On Antiques And COlleCtibles

VOL. 37 NO. 1 THE NEWSLETTER FOR COLLECTORS, DEALERS AND INVESTORS SEPTEMBER 2010

IN THIS ISSUE

A Christmas toy sold at a recent James Julia auc-tion for $161,000. It be-comes the most expensive

tin toy sold in the past 15 years and possibly the most expensive toy of any type auctioned in the past three years. The 18-inch-long toy—Santa in a sleigh pulled by goats—was originally sold in the late 19th century by Althof, Bergmann & Co. of New York.

Marble collectors are dealing with sad news. The Peltier Glass Co. of Ottowa, Ill., has closed after 124 years in business making mar-bles and other glassware. Only one other compa-ny in the United States, Marble King of Paden City, W.Va., still produces machine-made mar-bles. Most of the world’s marbles are made in Mexico and Asia. “I’m continuously shocked and surprised by how much prices are increasing,” says Ker-ry Taylor, a textile consultant to Sotheby’s Lon-don. Speaking to Forbes.com about the prices of vintage clothing, she goes on: “If we’re looking at really wonderful pieces from say the 1920s or ’30s, it’s really not unusual to have them selling for £20,000 to £30,000 [$30,000-$45,000]—pos-sibly more. Ten years ago, that would have been unheard of.” Prices of “cabinet” pieces—small objects of glass or ceramic or metal that can be dis-played in a glassed breakfront—have been going down. Decorators prefer big and bold.

Someone or some group of collectors is running ads looking to buy “crooked knives.” A crooked knife (we looked it up) has a blade that’s bent toward the wide side of the handle so that when it’s used like a drawknife (pulled to-ward you), the curved blade can scoop out the in-side of a bowl or canoe. The knives were popular among North American Indian tribes. Some have very decorative handles. Good old examples sell for $500 and up.

News Flash

Sale Reports: Chinese “Bargains” ................................................... 3 Fenton Glass .............................................................. 4 Non-Sports Hartland Figurines ................................. 5 Victorian Scottish Agate Jewelry............................... 6 Rural Pennsylvania Furniture .................................... 7 Pisgah Forest Pottery ................................................. 8 Baby Dolls ............................................................... 10Dictionary of Marks – Pisgah Forest Pottery ................. 9Buyer’s Price Guide ..................................................... 11Collector’s Gallery .......................................................12

Pisgah Forest’s Art PotteryPicture this 1943 cameo pitcher decorated with a Western scene in your collection. It was made at the Pisgah Forest Pottery in North Carolina and sold for $288 at an auction in the same state. Travel over to page 8 to learn more.

Scottish Agate Victorian JewelryDazzled by the stones in this agate and citrine bracelet, a collector paid $2,726 for it at a Boston auction. We dangle more information about Victorian Scottish agate jewelry on page 6.

Baby Dolls For CollectorsIn the world of never-grow-up, this c.1925 German-made baby doll was carried away from an Ohio auction for $560. We show you more antique and vintage baby-face dolls on page 10.

Pennsylvania Furniture: Plain & PracticalHere’s a handy workstand made in Lancaster County, Pa. It’s the work of a rural Pennsylvania cabinetmaker who was probably of German heritage. The little table auctioned for $735. Take a look at practical Pennsylvania furniture on page 7.

Kovels – September 2010 1

Letter to Lee ColleCting Conversations

Photos are not reproduced to scale; actual size of items pictured is given whenever possible. Out-of-print reference books mentioned in articles may be available through interlibrary loan or from book search services.

Editor and Publisher: Terry Kovel; Editor in chief: Marcia Goldberg; CFO and Website Di-rector: Kim Kovel; Designer: Jeffrey Clark; As-sociate Editor: Liz Lillis; Copy Editor: Cherrie Smrekar; Photo Editor: Janet Dodrill; Control-ler: Lisa Bell; Marketing: Hamsy Mirre; Staff: Mary Ellen Brennan, Grace DeFrancisco, Gay Hunter; Customer Service: Tina McBean

Customer Service: To inquire about an individ-ual subscription or to order a new subscription ($36 one year, $4 single copy), call toll-free 800-829-9158; or write to Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles, P.O. Box 420345, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0345; or visit our website, Kovels.com, and click on “Contact Us.” Editorial correspondence: Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles, P.O. Box 22192, Beachwood, OH 44122. Website: We invite you to visit our website, Kovels.com, to look up prices, read more news, visit the free Directory listings, check on your subscrip-tion (use the “Contact Us” link), register for our free weekly ezine and more.

KOVELS ON ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES

KOVeLS ON ANTIqUeS AND COLLeCT-IBLeS (ISSN 0741-6091) is published monthly for $36 per year by Kovels Antiques Inc., 30799 Pine-tree Road, #305, Cleveland, Ohio 44124. Send ad-dress changes to KOVeLS ON ANTIqUeS AND COLLeCTIBLeS, P.O. Box 420345, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0345.

Copyright 2010 by Terry Kovel. All rights re-served. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, with-out permission in writing from the publisher.

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Dear Lee,

Collectors like to talk about their collections and some of the unexpected conversations they have had about collecting. The strangest reason we ever heard for not wanting something “old” came up in conversation at a party. A couple wanted to find an apartment and we suggested an old building that had been remodeled. “Oh,” said the wife, “we would never move into a used apartment.” We never did invite her to our house, which is not only old, but also has almost no new furnishings. It took us years to find just the right antiques for our home, and she would probably scorn them as “used” furniture. The most unusual reason we’ve heard for not buying an antique was told to us by a dealer. He sold a set of Victorian Haviland dishes as a wedding gift. The bride’s mother returned them because the family kept kosher and had no way of knowing if non-kosher food had ever touched the dishes. There is a religious method to treat dishes with this problem, but the bride’s mother wasn’t convinced it would be OK.

