Algonquin Books Blog

This month’s installment of “Algonquin Appraisals” brings you everything from Gold Rush trivia to an unexpectedly valuable sewing chest. If you’d like your own treasures appraised, shoot me an email at brittany AT algonquin DOT com for more details.

-Brittany

Algonquin: I found this unusual coin while going through my grandfather’s possessions. It’s1.25 inches in diameter and looks like gold, although it doesn’t seem heavy enough to be pure gold. The writing on the front reads “1839-1939″ and the back reads “Sacramento Sutter’s Fort Golden Empire Centennial.”

Emyl: Many centennial celebrations commemorate the occasion by minting a souvenir metal or “coin.”  That’s just what the Sacramento Sutter’s Fort committee did in 1939.  Sutter’s Fort, an agricultural settlement was founded in 1839 by John H. Sutter, and as such was an important site in California’s early days.  One of the men Sutter hired to help with building at the fort was a carpenter, John Marshall.  It was on January 24, 1848, while constructing a sawmill, that Marshall came upon a mineral “very bright and brittle; and gold, bright, yet malleable,” and, as they say, the rest is history. The Gold Rush was on.  Because these sorts commemorative metals are plentiful, they have more historic interest than monetary value—which is usually just a few dollars.

Algonquin: This glass pitcher is at least 125 years old. It has an etched floral design. In addition, it has my great-great grandmother’s name inscribed on the front: “Mrs. W.S. Heck.” What would this item be worth today?

Emyl: During the turn-of-the-century era, wheel-cut etched glass decorated with ferns and flowers, insects and spider webs, even mythological scenes and historic figures, was all the rage.  Factories from Austria to America turned out beautiful tableware—from pitchers like yours to candy dishes.  Just as silver was engraved to show pride of ownership, or to celebrate a birth or anniversary or special event, so were prized glass pieces.  Having your great-great-grandmother’s name so immortalized certainly adds to its value in your family.  But this could detract from its retail value in an antique shop.  Pitchers similar to yours, but without a name, generally sell in the $50-$150 range depending on size and condition.

Algonquin: My grandmother’s wooden sewing cabinet recently resurfaced in a family member’s attic. It is 15.5″ x 35″ x 29.” It has glass fronts on about half of the doors and is in very good condition.

Emyl: Your very attractive sewing cabinet appears to have a combination of drawer fronts:  some burl wood, some glass, and some with lettering, such as “cotton.”  The wood appears to be walnut and the knobs are also appropriate to the 1890ish period. And I wondered if any of the drawers retail dowels on which spools of threat could be arranged and organized? All in all, the size of your cabinet, the quality of the wood, and its appearance in the photograph suggest that it may be worth more than you might imagine.  In the right market, if it is as it appears, it could well be in the $2,000-plus range.

Algonquin: I have a vase made by the Rosewood pottery company in Cincinnati, OH. Approximately 7.5″ high. The body of the vase is covered in a raised design of horses under cracked, green glaze. The marking on the bottom reads: “XLV 6889 50.” Can you tell me anything about when the vase was made and its value?

Emyl: Actually, your vase was made by the Rookwood Pottery Company, the famed Arts and Crafts pottery.  There were three highly esteemed pottery companies in Ohio at the turn-of-the-century: Weller, Rookwood, and Roseville.  It’s easy to see how the similar names “Rookwood” and “Roseville” could be meshed into “Rosewood,” so don’t feel bad about this misnomer.

It is your vase’s style, as well as its mark—a backward ‘R’ joined to a ‘P’ and surrounded by flame-like rays—that clearly identify it as Rookwood.  Early in the 20^th century, Roman Numerals were added beneath the Rookwood mark on each piece to identify the year it was made, as well as numbers, which identified its shape. Numerous articles and books have been written about the famed and popular Rookwood pieces, but a quick resource for more information is their website, www.rookwood.com, and for more information on how to date Rookwood pieces see www.artpotteryblog.com/art_pottery_blog/2007/11/rookwood-potter.html.  There you’ll learn that your very attractive vase was made in 1945.  Today its value would fall in the $125-$200 range, while smaller vases in that style and color would be around $75-125.

Emyl Jenkins is a longtime antiques appraiser. She has worked at two auction houses and has written numerous books and articles on antiques and is the author of the Sterling Glass mysteries The Big Steal and Stealing with Style. She lives in Richmond, Virginia. If you (and your book group) can’t wait until next month’s installment, Emyl Jenkins is “touring” book clubs across the country via Skype. If your group would enjoy a “virtual visit,” just e-mail EmylJenkins AT emyljenkins DOT com and write in the message line “club visit.”

