Antique Trader Blog - Antique Mystery Item

What might this mystery antique item be?

Karen — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:05:03 GMT

We here at Antique Trader have another mystery on our hands. Have a look at the image and the letter below:

Hi! I hope someone out there can help identify this item! It was in a box of miscellaneous stove parts I purchased at auction. This item is approximately 15 inches long, almost 4 inches high at the round end, has a slight amount of red paint left in areas, has “2BH” on the handle, and has a pulley-type end on the handle inside the round portion. Any help or ideas is appreciated!

Thanks, Debbie, via e-mail

Well, it looks like cast iron and has a handle ... we're at a loss.

Are there any other readers out there who have seen this item before? Send your comments to AskAT@fwmedia.com or ATNews@fwmedia.com and they will be published in a future edition of Antique Trader magazine.

— Karen Knapstein

Art Loss Register recovers Dieppe carved ivory box

Karen — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:43:06 GMT

Relying on its one-of-a-kind, international database of over 300,000 lost and stolen items, the Art Loss Register has recovered an ivory box stolen from a private residence in , while the theft victim sat rooms away.

The theft of the delicately crafted box, executed by famed French draftsman Charles-Etienne Thomas (1787-1857), occurred in December 2009.

Chubb Insurance, acting on behalf of the theft victim, was quick to provide photographs of the stolen property to the Warwickshire Police who within days reported the items to the Art Loss Register. The ALR maintains the largest international database of lost and stolen works of art. It records both public and private losses, regularly conducts searches of the database against international auctions, private treaty sales, gallery stock, art fairs and museum collections, and aims to identify then mediate the return of these items.

In March 2010, just over three months after the box's theft, the ALR matched the stolen box at a Christie's New York auction where it had been valued at $4,000 to $6,000. The name 'Dieppe' is attached to the box as it denotes the type of ivory traded in the port city in France, which served as a luxury commerce hub from the 16th through 19th centuries.

Christie's immediately withdrew the box from auction and held it until the ALR negotiated the consignor's surrender of the item. The consignor, a former US police officer, was completely unaware of the box's crooked history, and cooperated fully with the ALR and Detective Constable Paul Whitehurst of Warwickshire Police, who led the UK investigation.

By June, a mere six months after it was stolen, Chubb was happy to offer the Dieppe Carved Ivory Box back to its client, the theft victim.

Christopher A. Marinello, executive director and general counsel for the ALR, who led the case, commended Detective Constable Whitehurst for his persistence. "The theft victim was fortunate to have such a diligent officer working on his behalf. Choosing a quality fine art insurer like Chubb who painstakingly documents its client's possessions is the smartest move you can make if you ever hope to recover a cherished family heirloom after a theft."

-posted by Eric Bradley

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Another mystery machine

Karen — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:31:44 GMT

One Antique Trader reader writes:

I found this item in Delaware in a thrift shop. The handle acts like a lever/press of sorts. The roller moves back and forth across the black surface. What is it? Thank you,
— M.L., Washingtonville, N.Y.

My first guess would be that this was used to hold pretty paper for wrapping Christmas presents at a department store.

If any of our readers know what this is, please send your response to eric.bradley@fwmedia.com.

A selection of responses will be published in an upcoming issue.

— Eric

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This Independence Day take time to read the Declaration of Independence

Karen — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 20:37:08 GMT

I’m going to let you in on a practice I’ve done every Independence Day for the last 15 years or so. No matter how long the parade may be or how many roasted hot dogs and chilled beers that have been served, I always steal a quiet moment away from the family and friends.

That’s when I read the Declaration of Independence. Seriously. I’ve made it a holiday habit no different than hanging stockings by the fire or digging costumes out of the basement.

A few years ago I found a small booklet of the Declaration in a thrift store and it is stored in my office bookcase. It’s there next to a bound copy of the Constitution my parents gave me at my college graduation.

This year the Declaration of Independence – one of 26 known to exist from the original July 4, 1776, printing – was the centerpiece of a kick-off event with thousands of schoolchildren from around the country on the campus of the University of Maryland to commemorate National History Day on June 14.

This rare Declaration of Independence is one of the original 200 “Dunlap Broadsides” printed on July 4, 1776, and is now owned by Hollywood producer and philanthropist Norman Lear, who lent the document to honor National History Day’s students and teachers.

Annually, half a million students participate in this national program by creating presentations that bring primary-source research to life through table-top exhibitions, documentaries, live performances, websites and research papers.

Programs like these get children interested in history and, I like to think, an eventual awareness and passion for antiques and collectibles.

So I’m asking all of our readers to take 10 minutes to read the entire Declaration of Independence ... and share at least a few of the graspable terms with a young person in you life. In the long run, it’s good for our country and good for our hobby.