We know people who go to house sales but won’t buy anything that can be traced back to an unhappy home—a divorce, a death or another trauma. They believe luck and emotions live on in furnishings. But some collectors don’t mind if an antique they bought is haunted. They are sure only friendly ghosts travel with antiques. Clocks seem to be the most likely to be haunted—they’ll ring at odd hours, keep poor time or lose the winding key. We even have one friend who insists she remembers an antique from her past life in the 19th century. Why does everyone who remembers a past existence always recall living in a well-furnished home with a rich spouse and gifted children? Our view of living with antiques is the easiest: We buy what we like when we see it, even if it costs a little more than we expected. An advertising collector once told us, “You never pay too much for an antique—you just buy it too soon.”

A repaired emerald green Bryant’s Stomach Bitters cone bottle sold for $40,320 at a spring American Bottle Auction. Houses aren’t selling, so interior designers have fewer homes to decorate. That means leather-bound books favored by decorators have dropped in price. As a general rule, dark-colored Oriental rugs are selling for less than light-colored rugs. In the past, dark was more expensive. Look for American Indian baskets made from wire. early ones were fashioned of fencing wire; more recent baskets are made of colored telephone wire or thin copper wire. Good old wire baskets sell for hundreds of dollars. Possible new and inexpensive collectibles: mouse pads, potholders, aprons and towels. Prisoner-of-war art objects of the 19th century are often elaborate ship models made of tiny pieces of wood and ivory. Prisoner arts and crafts made in the 20th century include ship models made from matchsticks, and purses and belts made from folded cigarette packages. Now collectors are looking for gaman, the crafts made in Japanese internment camps from 1942 to 1946.

Wood carvings, baskets, furniture, paintings, pottery, jewelry, tools, toys and even musical instruments were made by internees using their limited supply of scrap lumber, shells, toothbrush handles, peach pits, rocks and other found objects. Seen at a show: an unused electric chrome egg-cooker for $145. It was manufactured by Samson-United Corp. of Rochester, N.Y. Some people must still prefer to boil their eggs at the breakfast table, because we noticed a new Salton egg-boiler for $35 in a catalog. Hankies, scarves, tablecloths, dish towels and yard goods with printed designs of tourist spots were popular from the 1930s through the ’70s. Road-trip vacations were common and the prints carried memories home. early fabrics were decorated with realistic pictures of places, events or topography. By the late ’40s, many featured cartoons in bright colors. Some collectors frame the fabrics, but others use them in ways that could destroy their collector value. A recent magazine article suggests transforming the textiles into curtains, window shades or pillows. We disagree. The best souvenir fabrics are not faded or worn. Some are rare and command high prices. Most sell for $20 to $50.

2 Kovels – September 2010

Do you love Chinese antiques and collectibles but figured you’d never be able to afford a

single thing? A summer auction at Skinner proved you’re wrong. Plenty of Chinese pieces, from snuff bottles to coral carvings, were scarfed up for under $1,000. Some of the Chinese “bargains” are pictured, including carvings in ivory, jade, coral, lapis lazuli and soapstone. There’s also a pair of pottery foo dogs (lionlike guard dogs) and a carved cinnabar vase. Prices of Chinese decorative arts and furnishings can vary widely in the United States because few American collectors know much about them or how to date them. Many antique and 20th-century items were brought into this country during the 1940s and ’50s, so there’s an ample supply.

If you comb shows and auctions, you can find good buys—unless the Chinese get there before you. More prices: Peking glass water pot, compressed globe with cameo design of stylized shou (longevity character) and double bats, 2 1/8 in., $59. Inlaid box decorated with mother-of-pearl and hardstone inlay of two boys riding on an elephant, 2 1/2 by 6 by 4 1/2 in., $207. Blue and white ceramic flask, painted in underglaze blue with a pair of scaly dragons fighting over a flaming pearl, 10 in., $563. The Asian Works of Art catalog, June 25-26, 2010, is available from Skinner Inc., 274 Cedar Hill St., Marlborough, MA 01752, SkinnerInc.com. Photos are courtesy of Skinner, which held the auction at its Boston location.

Chinese Bargains

Gone for a Million Dollars

Surprisingly high prices were paid at the auction, too. The two most expen-sive pieces were carved white jade vases. One, in the shape of a double gourd, sold for $578,000; the other, in a flattened flask shape, brought $501,000. Both went to Chinese bidders, as did most of the Chinese items in the sale, according to James Callahan, Skinner’s specialist in Asian art.

Jade boulder carving of two Immortals, pale celadon-colored stone, one Immortal playing a zither under a pine tree, the other listening, 5 in h. by 4 in. w., $326.

Small coral carving of a goddess, early 20th century, 2 1/4 in. l., $237.

Lapis lazuli carving of Bodhisattva holding a lotus branch, lotus leaf, pod and blossoms on each side, lotus base, wooden stand, 8 1/2 in. h., $267.

Soapstone carving of a kneeling woman holding a lotus branch, robe incised with flower and cloud patterns, foo dog clinging to her right knee, wooden stand, 5 in. h. with stand, $444.

Pair of blue-glazed pottery foo dogs, one holding a ball under its paw, the other playing with a cub, each on square pedestal, 10 3/4 in. h., $207 for the pair.

Ivory puzzle ball, outer sphere carved and pierced with figures in a landscape, 14 round holes reveal concentric spheres within, 1 5/8 in. dia., $237.

One of a pair of cinnabar vases, carved with scholars greeting each other and holding antique objects while walking in a rustic landscape. Relief carving reserved on a geometric-patterned ground, 7 1/2 in. h., $830 for the pair.