Welcome to January’s Algonquin Appraisals! Author and former Sotheby’s appraiser Emyl Jenkins takes a gander at staffers and  readers’ prized possessions.

Doing some cleaning for the New Year and want help separating potential treasures from junk? Shoot me an email at brittany [at] algonquin [dot] com for submission guidelines!

–Brittany

The first two questions answered below lead me to remind everyone that the first clue appraisers look for when examining any object is a mark.  Marks can be in many forms–a label, an impressed stamp or etched symbol, a signature, a hallmark, etc.–and can be found almost anyplace on the piece, so look hard.  Think of marks as shortcuts that can help you quickly know an object’s country of origin, age, quality, and eventually, its value.  But if no mark is visible, or at least obvious, don’t give up.  Just dig a little deeper.

Algonquin:  This unusual cat was picked up at a local thrift shop. It’s about five inches in length and is made of hollow ceramic. What can you tell me about this item’s worth. . . besides its obvious value as a conversation piece?

Emyl: Though there’s no identifying mark on your cat, its big dark eyes and stylized light brown flower decoration, plus its speckle-glazed round body quickly identify its origin as Mexican.  Chances are its paper label noting its country of origin has peeled off over time.

The absence of any mark might lead some people to think that the piece is an antique.  Note, however, that’s there isn’t any sign of wear on the bottom.  This leads me to conclude that though your cat could possibly be 30 or 40 years old, it could be of a more recent vintage.

You’re right, until it gets some more age on it, because so many of these fun, decorative doodads or whimsies were made, your cat’s greatest value is that of a conversation piece.

Algonquin: Given to me by my grandmother, this gold bracelet is at least 80 years old. It is one half of a set of twin bracelets (the other bracelet is not pictured) that can be attached by the gold chain. The surface is covered in a floral design and there is some denting along the side.

Emyl: To know the value of your lovely set of bracelets, its gold content must first be determined.  Marks on jewelry can be so small a magnifying glass is often needed to see them.  It is also possible, since you note there is some denting, the markings on your bracelets can be concealed by a crease.  In any case, a jeweler can quickly test then for their gold content.

However, based on many years of experience, my best judgment says that chances are your bracelets are 12k (karat) gold-filled, in which case, depending on the extent of the denting, their value is probably in the $200-300 range.  If, on the other hand, they should be gold, rather than gold-filled, their value will be substantially more.

Algonquin: What can you tell me about this washstand? It is about 5 feet tall, including the upper portion and is in excellent condition, aside from some scratches on the mirror. I believe it dates back to the early 1900s.

Emyl: Yes, your washstand dates from the 1910s, and is a classic example of the quarter-sawn oak furniture, and was all the fashion with the burgeoning middle classes of that day.

Though the furniture was sold at Sears and other furniture stores, this style furniture is often generically called “Larkin oak.”  In the early 1900s the Larkin Soap Company came up with the marketing idea of redeeming coupons included in its soap products for inexpensively made furniture produced by a factory which was also run by the Larkin Company.  To ensure that its products were affordable, Larkin also cut out “middle man” expenses by selling its products directly to the customer.  Thus dressers with mirrors like yours usually “cost” about $30 worth of coupons.  Today such pieces generally retail anywhere from $150 to $ 350.

Algonquin: Souvenir book from the Thirty-third National Open Golf Championship at the Winged Foot Golf Club, June 27-29, 1929. Book is soft bound and size is 8 1/2″ x 11″, 112 pgs, not counting front & back covers. Outside Front and back cover of book have come unglued from rest of stapled booklet and there are two folds on spine of cover, but otherwise, book is in good condition with minimal folds, and no major tears or stains. This book was found in a used bookshop on Topsail Island, NC about 5 years ago. Inside the booklet there was also a 6″ x 3 1/2″ scorecard dated June 30, 1929, and the scorer line is signed as Bill Simpson, as best I can read (in pencil) and a 3″ round gallery pass good for Sunday, June 30, 1929.  Here is a link to a bit of history about this particular National Open year: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1128322/1/index.htm

Emyl: Wow! Finds like this make an appraiser’s day.  I’ll admit, I’m not an expert in sports memorabilia, but wanting to learn more, I started digging around for additional information.  Of course these days that means exploring the Internet.