You may enjoy these articles on Americana antiques and collectibles:

    • July 2008: Rare 1823 Stone facsimile of the Declaration of Independence brings $132,000 at Swann Galleries’ June 5 auction
    • June 2010: Art Markets: World War I poster art rooted in propaganda
    • July 2009: Collection Spotlight: One man’s passion for pulp

Visit www.antiquetrader.com/Americana for more related articles.

Shop our library of Americana reference books and price guides with topics ranging from military artifacts (Civil War through Vietnam), advertising and sports nostalgia.

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-posted by Eric Bradley

Postcard reaches sender's grandson after 95 years

Karen — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 19:09:17 GMT

A fascinating postcard story is making news worldwide this week. Consider this a different twist on the often-reported "the-post-office-finally-delivers" type story.

The AP reports a postcard sent home by a Bosnian soldier in World War I finally reached his family after 95 years, thanks to an American collector, who bought it for $50 at a show in Long Beach, Calif. The postcard collector, Nihad Eric Dzinovic, said it was just another day searching for another item for his estimated 200,000-piece collection.

Come to find out, Dzinovic accidentally met a man named Nadir Bicakcic in an antique shop in downtown Sarajevo during a recent visit. His name rang a bell. The next day he found the card and Bicakcic. When Bicakcic looked at the front of the card, he froze.

The card showed a group of soldiers and one, third from the right, had a mustache and familiar eyes. It was his grandfather who, after returning from World War I, became mayor of Sarajevo.

Bicakcic intends to enlarge both sides and hang the copies on his wall. The original will be locked in his safe.

The full story will be in a future issue of Antique Trader.

Postcard collector? You may enjoy these columns by Barbara Andrews:

    • Recycled postcards: art or crime?
    • Real photos make fun postcards
    • The mischief makers
    • Recycling For the ages

Visit www.antiquetrader.com/postcards for more postcard related articles.

The Post Card Collection Software V-11 is our newest version of our collectible inventory software. It sports a new look, more in depth fields and more reports for the collector.

-posted by Eric Bradley

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Mated pair of Andrew Clemens sand art bottles surface ... again

Karen — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 05:52:09 GMT

A curious and unique pair of sand art bottles, handcrafted by Andrew Clemens (1857-1894) of McGregor, Iowa, will be offered for sale in a July 2 auction held by W. Yoder Auction and carried live via ProxiBid. Popularly referred to as the Sweetheart Sandbottles, these rare bottles have surfaced for sale no less than three times in the last five years - twice in just the last four months.

Clemens lost his hearing and speech at age 5 due to a "brain fever." As a deaf-mute he earned worldwide acclaim for his ability to "paint" images inside blown glass bottles with nothing more than a set of special tools (including a fish hook) and the patience of a yeoman. He was proud that his specially colored sand came from Iowa's Pictured Rocks area of Pikes Peak State Park. According to several online articles, Clemens created most of his work from 1880-1886 and is acknowledged as the inventor and possibly the sole practitioner of his art form. Antique Trader featured Clemens' work in a cover story in February 2008.

It's estimated that of the hundreds of sand art bottles Clemens made during his regrettably short life (he died at age 37 or 42 depending on which account you read) only about 50 bottles remain. They are highly coveted by American folk art collectors for their ingenuity and beauty. Prices range from about $500 for lesser quality examples to as much as $25,000. Four bottles are on display at the Iowa State Historical Museum in Des Moines and other bottles are documented on a fan site.

They are referred to as the Sweetheart Sandbottles, at least that's how auctioneer Wes Cowan described them when he sold the pair for $24,500 (not including buyer's premium) in February 2005. The commissioned bottles were made for Helen Wimmler, Milwaukee, and Henry Reinken, Manitowoe, (sic) Wis. (The Wisconsin city of Manitowoc is misspelled.)

Fast forward to Feb. 16, 2010. In a listing that's since expired from general searches, the sandbottles were offered by a Florida seller on eBay. By all accounts the listing shows the bottles were claimed after five bids for $19,000. The listing is for the same Wimmler and Reinken bottles, "the only 'mated pair' of Clemens sand bottle art."

For whatever reason, the wonderful Sweetheart Sandbottles are back on the market and represent one more opportunity for collectors to own a piece of peculiar folk art. The bottles are shown on Yoder's auction website along with three other rare examples included in the firm's July 2 auction. One of the three examples depicts an American eagle above a banner reading "M.W. Cole," another shows a paddle wheel boat and the third depicts a floral bouquet in an urn.

