July 2012 - Page 18 of 18 - Auction Central News

Skinner to feature European furniture, decorative arts July 14

Minton majolica heron and fish ewer, England, date cipher for 1866, modeled and signed by Huges Protat, in the shape of heron with a pike in its beak, 21 1/2 inches high. Estimate: $5,000-$7,000. Skinner Inc. image.

BOSTON – Skinner Inc. will conduct an auction of European furniture and decorative arts on July 14 in its Boston gallery. The sale features a broad array of Continental and British ceramics, silver, glass, statuary, clocks, paintings and prints, lighting, rugs, textiles, and antique furniture. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding at the auction of more than 800 lots. The auction will begin at 10 a.m. EDT.

Wedgwood will be represented by more than 250 lots. A large selection of jasperware is highlighted by a three-color jasper dip diceware jardinière (lot 132A, estimated between $1,500 and $2,500). Smaller examples of jasperware are available in black, dark blue, yellow and crimson. A pair of gilded and bronzed Victoriaware vases with covers from the late 19th century (lot 206, $8,000 to $10,000) will also be offered.

Lusterware is the most prolific of the Wedgwood types. The July auction will feature more than 20 examples of important Fairyland Luster including an antique center bowl with hand-painted and printed Woodland Elves designs on both the interior and exterior (lot 256, $5,000 to $7,000); and a covered vase decorated with the jeweled tree pattern with a cat and mouse and copper trees (lot 272, $5,000 to $7,000).

Also available is a wide selection of other Wedgwood items, including black basalt, encaustic-decorated wares, dry body wares, moonlight luster, Emile Lessore-decorated wares, and pieces finished with experimental glazes.

Victorian majolica is well represented with nearly 100 lots of fine and unusual pieces produced by Minton, George Jones and other manufacturers. Highlights include a Minton heron and fish ewer, dated 1866 (lot 306, $5,000 to $7,000) and a Victor Barbizet Palissy barbotine wall plaque (lot 372, $2,000 to $4,000) with fish, various amphibians, and insects on a mottled blue ground. Vases, tureens, garden seats, figures and centerpieces represent only a few of the forms included in the sale.

Rounding out the selection of primarily British ceramics are two Clarice Cliff collections with a variety of hand-painted wares including tea sets, vases and tablewares. An eight-piece Fantasque Bizarre ware partial tea set decorated in the Gibraltar pattern (lot 406, $800 to $1,200), and a Bizarre ware lotus vase in the Forest Glen pattern (lot 425, $600 to $800) are representative of these two fine collections. An assortment of 18th century Dr. Wall period Worcester porcelains will also be offered.

Notable sculptures include an Italian Carrara marble sculpture depicting an amorous couple (lot 689, $10,000 to $15,000), and another Italian Carrara marble sculpture of a child reaching for his mother’s locket (lot 652, $18,000 to $22,000).

The well-rounded selection of English and Continental antique furniture features a group of French Gothic Revival pieces, including a fine carved walnut choir stall chair (lot 537, $1,000 to $1,500), and a court cupboard with tracery work (lot 643, $2,000 to $4,000). Another lot of note is a Louis XVI-style gilt-bronze and Sevres-style porcelain-mounted guéridon depicting Louis XVI surrounded by oval plaques painted with the portraits of prominent court ladies (lot 462A, $8,000 to $12,000).

Decorative arts highlights include an English enamel snuff box with a portrait of George Washington (lot 803, $800 to $1,200), a large Russian church icon depicting the Dormition of the Virgin measuring over 45 inches tall (lot 484, $4,000 to $6,000), and two 19th century Meissen porcelain ewers emblematic of fire and water (lot 715, $10,000 to $15,000).

In addition, there are 25 lots of mostly high glaze Gouda pottery vases, chargers, and jars from a variety of manufacturers, including Arnhem Lindus, Zuid Holland, Holland Utrecht, and Rozenburg den Haag on offer.

For more information on upcoming auctions and events, visit Skinner’s web site www.skinnerinc.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Pair of Wedgwood Victoriaware vases and covers, late 19th century. retailed by Bailey, Banks and Biddle of Philadelphia, 12 inches high. Estimate: $8,000-$10,000. Skinner Inc. image.

‘Amorous Couple,’ Carrara marble sculpture, unsigned, Italian School, third quarter 19th century, 41 1/2 inches high. Estimate: $10,000-$15,000. Skinner Inc. image.

