Portrait of Winston Churchill

Do you have any evidence that Washington slept on that bed you want to sell? What about the satin bustier? Did it give more oomph to Mae West’s figure? More curves to Madonna’s? Did that painting really hang in Winston Churchill’s study?

If the answers are “yes,” then you’ve got great provenance.

Great what? In the worlds of art, antiques and collectibles, provenance is something that gives a lithograph, French sideboard or Barbie doll more pizzazz, more interest—more money.

It’s the history of the item. It’s the Hansel-and-Gretel trail of where it began and who owned it or used it along the way.

Establishing provenance for art, antiques and collectibles

What do you need to establish provenance? It’s pretty straightforward—sales receipts, gallery stickers, exhibition catalogs, catalogues raisonnés (for those who took Spanish in high school, that’s French for “carefully thought out,” in other words an annotated catalog), ownership records, newspaper/magazine articles about the work, articles/letters by art experts describing the work and even photographs of the artist or craftsman standing next to it. Audio or video of the artist discussing his or her creation or the testimony of someone close to the artist is also acceptable.

(If you’d like to learn more about an item pictured in this story, click on the image.)

Of course, record keeping through the generations—or even from last week for some of us—can be haphazard. In addition, there are many situations that are beyond control. Some are:

• No records survive for antique works

• Neglect in keeping records or preserving sales documentation when the works have been in the family for centuries

• Dealers and auction houses from previous centuries go out of business

• Wealthy collectors who take great pains to buy and sell anonymously

• Documentation loss due to natural disasters such as earthquake, fire, flooding

• Lack of protection from weather decay or pests

• Losing documents when moving

• Undiscovered or inaccessible archives

In the absence of valid documentation, establishing provenance can be tricky. Especially as the art-market boom has led to a proliferation of forgeries and con men like John Drewe, whose phony art and documentation fooled everyone for decades.

Forged P. Pollaiuolo (1441-1496)

Looted or stolen works, from a wartime era or illegally exported, are a major concern. Be especially wary when buying art and antiques that were in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. With all the complexities of restituting the more than 250,000 Nazi-looted artworks to their former owners or their descendants, a checkered provenance might very well land you in the legal soup.

Henri Le Sidaner’s "Les Arbres Fleuris" (1933)

So it’s important to consult a reputable expert—someone with in-depth knowledge about that particular art/artist, several scholarly articles/publications to his/her name and well-respected credentials in the art, antiques and collectibles worlds.

Expert appraisal and authentication can, on occasion, lead to a startling revelation, as happened in the case of Tammy H. of Colorado. Thom Pattie, the chief Worthologist here at WorthPoint, recognized her  painting as “Coin De Paris, Rue de Meaux,” a work by the 20th-century Japanese artist, Takanori Oguiss. The painting later garnered $103,000 at Sotheby’s. Tammy tells her story in a WorthPoint video.

Tips for establishing provenance

Get certificates of authentication, warranties and guarantees from the seller.

Provenance documents must mention the work in question and must be original.

Check and cross-check previous owners, galleries and auction houses.

Find out what has gone for what at WorthPoint’s Worthopedia, http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia a vast database that contains prices, photos and descriptions of millions of antiques and collectibles. Also take a look at GoAntique’s PriceMiner, which has only a $9.95 monthly subscription fee.

A valuable source for finding out if works were lost or stolen is the London-based Art Loss Register and the International Foundation for Art Research.

Visit

The World Wide Web has opened the door for easier provenance research. No more having to trek to the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles or Harvard’s hallowed halls in Cambridge. Some clicks, and a wealth of information is available to you.

The Getty Provenance Index has more than 1 million records going back to the end of the 16th century.

The National Gallery of Art Provenance search allows you to search for information by artist, title and subject. It also provides provenance-search tips.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s site deals with Met-owned works, but can give you a better understanding of what establishing provenance is all about.

Chinese Art –Research into Provenance says its mission is to document “records relating to dealers and collectors who specialized in Chinese art during the first half of the twentieth century.”

Protect your investment in art, antiques and collectibles by spending some time researching provenance. You’ll be glad you did. And be sure to follow Jim Sturgill’s advice on inventorying your collection. You’ll be glad you did that, too.

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

If you can’t see a mark on a piece of fine pottery or art glass, that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. If your eye is trained to spot quality pieces but you are not able to find a mark, it can be well worth your time to keep on looking for one.

I once visited a very high-end antique store in Los Angles and was rather disappointed when I couldn’t find anything of interest I could buy and later resell for a profit. But, as I was leaving the store, for some reason I looked up at a top shelf where there were two extremely large vases. I asked the dealer if he would get a ladder and bring them down so that I could get a better look at them. Hesitantly, he did.

I examined the vases from top to bottom but couldn’t find a mark, even though I felt fairly certain they were Doulton Lambeth pieces decorated by one of their leading artists. I went over these pieces several more times but still couldn’t find a mark and was considering putting them back on the shelf. Being the stubborn person I am, as all that I refused to give up, so I examined them another time. Finally, I caught a glimpse of three letters within the body of the vase, “FEB” — meaning Florence E. Barlow, the sister of Hannah Barlow. This had just become my lucky day. The two Barlow sisters were Doulton’s best known decorators, and their vases always bring top prices.