-posted by Eric Bradley

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EXCLUSIVE: 'Firecracker Flask' sets new world record at $100,620

Eric Bradley, editor — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:27:25 GMT

ANTIQUE TRADER EXCLUSIVE

WOODSTOCK, Conn. – A new world record for the highest selling bottle at auction was set this morning after Heckler Auctions sold a light blue bottle, dubbed the “Firecracker Flask,” for $100,620.

The bottle is referred to as the “firecracker flask” because of the names of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson embossed on the medial ridge of the flask, along with the date of 1776. Adams and Jefferson both died on the 4th of July 1826. This flask is in commemoration of that event. This example is one of the few known in the color blue and in excellent condition. The sale price includes a 17 percent buyer’s premium.

The bottle is described as: “General Washington” and Bust – “T.W. D.” and Eagle Portrait Flask, Kensington Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 1820-1840. Brilliant deep sapphire blue, inward rolled mouth - pontil scar, pint. GI-14 Exceptional color in this “firecracker” flask. Strong impression and extremely rare color. A great bottle in every way. Ex William Pollard collection, Warren C. Lane, Jr. collection.”

The auction catalog can be viewed at HecklerAuction.com.

The new record will beat the old record set by American Bottle Auctions of Sacramento, Calif., for the sale of a Bryant’s cone-shaped Bitters bottle.
That bottle sold for $68,750, a record in 1999.

A full report will be in Antique Trader's April 21 issue.

-posted by Eric Bradley

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What's with all the million dollar comics?

Eric Bradley, editor — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:35:59 GMT

It's enough to make Clark Kent smell a bigger story.

Yesterday a copy of Action Comics No. 1 sold to a private collector for $1.5 million at the auction website ComicConnect. This edition of Action Comics No. 1 is considered the Holy Grail among collectors because it features the first appearance of Superman and because it is one of the few remaining in such excellent condition.

The sale comes just two short weeks after two back to back comics sales rocked the collectibles world. In February, ComicsConnect sold a lesser quality version of Action No. 1 for $1 million. Three days later Heritage Auctions sold a copy of Detective Comics No. 27 for $1.075 million. That issue features the first appearance of Batman.

Until these sales, the highest amount paid for a comics was $317,000 for a copy of Action Comics No. 1.

So what's driving these high-flying prices? On the surface it looks like comics fans have decided to up the ante and put big money behind the best books out there.

It also looks like there's a bit of competition between auction houses to see who can lay claim as the seller of history's most valuable comic.

Recent graduate pays her student loan with $6,000 antique shaving mug

Eric Bradley, editor — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:24:57 GMT

Her three year career selling on eBay just hit a jackpot for emerging antiques dealer Cynthia Kelly of Seattle. She recently sold an antique occupational shaving mug on eBay for almost $6,000.

That's an astounding price for an independent dealer considering some of the recent auctions held for occupational shaving mugs. The mug (which you can see here for a limited time) was purchased by another antiques dealer/collector in Pennsylvania, who boasts a collection of more than 200 mugs.

The shaving mug is rare in that it features a stock broker or commodities trader, busily jotting down sale prices on grain, wheat, flour and corn. We touched on these fascinating collectibles in a previous post.

This is Kelly's biggest sale so far with the online auction site. She writes: "It was also a huge surprise for me! I invested $22.50 in the mug at an estate auction and had only expected it to bring $100-$200. When someone offered me $750 to "Buy it Now" during the course of the auction, I knew I had something good.

"I turned down the offer and kept the auction running. When I saw the final end price of $5,998, I was in shock for about 15 minutes straight. The money went to pay off the rest of my student loans (I'm a young antique dealer at only 23), so the money came at a great time. "

You can see all of Kelly's auctions through her eBay store here. This self proclaimed "thrift-store junkee" also promotes a blog about her adventures (and her dog Sammy) at The Cynch.

-posted by Eric Bradley

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Antique occupational shaving mug brings $8,500

Karen — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:17:10 GMT

Here's an interesting hobby that doesn't seem to get much attention but nevertheless brings respectable prices at auction: antique occupational shaving mugs.

We wrote on this topic a few years ago, but a major collection is being sold by W. Yoder Auctions of Wisconsin over the last year or so. The second installment is taking place RIGHT NOW over at Proxibid. It is the first day of a two-day sale that has some sweet finds.

The occupational shaving mugs were popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and added a touch of individuality to a gentleman's daily shaving routine. The barber shop collectible is much sought after by collectors across many different areas.

The mug shown here represents a Civil War soldier/ veterinarian and was sold for $8,500 this morning. Click the image for a link to the auction catalog online.

The auction takes place online today here. Part two starts tomorrow morning and is carried live via Proxibid.