My investigation led me to a copy of a souvenir book like yours that sold in 2007 (item number 182032) by the PBA Galleries in San Francisco.   You might want to sit down when I tell you that it sold for was $7,474.00.

Now, what the Internet does not tell us is how the condition of the your book compares to the one they sold, or what today’s market for such items is.  My advice is that you check out the PBA Galleries “contact us” page, give them a call, and learn more from the real experts.

Emyl Jenkins is a longtime antiques appraiser. She has worked at two auction houses and has written numerous books and articles on antiques and is the author of the Sterling Glass mysteries The Big Steal and Stealing with Style. She lives in Richmond, Virginia.

Welcome to the December edition of Emyl Jenkins’ Algonquin Appraisals. We had some great entries from readers this time around, and we hope more of you will be inspired to submit your own treasures (interpret that as you will) for appraisal in January! Just contact me at brittany AT algonquin DOT com for guidelines.

-Brittany

Chuck: The colored portions of my metal vase are painted onto the metal and are in relief.  There aren’t any markings on the base, so I haven’t any idea of the age, but because the design is in the “Art Nouveau” style, I’d assume that it is from the early part of the last century.

Emyl: Your very attractive vase was made by applying colorful enamel between thin wire strips (usually brass) called “cloisons” attached to the metal form.   After many coats of enamel are applied, the cloisons become almost invisible.  This technique dates back to ancient times, but it became especially popular during the nineteenth and early twentieth century when it was used to make everything from decorative plates to lamps to jewelry.

Around the middle of the twentieth century, cloisonné fell out of fashion, but once again I’m beginning to see both vintage and reproduction cloisonné items in antique shops.  The absence of any mark on the bottom could mean that it is old, or it could be new and the label identifying its country of origin simply removed.  You didn’t mention the size of your vase, but if it is approximately 8 to 12 or 14 inches tall and in perfect condition, comparable vases are selling in the $150-$250 range.

Tip:  If considering buying a cloisonné vase or bowl, to be sure it isn’t damaged, run your fingers over both the outside and inside for dents that can be concealed by the design.

Neal: These two paintings are estimated to be from the 1850s.  There are no distinguishing marks on either.  The dimensions are 8” x 10” and 18” x 24”.  What can you tell me about these paintings and their possible value?

Emyl: Over the centuries literally thousands of paintings of the Madonna and Christ Child have been painted—and copied.  In fact, an age-old art studio exercise requires students to copy Old Master paintings.  As a result, untold numbers of copies of priceless original paintings that hang in museums, galleries, churches, and cathedrals exist.

I’m assuming that when you said the paintings “are estimated to be from the 1850s” that this information came either from someone who has examined these paintings, or from a family member or dealer.  It will take an art appraiser to give you a definitive value of the paintings, but when really fine quality 19^th century copies come up at good auction galleries the prices can sometimes sell in the high four-figure range.

Algonquin: My tall chest of drawers has a label in it saying the exterior portions are all solid mahogany.  I know my grandparents bought it in 1938 when they were married and it is still in very good condition.  The drawers slide better than the ones on a newer chest I bought a few years ago.  What style is it and does it have any value today?

Emyl: Your grandparents bought a fine quality chest when they made this purchase.  Style-wise, today we would say your chest is in the “Colonial Revival” style, which refers to traditionally styled furniture made following the American centennial celebration (1876) until the mid-twentieth century.   Actually, the chest combines two eighteenth-century styles—the body copies the angular Chippendale style, and the curving cabriole-legs and padded feet of the base copy the Queen Anne style.  At auction such chests usually sell in the $150-300 range, but in antique shops they are more often priced around $400 to $600.

Duncan: This WWI Marine Corps recruiting poster is in mint condition.  It measures 4’ X 3’ and is mounted on a museum-quality mat behind UV protecting glass.  It came from the Baltimore, Maryland, recruiting district where I entered the Marines.  I’d love to have this item appraised.

Emyl: I’m always delighted to learn that some treasure from the past has been saved, protected for future generations, and has a personal attachment.  It’s the stories that make these pieces fun, as well as valuable.  As you can imagine, many recruiting posters were produced as the country went into the First World War, thus your poster isn’t really rare, but its mint condition and age make it worth around $500-750, and I’m sure its value will continue to increase through the years.

Emyl Jenkins is a longtime antiques appraiser. She has worked at two auction houses and has written numerous books and articles on antiques and is the author of the Sterling Glass mysteries The Big Steal and Stealing with Style. She lives in Richmond, Virginia.