Why hadn’t others found these marks? Very simply, the marks weren’t typically where one would find marks on pottery. I’m sure there had been hundreds of people who looked at the bottoms of these pieces and returned them to their shelf when they couldn’t see a mark. You see, ninety-five percent of these vases would have been marked on the bottom. But, not these. And, to make it more difficult, this particular mark, “FEB” had been incorporated into the actual design of the vase, making it almost impossible to find. But, not impossible to a persistant and stubborn person like me. This poor dealer had no idea these vases were special pieces.

I could barely hold my composure when I asked the price. “Two hundred and fifty dollars each,” was the dealer’s response. I didn’t know if it was time to dance or cry.

I returned to my car carrying these two precious bundles and carefully placed them in the back. Then, I pinched myself to be sure I wasn’t dreaming. You see, these wonderful 22″ vases were worth over $5,000 each at the time.

This type of find isn’t a rare occurrence. Lalique, Steuben and other art glass pieces with etched marks often present a huge challenge in finding the marks. The secret is to recognize the quality of the materials and the decorations on the piece. If they both meet the standards of a quality piece, then you should spend the time required to verify the maker.

The next show you attend, find a Tiffany Lamp and ask to look at it. I believe you will find it isn’t easy to located the marks because of their small size and because of where they are located under the shade.

You can learn to spot quality when you make a study of the most sought after pottery, porcelain, and art glass. Knowing the work and values of in demand artists will put you at the head of the class. You’ll be able to find the marks others miss.

Use every source you can in order to study. Search the Internet. See these pieces up close at shows. Invest in your own resource library. Used books can easily be found at reasonable prices through the internet. Choose your area of study.

When you spot that next high quality piece, be persistant in looking for a mark. It can pay you off tenfold.

For more information about marks, visit www.Marks4Antiques.com.

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

www.31corp.com ]]> http://www.worthpoint.com/research_library/discover-mark-others-miss-valuable-pottery-and-art-glass/feed 5 http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/fake-porcelain-marks-recognizing-forged-or-imitation-marks-ceramics http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/fake-porcelain-marks-recognizing-forged-or-imitation-marks-ceramics#comments Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:40:00 +0000 Lisa Marion http://blog.worthpoint.com/?p=1860597

Identifying porcelain is more than just “reading” a mark. It involves careful consideration of many elements to confirm correct age and authenticity.

There are thousands of Porcelain marks and even experienced collectors and antiques dealers can have difficulty in determining whether an item is new, and avoid costly mistakes.

There has been a huge influx of porcelain items recently – mostly figurines and other decorative porcelain objects. Many are high quality and may be better for decorative purposes, but they are not antique. The vast majority of these products come from China, or Asia generally. Some have stickers or labels and many are marked with what appear to be older European or American marks and do not carry a country of origin mark. However, many of the new marks are so similar to authentic antique marks that distinguishing them requires a more detailed look.

Luckily, there are some additional ways to recognize most forged or imitation porcelain marks. Here are some tips:

• Examine the mark around the edges using a magnifying lens. If the mark appears too perfect and applied using an industrial machine, then the mark probably is recent. Most items made prior to 1950 had their marks applied by hand, so these stamps would wear out over time, or the firmness with which they were applied varied from worker to worker. Older porcelain marks are not as clear or sharp at the edges.

• Recent porcelain marks are close imitations of older authentic marks used by Meissen, Sevres, Chantilly, English Staffordshire Potteries (usually Coats of Arms or Crests), Gardner, etc… They almost always differ in one or two minor details from the old marks, such as the endings do not curl the same or have symbols that are obscure or out of scale. Although some older authentic antique marks were applied in free-hand style using an artist’s thin brush, the difference is still apparent once you have seen several examples of the original mark.

• Modern imitation porcelain marks often intentionally misspell words, such as “SEVRE” instead of “SEVRES” or “STAFORDSHIRE” instead of “STAFFORDHIRE.” Compare the name you read with the authentic one by running a quick search on Google or eBay.

• Typically, newer porcelain marks are larger than the originals. Older porcelain marks rarely exceed 1 – 1.5 inches.

• Because “china” also refers to dinnerware (as in “chinaware”), many newer porcelain marks include the word CHINA in the mark. For example, “IRONSTONE CHINA” helps to comply with the country of origin laws but also confuses a collector in thinking that this is part of the original company name. Many marks of older potteries included the word CHINA as part of their trademark.

• The universal symbol for “copyright” usually is the letter C enclosed in a circle. This did not exist before the 20th century. If a mark looks similar to an older or antique porcelain mark and also has this copyright symbol, it is a new imitation mark.

• Although there were a handful of companies that used the words VICTORIA” or “VICTORIAN” within their logo or as a name of a pattern, the words often are used in newer, imitation porcelain marks.

• Items made for export to the U.S. after 1891 must declare the country of origin. Older items usually include the country of origin as part of their overall trademark, or the name of the country – “Germany” or “England”, “France” etc.. – appears near the actual maker’s porcelain mark. Many recent Asian imports bypass this legal requirement by using a sticker or label, which is often removed or lost.

