Kovels – Antiques & Collecting: Week of March 21, 2011

A rare but interesting toy, this Yankee Schoolmaster, or Alphabet Man, was made in the 1880s. The toy shows letters to help children learn the alphabet. It sold at a 2010 James Julia auction in Fairfield, Maine.

A rare but interesting toy, this Yankee Schoolmaster, or Alphabet Man, was made in the 1880s. The toy shows letters to help children learn the alphabet. It sold at a 2010 James Julia auction in Fairfield, Maine.

Educational toys are not a new idea. A rare 19th-century Yankee Schoolmaster toy was offered in a recent auction. The toy was patented in 1884. Push a lever on the 10 1/2-inch-tall toy and the mechanism makes the man blink his eyes while the alphabet showing on his chest moves to the next letter. One hand is behind his round body, and the other points to the next letter. The castings for the toy and the painted finish show the excellent quality of the manufacturer’s work. It must have been mysterious for a toddler to see each new letter, and perhaps it did help teach the alphabet. The toy is rare; only a few are known to exist today. It sold last year at a James Julia auction in Fairfield, Maine.

Q: Should vintage clothing or linens be washed in soap or detergent? I’ve heard you can use Fels-Naptha to remove stains.

A: Detergents were invented in the 1940s, but people still like to use soap for vintage cloth since detergents include chemicals and other synthetic ingredients. Soap is made of natural materials, including oil and lye or another alkaline solution, but it can leave scum in hard water and can cause a fabric to become gray or yellowish if not completely rinsed. Lazarus Fels, founder of Fels and Co., began making soap in 1861. Fels-Naptha was introduced in 1893 when naptha, a solvent, was added to the formula. It can be used to remove stains made by chocolate, grass, makeup, perspiration, oil or grease. There are some other uses for real Fels-Naptha. If you walk into a patch of poison ivy, wash your clothes with Fels-Naptha to get rid of the poisonous residue. Users claim it can also be used to get rid of aphids on plants, fleas and ticks on dogs, and worms on trees.

Q: I have an antique phonograph that belonged to my grandparents. It has the words “Columbia Grafonola” above a circle with two notes in it and the words “Made in U.S.A., Type E.2” below. It still works and I get a kick out of winding it up and playing one of my grandmother’s old records. I would like to know how much it is worth.

A: The Columbia Phonograph Co. was established in New York in 1889. The president of the company bought American Graphophone Co. in 1893. American Graphophone Co. manufactured phonographs in Bridgeport, Conn., and Columbia sold them. The Grafonola was introduced in 1907. The trademark with the notes and the name “Columbia” above it was first used in 1923. The Columbia wasn’t as popular as some other brands, and collectors are not as eager to own the old ones. Value: $100-$300.

Q: I have a bronze paperweight of a long-eared hound dog sleeping on a pedestal. It is signed “L.F. Nock” and is about 2 by 3 by 2 inches. Can you give me any information about the maker?

A: Leo F. Nock was born in the United States in 1875. Not much is known about him except that he worked for the Roman Bronze Works in New York City and was known for his animal sculptures. Roman Bronze Works was a well-known bronze foundry founded in 1897. It did work for Tiffany Studios and moved to Tiffany’s factory in Corona, N.Y., in 1927. The foundry was in business until the late 1980s.

Q: I have a gold-tone circular pin decorated with cultured pearls. I would like to know more about it. It’s in the original box with a label that says “Krementz Jewelry.” It came with a pamphlet on how to care for the pin, how it was made and a guarantee. Is Krementz still in business?

A: George Krementz and his cousin, Julius Lebkuecher, founded Krementz & Co. in Newark, N.J., in about 1866. By the turn of the 20th century, the company was the largest manufacturer of men’s detachable collar buttons in the world. Other jewelry for men also was made. Women’s jewelry was first made in about 1920. The company gave a lifetime guarantee on all its jewelry and carried replacement parts for its old jewelry. Krementz & Co. was run by family members until 1997. The Colibri Group bought the company name and fulfilled Krementz guarantees until Krementz closed in 2009.

Q: I have an iron mechanical bank that looks like a rider sitting on a mule. When a coin is inserted and the lever pressed, the mule kicks, throwing the rider over the mule’s head and depositing the coin in the bank. The bank is dated April 22, 1879. I’d like to know more about this bank.

A: Your mechanical bank is called “I Always Did ‘Spise a Mule.” It was made by J. & E. Stevens Co., founded in 1843 by John and Elisha Stevens in Cromwell, Conn. The company originally made hardware but began manufacturing banks in the 1870s. James H. Bowen of Philadelphia was granted a patent for your bank on April 22, 1879. Two versions of this bank were made. Your bank is the first version. A second version with the boy sitting on a bench in front of the mule was made later, beginning in 1897.

Tip: To remove an unwanted gummed price sticker, try heating it with a hair dryer. The glue will melt a bit, and it will be easier to peel off the sticker.

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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 e-mail 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.

  • Walt Disney’s Swiss Family Robinson movie poster, the family going over the falls, James MacArthur & Dorothy McGuire, 1960s, 27 x 41 inches, $60.
  • Peek-A-Boo Necktie, silk, when folds are laid back an image of a blonde pinup in body suit and black mesh stockings is revealed, Glo-Vure Process, Belleville, N.J., 1960s, 55 inches, $80.
  • Ideal teenage doll, composition, clear brown sleep eyes, open mouth with teeth, eye shadow, rosy cheeks, blond curly wig, organdy skirt, red straw hat, 1938, 21 inches, $125.
  • Willkie campaign button, boxer Joe Louis and Wendell Willkie, “Joe and Me for Willkie,” St. Louis Button Co., 1936, 7/8 inches, $130.
  • Mickey Mouse wristwatch, 1976 Commemorative Edition, red-and-blue cloth band, square gold case, full-figured pie-eyed Mickey on white background, Bradley Time, box, $195.
  • Gold-framed spectacles, 14K yellow gold, red leather case marked E.R. Lawshe, circa 1850, 14-inch chain, $400.
  • Van Briggle table lamp, Three Graces, nude women, turquoise blue, 17 1/2 x 11 1/2 inches, $545.
  • Limbert telephone stand, No. 263, square top over arched apron, lower shelf, tapered legs, marked, 29 x 18 inches, $550.
  • Daum Nancy lamp pull, striated lime-green ground, enameled spring scene with trees in full foliage, marked, 1 1/2 inches, $920.
  • Firestone Tires 1917 calendar, bathing beauties at beach, girls in car talking to man in red bathing suit, 35 x 17 inches, $3,410.

© 2011 by Cowles Syndicate Inc.