Kovels – September 2010 3

Fenton Art Glass Co. has been in business since 1905, when it was founded in Martins Ferry, Ohio, by brothers Frank L. and

John W. Fenton. At first the brothers decorated glass blanks made by others, but they built their own glass factory in Williamstown, W.Va., in 1907. It remains one of the few companies that still make decorative glass in the United States. Over the decades, Fenton has produced hand-finished art glass and tableware in every shape, color and style—and collectors like all of it. eighty lots of Fenton glass sold at a summer Jim Wroda auction, with prices ranging from $12 for a 1980s 7-inch pink vase to $1,323 for a c.1920s vaseline glass water set (pictured). The sale featured many types and patterns of Fenton glass, including three pieces of post-1970 carnival glass: a cruet for $58 and two vases for $63 and $75. Fenton in-troduced carnival glass to the United States in 1907, contin-ued making the colored irides-cent glass into the 1930s, then reintroduced it in 1970. You could also find a cranberry opalescent hobnail vase for $58, a Daisy & Fan opalescent cruet for $86, a blue Hanging

Heart cruet for $121, a seven-piece cranberry opalescent Win-dows water set for $173, and several pieces of Victorian-style plain and hand-painted opaque glassware. Fenton gained national pub-licity in 1988 when it started selling limited editions on qVC, the TV shopping net-work. Some pieces were delib-erately made to look old, which upset collectors, but almost ev-erything Fenton has made since 1975 is marked. Until then, the company used only paper labels. Photos are courtesy of Jim Wroda

Auction Services, 5239 State Route 49 South, Greenville, OH 45331, JimWro-daAuction.com. Wroda’s Antiques Collection–Martin catalog, July 3, 2010, can be viewed in the archives at Proxibid.com. For more information, see Fenton Glass, 3 vols., by William Heacock (O-Val Advertising, Marietta, OH, 1980-89). The books are out of print, but copies are available on Amazon.com, as are newer books about Fenton.

Fenton Burmese cruet, Decorated Violets, hand-painted, 1970s, 7 1/2 in., $75.

Fenton vaseline opalescent water set, Ribbed Optic, cobalt handles. Pitcher, lid and six cups, coasters and stirrers, c.1920s except for new tray under pitcher, $1,323.

Fenton opalescent hobnail vase, 4 in., 1959-62, $58.

Fenton cranberry single lily epergne, late 1950s, 9 1/2 in., $86.Fenton blue satin

vase, Hanging Heart, designed by Robert Barber, mid 1970s, 10 in., $201.Note: Captions include information from the auction catalog, plus

added facts found in reference books on Fenton glass.

Fenton large cranberry opal basket, Daisy & Fern, $155.

Collecting Fenton Glass

In 2007 Fenton planned to close its doors, but sales increased enough later that year to persuade the own-ers to reverse course. At the same time, they decided to start importing a line of glass, ceramics and giftware while also producing limited edi-tions in West Virginia. Pieces made abroad carry the Fenton International logo, the letter “F” in a globe. Those made here are marked “USA” next to the company’s logo. The logo, an oval with the word “Fenton” inside, has been used since 1970. In 1980 the logo became smaller and the company added a numeral to designate the de-cade (8 for 1980s, etc.).

4 Kovels – September 2010

In 1953 Hartland Plastics of Hartland, Wis., intro-duced a series of miniature military and Western

figures depicting real and fictional American heroes, wranglers and gunfighters, many of them mounted on their horses. That was a good four years before the company made its more famous—and now more expensive—baseball players. More than three dozen of the early figures sold at a recent Morphy auction. The molded plastic military and Western figures were made from about 1953 to 1963. Early figures were generic cowboys, cowgirls, palominos and pin-tos. In 1954, stars of early TV Westerns were created. The most sought-after by collectors today are the “800 series” figures, all about 8 to 10 inches tall. Most came with removable accessories—hats, guns, rifles, saddles and reins—and originally sold for $2 to $4.

Prices at the auction ranged from $69 for Roy Rogers and his horse Trigger to $374 for Johnny Yuma (“The Rebel”) and his horse. The Yuma set was complete with hat, pistol and shotgun. The Lone Ranger and his mount Silver sold with original accessories, box and two tags for $316. Dale evans and her horse But-termilk auctioned with her hat and pistol for $115. As for military men, gunfighters and lawmen, George Washington brought $81; General Custer, $161; Palladin, $184; Wyatt earp, $127; and Bat Master-son, $207. A figure’s value is determined by the popularity of the depicted character and by the figure’s rarity, color and condition. Tags and an original solid or cellophane-covered open-front box also increase value. The history of Hartland Plastics is complicated. It changed ownership sev-

eral times before it closed in 1993. It was revived later and went through slight name changes. Throw in a flood and a bankruptcy, and the company now operates as Hartland of Ohio, making sports figures and bobbin’-head dolls. The Discovery Auction catalog, June 15, 2010, is available from Morphy Auctions, 2000 North Reading Road, Denver, PA 17516, MorphyAuctions.com. Photos are courtesy of Morphy. For more informations, visit HartlandWest-erns.com and Hartlands.com. Also see the May 2008 issue of Kovels newslet-ter for information on Hartland baseball figures.

Hartland figure, Lone Ranger and his horse Silver, complete set with hat and two pistols sealed in original bag. Original box, two string tags, mini-catalog, (scratches on horse), 9 in. l., $316.

Hartland figure, Roy Rogers and his horse Trigger, complete set with hat and two pistols, (scratches, discoloration), 8 1/2 in. l., $69.

Hartland figure, Tonto and his horse Scout, complete set with feather, knife and pistol, 8 in. l., $115.

Hartland figure, Bret Maverick gunfighter, complete set with hat and pistol, 7 1/2 in. h., $127.

Hartland figure, General Custer and his horse Vic, complete set with hat, sword, pistol and flag, 9 in. l., $161.

Hartland figure, Dale Evans and her horse Buttermilk, complete set with hat and pistol, 8 in. l., $115.

Hartland figure, Johnny Yuma (“The Rebel”) and his horse, complete set with hat, pistol and shotgun, 9 in. l., $374.

Hartland Figures

Kovels – September 2010 5

Agates found in Scotland are considered among the best in the world because of their variety of colors and patterns.

Add queen Victoria’s fascination with her Scottish heritage, her 1852 purchase of Scotland’s Balmoral Castle, and the British public’s fascination with queen Victoria and you can understand why 19th-century British jewelers created so many “souvenir” brooches and bracelets using agates from Scotland. Five dozen pieces of Victorian Scottish agate jewelry, sometimes called “pebble jewelry,” were auctioned recently at Skinner in Boston. The most expensive, at $4,148, was a mid-Victorian silver-mounted snake bracelet set with agates and jasper (pictured). But you could buy plenty of pieces for well under $1,000.