• Most antique porcelain shows tiny cracks in the glaze called “crazing,” especially on Earthenware or old glazed Chinaware that has been used extensively. New pieces exhibit similar crazing, but the lines appear very bright and white, indicating artificial stress during firing to create this effect.

Other reliable signs of age include:
1. Older molds tend to be “tighter” with almost no seams,
2. The “blow hole,” or the tiny opening that allows air to escape from within a piece while in the kiln usually is rough and hand-pierced on antique pieces.
3. The base or foot rim of older pieces show wear and tear, feel somewhat rough to the touch or are slightly discolored.
4. Older pieces used softer, gentler colors and are not too bright. Newer pieces tend to be very “intense.”
5. The “whiteness” of older porcelain is even and bright. Recent pieces tend to appear slightly gray or bluish.

Alex and Elizabeth are WorthPoint Worthologists.

Faience pottery, also known as Fayence in France, is often used as a synonym to Majolica because of their similar appearance and use of tin glaze. Yet, most collectors distinguish Faience pottery by their characteristic polychrome (multi-colored) designs and mostly white background, whereas Majolica tends to have decoration all over along with pronounced raised decorative details (relief).

Although the earliest specimens date all the way back to 1200 BC in Greece, most Faience items found in the antiques market or many museums today are made circa 16th century onwards, and primarily in Italy, France, Holland and England. The most desired of Faience pottery originates from France, such as the Quimper, Ruen, Luneville regions, or from Italy near Turin or Savona and Florence. Of course, as with most other popular pottery or porcelain, some Faience pieces now also come from China and other Asian economies, and in spite of their decorative appeal, these are not antique.

Most antique Faience pottery was of a quasi-utilitarian nature, like jugs or plates, but with a distinct aesthetic flair. Vases and other decorative ware were also made in those older days, but many tend to be of rather regular shapes. Designs tend to be floral or geometric in nature, and some have simple depictions of pastoral scenes with one or two persons carrying farm duties.

The vast majority of antique Faience was made in small studios or by individual artists. These early pieces were signed with the artist’s initials or monogram, along with a symbol or the full name of their location. Hence, QUIMPER or other names of regions where Faience pottery was made do not reflect any actual manufacturer or maker, but rather a number of art studios or artists that worked in the area. Much later, around very-late-18th century onwards, some studios were much larger or became collectives, and some marks and signatures from that period are linked to a specific company, as in the case of the HENRIOT factory in Quimper, France.

Old Faience is very popular nowadays and can fetch high prices at auction. Because early examples were made of earthenware and, as noted above, were of utilitarian nature, many show clear signs of distress and wear such chips or cracks. However, this is to be expected and in most cases it does not detract from their value. In fact, some collectors believe it adds character to a Faience piece. This is unlike what you would expect on a Meissen porcelain figurine or a pair of Sevres urns that are usually more valuable if in perfect condition, even though they date from a similar period, since the latter were meant to be used for display only.

Please see “My Collections” for some examples. The above is by no means an exhaustive account on Faience pottery, but rather a starting point for an interesting discussion. Please feel free to contribute your own experiences with Faience to this blog.

Alex and Elizabeth are WorthPoint Worthologists.

One of the easier to identify and most consistently accurate indicators that a bottle was manufactured during or prior to the American Civil War (i.e., the 1860s or before) is the pontil scar present on the base.

A pontil mark is a variably sized and type of scar left on the base of a bottle by a pontil rod. A typical pontil rod or “punte” was a long (4-6 feet) iron rod which was securely attached to the base of the just blown hot bottle. This attachment process was called “empontilling.” The rod had to be long enough so that the heat transference from the extremely hot (2000°+ F.) bottle did not reach the hands of the pontil rod holder. A pontil rod held the bottle during the steps in the bottle blowing process where the blowpipe is removed (“cracked-off”) from the bottle and that break-off point is “finished”, i.e. the lip or “finish” is completed in some fashion, with or without additional glass. (The process of “finishing” a bottle will be the subject of a future article.)

Once the bottle is “finished,” the pontil rod itself is sharply tapped which breaks it free of the bottle. The base of a bottle which was held with a pontil rod will almost always retain some evidence of the pontil rod attachment. (For more information on the production processes of making bottles, please see my “Historic Glass Bottle Identification & Information Website” (HBW for short) at www.sha.org/bottle/index.htm . In particular see the “Glassmaking & Glassmakers” page at www.sha.org/bottle/glassmaking.htm )

Four types of pontil scars

There were four main types of empontilling methods – all of which leave more or less distinctively different base markings. These are briefly discussed below:

1. Glass-tipped pontil scar (image #1) – This type pontil scar was formed by the use of a solid iron bar as the pontil rod. One slightly widened end of the bar was tipped with molten glass then applied and fused to the base of the bottle. A glass tipped pontil rod made contact with most – or all – of the bottle base within the confines of the diameter of the pontil rod tip. When the rod was broken free of the bottle, a generally round but fragmented scar was left behind on the base.

This is usually manifested primarily by an assortment of glass fragments protruding above the base of the bottle. See image #1 which is a mid-19th century sauce bottle. In addition, the rod would usually take with it some small glass fragments from the base of the bottle leaving a scar which is a round scattering of “bumps and gouges” without a distinctly unmarred scar center – like the blowpipe pontil scar described next.