Two Meissen porcelain ewers emblematic of fire and water, circa 1880, after the 18th century models by J.J. Kaendler, 27 inches high. Estimate: $10,000-$15,000. Skinner Inc. image.

English enamel snuffbox with portrait of George Washington, possibly Bilston, late 18th/early 19th century, 1 1/4 inches high, 1 7/8 inches long, 2 3/4 inches long. Skinner Inc. image.

Gallery Report: July 2012

A Tornek-Rayville TR-9000 dive watch, circa 1965, made of stainless steel, water-resistant, anti-magnetic, with sweep center second hand, sold for $36,735 at a Science, Technology & Clocks Auction held June 2 by Skinner Inc., in Boston. Also, an E. Howard No. 12 wall regulator clock (Boston, circa 1875) chimed on time for $26,070; a Benjamin Willard tall clock, Roxbury, Mass., circa 1780, brought $23,700; and a Stephen Taber mahogany tall clock, New Bedford, Mass., circa 1800, made $18,960. Prices include an 18.5 percent buyer’s premium.

London Eye: June 2012

The mock-Georgian façade of the Masterpiece fair marquee on the south grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea. The fair continues until July 4. Photo Auction Central News.

It is late June and London’s Masterpiece fair, now in its third year, has just opened on the south grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea in an enormous marquee, the facade of which has been mocked up as a Georgian terrace.

The fair — which rose like a phoenix in 2009 from the ashes of the Grosvenor House Fine Art and Antiques Fair — is London’s attempt to match, or perhaps even outdo, The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) in Maastricht, which takes place annually in March. Both fairs have a similar ambience with the dealers’ stands located on wide avenues that open into spacious piazzas where visitors can take the weight off their Jimmy Choos over a glass of champagne. There is also a wealth of swanky restaurants, bistros and bars.

Like most fine art fairs today, Masterpiece’s target audience is the fast-expanding international community of High Net Worth and Ultra High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) seeking a safe harbor for their wealth. Fine art and other alternative assets are increasingly considered the most attractive way to diversify an investment portfolio. So, cheek by jowl with Old Master paintings and longcase clocks at Masterpiece there were stands selling Rolls Royce motorcars,

Ancient and modern — a long case clock stands opposite a Rolls Royce Ghost at the 21012 Masterpiece fair in Chelsea, London this week. Even the car's trunk has a lambswool lining to 'cosset' custom luggage. Photo Auction Central News. — Ancient and modern — a long case clock stands opposite a Rolls Royce Ghost at the 21012 Masterpiece fair in Chelsea, London this week. Even the car’s trunk has a lambswool lining to ‘cosset’ custom luggage. Photo Auction Central News.

top-of-the-range Riva powerboats,

Italian luxury powerboat company Riva took a stand at the Masterpiece fair in London's Chelsea district this week, showing their boats alongside high-end fine art and antiques. Photo Auction Central News. — Italian luxury powerboat company Riva took a stand at the Masterpiece fair in London’s Chelsea district this week, showing their boats alongside high-end fine art and antiques. Photo Auction Central News.

and gold-plated sculptures by Damien Hirst.

We cannot illustrate the Damien Hirst écorché figure that presides over the fair’s central champagne bar as we were prohibited from taking a photograph by two Gagosian Gallery shop assistants standing sentry nearby. They would not even disclose the asking price, such is the air of exclusivity surrounding Hirst and all his works. Discretion over prices extends to all classes of object at the Masterpiece fair. We asked the price of an exuberantly decorated rococo bureau by François Linke on the stand of London dealer Adrian Alan.

Visitors to London's Masterpiece fair admire a rococo Revival bureau by 19th century French ébéniste François Linke on the stand of London dealer Adrian Alan. Photo Auction Central News. — Visitors to London’s Masterpiece fair admire a rococo Revival bureau by 19th century French ébéniste François Linke on the stand of London dealer Adrian Alan. Photo Auction Central News.

“The price is on application,” said the gallery assistant. “I’m sorry; I cannot even give you a ballpark figure.”

Despite the fair’s opulence and the air of breezy optimism issuing from the ancillary staff, the mood among the trade was somewhat downbeat when Auction Central News visited on the first day. The dealers we spoke to had sold nothing at the opening vernissage the previous evening but remained optimistic that business would improve as the fair progressed.