During the 19th century, Scottish agates were usually cut as cabochons—polished, unfaceted, convex gems. They’re rich and earthy in color, and Victorian jewelers set them in bold designs alongside citrines, jasper, malachite and granite. Most early mounts were handmade of silver, but gold was also used. Later, when the semiprecious jewelry became so popular it was exported to the Continent, mounts were die-cast by Birmingham silversmiths. Because the jewelry goes so well with today’s fashions, collectors don’t just want to collect pieces—they want to wear them, too. The Fine Jewelry catalog, June 15, 2010, is available from Skinner Inc., 274 Cedar Hill St., Marlborough, MA 01752, SkinnerInc.com. Photos are courtesy of Skinner, which held the auction at its Boston location.

Victorian Scottish Agate Jewelry

Victorian Scottish agate strap bracelet, each link set with an agate or jasper tablet. Silver mount with engraved accents, shell terminal, buckle closure, adjustable length. Patent mark and maker’s mark “GU,” 6 1/2 in., $563.

Victorian silver and Scottish agate brooch, set with agates, marble and jasper in a braid motif, 3 by 1 3/4 in., $1,007.

Victorian Scottish agate and citrine bracelet, bezel-set with a cushion-shaped citrine framed by agates. Joined to a hinged tapering bracelet set with agate and jasper tablets, interior circumference 6 1/4 in., $652.

Victorian Scottish agate and paste brooch, set with a cushion-shaped paste (glass stone) in a scalloped frame with agates and jasper. Silver mount (reverse inscribed), 2 1/2 by 2 in., $474.

Victorian Scottish agate bracelet, anchor links, silver mount, engraved accents. Padlock closure set with an agate bead, 7 1/4 in., $889.

Mid-Victorian Scottish agate snake bracelet, hinged body set all around with agates and jasper, silver mount. Cabochon red stone eyes, forked tongue, interior circumference 6 in., $4,148.

PICTUReD ON COVeRVictorian Scottish agate and citrine bracelet, hinged bangle set with three cushion-cut citrines and shaped agate borders. Gold mount engraved with scroll motifs, interior circumference 6 1/2 in., $2,726.

Victorian sterling silver, Scottish agate and citrine brooch, Celtic style, cushion-shaped citrines with agates and jasper, engraved accents. Hallmarks and maker’s mark “S&Co.,” Chester, england, late 1800s, 3 in. $504.

6 Kovels – September 2010

You can often find examples of antique furniture made in rural Pennsylvania at auctions in, fit-

tingly, rural Pennsylvania. That was true at a summer Conestoga auction, where the pictured furniture sold. Pieces were made either long ago in the Pennsylvania countryside or not so long ago to look like early Penn-sylvania furniture. Unlike the sophisticated and more expensive fur-niture made in Philadelphia early in our country’s his-tory, pieces made by cabinetmakers outside the city (mainly in Berks, Bucks, Chester and Lancaster coun-ties) reflected the furniture traditions of Germany, the cabinetmakers’ home country. Pieces are practical and have clean lines, and many are painted allover or have painted decorations.

Pennsylvania German dow-er chests, made for both women and men, were often decorated with painted flowers, hearts and birds, just like the antique one pictured here. Not in the best of shape, it sold for $848.

Two similar cupboards, one an antique and the other a mod-ern reproduction, sold for the identical price of $3,277. Both were of high quality, but the antique had been refinished and its base was cracked. Two antique workstands, one made by John Rupp in the late 1800s and the other by an unknown maker, attracted widely di-vergent prices. The Rupp stand brought $2,825, and the other, $735. Knowing the maker of a piece of furniture tells much about its history and is a fool-proof way of dating it—which increases its value. A pair of mid-20th-century chairs by R. Drew Lausch of eph-rata, Pa., auctioned for $2,712, while an older stenciled rocker went for $396 and a Pennsylva-nia Sheraton poster bed with its original red paint for $509. More prices: Walnut three-board pine-top farm table, two skirt drawers, beaded skirt, 30 by 54 by 33 1/2 in., $678. Paint-decorated bamboo-turned Windsor kitchen side chair, 34 in. h., $367. Soft-wood milk cupboard with original brown varnish, plank top, two paneled doors, 38 by 42 1/2 by 14 1/2 in., $904. The Folk Art and Americana Auction catalog, June 12, 2010, is available from Conestoga Auction Co., 768 Graystone Road, P.O. Box 1, Manheim, PA 17545, ConestogaAuction.com. The catalog can also be viewed in the archives at LiveAuctioneers.com. Photos are courtesy of Conestoga.

Pe n n s y l v a n i a F u r n i t u r e

The term “Pennsylvania Dutch” is a corruption of “Pennsylvania Deutsch,” which means “Pennsylvania German.”

Pennsylvania late Federal walnut two-part Dutch cupboard, cove-molded cornice, glazed upper doors, pie shelf. Lower section with three drawers and two lower double-paneled doors, (feet reduced, two vertical cracks on base, old refinish), 85 3/4 in. h. by 55 1/2 in. w. by 21 in. d., $3,277.

York County grain-painted softwood workstand, attributed to John Rupp, two-board top, dovetailed skirt drawer, turned legs, late 1800s, 29 1/2 in. h. by 19 1/2 in. w. by 19 3/4 in. d., $2,825.

PICTUReD ON COVeRLancaster County country Sheraton softwood workstand, original red paint, two-board top, skirt drawer with white porcelain knob, turned legs, (minor scratches), 30 in. h. by 22 in. sq., $735.

Lancaster County paint-decorated dower chest, red ground, panels with potted floral motifs. Molded lid, wrought-iron strap hinges with snake terminals, marked “A. Sheffee” in stencil under lid, (paint runs; missing till, lock, keeper and base molding), 21 in. h. by 52 in. w. by 23 in. d., $848.

One of a pair of Windsor comb-back armchairs, signed “R.D.L.” by Drew Lausch (1936-2006) of ephrata. Painted dark green over red, serpentine crest rail with carved ears, continuous arm, D-shaped saddle seat, splayed legs, stretchers. Seat height 18 in., 46 in. overall, $2,712 for the pair.

