35 and $45. Add another 10 to 15 dollars if sold to a folk-art collector. A Rin Tin Tin collector would pay $50 or more, but only if facing strong competition from another collector.

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QUESTION: We own a 1910 Coca-Cola advertising poster showing a young lady wearing a duster and sitting at the wheel of a car with a bottle of Coca-Cola in her right hand. “Drink the Best” is printed across the top. Printed in the lower left corner is a diamond-shaped advertisement for Goldelle Ginger Ale, another Coca-Cola product. Our research only uncovered reproductions. We believe our example is period, coming out of a box of belongings bought near Kutztown, Pa. It is beautiful, but is it worth keeping, especially if it is a reproduction?

– D&RO, Anderson, CA, via e-mail

ANSWER: Early 20th-century Coca-Cola posters were lithographs, i.e., printed by layering one color on top of another. Using a five- to ten-power loupe, examine the image. If it breaks into dots, it is a reproduction. If the colors are solid, it is a lithograph, albeit not necessarily period. The lithograph printing process is still used today.

The colors need to be extremely bright. Early lithograph dyes retain their period colors. If there is mellowing, it must be very slight. The lines between colors need to be sharp and distinct. If the lines are fuzzy (one color blending into another) or there is an overall softness to the print, this is a negative.

I checked the reproductions, most of which dated from the 1970s and 1980s. While I found the image, I did not find an exact reproduction of your poster. This is a good sign. The image on your poster first appeared as a postcard sometime between 1911 and 1913. Again, the postcards did not contain the “Drink the Best” slogan. Collectors refer to the image as the Duster/Motor Girl.

I researched the slogan “Drink the Best.” The phrase was part of a longer slogan in 1913. However, I did not find the exact phrase listed on any Coca-Cola advertising slogan website or home page. This is troubling. In the good news department, I did not find it on any of the reproductions, either. I found a few references to Godelle Ginger Ale, but would have been happier had I found more.

An article in “Antiques and the Arts” reporting on Randy Inman’s Oct. 12-14, 2001 auction notes:

“a very rare 1913 soft drink ad jointly promoting Coca-Cola and Goldelle Ginger Ale took $7,700, a fine result for a paper roll-down sign.”

This example was in fine condition. The photographs attached to your e-mail indicate your example has water stains, especially noticeable along the bottom portion of the left and right edges. As a result, it is in fair condition at best.

I e-mailed the photograph of your poster William Bateman and Randy Schaeffer, two Coca-Cola collectors who live near Kutztown. Bill responded: “It appears to be period, but of course, damaged significantly. As you know condition means a lot in today’s market. We have one of the Duster Girl posters without the ginger ale marking in near perfect shape. Allan Petretti puts posters in mint condition from that time period from $4,000 to $7,000. With the damage, I could cut that number by half or more.”

Assuming it stands the test I have given you and turns out to be period, it certainly is worth keeping. Given its value, consider taking it to a paper conservator to see if you can have the water stains lessened. Make certain the paper conservator is a member of American Institute of Conservators. Ask to see credentials and examples of work completed.

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QUESTION: Is it safe to eat off collector plates? I relish the idea of eating off these tacky items.

– BM, via e-mail

ANSWER: Collector plates, also known as collection edition plates, were manufactured for display purposes. I do not recall in advertising or the literature that accompanied them the suggestion that they also had a functional use as dinnerware.

Here are three considerations before adopting a “why not” approach. First, they may not be dishwasher safe. Manufacturers expected them to be dusted not washed. Second, modern knife blades, especially those with serrated edges, may damage the glaze. Third, the glaze most likely has a high lead content, albeit I have no proof.

Your proposal has a sense of practicality and humor. After all, a plate is a plate is a plate. Functionally, there is no reason why you cannot use them for eating purposes. The thought of cutting a medium rare steak resting on top of Vivien Leigh or another “Gone with the Wind” series collector plate has appeal.

When confronted with a collector plate at an appraisal clinic, my stock questions is: “Do you like to play Frisbee?” Now I will start saying: “If all else fails, you always can eat off of it.”