“Buying art is not exactly a priority in these recessionary times,” said London sculpture dealer Robert Bowman, who added, “We did well here in previous years and I’m sure we will again.” Bowman was showing major bronzes by Rodin alongside recent works by the internationally renowned American-born British sculptor Helaine Blumenfeld.

London sculpture dealer Robert Bowman was showing important works by Rodin and recent sculptures by Helaine Blumenfeld on his stand at London's Masterpiece fair this week. Photo Auction Central News. — London sculpture dealer Robert Bowman was showing important works by Rodin and recent sculptures by Helaine Blumenfeld on his stand at London’s Masterpiece fair this week. Photo Auction Central News.

Two or three dealers lamented the fair’s late closing on the final day (July 4). “Why do we have to be open until 9 p.m. on Wednesday?” said one who asked to remain anonymous. “It smacks of desperation.”

Gaining entry to the Masterpiece fair can be like entering the Vatican’s inner sanctum, so security-conscious have the organizers of these luxury events become. Such caution is perhaps understandable as the start of the London 2012 Olympics gets ever closer.

One firm whose business is devoted to alleviating such anxieties in the fine art and culture sector is London-based Ecclesiastical Insurance who celebrate their 125-year jubilee this year. Clare Pardy, Ecclesiastical’s fine art and heritage underwriting manager, writes to tell us that their fine art portfolio has grown significantly as the art market has continued to bounce back from recession. Their specialist fine art team has expanded accordingly

The specialist fine art team at Ecclesiastical Insurance, launched in 2008 just prior to the market downturn, has grown in recent years as the art market has steadily improved. This year, Ecclesiastical marks 125 years in business and to celebrate has launched the Oldie British Artists Award in conjunction with 'The Oldie' magazine. Image courtesy of Ecclesiastical and 'The Oldie.' — The specialist fine art team at Ecclesiastical Insurance, launched in 2008 just prior to the market downturn, has grown in recent years as the art market has steadily improved. This year, Ecclesiastical marks 125 years in business and to celebrate has launched the Oldie British Artists Award in conjunction with ‘The Oldie’ magazine. Image courtesy of Ecclesiastical and ‘The Oldie.’

since they started in the spring of 2008. Rather appropriately in this, their jubilee year, Ecclesiastical has teamed up with the popular magazine The Oldie

The Bath decorative Fair pavilion. The long-running and highly popular local West Country fair has just been sold to UK fairs entrepreneur Sue Ede. Image courtesy Sue Ede and Bath Decorative Fair.

to recognise the achievements of British artists over the age of 60. This seems only fair given that most awards these days are focused on younger artists. A short list of 10 works will be chosen by the judging panel and the winner of the £5,000 Oldie British Artists Award (OBA) will be announced on Oct. 16 at the English Speaking Union in London. Who knows, an OBA may yet become as prestigious as an OBE.

While the ritzier end of the international art and antiques market continues to thrive, spare a thought for the more modestly priced end of the industry. The smaller provincial auctions, dealers and fairs may not attract quite so many column inches, but there is encouraging activity here too. Last week it was announced that well-known UK fairs entrepreneur Sue Ede has acquired the popular Bath Decorative Antiques Fair

Romuald Hazoumé, 'Moncongo,' 2011, Found Objects. On exhibition at October Gallery, London until Aug. 11. Image courtesy Romuald Hazoumé and October Gallery. — Romuald Hazoumé, ‘Moncongo,’ 2011, Found Objects. On exhibition at October Gallery, London until Aug. 11. Image courtesy Romuald Hazoumé and October Gallery.

from Bath-based dealer Robin Coleman, who has organized it for the past 23 years. Patrick Macintosh, a Sherborne-based furniture dealer and stalwart exhibitor at the Bath fair over many years, said, “As a founder exhibitor at Bath I feel very much part of the setup and will be really sad to see Robin step down. I have exhibited at Sueʼs fairs in the past; she is a consummate professional but with a kind heart and our interests at the fore — just like Robin — and I know she will preserve the style and spirit of the fair going forward.”

And so from Bath to Benin. This week saw the opening of Cargoland — an exhibition at London’s October Gallery of new work by Benin-born contemporary artist Romuald Hazoumé. In recent years, Hazoumé has garnered a broad international reputation as one of the most exciting young contemporary artists to emerge from West Africa. While he is wide-ranging in his concerns, one of his signature approaches is to take discarded petrol cans, kettles and other objects and apply various found materials to turn them into masks.