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JFK love letters bring $115,000

Eric Bradley, editor — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:46:57 GMT

In an age of seemingly constant political scandals, there's one celebrity whose exploits have captivated collectors and historians: John F. Kennedy.

Legendary Auctions announced today it has sold the collection of personal letters and telegrams exchanged between then-U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy and a young Swedish woman, Gunilla von Post, for more than $115,000.

The auction of the letters attracted bidders from around the globe. The winning bidder, a West Coast collector, wishes to remain anonymous.

The fourteen correspondence pieces -- eleven letters and three telegrams -- recount the long-distance relationship as it ignites and unfolds between March, 1954 and the late summer of 1956.

The story of the letters began in August, 1953. Just a few weeks before a 35-year-old Senator Kennedy was to wed Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, he vacationed on the French Riviera. While there, Kennedy met von Post, 21, a Swedish woman with aristocratic roots. The two shared a romantic evening capped by a passionate kiss.

Obviously, the evening had a lasting impact on Kennedy. Six months after becoming acquainted with von Post, despite his marriage to Jackie and increasing immersion in politics, Kennedy went to the trouble of locating the Swedish beauty in Stockholm. For the next eighteen months, the two traded intimate communications with each other, ultimately reuniting for a week-long holiday in Sweden during August, 1955.

After he returned to the U.S., Kennedy and von Post continued to converse over the phone. In her book, Love, Jack, von Post recounts how Kennedy attempted to persuade her to move to the U.S. Ultimately, Kennedy told von Post he had confided his love for her to his father and sought counsel in considering a divorce. In no uncertain terms, the elder Kennedy told Jack that divorce was impossible.

Not long after this call, Kennedy reached out to von Post again and informed her that his wife was pregnant. It was then that von Post decided it was time to move on with her life, eventually marrying on July 18, 1956. A chance encounter in New York City almost two years later was the last time the two saw each other.

The rest, as they say, is history ... and evidently worth $115,000.

McCoy art pottery keeps Cabin Fever at bay

Eric Bradley, editor — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:55:58 GMT

Every so often a line from Pixar's Ratatouille pops in my head: "The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations ... the new needs friends."

So whenever a new shop opens up I try to be the first in line. Such was the case with a local shop that specializes in Art Deco and Mid Century Modern antiques and vintage furniture. It's a nice little shop tucked inside a two-story, brick building nestled in an aging downtown. Inside is a great assortment of consigned items and those resold by the shop owners.

On the first floor one can find Danish modern furniture and teak candlesticks, handsomely matched with Atomic 50s lamps and snack trays that are too cool for a thrift store but too new for an antiques shop.

I took my time and made sure to visit the basement. There on a shelf were two sleek green spheres peeking out from underneath shocks of dusty, dried eucalyptus stems poorly paired with clumps of burgandy silk flowers.

A closer look showed the bent stalks were crammed into a piece of florists foam that had been glued to the bottom of a nice pair of Nelson McCoy Art Deco vases from the 1940s. A quick rub of the thumb revealed their shiny glaze and the famous NM mark on the bottom.

The price sticker on the side said the pair were marked 75 percent off - about $5. The vases have a new home on our bookshelf - minus the eucalyptus.

Take some time to explore someplace new this weekend. We'd love to hear what you discovered.

Unusual antique and vintage table lamps - Separated at birth?

Karen — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:23:30 GMT

Those of you who visit this blog may get a little tired of me chatting about cool vintage lighting. Well, here's one more post on vintage table lamps you'll have to suffer through.

On my morning run around the Internet, I came across this neat little rusty vintage lamp. It's one of those odd items that makes you wonder about its original use.

The vintage metal table lamp features a scroll design and a pivoting bowl shade. It would look perfect in an industrial modern office, juxtaposed next to a sleek, chrome laptop.

In fact, this morning's little discovery reminded me of a French Art Deco lamp sold in January. I still haven't gotten enough of the vintage lighting offered at a recent 20th century decorative arts auction.

Although the rusty noggin found at Goodwill will probably end up selling for around $50, this gorgeous French nickeled brass and shagreen version brought brought $1,586 at Rago Auction.

Seeing them side-by-side it still makes me wonder: Separated at birth?

-posted by Eric Bradley

Cloisonné vases abandoned in storage unit sell for $52,900 at auction

Karen — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:16:26 GMT

MERIDEN, Conn. – A pair of rare cloisonné vases, abandoned due to unpaid storage fees in Oxford, Conn., set a new auction house record Jan. 30 when they sold for $52,900 at Next Egg Auctions.

According to auctioneer Ryan Brechlin, the gavel price for the lotus blossom vases turned out to be a bit of a pleasant surprise. “They were in with more than 25 storage vaults from a Greenwich home.” Brechlin said. “Our early estimates for the pair were that they might sell for a couple thousand.”