2. Blowpipe or “open” pontil scar (image #2) – This type of pontil mark – which was also called the “ring pontil” or “open pontil” – was formed when a hollow blowpipe was used as the pontil rod. It is at least as common on American made bottles as the glass tipped pontil mark (Boow 1991). Using a blowpipe for empontilling was likely done to both save on the number of tools used by the glass blower and to save time.

When a blowpipe was used as a pontil, it left behind a distinctive ring shaped scar that is usually sharp edged, hollow in the middle, and round to slightly oval with an overall diameter that is roughly the size of the bottles upper neck. This is circumstantial proof that one blowpipe was usually used for both blowing and empontilling. Image #2 shows a very large and distinct blowpipe pontil on the base of a “Jenny Lind calabash” bottle that dates from about 1850.

3. Sand pontil scar (image #3) – The sand pontil scar was also a common method of empontilling a bottle to hold it for finishing, though less common on American made bottles than the other three primary methods described here. This mark was formed when the hot glass on the flared or ball shaped tip of a solid iron pontil rod was dipped in sand (or small glass chips) prior to application to the bottle base. The sand/glass chips were apparently intended to keep the pontil rod from adhering too closely to the bottle, facilitating easier removal.

A larger connecting surface at the end of the pontil rod was necessary with this method in order to ensure an adequate adherence to the bottle base and was of particular use with the ever increasing numbers of molded bottles during the first half of the 19th century. The sand pontil apparently conformed better than other pontil types to molded base shapes without distorting it (Jones 1971; McDougall 1990).

This type of pontil can be very subtle and hard to identify at times (it is also hard to photograph). It often must be confirmed by running ones finger over the base and feeling for the presence of a finger grabbing “sandpaper effect.” It feels and visually appears to be a generally round, sparse scattering of very fine sand, glass, or quartz grains imbedded onto and into the surface glass of the base. Some have described this as an “orange peel” effect (McDougall 1990). See image #3 which shows the base of an 1830s to 1840s patent medicine (“Health Restorative”) bottle from New York.

The sand pontil will usually (though lightly) cover a much larger diameter area on the base than typically affected by the other three empontilling methods covered here (although iron pontil marks can be wide also; see the next section). The base of a sand pontiled bottle will often show some distortion made by the red hot pontil rod ball tip/head application to the bottle base which often more or less outlines the sand pontil area. The noted image shows a sand pontil with the distortion (indented slightly) made by the pontil ball tip in evidence.

4. Iron or” improved” pontil scar (image #4) – This fascinating type of pontil mark is also referred to as simply an “iron pontil” or “improved pontil.” It is also commonly referred to as a “graphite pontil.” This is erroneous as there is no graphite (carbon) associated with any improved or iron pontil mark. Apparently the term originated from the fact that the substance often looks like a graphite smear. In actuality, the residual red, reddish black, gray, or black deposits are iron, typically oxidized iron – ferric (red) and ferrous (gray, black) oxides (Toulouse 1968; McKearin & Wilson 1978).

The iron pontil scar is the result of using a bare iron pontil rod with an appropriate shaped tip or head which was heated red hot and directly applied and fused to the base of the bottle to be held. There was no glass added (like the glass-tipped pontil rod) or remaining (like using the blowpipe for a pontil) on the iron tip of this type pontil rod.

Like the other pontil rod types, this one was probably removed by sharply tapping the rod near the attachment point. The iron deposits which form the iron pontil mark are very small fragments or residue from the tip of the bare iron pontil rod itself. Image #4 is of a “gothic peppersauce” bottle from the 1850s with a classic dark gray iron pontil mark.

For more detailed information on the fascinating world of pontil marks or scars – including many more images and illustrations – check out the “Pontil Scars” page of my Historic Bottle Website at www.sha.org/bottle/pontil_scars.htm

Dating bottles with pontil scars

Pontil rods and the resultant pontil scars go back to antiquity, having been used for bottle making as early as Roman times (McKearin 1941). All of the different pontil scars noted can be found on American made utilitarian bottles that date to or before the American Civil War (mid-1860s). Pontil scars on all types of “utilitarian bottles” (discussed below) became ever increasingly unusual as the 1860s progressed and largely disappeared by the late 1860s or early 1870s as various “snap” or snap case tools dominated the task of grasping the hot bottle for finishing.

However, the transition time for conversion from the pontil rod to the snap case was lengthy. The first use of the grasping snap tool in the United States may have been in the 1840s, but its use was definitely evident by at least the early 1850s. Thus, utilitarian bottles without a pontil scar can date as early as the late 1840s to early 1850s (though rarely earlier) and pontil scars can be found – though very infrequently – on utilitarian bottles made in the late 1860s and even early 1870s

More specifically, glass tipped, blowpipe, and sand pontil marks may all be found on most all bottles dating well before bottles were even made in any quantity in the New World, i.e. before the late 18th century, and continued to be common on a large majority of bottles up until the American Civil War. Some utilitarian bottles (though a relatively small percentage) were still being produced with these pontil marks as late as the early 1870s. After that time, those types of pontil scars are very unusual and related mostly to the production of low volume “specialty” bottles (e.g., fancy liquor decanters, barber bottles).