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QUESTION: I have my aunt’s collection of old plaster food productions, ranging from meats, such as steaks and bacon, to milk bottles and cartoons of eggs. They are at least 50 years old. I have no idea how she acquired them, but suspect they were used as display items for some food related businesses. What are they worth?

– PS, via e-mail

ANSWER: You have fake (faux) food props, a business which is alive, well and thriving. Do a Google “fake food props” search.

Fake food props are used in interior design displays, film, television, theater, trade shows, restaurants, stores and dozens of other areas. Just Dough It! offers artificial food that “looks good enough to eat” in categories such as breads and cheeses, breakfast foods and beverages, cakes, cupcakes and tarts, Christmas specials, cookies and donuts, fruits and vegetables, ice cream, popcorn, specials, spills and novelties, tea and others beverages, and wine, beers and mixed drinks.

Your examples are primitive compared to modern day examples. Yet, their very crudeness makes them fun. Value for individual pieces will range from $4-$5 to $12-$15, the higher values for those pieces with the greatest conversation/fun value.

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TRIVIA QUIZ ANSWER: Jean Harlow.

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

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

“SELL, KEEP OR TOSS? HOW TO DOWNSIZE A HOME, SETTLE AN ESTATE, AND APPRAISE PERSONAL PROPERTY” (House of Collectibles, an imprint of the Random House Information Group), Harry’s latest book, is available at your favorite bookstore and via Harry’s Web site: http://www.harryrinker.com

Harry L. Rinker welcomes questions from readers about collectibles, those mass-produced items from the 20th century. Selected letters will be answered on this site. Harry cannot provide personal answers. Photos and other material submitted cannot be returned. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5093 Vera Cruz Road, Emmaus, PA 18049. You also can e-mail your questions to harrylrinker@aol.com. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered. Please indicate that these are questions for WorthPoint.

Copyright © Rinker Enterprises, Inc. 2009

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

TRIVIA QUIZ: Who is Billy Mays?

An autographed copy of a cover photo of Gale Storm from the July 1957 edition of "Song Hits" Magazine.

When I read the Monday, June 29, 2009 issue of The News-Times (Danbury, Connecticut) about the death of Gale Storm, my focus changed. The News-Times devoted almost one-third of Page 2 in the A section to a Los Angeles Times story by to Dennis McLellan about her demise. After reading it, I could not stop thinking about this sentence: “A 1953 poll of the most popular TV stars listed Storm at No. 2, behind TV comedy queen Lucille Ball.”

Who remembers who finishes second? American school children learn the names of the presidents. Forget the vice presidents. More often than not, they are less than memorable second bananas. Dan Quayle is a perfect example. School children encounter the names of those who lost the presidential races but are not required to memorize them. The New York Yankees won 26 Major League Baseball World Series, a statistic embedded in the minds of every Yankee and Red Sox fan. How many world championship series did they lose? I have no idea. I have to research it.

Life focuses on winners. Those who come in second are forgotten by the masses. A few devoted followers may keep their memory alive for a generation or two, but inevitably their second place finish is a line in a statistical chart or a historical footnote.

I watched “My Little Margie” (1952-1955) and “The Gale Storm Show” (1956 to 1960) on the black and white television located in my parents’ living room at 55 West Depot Street in Hellertown, Pa. I also listened to her singing “I Hear You Knocking,” “Memories Are Made of This,” “Why Do Fools Fall in Love,” “Dark Moon” and other songs on the radio and jukebox. During the 1950s, Storm developed a Las Vegas act (1953-54) and did occasional television guest appearances. She faded from the entertainment scene by the mid-1960s.

Ted Hake’s “The Official Price Guide to Pop Culture Memorabilia: 150 Years of Character Toys & Collectors” (Gemstone Publishing and House of Collectibles, an imprint of the Random House Information Group, 2008), does not included a “My Little Margie” listing. If one existed anywhere, it would be here. Although “My Little Margie” and “The Gale Storm Show” aired during the Golden Age of TV Collectibles, the shows failed to generate licensed product. I am unaware of any boxed board game or lunch kit associated with the shows. Gale Storm collectibles are limited to autographs, records, movie related posters, stills, magazine covers and articles. EBay had only 80 listings the day following her death. There were over 51,000 for Michael Jackson. The “Buy It Now” price for a Gale Storm signed index card, assuming of course that one could trust the signature was authentic, was $9.99.