Nest Egg Auctions had been contracted by Joyce Van Lines of Oxford to sell the contents of the vaults to satisfy storage liens on nearly $50,000 in unpaid fees. "It’s one of those contracts where we just sell what comes out of the vaults," Brechlin added. "You never know what might be in there."

When the vases came up for sale, the auction took on an international flair as a phone bidder telephoned in from London, some five time zones away where it was midnight. In the crowded auction hall a southern Connecticut buyer, who had closely examined the vases during the preview period, signaled his intention to make the vases his.

Cloisonné is an ancient technique for detailing metal objects. Shapes are outlined on the metal base with gold or silver wires. Colored enamel powder paste is carefully worked into the spaces and the object fired in a kiln.

Brechlin opened the bidding at $300 and the price soared, moving quickly as he shifted to $50, then $100, and then $500 bid points. Both the Connecticut buyer and the man in London showed no sign of dropping out. Bid points went to $1,000 and finally to $2,000 until the vases were sold to the live bidder at $46,000 plus a $6.900 buyer’s premium.

The crowd, many who had been holding their breath as the bidding soared higher, gave a standing ovation and cheered as the gavel slammed down on the sale.

-Posted by Eric Bradley

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Painting sells for $156,875, blows away estimate

Karen — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:07:05 GMT

DELAWARE, Ohio – An oil on canvas titled “The Robe of Winter” sold for a surprising $156,875 to Boyertown, Pa. dealers, Valerie and Kurt Malmberg of Greshville Antiques and Fine Art during a Jan. 30 sale at Garth’s Auctions.

Bidding opened up at $20,000 – just a bit higher than the conservative estimate listed in the catalog – and did not stop until it was knocked down for a record breaking $156,875, including buyer’s premium.

The painting was the second lot in Garth’s Fine & Contemporary Art and Asian, Continental & American Furniture & Decorative Arts auction.

The monumental 42-inch by 46-inch oil on canvas landscape was painted by Pennsylvania artist Arthur Meltzer and was deaccessioned from the Columbus Museum of Art.

In addition to its original frame it retained labels from six major, early 20th century exhibits and the evidence of three other missing labels
All these features prompted the Malmbergs to cancel their previously arranged phone bids and make the trip to Ohio to bid and eventually win the lot in person.

“It is an honor to have purchased such a beautiful painting and it is exciting that it is one that represents the rare ‘total package’ - excellent condition, original frame, award winning history and a strong provenance,” Valerie Malmberg said. “It is a gem!”

The Malmbergs plan to unveil the painting at an upcoming show or gallery event after very light restoration.

-Posted by Eric Bradley

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Must see: CBS's Harry Smith gets a kick out of Antiques Roadshow appraisal

Eric Bradley, editor — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:14:59 GMT

If you're looking for a funny way to round out your Friday afternoon, take a look at this. It's Antiques Roadshow Producer Marsha Bemko appraising some items owned by the staff of CBS's The Early Show. [Full Disclosure: Bemko got help with the appraisals from her expert friends from the show, but she delivers the appraisals like a pro!]

The Early Show's Harry Smith takes a risk when he brings his own framed flag from the 71st New York Volunteer Infantry in for an appraisal. Smith and his wife collect American flags. "I must confess, the longer I've had it the more I think it's fake," Smith said before Bemko explains its value.

Bemko consulted with famed Americana expert and auctioneer Wes Cowan, at 4 a.m. no less, who said the 1880s flag is not only authentic, but valuable. Cowan advised the flag is worth $5,000 to $10,000.

The news tickled Smith to no end. Click here to see his great reaction and watch as Bemko helps appraise a few more items from the staff. Fun stuff!

You can win a copy of Bemko's fascinating new book, Antiques Roadshow Behind the Scenes: An Insider's Guide to PBS's #1 Weekly Show, by entering the Antique Trader Treasure Hunt Sweepstakes until Jan. 31.

-posted by Eric Bradley

Christie's yanks human skull and bones from auction

Eric Bradley, editor — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:59:09 GMT

In a move that should be filed under "No Brainer," Christie's has removed from its Friday sale a set of human bones and a skull once owned by Yale University's secret Order of Skull and Bones. A full story can be viewed over at CNN.

Christie's is saying it was a question over ownership - not human decency - that lead to the lot's removal. It was estimated the set, which included a book of members' names between 1832 and 1877, was worth between $10,000 and $20,000.

Maybe it's the alure of a "secret society" or perhaps its the macabe antique, but something tells me we're going to see this set make news again in the near future. We've been covering the federal government's crusade to end illegal sales of human remains - specifically those of Native Americans.