Pennsylvania high-back plank-seat rocking chair, original red ground and painted stencils, seat height 18 in., 33 1/2 in. overall, $396.

Reproduction Lancaster County Pennsylvania Chippendale tiger maple Dutch cupboard, central six-pane glazed panel flanked by two six-pane glazed upper doors, high pie shelf. Lower section with a bank of four drawers flanked by two upper drawers and two double-raised-paneled doors, 84 in. h. by 64 in. w. by 20 in. d., $3,277.

Kovels – September 2010 7

The vases and dishes made from the 1920s through about 1960 by Walter B. Stephen at North Carolina’s Pisgah For-

est Pottery are examples of American art pottery handmade by a single artist working with only a couple of helpers at a simple kiln.* Stephen’s work is going up in price as more collectors discover it. More than 60 Pisgah Forest pieces sold at a Leland Little auction this summer. Prices went from $115 for a pair of small early vases with plain glossy glaze to $1,840 for a vase featuring a rare combination of Stephen’s two most famous styles: a cam-eo scene atop a lower crystalline-glazed section. Two examples of a third Stephen style—wine-colored vases with floral pewter overlay—also sold for high pric-es: $1,150 and $1,725. Several cameo pieces are pictured, most of them sporting one of Stephen’s typical Western scenes. Nearly all of Stephen’s cameo work was done using a technique called pâte-sur-pâte: a method of layering liquid clay, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next, then carv-ing details. A few later Pisgah Forest cameos were made us-ing a different technique known as “sprigging”: a method using small plaster-of-Paris molds to make raised designs that are then applied to the body. Pisgah Forest’s crystalline-glazed pieces are attracting a lot of interest today, too. Stephen created the effect by adding or subtracting metals in his glazes, then cooling pieces slowly. A blue crystalline vase auctioned for $1,495, and another crystal-line vase glazed blue over green-gold went for $1,035. Both are pictured. See the Dictionary of Marks for more information about Pisgah Forest Pottery. Photos are courtesy of Leland Little Auction & estate Sales, 620 Corner-stone Court, Hillsborough, NC 27278. Leland Little’s Fine and Decorative Arts Auction catalog, June 19, 2010, can be viewed on the auction’s website, LLAuc-tions.com. *Although Pisgah Forest pottery could be considered “studio pottery” be-cause of Stephens’s small operation, it is included in most books on American art pottery, including Kovels’ American Art Pottery by Ralph and Terry Kovel (Crown, NY, 1993).

Pisgah Forest cameo vase, pâte-sur-pâte American Indian campground, medium blue glaze. Signed “Stephen 1960” in slip, bottom impressed “Cameo Stephen Long Pine,” possibly one of Stephen’s last pieces before his death in 1961, 4 1/2 in., $690.

Pisgah Forest blue crystalline vase, allover blue crystals on jade green field, tan interior. Bottom marked with impressed stamp and dated 1934, 7 1/4 in., $1,495.

PICTUReD ON COVeRPisgah Forest cameo pitcher, upper portion with pâte-sur-pâte covered wagon scene against matte field, glossy green glaze below, (glaze bubbling below handle). Bottom marked with impressed stamp and dated 1943, 5 1/4 in., $288.

Pisgah Forest vase with pewter floral overlay, dark wine glaze. Bottom marked with impressed stamp and dated 38(?), 6 1/2 in., $1,725.

Pisgah Forest cameo vase, upper half with pâte-sur-pâte musicians and square dancers, light tan glossy glaze below, (overall crazing on tan glaze, repaired break near base). Bottom marked with impressed stamp of Walter Stephen at Long Pine and dated 1953, 13 in., $1,380.

Pisgah Forest crystalline vase, large blue crystals on green-gold field, pink interior. Bottom marked with impressed stamp and dated 1941, 6 3/4 in., $1,035.

Pisgah Forest cameo pitcher, upper portion with pâte-sur-pâte covered wagon scene on matte field, mottled turquoise blue glaze below, pink interior. Bottom marked with impressed stamp and dated 1941, 7 in., $633.

Pisgah Forest Pottery

Pisgah Forest cameo and crystalline vase, upper half with pâte-sur-pâte covered wagon scene, ivory and blue crystalline glaze below, (hairline running length of vase). Bottom marked with impressed stamp and dated 1945(?), also signed “W.B. Stephen” in blue glaze, 10 3/4 in., $1,840.

8 Kovels – September 2010

Dictionary of Marks PISGAH FOREST POTTERY

reproDuctions

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Impressed Potter at Wheel mark first used in 1926

Impressed Potter at Wheel mark Impressed Potter at Wheel mark Impressed Potter at Wheel markused when the pottery was called Stephen Pottery

Pisgah Forest Pottery was founded by Walter B. Stephen (1876-1961) in Arden, N.C., in about 1926. The pottery is

best known for its cameo and crystalline wares, but it also made a general line glazed in turquoise or wine, the most popular colors, as well as ivory, pink, green, yellow or brown. Stephen began making pottery with his mother in Nonconnah, Tenn., in 1901. By 1913 he had moved to Arden, not far from Mt. Pisgah, and was marking his pieces “Stephen” or “W.B. Stephen.”

By 1926 Stephen was using a mark that included the words “Pisgah Forest,” which is the reason 1926 is considered the start date of the pottery. But for a few years in the late 1940s, he changed the pottery’s name to “Stephen Pottery.” Pieces made from 1927 to 1954 were also marked with the year the piece was made. Pisgah Forest Pottery continued operating after Stephen’s death in 1961. Most of the marks shown here were used after 1926 and were pressed in relief.

Impressed Impressed Impressed Undated impressed mark used after 1961

Don’t post the name of your alarm company on your house. Use a generic sign that says the house has an alarm system. The name of the alarm company aids the burglar who wants to disable the system. Wrap jewelry in acid-free tissue or cotton bags to keep pieces from bumping and scratching. To clean carnival glass, use a soft brush, room-temperature water, a sponge and a gentle detergent. Window cleaner is also OK.