Romuald Hazoumé, 'Fukoshima,' 2011, Found Objects. Currently on show at Cargoland, an exhibition of Hazoumé's work at October Gallery, London. Image courtesy Romuald Hazoumé and October Gallery. — Romuald Hazoumé, ‘Fukoshima,’ 2011, Found Objects. Currently on show at Cargoland, an exhibition of Hazoumé’s work at October Gallery, London. Image courtesy Romuald Hazoumé and October Gallery.

Romuald Hazoumé, 'Petrol Cargo,' 2012. Found Objects. On show at Cargoland, an exhibition of Hazoumé's work at October Gallery, London. Image courtesy Romuald Hazoumé and October Gallery. — Romuald Hazoumé, ‘Petrol Cargo,’ 2012. Found Objects. On show at Cargoland, an exhibition of Hazoumé’s work at October Gallery, London. Image courtesy Romuald Hazoumé and October Gallery.

His work thus pays homage on the one hand to the long tradition of so-called African tribal art that exerted a powerful impact on European modern artists such as Picasso and his contemporaries, while at the same time commenting on the socio-economic realities of life in contemporary West Africa.

Some of the recent works comprise petrol cans suspended from battered old motor scooters to form a kind of mechanical tree in an elegant reference to the dangerous practice of running black market petrol across the borders of neighboring Benin and Nigeria.

'Water Cargo,' 2012, by Romuald Hazoumé, on exhibition at October Gallery, 24, Old Gloucester Street, London until Aug. 11. — ‘Water Cargo,’ 2012, by Romuald Hazoumé, on exhibition at October Gallery, 24, Old Gloucester Street, London until Aug. 11.

The show continues at October Gallery, 24 Old Gloucester St., London until Aug. 11.

Finally, last week saw the annual Cork Street Open when the galleries in historic Cork Street — one of London’s most illustrious centers of modern and contemporary art — opened their doors for the evening. Auction Central News dropped in to the Beaux Arts gallery

The Beaux Arts gallery in London's Cork Street opened its doors to the public this week to show its mixed Summer Exhibition as part of the Cork Street Open evening. In the window is Marilène Oliver's Dreamcatcher, 2009. Image courtesy Beaux Arts. — The Beaux Arts gallery in London’s Cork Street opened its doors to the public this week to show its mixed Summer Exhibition as part of the Cork Street Open evening. In the window is Marilène Oliver’s Dreamcatcher, 2009. Image courtesy Beaux Arts.

one of the street’s longest-established galleries run by Reg and Patricia Singh. They were staging a mixed show by some of their most established artists alongside new work by more emerging talents.

As the wine flowed, visitors mingled among the Lynn Chadwicks and the Elisabeth Frink sculptures, but it was the West Country sculptor Simon Allen who was attracting most attention. Allen’s beautifully crafted wall sculptures carved from wood and covered in silver and gold leaf have been winning admirers internationally in recent years. The Beaux Arts show included a new work by Allen entitled Pollen.

'Pollen,' a new wall sculpture by West Country artist Simon Allen, on view at Beaux Arts gallery in Cork Street until Sept. 1. Image courtesy Beaux Arts. — ‘Pollen,’ a new wall sculpture by West Country artist Simon Allen, on view at Beaux Arts gallery in Cork Street until Sept. 1. Image courtesy Beaux Arts.

By closing time it was works by Elisabeth Frink and Simon Allen that had found buyers. The show continues until Sept. 1.

Muhammad Ali Center, art gallery settle donation dispute

An exhibit at the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Ky. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – The Muhammad Ali Center and a Michigan art gallery have settled a dispute over whether and how to display more than 180 pieces chronicling the champion’s career and donated to the center.

In a joint statement, Ali Center spokeswoman Jeanie Kahnke and the gallery said Friday that the agreement allows the Louisville-based center to display the artwork at its discretion as space becomes available. The two sides also agreed that only works included in an online authentication database or otherwise verified would be displayed by the center or offered for sale by Park West Galleries of Southfield, Mich.

“Due to the Ali Center’s current space limitations, the donors and Park West have agreed that, should the works be displayed, they will be displayed at the sole discretion of the Ali Center,” Ali Center spokeswoman Jeanie Kahnke said.

The Ali Center sued Park West on Tuesday, saying six pieces donated to the center had autographs that could not be authenticated. The center sought to force Park West to either take back the questioned pieces or allow the center to display them at its discretion. The center filed Thursday to dismiss the suit against Park West.