It's not clear whether the remains are those of a Native American. But whoever ends up owning them, I hope they do the right thing and store them away for a long, long time.

-posted by Eric Bradley

Reward offered for trailer of antique furniture stolen in St Paul, Minn.

Karen — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:44:41 GMT

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Police are still searching for a 14-foot Pace trailer full of antique furniture that was stolen Dec 10 from the parking lot of J & E Antiques in St Paul, Minn.

The trailer held two reproduction mahogany Morris chairs decorated with full standing lions, two oak hall trees with bench seats, many Empire-style oak library tables, a library table with caning decoration and several display tables used for setting up at shows. The trailer also contained two sets of chairs, fishing tackle and an outboard motor.

A reward is offered and anyone with knowledge of the theft is asked to call 612-961-3401 or 612-708-3946. The theft is documented under St Paul Police Case #09-261-474; the trailer's license number is (Minn) CTA 2945.

-posted by Eric Bradley

When is a nickel worth $3.7 million?

Karen — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:23:45 GMT

As cameo appearances go, this has to be the best.

A rare 1913-dated U.S. Liberty Head nickel that was featured in a 1973 episode of the TV series, "Hawaii Five-O," was purchased for $3,737,500 in a public auction conducted in Orlando, Florida by Dallas' Heritage Auctions last night (Jan. 7, 2010).

Only five such coins are known and the winning bidder "is a very advanced, East Coast coin collector who was filling a hole in his collection with the addition of the 1913 Liberty nickel," said Greg Rohan, president of Heritage Auctions.

The nickel's star studded past doesn't stop at television.

This one was owned over the years by an infamous Egyptian King and a Los Angeles sports team owner. Although the name of the seller also was not disclosed, previous owners of this 1913 Liberty nickel included King Farouk of Egypt who was deposed in 1952.

In December 1973 it was prominently featured in an episode of the TV series, ‘Hawaii Five-O,’ entitled ‘The $100,000 Nickel.’ Los Angeles Lakers owner, Dr. Jerry Buss, paid $200,000 for the coin in 1978, and it changed hands several times since then, crossing the million-dollar mark in 2003.

So beside its famous owners and cameo on the small screen, why is this coin so valuable?

“The U.S. Mint struck tens of millions of Liberty Head nickels from 1883 through 1912, but switched designs in 1913 to depict a Native American on the “head’s” side and a bison on the “tail’s” side. However, five nickels with the new date, 1913, but the old design of the symbolic Miss Liberty secretly were made at the Philadelphia Mint and eventually sold to collectors,” Rohan said in a release.

One of the five fabled 1913 Liberty nickels is in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC; another belongs to the American Numismatic Association (ANA) Money Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and the three others, including the coin in the January auction, are privately owned by collections.

-posted by Eric Bradley

Rago's 20th Century auction antique tortoise lamp is a unique find

Karen — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:26:42 GMT

Maybe it was the tortoise that won the race? Unlucky for him but lucky for us.

The rare copper and tortoise shell desk lamp being offered as Lot 49 in David Rago's Jan. 16 auction of early 20th Century design is beautiful for a 100 reasons. It's curved neck and leaf-patterned base share a beautiful amount of patination that is hard to come by in some lamps, not to mention the attractive mounting of a diminuative tortoise shell shade. The shell gives off a mica-hued glow that would look at home on a worn desk in dark, woodwork-lined den. The lamp is just 9-1/2 inches tall by 5-1/2 inches wide. It carries a pre-auction estimate of $2,000 to $3,000.

For such stunning craftsmanship, there is precious little information on the Internet about its maker, Henry W. Cleaveland.

Cleaveland, of Boston, wrote a book, it seems, titled "Village and Farm Cottages" in 1856. Technically, the full name of the volume is "Village and Farm Cottages: The Requirements of American Village Homes Considered and Suggested; With Designs for Such Houses of Moderate Cost." He also lent some critique to various forms of design of the day.

Lucky for us he knew quality when he saw it ... leaving us this gorgeous lamp as a reminder that good design is never resigned to a single era.

If anyone has more information about Cleaveland, feel free to share.

Can you identify this antique mystery item?

Karen — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:17:39 GMT

"I was told this wicked-looking thing is for digging weeds, but my mother thinks it’s a yarn winder of some kind. It’s well worn and about 8 inches long."

Any thoughts?

— Posted by Karen Knapstein

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• Reference books available about your favorite collectibles HERE
• Antique Trader message boards HERE.
• Browse the Antique Trader Classifieds or place your FREE online ads HERE.

If you can't get enough Warhol just check out his junk

Karen — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:08:04 GMT

This article had me at "tucked away for years."

