Tuesday, July 14, 2009

SOME THINGS OLD ARE NEW AGAIN

  • We saw milk at the grocery store this week advertised as "like mother used to make"--as if mother made milk for the whole family. I looked at the pyro ads on the glass milk bottle. The milk is not homogenized, so the cream separates and rises to the top. It's a good bottle for a milk bottle collector to save.
  • Beads are back as bracelets. New bead bracelets are like charm bracelets--each bead represents an event. We suggest collecting old beads, including early Chinese porcelain beads that held the cords on inros (boxy Chinese pocketbooks).
  • Holt Howard novelty giftwares made in the 1950s are selling well again. They lost favor and were considered "kitsch" in the 1970s, were collected by a small group in the late '80s, dropped in popularity again, and now are moving up in price. The comic heads, sly kittens, smiling mice, realistic roosters, and Christmas figures make an amusing display. A pixieware liquor decanter sells for about $600; an instant-coffee holder with a smiling dark-skinned girl is $250.
  • Blue decorated white stoneware is selling for record prices, much higher than in past decades. The newest record is $103,500 for a Boynton Pottery water cooler from Albany, New York, dated 1817 and decorated with birds and fish.

10 comments:

Andy said...

> We saw milk at the grocery store this week advertised
> as "like mother used to make"--as if mother made
> milk for the whole family.

Well, mine certainly did for us kids! ...and my wife made it for _our_ kids, etc. :-)

Anonymous said...

I wished I knew who to 'pay' so you would respond to my email regarding a bowl and pitcher that a customer brought into my antique shop. We just want to know more about it. So, who do we pay? My customer thinks I can't get a response because you guys don't ever respond and you 'invent' your inquiries not actually taking request.

Anonymous said...

Hi, I am trying to find what the value of a Silk lined Armidillo Sewing basket would be. All I found was the history of Armidillo farms. If anyone has a clue respond please. I will check komments tomorrow. Thank You, DEB

Lindsay hirsch said...

A small correction: "Inro" are JAPANESE not Chinese and were usually compartmented to carry tobacco and/or herbal medicines. The bead, used as a "slider" on the Inro's cord as a closure, is referred to as "Ojime".

Anonymous said...

I would like to know how to find out the value of a menu from the Christmas Dinner held at Schofield Barracks, HI ( H. T. at that time) dated Christmas 1919 thank you

Anonymous said...

You say some things are selling "well" I say "where???"
I listed a few things on Ebay at reasonable prices, like Majolica and hand-made silver jewelry and there wasn't even a nibble. There are 2500 pieces of Majolica listed and maybe 10 have a bid on them. Jewelry seems to be the same story: 105,000 pcs. of jewelry and only stuff at $25 seems to be selling at all.
DavidU.

Anonymous said...

I would like to know how to find out the value of a menu. It was for the Christmas dinner at Schofield Barracks HI ( H. T. at that time) dated 1919. thanks

Anonymous said...

I recently purchased an art nouveau style tray made of porcelain with brass rim and handles. Mark says Villeroy & Boch Dresden. Does anyone have information on this type of piece?

Anonymous said...

I am shocked by your comment about bead bracelets - you refer to 'inro' as CHINESE BEADS and further mention 'Chinese pocketbooks'!!!

Inro and netsuke were components of the JAPANESE containers which were used by upper class gentlemen during the Classical period.

You as collectors ought to know this.

mary velinsky said...

Does anyone have info about I believe it is called "Satsuma/ Moriega japanese ware. Mostly brown, lots of orange and raised details. Closed up my moms house and don't just want to donate it if it has some value. Thanks