The bare iron pontil apparently had a fairly narrow lifespan as the majority of these bottles date between about 1845 and the mid-1860s, though they can be as early as 1830s and possibly as late as the early 1870s. They are particularly common on mid-19th century soda/mineral water bottles but can be found on a wide variety of bottle types (Toulouse 1968; Watson & Skrill 1971; McKearin & Wilson 1978; Cannon 1990; Boow 1991; Van den Bossche 2001).

Pontil scars and bottle values

It is very simple to summarize the impact of pontil scars on historic bottles: pontil scars of all types enhance the value of a bottle almost without exception (and I can’t think of any exceptions). The attraction of pontil scars/marks to collectors is largely connected with the fact that the mark proves a Civil War (or earlier) heritage and is a visual, physical connection of that bottle with the primitive, craft based bottle manufacturing methods of old.

As an example of how a pontil mark affects value, consider a “Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters” bottle – one of the most common bitters bottles made during the last half of the 19th century — which may be worth $10 to $500 depending on color (plain ambers at the lower end; various shades of green – like image #5 – or black glass at the upper end of the scale). However, if that same Hostetter’s bottle has a distinct iron pontil scar the value increases at least 10-fold! (Pontiled Hostetter’s bottles are extremely rare, but do exist.) Although the spread in value usually isn’t that great, most bottles are worth significantly more if the base exhibits a pontil scar than if it does not and is “smooth” to use collector jargon.

To view the references noted in this article view the HBW “References” page at www.sha.org/bottle/References.htm
For viewers unfamiliar with some of the terminology used in the descriptions, please see the HBW “Bottle Glossary” page at www.sha.org/bottle/glossary.htm

John, however, is a member of Marks4Antiques.com, a unique Web-based reference service created by Worthologists Alex and Elizabeth Papalexis. Marks4Antiques.com enables subscribers to match identifying marks on antiques and to survey auction prices for comparable pieces. When the mark on the eBay figurine was checked, it turned out to be a recent reproduction. “It was a beautiful porcelain piece but probably not worth more than $150,” said Alex.

Googling doesn’t always get the answer

Some folks may try to Google for information on antiques or collectibles that have gotten their interest on eBay or RubyLane, but often that doesn’t give either sufficient or reliable information. Some collectors rely on books and catalogs—but getting them and staying current can be a chore.

“There is not as much information available out there as people think,” said Elizabeth. “There wasn’t an authoritative, easy-to-disseminate single source.”

Enter Marks4Antiques.com, which offers services for identifying ceramics, porcelain, pottery, china, silver, jewelry and decorative-arts items in general. An additional service offers a price search for antiques and collectibles sold at auction so that members can self-appraise their treasures.

Collectibles hobby becomes a business

All this began with the couple’s penchant for collecting. “It started as a hobby, became a passion and turned into a business,” Alex said. Trained as a physicist and engineer, he had a fascination for scientific instruments—old microscopes, barometers, sextants, quack medical devices and even old HP calculators.

Elizabeth began her collecting with Royal Winton Chintz cups and saucers, service sets and teapots, sterling-silver napkin rings and bonbon dishes. Often, the hunt involved getting up at the crack of dawn to buy pieces out of the back of collectors’ vehicles at what the British call a “car boot sale.” The hunt extended from English flea markets to shops and auctions across Europe and the United States. (For more about various types of porcelain, read Alex and Elizabeth’s blog.)

The couple moved from London to San Francisco’s Silicon Valley when Alex took a post as an executive with a high-tech company. At the same time, the Internet was just about beginning to enter our everyday lives, especially eBay. So, they stepped up their collecting and online sales of fine and antique tableware and decorative items. And that’s when they realized the need and opportunity for better and on-demand reference data. “With the Web, everything moves so fast,” Elizabeth said. “You often need information right away.”

Pictorial galleries

Marks4Antiques.com is an easy-to-use site with visual guides. All marks are presented in photos and are divided in pictorial galleries of shapes or letters. Each library of marks offers more than 12,000 images of identifying marks for pottery, china, ceramics, porcelain, jewelry, silver or silver plate, pewter etc, as well as extra background help. The Values4Antiques site allows subscribers to search a database for all types of antiques and collectibles sold at auction. Type in “Wedgwood plate,” and up pops pictures of recent Wedgwood chinaware sold at auction with dates and prices.

Members of the sites also have the option of sending marks for identification. “When we receive a question, it is like a jigsaw puzzle, and we won’t stop until we find the answer,” Alex said. Once they identify a mark, it is added to the online database. “Our goal is to make the sites as comprehensive and all-inclusive as possible. And, in a way, the contents are a live document that continually grows with updated information” said Elizabeth.

The couple is encouraged that they are moving in the right direction as more and more subscribers from around the world—the U.S. to the U.K. to South Africa and Australia—join Marks4Antiques.com.

“Our members tell us that they feel a special connection with us, especially because we are there for them and reply to their questions when they are about to buy or sell an item. It’s like having an antiques expert on retainer,” said Elizabeth. “You can’t do that with a book!”

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

What is Your Old Book Worth?