At issue was the authenticity of Ali autographs on six pieces donated in September 2009. The Ali center said the signatures are not Ali’s and are not in an online database that authenticates signed artwork.

Park West Gallery donated 151 photographs and 31 mixed-media paintings with the agreement that the Ali Center would retain the art in perpetuity, but had to display the pieces with plaques noting where the art came from. Park West told officials that the pieces were hand signed by Ali and were listed in the database of Online Authentics, a company specializing in authenticating sports memorabilia, the center said in the lawsuit.

After discovering the signatures weren’t Ali’s, the center tried to return the donation, but Park West refused to take it back or allow the donation agreement to be altered, the center alleged.

In recent years, Park West has been the target of 18 federal lawsuits in six states, each alleging fraud by the Michigan art dealer, which has been in business since 1969. The allegations in the lawsuits were all similar: That an employee of Park West billed a piece of art as rare and valuable, but that turned out to be either worth far less than billed or completely worthless to the buyer.

Many of the suits, which involved art sales on cruises, were consolidated and later settled.

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Follow Associated Press reporter Brett Barrouquere on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BBarrouquereAP

AP-WF-06-29-12 1754GMT

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

‘Star Trek’ shuttlecraft prop soars past $70,000 at auction

A late 1960s AMT hobby model kit depicting the 'Star Trek' shuttle Galileo 7. Image courtesy LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Cloud's Antiques.

CANTON, Ohio (AP) – A prop vehicle that was used in the original Star Trek TV series in the late 1960s and acquired by an Ohio collector has sold at auction for just over $70,000.

The Repository in Canton reports an Akron-area collector had been storing the partially restored 24-foot-long Galileo shuttlecraft for several years before putting it up for auction online.

Auctioneer Brooks Ames says the selling price soared during the final 90 seconds of the auction on Thursday as three late bidders fought to claim the structure used as the shuttlecraft of the USS Enterprise.

Ames says he believes the buyer plans to restore the prop and possibly display it in a museum.

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Information from: The Repository, http://www.cantonrep.com

AP-WF-06-29-12 1236GMT

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

Antietam battlefield prepares for Fourth of July celebration

'The Battle of Antietam,' an 1888 lithograph by Kurz & Allison, depicting action at Burnside's Bridge. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) – When about 20,000 people spread out over Antietam National Battlefield on July 7, many staking out a spot with a blue tarp or blanket, the park will be transformed in a way that only happens during the annual Independence Day celebration.

“It’ll look like a sea of blue out there,” Chief Park Ranger Ed Wenschhof said.

Preparations for next weekend’s 27th annual Salute to Independence celebration are well under way at the battlefield, with workers in the midst of constructing the stage that will hold the Maryland Symphony Orchestra during the concert.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m., and will be followed by a fireworks show at about 9:45 p.m. As in past years, the orchestra, conducted by Elizabeth Schulze, will play patriotic tunes, including the Armed Forces Salute and the 1812 Overture.

Construction on the stage, which began Tuesday, takes about a week to complete, Wenschhof said.

Next week, workers will continue the preparation by painting lines to designate walkways and seating areas on the hill, and setting up food and welcome tents, as well as trash cans. About 70 portable toilets will line the sides of the field.

“It should be a big year, as long as the weather holds out,” Wenschhof said. “We worry about thunderstorms. That’s the biggest threat to an event like this.”

Because the weather forecast is the one factor out of the control of event planners, park rangers monitor it closely on the days leading up to the celebration, he said.

“That’s always the biggest worry,” he said. “We watch the weather carefully, meticulously.”

Attendees are welcome to set up their tarps beginning at 6 a.m. on July 7, although most people arrive at the battlefield between 3 and 6 p.m., Wenschhof said. There will be parking space in the park, as well as along routes 65 and 34 bordering the park.

He estimated it will take most people about 90 minutes to exit the event due to the high volume of traffic leaving the park at once.

Wenschhof said about 60 people, including volunteers, park staff and law enforcement officials, will be working at the event, which costs more than $100,000 to hold.

The celebration is one of the highlights of the year for the battlefield, he said.

“It’s always been very well attended by the people in the community, and it’s important for us at the park,” he said.

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Information from: The Herald-Mail of Hagerstown, Md., http://www.herald-mail.com

AP-WF-06-29-12 1520GMT

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

US customs seizes stolen Dali painting, returns it to owner

A surveillance camera captured these images of the thief in the gallery. Image used with expressed permission of Venus Over Manhattan gallery.