In honor of all of those whose best finish was a second place, the balance of this column shares some facts I discovered researching Gale Storm on the Internet. For many, this will be your first and perhaps only introduction to this special lady.

Josephine Owaissa Cottle was born in Bloomington, Texas on April 5, 1922, the youngest of five children born to William Walter Cottle and Minnie Corina Cottle. Her father died when she was 13 months old. A participant in the drama club at Albert Sydney Johnston Junior High School and San Jacinto High School in Houston, Josephine, encouraged by two of her teachers, entered a 1940 contest sponsored by the radio program Gateway to Hollywood, originating in Hollywood and broadcast on CBS Radio. The first prize was a one-year RKO studio contract with a guarantee of a major role in a future picture. The winning male and female contestants would receive the stage names of Terry Belmont and Gale Storm. Lee Bonnel from South Bend, Ind. and Josephine Cottle won. In the “only-in-Hollywood-tradition,” Lee Bonnel and Josephine Cottle became husband and wife.

“Dark Moon” original sheet music (1957) with Gale Storm on the cover.

“Tom Brown’s School Days” (1940) was her first film. Her career at RKO ended after two films. In 1941 she sang in several Soundies, the popular three-minute musicals that played on movie jukeboxes. Undaunted, she switched to B-movies, appearing in films for Allied Artists, Monogram, Republic and Universal. Her roles ranged from musical comedies to film noir dramas to westerns, three of which starred Roy Rogers. She appeared in more than three dozen pictures for Monogram including roles in its Frankie Darro series and features including the East Side Kids, Edgar Kennedy, and the Three Stooges.

Television saved her career. Music enhanced it. “My Little Margie” aired on radio as well as television. “My Little Margie” ran for 125 episodes on CBS and NBC television. Frank Fox created the series. Roland D. Reed, Hal Roach, Hal Roach, Jr., and Guy V. Thayer, Jr., produced it. After it was canceled, “My Little Margie” was placed in syndication, often airing on local stations paired with “I Married Joan.” “The Gale Storm Show” ran for 143 episodes, initially on CBS and in its final year on ABC. Lee Karson created the show. Lou Derman, Alex Gottlieb, and Hal Roach, Jr. served as producers. When the show went into syndication, it was entitled “Oh! Susanna.”

Most individuals remember Gale Storm the actress. She also spent five years taking voice lessons and appeared frequently as a singer on television variety shows. Her break came in 1954 when Linda Wood, the 10-year old daughter of Randy Wood, vice president of Dot Records, saw Storm singing on a Sunday evening television comedy show hosted by Gordon MacRae. Wood called the studio and negotiated a record contract with Storm before the show was over. “I Hear You Knocking’” her first record, sold over a million copies and ironically reached No. 2 on the 1955 Billboard chart. She also broke into the Top 20 with “Dark Moon,” “Ivory Tower,” Memories Are Made of This,” “Teenage Prayer,” and “Why Do Fools Fall in Love.” In her role as cruise director Susanna Pomeroy aboard the S.S. Ocean Queen, Storm also sang.

Gale Storm was a secret alcoholic, a fact which became public when she became a spokesperson for the Raleigh Hills Hospital, an Oxnard, Calif. alcohol rehabilitation clinic no longer in business. “I Ain’t Down Yet,” her 1981 autobiography, described her successful battle against alcohol addiction. Storm also is featured in David Tucker’s “The Women Who Made Television Funny: Ten Stars of 1950s Sitcoms” (MacFarland and Company, 2007).

An NBC press release photo of Gale Storm and Charles Farrell from “My Little Margie.”

Storm was a favorite at fanzines across the country, generously autographing “My Little Margie” stills picturing Charles Farrell and her. Josephine Owaissa Cottle died on June 27, 2009. She is survived by three sons (Paul, Peter, and Philip) and one daughter (Susanna).