The value of old books can vary based on many, many factors. Unfortunately, your book may not have a high value just because it is old – or even because it is a famous title. The following guidelines for 19th and 20th century books are just a few areas that may help explain valuation.

First Editions

A first edition is always worth more than subsequent editions. First editions (by new authors) were usually published in smaller numbers to reduce risk for the publisher. Those who purchased these books did so without foreseeing eventual popularity and value. If a first edition sold well, the publisher could quickly print additional copies. And sometimes the second printing of a book followed the first by only a few weeks.

But identifying a first edition can be very difficult. For some books, it is as simple as noting the words “First Printing” on the title page – or even matching the published date with the copyright date. But for most books, it may be as varied as the particular publisher, the title page printing scheme, complex numerical notations, specific advertising in the back of the book or on the dust jacket, typographical printing errors which were later corrected, colophons, illustration changes and many other fine points. Scholars and historians who have researched the various states of a book are sometimes the only authorities on first editions.

And some first editions are also the only editions. A book that was not reprinted because it was not popular will not necessarily be valued as a “first”.

Early Editions

While value drops dramatically for subsequent editions, it is true that early editions (especially in the original format by the first publisher and illustrator) can be more valued than later editions. Many popular books were eventually reprinted thousands of times, by many different publishers and often with many different illustrators. In fact, some books from the 1800s have never been out of print.

Collectors should be aware, however, that the copyright date often has no relation to the latest publishing date. In fact, the copyright date could be more than 50 years older than the true publishing date (which may not be noted at all).

Dust Jackets

In times past, dust jackets were considered as disposable as candy wrappers or paper sacks. Buyers tore them off and disposed of them as soon as they were brought home. Therefore, a vintage book with an intact dust jacket is rare and highly valued. In fact, a dust jacket in excellent condition can more than quintuple the value of a book, particularly for books printed prior to the 1940s, when people more commonly began to save the jackets.

Buyers must be cautious, however, because modern laser printers can duplicate original dust jackets. Paper thickness, stiffness, dimensions and quality can help identify laser copies. Defects or tears that appear in the copy (without actually being physically present) are obvious signs of a reproduction. If the condition of the book under the jacket is worse that the jacket (which should have protected the book from sun damage and the like), then the jacket is probably not original to the book and was added later.

Condition

Just as a home is famously valued by “location”, a book is valued by condition. Dust jackets that are frayed, torn, stained or inked are greatly devalued. Books with loose bindings, missing pages, bumped or chipped edges, yellowed and crisp “war paper”, sun-damaged covers, cocked or missing spines, brown age spots, mold and other defects are not worth anywhere near the same as books in mint condition.

I happen to be a collector who values inscriptions on the inside front covers. To me, these personal notations from grandparents, aunts and uncles add to the character and history of the book. However, most experts devalue books with an unknown owner’s name or writing inside. Especially if it is lengthy and in ink.

Book Club Editions

Popular authors often released their latest book in a book club edition as well as a first edition. Because book club editions were massively produced, they are also greatly devalued. A book club dust jacket usually does not contain a price in its upper inside corner, which is a good indication of its origination. (And if a dust jacket is clipped in its lower inside corner, it is possibly a clip that has excised the “book club” designation.) However, book club editions can be hard to identify when the dust jackets are missing. Sometimes they have lesser quality or thinner paper. Sometimes they have an embossed mark on the back of the book. Sometimes they are slightly smaller. But to an untrained eye, they often they seem very similar to the trade editions.

Association and Autographed Copies

Association copies are books that include a personal note and autograph by the author or illustrator and were given to family, friends or colleagues. Association copies might also be books that simply belonged to someone of historical interest (with that owner’s name inside) or perhaps belonged to someone connected with the actual contents of the book. If the author, illustrator or owner were renowned, then these books are valued highly. Of course, the inscription must be authenticated and provenance assured.

Some authors and illustrators from the past rarely signed books. However, others autographed thousands of books – in public book signings and more recently in chain bookstores – and their inscriptions are thus worth much less. This is particularly true of modern celebrities and some prolific authors. Buyers should also be aware of “signatures” that are part of the typeset and are automatically printed into every single book.

Limited Editions

Once an author or illustrator became famous, subsequent books were sometimes issued in unique limited editions, which were specifically reduced in number and included particularly nice bindings, autographs, special inserts, tipped-in illustrations or other such amenities. Because they are scarce and often very artistic, many collectors seek them.

Library Editions

In the past, library or school editions were often produced with lesser quality bindings and paper. Color illustrations, dust jackets, embossments and other features may have been eliminated since these copies were made simply for reading, not collecting. Indelible filing-system spine numbers, pasted-in borrowing card envelopes, ink stamps and other such markings all drastically drop the value of an ex-library book.

Popularity

Although popular titles may have literally hundreds of different editions, they do retain a certain value when compared to more common titles. Famous artists sometimes illustrated popular titles long after they were first published. And some publishers celebrated popular titles by producing beautifully ornate versions. These books can be quite collectible.

But the forgotten novels of yesterday probably have very little value – unless they have unusual illustrations, photographs or bindings. Millions and millions of books have been printed. Therefore, for most unknown titles, age alone is not a valuation factor.