Dedham Pottery’s “English Mushroom” plate is the latest authorized Dedham plate reproduction issued by the Dedham Historical Society Museum. each new plate is hand-painted and numbered and won’t be mistaken for an original. The reproduced design, originally made by Dedham in about 1916, is one of several mushroom decorations used by the original pottery. The new plate is available to the public for $98; contact the museum at Society@DedhamHistorical.org. Clevenger Brothers Glass Works made reproductions of antique bottles from the time it opened in Clayton, N.J., in 1930 through most of the 1980s. early reproductions included the e.G. Booz whiskey bottle, several historical flasks and violin, banjo

and bitters bottles. Clevenger reproductions can be confused with originals if you aren’t an experienced collector (the only consistent clue is that Clevenger repros are heavier than originals). Today those early reproduction bottles are selling—as reproductions—for prices ranging from $20 into the hundreds. Unfortunately, some are misrepresented as bottles made in the early 1800s, not the 1900s. In 1966 Clevenger started marking its bottles “CB” or “Clevenger Brothers.” By that time, it was producing mostly limited editions for clubs and other organizations. It also made flasks celebrating the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976. Clevenger’s furnace was shut down in 1999, and the factory’s contents were sold at auction last year.

A tablecloth should be wide and long enough to drape over the edge of the table so the bottom is about 4 to 6 inches above the chair seats. Then your guests can keep their legs under the table without worrying about a draped cloth. If you don’t have a big-enough cloth, layer some small ones. Put the longest cloth on the bottom, then cover any wood that is showing with the smaller ones. Use your silver often and it will tarnish less.

Kovels – September 2010 9

The first dolls most of us (or our sisters) remember playing with were baby dolls—dolls with faces and bodies designed

to mimic a real baby. They were bald or had short hair, their tum-mies were rounded and their legs were chubby and bent, not de-

signed to stand. But dolls that look like babies were latecomers to the long history of dolls, which goes back to prehis-toric times. Until the middle of the 19th century, nearly all manufactured dolls were designed to look like adults, and most homemade dolls were simple copies of the human form. A summer McMasters Harris auction included just over 30 baby dolls among the hundreds of dolls of-fered. Baby-doll prices were nowhere near those of antique French bébé (child) or fashion dolls, but that made them a lot more af-fordable. The babies ranged in price from $34 for a 5-inch doll by an unknown Ger-man maker to $1,064 for a 22-inch “Lori” character

baby made by Swaine & Co. of Germany. “Character dolls,” in-troduced in the early 20th century, have facial features that close-ly resemble those of a real child, not some “ideal” baby. Most of the auctioned baby dolls were manufactured by Ger-man companies early in the 20th century and most were marked on the back of the neck and/or torso. There were also a few Bye-Lo Babies, dolls meant to look like 3-day-old infants. They were designed in the early 1920s by American Grace Storey Putnam. Bye-Lo cloth bodies were made by K&K Toy Co., a U.S. sub-sidiary of George Borgfeldt & Co., but Bye-Lo heads and bodies made of composition or bisque were manufactured by German dollmakers. A Martha Chase all-cloth baby doll, made in Providence, R.I., around the turn of the 20th century, sold for $330. And a doll made by the Century Doll Co. of New York, which bought doll heads from J.D. Kestner of Germany, auctioned for $560. Photos are courtesy of McMasters Harris Auction Co., P.O. Box 341096, Columbus, OH 43234, McMastersHarris.com. The Everything Nice and Sugar and Spice catalog, June 13, 2010, can be viewed in the archives at LiveAuction-eers.com. For more information, see The Collector’s Encyclopedia of Dolls, Vol. 2, by Dorothy S., elizabeth A. and evelyn J. Coleman (Crown, NY, 1986).

Swaine & Co. “Lori” character baby, solid dome socket head, sleep eyes, open-closed mouth, molded and painted hair. Composition body, original finish, vintage gown. Head marked “Lori,” “S & Co., Germany” in a circle and with a DI (?) monogram, 1910s, 22 in., $1,064.

PICTUReD ON COVeRCentury Doll Co. baby doll by Kestner, solid dome bisque head, sleep eyes, open-closed mouth with molded tongue and teeth, molded and lightly painted hair. Cloth body, disc-jointed legs, composition gauntlet hands, antique clothing. Head marked “Century Doll Co., Kestner, Germany,” c.1925, 17 in., $560.

Bye-Lo Baby doll, bisque socket head, sleep eyes, closed painted mouth, molded and painted hair. Five-piece composition body, antique christening gown. Head marked “©1923 by Grace S. Putnam, 1369, 20,” body marked “K&W [for Konig & Wernicke], Made in Germany,” 12 in., $672.

Martha Chase baby doll, oil-painted

stockinet head, painted features including hair, large brown eyes with lashes, smiling closed

mouth and applied ears. Cloth torso and upper

limbs, oil-painted lower limbs jointed at knees

and elbows, original christening gown and

bonnet, (stuffing shows on small areas of

limbs). Unmarked, late 1800s-early 1900s,

13 in., $330.

All-bisque Bye-Lo Baby doll, sleep eyes, closed painted mouth, original brown human-hair wig. Probably original handmade smocked gown, slip, bonnet, socks and tie shoes, (firing imperfections, hat ribbon replaced). Head marked “16/16,” most limbs marked “6/16,” one limb marked “20/16,” J.D. Kestner, c.1920s, 7 in., $560.

Armand Marseille Model 351 baby doll, solid dome bisque head, sleep eyes, open mouth, painted hair. Five-piece composition bent-limb body, redressed, (eye chip, repainted arms), early 1900s, 13 in., $264.

Kestner baby doll, bisque socket head, sleep eyes (new

lashes), open mouth with wobble tongue, antique human-hair wig.

Five-piece body cut for crier, antique christening gown and

slip, (repairs). Marked “Made in Germany, 257, J.D.K., 57,”

24 in., $499.