What is the purpose of all this? First, it makes me feel better. I really did not want to write about the future worth of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson collectibles because younger readers most likely would not agree with many of the points I was prepared to make. Second, the ranks of the movie and television stars of my youth and early adulthood grow thinner each year. Each death marks the loss of a part of my past. Third, I grow increasingly concerned about the “who cares” question. In the days immediately following her death, some will care about the loss of Gale Storm. What will be the case in five years, twenty-five years, or a hundred years? Who will care then? The older I get, the angrier I become when forced to deal with my own immortality.

I am under no delusions. My ability to postpone the inevitable loss of my own identity or that of others is miniscule. All I want is the ability to put in my two cents worth every once in awhile, even if for no more than a few seconds.

TRIVIA QUIZ ANSWER: Billy Mays was the pitchman for Orange Glo and OxiClean infomercials.

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

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

“SELL, KEEP OR TOSS? HOW TO DOWNSIZE A HOME, SETTLE AN ESTATE, AND APPRAISE PERSONAL PROPERTY” (House of Collectibles, an imprint of the Random House Information Group), Harry’s latest book, is available at your favorite bookstore and via Harry’s Web site: http://www.harryrinker.com

Harry L. Rinker welcomes questions from readers about collectibles, those mass-produced items from the 20th century. Selected letters will be answered on this site. Harry cannot provide personal answers. Photos and other material submitted cannot be returned. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5093 Vera Cruz Road, Emmaus, PA 18049. You also can e-mail your questions to harrylrinker@aol.com. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered. Please indicate that these are questions for WorthPoint.

Copyright © Rinker Enterprises, Inc. 2009

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

TRIVIA QUIZ: The Tri-StateTrader evolved into what current trade publication?

The computer is responsible for the second information revolution. Some will argue that the computer is only hardware and that software and the Internet are the true revolutionary tools. While true, I still turn on my computer to utilize both, thus my vote is for the computer. I live in the computer age, not the Internet age.

There is no question the computer is in the process of revolutionizing the antiques and collectibles trade. I used “in the process” because the revolution is in its early stages. Miniaturization of technology, worldwide access, and new entrepreneurial schemes are daily occurrences. More and more handheld devices are capable of Internet access. While I conceded defeat and purchased a mobile phone, I continue to hold out against the Blackberry, iPod, and the like. I eventually will yield, but still take pride in my stubborn committal to the “old fashion way” for the moment.

I remember (using this phrase makes it sound like so long ago) when I was thrilled to have dial-up access to the Internet. Now my decision to stay at a bed and breakfast, hotel or motel is contingent upon whether or not it has free wireless Internet access. To hell with the high-end hotels that charge an access fee. Once again, I have resisted purchasing an Internet access card through my telephone provider. I am holding out for access via satellite at a reasonable cost.

Entrepreneurial innovations are happening so fast that I cannot keep up with them. Dana Morykan, who proofs much of what I write about antiques and collectibles, suggested I checkout the website www.budson.com/uk and www.swoopo.com. I did. You should as well. Hopefully no one from Christie’s or Sotheby’s will. Heaven help the trade if they do.

Like December 7, 1941, which President Franklin Delano Roosevelt designated as a “date that will live in infamy,” Christie’s and Sotheby’s deserve the same attribution as companies for introducing the buyer’s penalty to the antiques and collectibles field. The buyer’s penalty, more commonly know as the buyer’s premium, is an additional fee charged to successful bidders for the right to purchase objects at auction. The only salvation, assuming it is one, is that the only person who pays this fee is the final bidder.

This is not true on budson.com/uk and swoopo.com. Every bid on swoopo.com costs seventy-five cents. Every bid on Budson costs one pound fifty. Everyone pays to bid—win or lose. As bad as this may sound, it gets worse. Swoopo.com raises bids in fifteen-cent increments. Do the math. Swoopo makes $5 for each $1 bid. Budson is even worse. Its bids are raised one penny at a time. Budson makes 150 pounds for each pound increase in the bid.

Bid increases are limited to fifteen cents and one penny. Even if you are willing to bid hundreds of dollars more, you only can increase your bid by the pre-specified amount. The possibility exists that you could bid hundreds of times in a single auction before winning. The final cost to bid could easily exceed the value of the purchased object. What a racket. If criminal elements tried a stunt like this, a Federal prosecutor and task force would be appointed.