Scarcity

Books that are rare are obviously more valued than books that are widely available. It is a simple economic formula of supply and demand. The Internet has now opened access to sellers and buyers from all over the world. It has helped collectors find longed-for books, but it has hurt the value of some books that now may not seem so rare. There might be only 20 copies of a particular book in the world, but if 15 of them are available for sale and the market is not showing much interest, then it is price and condition that will determine the ones that sell.

It is true that some old books can sell for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, particularly antiquarian books. In 2007, a copy of the Magna Carta from 1297 AD sold for $23 million. And an 1823 first edition of Frankenstein can sell for the price of a small house. But these books are rare and exceptional.

It can be difficult to identify unknown art glass. I’ve studied 20th Century glass for a very long time, and have learned how to spot the clues that point in the direction of identification, but it doesn’t always end well. Often, after months of research in my library and on the web, after following every clue I could squeeze out the object, I end up more confused then when I began. Here are a couple of good examples of glass mysteries that have me stumped:

Set of Hand-Blown Soft Form Bullet Vases with Exterior Monochrome & Aventurine Murrina Décor

Found the two vases a year ago at an estate sale in Las Vegas. The sale was full of mid-century modern (1940s-1970s) décor items. First thing I noted as I brought one down from a shelf was the weight. It was very heavy for its size (3.7 lbs, 9.5” tall). Looking over the unusual decor, I discovered why. It was made of thick blown cobalt blue glass and a thick layer of monochrome and metallic murrina (bits of glass rods) “rolled” over the entire vase. An outer layer of clear glass is normally found encasing décor like this, but there was none. The murrina layer was added to the surface, and causes a slightly raised irregular texture. As I reached for the matching vase, my heart raced. Whoever made these vases was very good at the art. The décor told me that they were very difficult to create. I just knew that it would be easy to find more information about them…but it wasn’t.

My first thought was Italian (Venini, Toso, etc) or Bohemian, 1940s/1960s. I was positive the décor alone would lead the way to the maker. To my surprise, every clue gleamed from the vases led to a dead-end. Next I tried other regions and contemporary studio glass. No luck. The only thing I’ve managed to learn about these vases is the exterior décor process is called “Roll Up”:

ROLL UP – Glass technique that uses colorful sheets of glass produced with kiln-fusing, which are then rolled over the blown vessel, then attached to a blow pipe and blown again. It involves warm, hot, and cold methods all in unison.

Italian LABELLED Blue Crystal Modernistic Egg-Shaped Pokal Goblet

It has a label, should be a breeze to discover its origin! It’s thoroughly modernistic shape suggests mid 20th century Franco Pozzi, Joe Colombo, Moretti…and more. All I had to do was match the label. No such luck. The label, the best clue one could possibly hope for, led to a dead-end.

A “Pokal” is a covered wine goblet used in the far past to keep insects and varmints out of the drink. Church’s and royalty used Pokals. This strange and beautiful goblet was made of quality blue hand-blown crystal. The lid gently slips over the vessel, there is no lid ledge to hold it in place. When covered, it resembles a stemmed egg. I am confident that it was made sometime in the mid-20th century. It’s a modernistic Pokal form.

Research continues on these objects. Readers who have clues or suggestions to pass along are welcome to post them here.

The style features broad expanses of unadorned but exotic veneer. The cabinetwork is highlighted with sweeping scrolls and cyma curves, and descriptions of it often contain words like “clunky,” “bulky,” oversize” and “ugly.” Hardware and surface decoration are secondary to the style and have little influence on the overall look. Have you figured out what style I am talking about?

Sure you have. I am talking about mid-19th-century Empire furniture, the big white elephant of the retail antiques market. Right? Wrong. That stuff is not Empire even though 90 percent of it for sale is probably advertised and labeled as such.

The true “Empire” style was the second phase of the Classical era of the early 1800s. In America, the first phase was known as Neoclassicism and generally embraced the Federal styling of Sheraton and Hepplewhite, executed by such cabinetmakers as Samuel McIntire, Michael Allison and of course, Duncan Phyfe.

This is what a true period (1820) Empire bed looks like with paneled headboard and tall posts.

The second phase actually originated in Paris at the beginning of the century as the new style of the Napoleonic Empire and was introduced to America by French émigré cabinetmaker Charles-Honoré Lannuier (pronounced LAN-u-way) around 1815.

The Empire style took a heavier approach than Neoclassicism and incorporated Roman and Greek architectural and mythological themes such as the female figures used as columns called caryatids. The style relied greatly on the carving and design skills of the individual craftsmen who constructed the furniture, and each piece was virtually a unique work.

This one-of-a-kind approach to styling and construction was ultimately the downfall of the style and the period. Not too many of us are personally familiar with artifacts of the Empire era unless we have seen them in museums or at auction because there just weren’t that many of them made.

What is commonly called “Empire” today is what came next after the demise of the true Empire style and again it had a French origin. After the fall of Napoleon came the Restoration period when the Bourbons were returned to the throne. One natural side effect of the change of rulers was a change of taste in furniture. And for once, a French monarchy leaned toward a plainer approach rather than a more elaborate one. Furniture of the French Restoration period, roughly 1818-1848, became conservative versions of late Empire. Very conservative.