The Andy Warhol Museum has finally hired staff to begin sifting through the artist's "belongings" which are stored inside, get this:

610 cardboard boxes
filing cabinets
a large shipping container

What?

True.

Most of the stuff has been packed way since 1987, after Warhol died from complications from gall bladder surgery. The man was a compulsive hoarder who saved everything form taxicab receipts to restaurant menus to fine antiques found in malls and fleas across NYC.

Larry Koon of The Marietta Register wrote a captivating article on the subject today. You can read it here. An excerpt:

"In the 18 months since the project began, archivists have opened 177 boxes, each with an average of 400 items tucked inside and some containing many as 1,200 items. One box that was opened was said to have contained over $17,000 in cash, including antique jewelry appraised at over $1 million, and an autographed picture of a naked Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis."

Stories like this make me wonder if artists are great because they are unusual, or are they unusual because they're great?

-posted by Eric Bradley

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• Reference books available about your favorite collectibles HERE
• Antique Trader message boards HERE.
• Browse the Antique Trader Classifieds or place your FREE online ads HERE.

Here’s to the antique misfits

Karen — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:08:59 GMT

At first they looked like elaborate toothpicks or something from a Brothers Grimm fairy tale. They were all different shapes and sizes and – one was even in the shape of a hand, while others were decorated with elaborate carvings.

The curiosities were part of a diverse collection of bride sticks. The 100 or so sticks are a part of the famous Joseph and Lilian Shapiro Collection, and featured in an Oct. 8 Dan Morphy auction. Skillfully hand-carved and painted, the rarely seen decorative objects date from the early 19th century to around the turn of the 20th century. Each was a custom design, to be given as a gift to a new bride. While not meant for practical use, they replicate the plainer forked sticks that women used for pushing down laundry into tubs of boiling water.

It’s the offbeat and obscure items, such as the Shapiros’ bride sticks, that are my favorite part of learning about antiques. Usually, the items are not particularly valuable; the bride sticks are expected to sell for between $50 and $100 each. Don’t get me wrong, I have a strong appreciation of antique furniture, prints, coin operated machines and advertising. However, there’s just something alluring (maybe even charming) about those oddball items most people don’t much care for.

Much to the dismay of my wife, my wallet seems to be a magnet for these misfit antiques. On a recent shopping trip, I spotted a curious machine in a vendor’s booth: it was cast iron and sported seven different pulleys.

“It kind of looks like a circus wagon,” I told my wife, both describing its original paint and doing my best to get her remotely interested in yet another of my weird purchases – this one even larger than usual. The seller told me it was a hay trolley. They were used in the time before elevators to lift bailed or loose hay up into barn lofts. The trolleys are large, weighing about 35 pounds and are sometimes decorated with ornate cast iron.

They are offbeat, for sure, but are gaining some respect. A few farming museums devoted to antique farming technology have recently opened in the Midwest and all feature the decorative and trusty hay trolley. The one I found has a new home as a sculpture on our kitchen desk, which for us is really the base of a Hoosier cupboard.

Learning about new things is the most important benefit of being a collector. Everyone who ventures out in search of antiques always brings their curiosity. Expanding your experience of the rich and diverse world of antiques helps you better spend your money. Plus it’s also a neat trick whenever you can pull a little-known fact out of your noggin at precisely the right time.

So go out and look for those unusual items no one else seems to notice. Just remember, it helps to decide where you’re going to put your misfit before you bring it up to your spouse.

— posted by Eric Bradley

From Sept. 30, 2009 issue of Antique Trader magazine

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• Reference books available about your favorite collectibles HERE
• Antique Trader message boards HERE.
• Browse the Antique Trader Classifieds or place your FREE online ads HERE.

Question of the Week: Weird collections

Karen — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:58:27 GMT

In this week's Editor's Note, I wrote about off-beat collections such those offered by Dan Morphy at his upcoming Oct. 8-10 auction. I have known Dan for years and he is a consummate professional who is deeply passionate and driven to learn more about about high-quality antiques and collectibles. He, too, is drawn to the rare and curious.

That's probably why Joseph and Lilian Shapiro picked him to sell their wonderful collection of Americana and folk art and which includes an interesting collection of bride sticks.

This leads us to today's question of the week:

"What are some of the most strange and unusual antiques or collectibles you’ve ever seen people collect?"

Send your experiences of weird collections to Question of the Week, eric.bradley@fwmedia.com, ATnews@fwmedia.com or 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54945. Or post your reply HERE on the Antique Trader message board.

Question of the Week: Tell us about your favorite rummage sale find

Karen — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:16:18 GMT

Big or small – what is your favorite rummage sale or yard sale discovery?
Send the story behind your most memorable find by Labor Day, Sept. 7, and our judges will award the best story a copy of the 2010 Warman's Antique & Collectibles Price Guide, with bonus DVD.