Can it get even worse? You bet. Budson and Swoopo have last-man-standing software, i.e., the auction is not over until only one bidder remains. There is no fixed end time as there is for an eBay auction. Each new bid revives the bidding process. Swoopo uses a 20-second countdown, i.e. when the announced closing time is reached, the auction continues and does not close until 20 seconds pass without a bid.

If you think this bid approach never will be tried in the antiques and collectibles trade, think again. Some auction house or auctioneer is going to try it, whether Internet-driven or in a gallery. It will fail only if the antiques and collectibles buying community make a pact never to participate in such a scheme. The buyer’s penalty survived because of greed, i.e., the inability of buyers to sit on their hands and paddles when it was first introduced. If everyone had refused to bid at those early auctions, there would be no buyer’s penalty today.

The computer has impacted the antiques and collectibles trade positively and negatively, a trend that will continue into the future. Budson and Swoopo are examples of the negative influence. The use of the computer as a fourth bidder for a live auction is a positive example.

Historically, an auction had two groups of bidders: those in attendance and those in the book. Book bids are those left behind by individuals who previewed the auction but could not be present at the time of the actual sale. The mobile phone gave rise to a third set of bidders. Phone banks grew from two to three phones to more than 20 at major auction houses. The computer established a fourth set of bidders; individuals who followed the auction live on a web platform and actively bid as the auction progressed. Service providers such as liveauctioneers.com, proxibid.com, and artfact.com (Artfact Live!), and others work with leading auction houses around the world.

As the computer offers increasingly more information and services in the antiques and collectibles field, time became the enemy. If I spent 24 hours a day on the computer, there is no way I could stay current with the wealth of new technology and information flooding the Internet. I spend most of my day and night on the computer, either researching or writing.

The tragedy is that I am spending less and less time consulting print resources, from reference books to antiques and collectibles periodicals. What was once a necessity has become a luxury. Why do I have the feeling I am missing so much?

My field research also is suffering. It is too easy to turn to the computer. Cyberspace data is replacing human data. Intelligence agencies rediscovered the value of onsite human resources thanks to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Statistical data is only one measure of what is happening in the antiques and collectibles trade. Human perception and assessment are others and every bit as valid as the former.

Fifteen years ago, more or less, I was in Dallas with Jim and Yvonne Tucker conducting a series of antiques and collectibles seminars. I told the attendees that if they were 50 or older, there was no need for them to buy a computer. They could continue to do business in the traditional manner until they were ready to retire. It was bad advice, very bad advice. Five years later I sang a very different tune, telling seminar participants that using a computer was critical to survival.

I am typing this column on a computer. I will send it electronically to Dana for proofing. She will send it electronically to those who will publish it, including several websites, among which is harryrinker.com. Print publications who receive it will insert it into their page format on a computer and send the finished pages electronically to the printer.

This is the computer age; and, I am happy to be part of it. I just have to make certain it is not my only life.

TRIVA QUIZ ANSWER: AntiqueWeek. The Tri-State Trader began in 1968. The switch to AntiqueWeek occurred in the early 1980s.

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

You can listen and participate in “WHATCHA GOT?” Harry’s antiques-and-collectibles radio call-in show on Sunday mornings between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern Time. It streams live on http://www.gcnlive.com on the Genesis Communications Network.

“SELL, KEEP OR TOSS? HOW TO DOWNSIZE A HOME, SETTLE AN ESTATE, AND APPRAISE PERSONAL PROPERTY” (House of Collectibles, an imprint of the Random House Information Group), Harry’s latest book, is available at your favorite bookstore and via Harry’s Web site: http://www.harryrinker.com

Harry L. Rinker welcomes questions from readers about collectibles, those mass-produced items from the 20th century. Selected letters will be answered on this site. Harry cannot provide personal answers. Photos and other material submitted cannot be returned. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5093 Vera Cruz Road, Emmaus, PA 18049. You also can e-mail your questions to harrylrinker@aol.com. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered. Please indicate that these are questions for WorthPoint.

Copyright © Rinker Enterprises, Inc. 2009

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.