A surveillance camera captured these images of the suspect in the gallery. Image used with expressed permission of Venus Over Manhattan gallery.

NEW YORK (AFP) – A stolen Salvador Dali painting worth an estimated $150,000 has been recovered after being mailed back to the United States from Greece, police said Saturday.

An unidentified man posing as a potential customer snatched the 1949 gouache and watercolor piece Cartel des Don Juan Tenorio from New York’s Venus Over Manhattan in a brazen heist on June 19, casually walking out of the month-old art gallery with the frame sticking out of a bag.

A police spokesman told AFP that the surrealist work was mailed from the Greek capital Athens and recovered Thursday.

“U.S. Customs seized it and (New York Police Department) detectives got it from them and returned it to the owner,” he said, adding that no one has been arrested in connection with the heist.

Dali’s 1949 work was on display as part of the gallery’s debut exhibition, which opened in May on Manhattan’s swank Upper East Side.

Surveillance video showed a balding man wearing a checkered shirt leaving with the loot.

Kovels – Antiques & Collecting: Week of July 2, 2012

This dummy board is a little girl holding a bird in her hand. She is dressed in 17th-century style. A hinged board that is nailed to the back helps her stand up. It sold at an auction in New York in the 1960s for $100 and has been in a hall corner ever since.

A “dummy board” is a decoration first used in the 16th century, probably in Holland, then England. It is a figure made from a flat piece of wood carved to make a tall flat “person” to stand in a corner of an empty room. The edges of the board were beveled so they would not be seen from the front. There are boards attached to the back to make an easel that propped the figure up a short distance from a wall or chair. The figure was painted with oil paint and covered with varnish so cleverly it looked like a live person or animal. The figure was put in a dark area at the top of a stair, the end of a hall or a corner near a door. Some were made to look like household help, a sweeping maid, a seated girl peeling apples, a maid carrying a tray with food. Some were soldiers. Many were men, women, boys or girls dressed in the expensive clothes of the day. Each held a sword, book, bird, flowers or other appropriate object. A few looked like poor peasants. Dogs and cats also were made as dummy boards and placed near a fireplace or chair. There were even some figures that looked like real gardeners that were put outside. These are rare today because the weather damaged them. The dummy boards are hard to find today, but an antique pair sold recently for $6,000, and a single one for $950.

Q: My aunt gave me a sterling-silver telephone dialer that came from Tiffany. It is in its original box with a card from Tiffany that tells what it is and how to use it. The box says “Tiffany & Co., Fifth Avenue at 57 Street, New York.” Can you tell me something about this?

A: Telephone dialers were used to keep fingernails from breaking when dialing a rotary phone. They look a little like the handle of a spoon with a small knob at the end that can be inserted into the holes on the dial in order to turn the dial. Rotary dials were first made about 1900 and were standard on phones made in the 1920s to the 1960s. The first push-button phones were made in 1941 but were not available commercially until 1963. Tiffany no longer makes the telephone dialers. A Tiffany sterling-silver telephone dialer was shown in the 1961 movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” When Holly and Paul go shopping at Tiffany’s, they decide not to buy the telephone dialer, which cost $6.75, but pay to have a Cracker Jack ring engraved at Tiffany’s instead. Today the dialer is an oddity worth its weight in silver. The box and card add $50.

Q: I have an old drum with “Union Drum Manufacturing Co. No 98 West Baltimore St., Baltimore Md.” printed inside. The drum has the usual 13 stars, but no other markings. Any history or price information will be appreciated.

A: Union Drum Manufacturing Co. made drums for the Union Army during the Civil War. Drums were an important part of a martial band. The music served to motivate soldiers before and after fighting on the battlefield. Boys under the age of 16 enlisted in the Army as field drummers. Condition and verified history determine the price. A Union Drum Manufacturing Co. drum in fair condition with the name of the original drummer could sell for $2,000-$3,000. With no name it could sell for $300-$500.

Q: I have had a child’s silver “Spirit of St. Louis” ring since I was 8 years old. And I was 8 in 1927, the year Lindbergh flew solo across the Atlantic Ocean. The ring pictures Lindbergh’s airplane on the top and has the words “New York” above the plane and “Paris” below. What is my ring worth today?