Antique & Vintage Baby Dolls

10 Kovels – September 2010

Buyer’s price GuiDe

Prices compiled monthly from sales and advertisements. For 47,000 current prices and 2,500 color photographs and factory marks, see Kovels’ An-tiques & Collectibles Price Guide 2010, 42nd edition, available at local bookstores and libraries, from Kovels.com or by mail from KOVeLS, P.O. Box 22192, Beachwood, OH 44122 ($27.95 plus $4.95 postage and handling).

ADVERTISINGW.M. Hoyt Co. Pepper counter tin, red with black

lettering, c.1890, 9 3/4 x 7 1/2 in. .................................... $60Dr. Swett’s Root Beer 1948 calendar, picture of blond

woman holding a glass of pop, full pad, 12 x 25 in. ...... $160Woodward’s Chocolates tip tray, tin lithograph, gold

center with red box of candy, “eat Woodward’s Fine Chocolates,” John C. Woodward & Co., c.1905, 4 in. ... $255

Orange-Crush sign, tin, “Crushy” logo character image, “Feel Fresh, Drink Orange-Crush,” orange & yellow, 1940s, 15 3/4 in. ............................................................. $285

Sunbeam Bread sign, die-cut cardboard, Sunbeam girl with loaf of bread, stand-up, 1950s, 40 x 27 in. ...... $375

DOLLS & TOYS“The Tiny Tim Game of Beautiful Things,” photo of Tiny

Tim on board with flowers & ukulele, cards, 4 die-cut cardboard shopping bags, Parker Bros., 1970, 9 x 18 in. . $85

Porsche 911S toy car, tin, friction, red, Yanoman Toy Co., original box, 1960s, 15 in. ...................................... $315

Shutterbug toy, boy holding camera with flash, tin litho- graph, battery-operated, walks, lifts & lowers plastic camera, Normura Toys, Japan, 1950s, 8 1/2 in. ............. $415

Red Grange doll, oilcloth body, fabric pants, No. 77 jersey, painted, removable helmet, “Licensed by ‘Red’ Grange, Pat. Applied for 77,” 1920s, 18 1/2 in. ... $460

Lone Ranger punch-out book, punch-outs of the Lone Ranger, Tonto, Silver, Scout, Bud & others, cardboard cover, unpunched, Whitman, 1940, 4 pages ................... $695

FURNITUREFrench Renaissance Revival hall stand, walnut, ring &

block baluster turnings, octagonal molded-edge mirror, umbrella storage, c.1890, 79 x 29 x 8 1/2 in. ..... $180

Louis XV-style dresser, carved fruitwood, gilt-metal mounts, mirror over marble top, frieze drawer over 2 doors, serpentine skirt, early 1900s, 71 x 55 in. .......... $480

Chippendale camelback sofa, velvet camel upholstery, crested padded back, tufted loose seat cushion, Marlborough legs, 18th century, 37 x 74 in. ............... $1,135

Biedermeier walnut-veneered cabinet, dovetailed drawer over 2 long doors, interior shelves, turned feet, Continental, 1800s, 59 x 33 1/2 x 19 in. ............. $2,530

GLASSBradley & Hubbard oil lamp, ruby glass shade, molded

lion garland, shaped metal base, putti, scrolls & latticework, electrified, c.1900, 21 1/2 in. ...................... $445

Steuben candlesticks, clear, twisted ribbon within stems, circular base, marked, 1900s, 8 5/8 in., pair .................. $630

Lalique Antinea vase, clear & frosted, tapered, flanked by pair of frosted green glass female nude supports with flowing hair, 8 1/2 in. ............................................. $775

Gallé cameo glass vase, egg shape, flared rim, etched trailing lavender blossoms & green leaves, iridescent opaque ground, signed, c.1900, 11 3/4 in. ................... $1,015

POTTERY & PORCELAINDresden tazza, reticulated bowl, shell & scroll design,

applied flowers & leaves, 3 cherubs, c.1900, 17 in. ....... $460Sèvres Louis XVI-style cachepot, bucket shape, ram’s-

head ornaments, alternating blue bands & hand- painted flowers, 6 in. ...................................................... $750

Wedgwood Fairyland Luster vase, “Imps on a Bridge,” flared rim & foot, gilt highlights, 1915-29, 9 1/8 in. ... $1,955

Union Porcelain Works pitcher, “Douglass House,” cream glazed body, bisque images of 4 characters from a Bret Harte poem, walrus spout, polar bear handle, 1880, 9 1/2 in. ................................................. $5,495

SILVER & OTHER METALSCast-iron horse windmill weight, bobtail, “58” on

side, Dempster Mill Manufacturing Co., Beatrice, Neb., 1900-50, 17 in. ...................................................... $200

Copper turkey weathervane, full body, dark mottled patina, directionals, 20th century, 25 x 65 in. ................ $295

International Silver Co. sterling silver center bowl, Lord Robert pattern, pedestal foot, serpentine border, gad- rooned, shell design, inscribed, 1949, 4 x 11 3/4 in. ...... $510

Federal brass andirons, ball & steeple finials, hexagonal plinth, spurred arches, ball feet, American, c.1820, 20 1/2 x 10 x 19 in. ......................................................... $600

TEXTILES & CLOTHINGBalenciaga black matte satin cocktail dress, scoop neck,

full tea-length skirt, back trimmed with 3 bows, hook-and-eye closure, 1960s, size 10 ............................ $190

Ohio Jacquard coverlet, tied Beiderwand, wool & cotton, blue & white, rose, star & plume center, bird & bush border, G. Heilbronn, Lancaster, 1852, 68 x 86 in. ........ $385

Washington, D.C., friendship quilt, grid configuration, appliquéd floral bouquets & wreaths, white ground, double sawtooth border, c.1850, 6 ft. 6 in. x 8 ft. ....... $3,585

MISCELLANEOUSTruman pre-presidential mechanical pencil, red, white

& blue, slogans, “Friend of the People, Harry S. Truman, Foe of Privilege,” 1940s, 5 1/8 in. ..................... $85

Luke easter Cleveland Indians portrait button, celluloid, color photo of Luke, red letters, c.1950, 1 3/4 in. .......... $380

Powder horn, incised geometric design with rudimen- tary face & year “1763,” carved tip with heart in relief, drilled holes for cord, 10 1/2 in. ....................... $1,055