This “Empire” chest is a Late Classicism model with none of the paw feet or acanthus carving of the true Empire period.

In America during the same period, especially in the 1830s, the trend was to larger, bulkier furniture with scroll supports and undecorated surfaces. This was almost a direct copy of what was happening in France in the earlier part of the period. But there was a difference in America. This was a growing and prosperous country after the two wars with England. The demand for new stylish furniture was easily outstripping the ability of small handcrafting shops to meet it, and the newer, plainer style from Europe had a large appeal.

The new style was initially referred to as, logically enough, “French Restauration,” even using the French spelling. The initial impact of the new style was in New York, naturally enough, and the firm that took the lead was the house of Joseph Meeks & Sons, which worked in New York from 1797 to 1869. They had a multistory factory on Broad Street and were equipped, both financially and emotionally, to embark on a new wave of style and manufacturing. The firm made history when it published a broadside in 1833 that depicted 41 pieces of furniture in the new style. This was the first publication in America of complete furniture designs.

This fold-over mahogany game table is from the 1840s. A very similar table was shown in the Joseph Meeks & Sons broadside of 1835. The correct name for the style is Late Classicism.

The appeal to customers was the unadorned simplicity of the new style combined with the newer, more impressive overall bulk of the cabinetry. After more than 30 years or so of fancy Sheraton and Neoclassical added to archeological Empire, the new plainer look was a clear relief. It had even more appeal to manufacturers like the Meeks. The Industrial Revolution was in full bloom, and the use of machinery had skyrocketed in the first quarter of the century. The second quarter was off to an even better start, and the new style was perfectly suited to the use of machinery.

The invention of the band saw in 1808 by Londoner William Newberry was one of the seminal events in the 19th-century manufacture of furniture, but it would take several decades after its introduction before it was improved to the point of commercial reliability. The arrival of the band saw and other powerful woodworking machinery coincided nicely with the shift away from handmade Empire furniture to the factory-made successor. The new kid on the block was a natural for band-saw application with its long sweeping curves and rounded scrolls.

This was the advent of what now is often, and usually erroneously, called Empire.

This 1840-ish bed is typically called an Empire sleigh bed, but it has none of the ormolu mounts or gilding of a true Empire sleigh bed. It has the smooth curvy look of Late Classicism.

Remember Empire was the second chapter of the Classical movement. The first was American Neoclassical (Federal). The third and last chapter of the Classical era is called “Late Classicism,” and while it is based loosely on Empire and classical designs, it is a unique style all to itself and represents the transition in American furniture-making from the handmade shop to the machine-driven factory in the 1830s.

There is little doubt you are familiar with Tiffany and Galle glass, but did you know these companies also produced pottery?

These are not common items, and their value is also uncommon. If a nice piece of Galle or Tiffany glass becomes available, most people will know what it is. The same can’t be said of their pottery. When you become familiar with their pottery marks, you’ll be a step ahead of the pack.

Many companies produced items aside from their main lines that are often overlooked. Very simply put, people, including dealers, are not aware of these anomalies. At the 31 Club, we are on the hunt for pieces that may not be easily recognized. As members advance through the club program,  their hunt for valuable antiques and art will soon take them into the higher end of the market. And here, it’s important to be knowledgeable about what items from a particular company are rare.

Just to give you a taste of this, Kovels Price Guide lists two items for Galle pottery, both figures. One is priced at $2415 and the other $5175. Tiffany listings include sixteen pieces ranging from $200 to a high of $8,800. And, Today’s Photo is a Tiffany Vase that, back in 2003, sold for $11,000 through Buchard Galleries in Florida.  Imagine what it might bring today.

Several years back, when I was previewing items at an auction, my eyes fixed upon an unassuming piece of pottery. When I examined it, lo and behold – there was the Tiffany mark, LCT, all hooked together. I couldn’t believe my good fortune.

As I hovered near the piece, I overheard a couple of dealers discussing the vase. “Can you believe they would let fakes like that in this sale,” one said. “Anyone would know the piece isn’t Tiffany.” I had to turn away to keep from asking them whether or not they’d ever seen Tiffany Pottery before. When the auction commenced and the vase was offered, the auctioneer announced they didn’t guarantee the piece to be authentic. (I’m sure he’d heard a complaint from those two dealers about fakes.) 

At first there was no interest in this Tiffany piece, but finally they got a $100 bid. I made sure I sat on my hands in this early stage, but I can state with no hesitation, I was extremely anxious. When the bidding slowed at $150 I put my card up at $200, and that bid was followed by one at $225. I bid $250, and finally the auctioneer said, “SOLD.” I couldn’t believe I had just purchased a real piece of Tiffany pottery for $250. You see, most people have never seen one of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s pottery pieces. This vase sold a few months later just over $5700. Not bad for a “fake.” You may be fortunate enough to find some of their “fakes” also, ha ha.

What sweet little treasures these pieces can become, especially others think you are a fool for bidding on them or buying these pieces at house sales.

Treasure Hunters — Partner Up with 31 Club on high quality treasures you find. You Find It, We Buy It, We Sell It, You Net 35%.

Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Dealers, making more money than they thought possible. E-mail us at info [at] 31corp [dot] com to find out more. My book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE when you join the club plus more. www.31corp.com