A: Your ring is a known souvenir of Lindbergh’s famous flight. If it’s in tiptop shape, it could sell for close to $250. Dings, bends and scratches would drop the price down to well below $100.

Q: My parents left me a houseful of antiques, and I don’t know what they’re worth. I found a local appraiser, but she wants $500 to come to my house. Is this standard? What do you suggest I do?

A: We receive a lot of questions like yours and are preparing a report on how to deal with inheriting an estate, whether large or small, valuable or not so valuable. There is no national accreditation agency for appraisers of antiques, but you can still ask appraisers about their training, experience, references, hourly rate and if they belong to a national appraisal association. And you can call a few appraisers before you hire one. An appraiser should not charge a fee for simply coming to your house. Tell the appraiser how many antiques you would like to have appraised and ask about an hourly rate. Do you want a written or oral appraisal? A legitimate appraiser should never offer to buy anything. You can find links to national appraisal associations and various appraisers on our website, Kovels.com. The website and many books list hundreds of thousands of prices of antiques and collectibles to use for research.

Q: Could you tell me what an original NFL Jeff Garcia figure is worth? It dates from when he was a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.

A: McFarlane Toys of Tempe, Ariz., issued a 7-inch figure of Jeff Garcia in 2002. Garcia, now 42, played for the 49ers from 1999 to 2003. If your figure is in its unopened original package, it would sell for $35 to $40. It’s worth less than half if you have an unwrapped figure.

Tip: Never try to clean a doll with polish or wax. It will put a layer of wax on the surface, making it almost impossible to repaint the doll’s face.

Terry Kovel answers as many questions as possible through the column. By sending a letter with a question, you give full permission for use in the column or any other Kovel forum. Names, addresses or email addresses will not be published. We cannot guarantee the return of any photograph, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. The volume of mail makes personal answers or appraisals impossible. Write to Kovels, Auction Central News, King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019.

CURRENT PRICES

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.

Postcard, July 4th patriotic fireworks, picture of firecracker, “I’ll be busted on the 4th,” 1909 postmark, $10.
Paper doll, Little Alice Busy Bee, clothing, school books, firecrackers for 4th of July, cut out, American Colortype, early 1900s, paper doll 6 1/4 inches, $15.
Madame Alexander “Miss Liberty” doll, Cissette face, blue eyes, blond hair, bow, red-and-white striped dress, blue blazer, 1991 limited edition, box, wrist tag, 10 inches, $65.
Child’s book bank, “Scrappy Bank,” image of little boy, orange leather, brass corners, Peoples Life Insurance Co. premium, Washington, D.C., Zell Products, 3 1/2 x 4 inches, $95.
Gilbert Electric Eye electronic science set, red metal carrying case, electric eye board, dry power pack, two tubes, rolls of wire, two D batteries, 1949, 16 x 8 x 2 3/4 inches, $135.
Peters & Reed pottery jug, brown glaze, applied blue grapes and green and yellow leaves, 1900s, 5 3/4 inches, $150.
Stewart Warner radio-phonograph, Model 9042A, wood cabinet, Bakelite knobs, 1950, 24 x 10 1/2 inches, $150.
Murano glass duck, bowling-pin shape, clear, dark-blue bill, eyes, scarf and ear muffs, blue shading at base, 1970s, 14 1/2 inches, $185.
Kurly Kate Stainless Pot Cleaner display box, image of Kurly and shiny pot, 24 red packages with scrubbers, 1940s, 11 1/2 x 8 3/4 x 4 1/2 inches, $295.
Coro Craft pin, lizard eating faux pearl egg, enamel and rhinestones, signed, 1942, 2 3/4 inches, $1,950.

Kovels’ American Collectibles, 1900 to 2000 is the best guide to your 20th-century treasures—everything from art pottery to kitchenware. It’s filled with hundreds of color photographs, marks, lists of designers and manufacturers and lots of information about collectibles. The collectibles of the 20th century are explained in an entertaining, informative style. Read tips on care and dating items and discover how to spot a good buy or avoid a bad one. And learn about hot new collectibles and what they’re worth so you can make wise, profitable decisions. The book covers pottery and porcelain, furniture, jewelry, silver, glass, toys, kitchen items, bottles, dolls, prints and more. It’s about the household furnishings of the past century—what they are, what they’re worth and how they were used. Out-of-print but online at Kovels.com; by phone at 800-303-1996; or send $27.95 plus $4.95 postage to Kovels, Box 22900, Beachwood, OH 44122.

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