Janis Joplin psychedelic concert poster, Syracuse, N.Y., 1970.................................................................... $2,600

$20 & UNDERSwankyswig, Cornflower No. 2, blue, 3 1/4 in. ..................... $5“Hawaii, The 50th State” pennant, multicolored on faded

blue felt, white border, graphics of all the islands, Hula girl, flowers, Diamondhead, c.1960, 12 in. ...................... $10

The Art of Cooking & Serving Crisco promotional cookbook, Procter & Gamble, black & white photos, paperback, 1937, 549 recipes, 242 pages ......................... $18

Kovels – September 2010 11

Q This 15-key toy piano belonged to my great

aunt, who was born in 1873. It’s 23 inches wide, and the front and the keys are covered in pa-per lithographs. The words on the front say “Crandall’s Aeo-lia of Montrose.” I have not been able to find a bit of information about the company or the toy. Please help.

A Crandall is a famous name in the history of American toys, thanks to two different but probably related families with

the same last name. One family was led by Asa Crandall of Cov-ington, Pa., who was making wooden toys as early as 1820. Asa’s company was taken over by his son, Charles M. Crandall, who introduced Crandall’s Building Blocks after the Civil War. The tongue-and-groove wooden blocks, big sellers for years, were the basis for several other successful toys. Charles M.’s son, Fred W. Crandall, apparently started his own toy company in Montrose, Pa. (where his father’s firm was then based), in the 1880s, but his factory burned down in 1886. He opened a plant in elkland, Pa., in 1887 and renamed his firm Elkland Manufacturing Co. Fred made toy pianos, including yours, as well as children’s furniture into the early 1900s. If your piano, made before 1887, plays properly, it’s worth about $50. (By the way, the other Crandall family toy busi-ness, also successful, was founded in Rhode Island and moved to New York City in 1841.)

Q This U.S. Centennial cot-ton pennant has been in my

family since 1886. It’s 23 1/2 inches across the top and bottom and 17 inches down the left side. I haven’t been able to find any record of this item’s history and I’m trying to de-cide if I should leave it to my family, which has no interest in it, or donate it to a historical society. I don’t mind donating it, but the organizations I have talked to want me to give it a dollar value. Please help.

A Your pennant, called a “swallowtail pennant” because of its forked tail, is similar to one pictured in Threads of History,

a great book on American textiles by Herbert Ridgeway Collins. The pennant pictured in the book is also from the 1876 celebra-tion of the U.S. Centennial. It’s the same shape and size and has the same starred border as yours, although the background for the stars is blue, not red, and the central design is an image of the Liberty Bell. Collins lists the pennant’s manufacturer as the American Flag Co. of New York. Another pennant with exactly the same central design as yours, but with the stars background in blue and the central wording in red, auctioned in 2005 for $360. Threads of History (Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C., 1979) is out of print but may be available at your library.

Letters from readers help us keep track of the changing world of antiques and collectibles. We wish we could answer all questions individually, but that just isn’t pos-sible. We do read every letter, but only a limited number of questions of general interest are answered. Values given are average for the type of antique, not a specific appraisal. No questions about coins, stamps, books or oil paintings, please. Send written questions to P.O. Box 22192, Beachwood, OH 44122. Photos should be in focus and processed by a traditional photo lab; computer-generated prints on regular paper cannot be used. We try extra hard for subscribers, so include your newsletter label and a large, self-addressed, stamped envelope. email questions and digital photos using the email form on the “Contact us” page at our website, Kovels.com. We regret that we cannot return any photos. We retain the right to use them in this publication or other Kovel forums, regardless of medium. Please do not send old letters, cards or papers of value. Sometimes research takes time, so please be patient.

coLLector’s GaLLery

Q We received this lady’s head vase in June 1970 as a wedding gift. It

came with a floral arrangement. Is anyone buying head vases? And what would ours sell for? There’s no mark on it.

A Lady’s head vases from the 1950s-70s are still sought by a lot of col-

lectors. Yours was imported from Japan by Rubens Originals, a Los Angeles wholesale company founded in the 1950s by Reuben Steinman (he chose to use the famous Flemish artist’s name, not his own first name, as his company’s name). Steinman traveled to Japan a couple of times a year to order ceramic floral containers, and vases shaped like women’s heads were becoming popular at the time. He and his wife, Charlotte, created some of the designs. Rubens Originals’ first head vases were sold in the United States in 1956, and Ru-bens continued to sell them through the mid 1980s. Some had molded or impressed marks, others were marked with ink stamps and still others had paper labels that were lost over time. The company closed in the 1990s. The most popular Rubens head vases wear pearl earrings and necklaces, like yours. They sell for close to $100. More-valuable head vases include a molded hand or a fancy hat. even more expensive are those that resemble Marilyn Monroe or Jacqueline Kennedy. Your vase is pictured in Head Vases by Kathleen Cole (Collector Books, Paducah, KY, 2nd ed., 2006). Information about the history of Rubens Originals can be found online and in The World of Head Vase Planters by Mike Posgay and Ian Warner (Antique Publications, Marietta, OH, 1992); it’s out of print but available on Amazon.com.

Q I have a clock that is about 54 years old. It says “Kieninger &

Obergfell, Made in West Germany” on the back. On the front it says “Kundo.” I also have the glass dome that covers the clock, but I didn’t photograph it on the clock because it reflects light. Can you give me an idea of the value?

A Kieninger & Obergfell was found-ed in 1918 by Johann Obergfell and

J.G. Kieninger in St. Georgen, a town in southwest Germany. Obergfell had oper-ated a clock parts factory beginning in 1899 and Kieninger spe-cialized in making enamel dials. The name “Kundo” was formed from the initials of their last names combined with “und,” the German word for “and.” The words “Made in West Germany” were used on items made between May 1949 and October 1990, when east and West Germany were reunited. So your clock cer-tainly can be about 54 years old. Value: $75 to $100. Kieninger & Obergfell and the Kundo name were sold to Artfield Manufac-turing Co. of Hong Kong in 2000.

12 Kovels – September 2010