Send your stories to eric.bradley@fwmedia.com or to Found Treasure, c/o Antique Trader magazine, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54945.

The Great Unknown: matte cutter?

Karen — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:01:53 GMT

Every week, “Ask Antique Trader” receives scores of inquiries from readers, seeking more information about a recent find, a gift from a friend or relative, or an oddity that’s been sitting on a shelf for years.

We pass all of these questions along to our panel of experts, but once in awhile, we get a question about an object that stops us in our tracks. We want to share these unusual treasures with readers in the hope that they’ll offer their opinions and perhaps enlighten us all.

“Ask Antique Trader” will feature these oddities on a regular basis in the print and online editions of the magazine.

Send your comments to AskAT@fwmedia.com.

I have attached a photo of a vintage cutting tool I found when cleaning out my father’s garage. I have no idea what it is to be used for although someone thought it might be a photo matt cutting machine. Through any of your venues, could you help me identify this item, please?

The box is approximately 18 inches long and has a slide closure lid. Inside are three cutting blocks with blades at varying angles, three triangular pieces the same length as the blocks and a long slender piece with holes drilled in it.

There are attachment screws and extra blades in the box.

Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated. If you can’t help, perhaps you could refer me to someone else who could.

Thanks so much.

What do you think this is? Post your reply here on the blog and let us know.

Antiques Roadshow find shatters value record

Karen — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:28:33 GMT

One lucky woman's find shattered the previous record for an item appraised during an Antiques Roadshow stop in Raleigh, N.C. last weekend. A collection of Chinese jade was valued at possibly more than $1 million.

Show publicist Erika Denn says the four pieces of jade from the period of 1736 to 1795 was valued at $710,000 to $1.07 million. That breaks the previous record of $500,000 set last year in Palm Springs, Calif., for a painting by abstract expressionist Clyfford Still.

An unidentified woman from eastern North Carolina owns the jade, which she brought to the show early Saturday morning.

The show also drew 34,000 requests for tickets, besting the previous record of 29,000 tickets for a show in San Jose, Calif., that will be held later this summer. Denn says 6,400 tickets were distributed in Raleigh.

Antiques Roadshow is scheduled to make four more stops this summer in Madison, Wis., July 11; Denver, July 25; Phoenix, Aug. 1 and San Jose, Calif., on Aug. 15.

-AP

Mystery antiques: The Great Unknown

Karen — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:51:36 GMT

The Great Unknown

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Can you help identify this item?

I bought this item at an auction. No one there knew what it was. I searched through all my furniture books and took it once to a local appraiser, and he was also stumped. The pyramid shape is just decorative. The inside is a square box. The feet have felt-like material attached. Would you be able to tell me what it is and what it’s worth? — J.M., Cape May, N.J.

Post a reply here on the blog or e-mail your replies to AskAT@fwmedia.com.

The Great Unknown: Wood bunny

Karen — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:47:50 GMT

"I bought this little box in the form of a rabbit several years ago in Illinois. It’s about 6 inches by 6 inches and all hand carved, with a small storage area hollowed out. At first I thought it was walnut, but now I’m not sure. Can’t seem to find any information about it. It appears to have some age."

The Great Unknown

Karen — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:20:28 GMT

I found this cast-iron duckling in a Minnesota antique shop several years ago. He’s about 10 inches tall. My wife thinks it’s an architectural fragment but I say it’s the remains of a sprinkler. Do you know where it may have come from?

— Posted by Karen

More antique features

Karen — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:32:33 GMT

Warman’s features perfume containers

The Russian connection: Fabergé silver at M.S. Rau Antiques

Khokhloma: Russian folk art

Scents and sensibility: Collecting perfume bottles

Ask Antique Trader: Collapsible cup and holder could be worth $100

Ask Antique Trader Mystery Item

Karen — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:15:59 GMT

Ask Antique Trader wants to put you to work

Every week, “Ask Antique Trader” receives scores of inquiries from readers, seeking more information about a recent find, a gift from a friend or relative, or an oddity that’s been sitting on a shelf for years.

We pass all of these questions along to our panel of experts, but once in awhile, we get a question about an object that stops us in our tracks. We want to share these unusual treasures with readers in the hope that they’ll offer their opinions and perhaps enlighten us all.

“Ask Antique Trader” will feature these oddities on a regular basis in the print and online editions of the magazine. Post a reply here or send your comments to AskAT@fwmedia.com.

This little fellow is about 4 inches tall, cast iron and appears to be a contortionist. His hat comes off and we think he’s a match holder, but the rest of his lineage is a bit cloudy.

Any thoughts?