Decorative bellows more art than firestarter

  • By Terry and Kim Kovel
  • Tuesday, September 16, 2014 5:25pm
  • Life

In past centuries, fireplace tools consisted of a poker and tongs to rearrange burning logs, a small shovel to remove ashes, perhaps a whisk broom to sweep up leftover fuel and ashes, and a bellows to encourage flames to burn brighter.

The fireplace was the main heating source for small houses before 1900, so a bellows to coax a flame from a dying fire was important. Early bellows probably were a bag made from the skin of a small animal and a piece of metal, usually brass, to direct the gust of air created by squeezing the bellows. Later examples had stiff wooden boards and leather sides. Nails rust, and leather and wood dry out, crack and have to be replaced, so most of the antique bellows found today are repaired or made in the 19th century. Many were hand-decorated, and some even had wooden sides carved by cabinet makers. Many antique bellows have attractive folk art decorations and are wanted for the art, not for use with a fireplace.

Most new and many old bellows sell for under $100, but in April 2014, an unusual 1800s bellows with original leather painted to look like a man’s face had a bid of $2,700 at a Showtime auction.

Q: I inherited a framed painting that hung in my grandfather’s living room since at least the 1920s. It’s a painting of a gondola with a few passengers and a standing gondolier. But they’re not riding on a canal; instead, they’re floating down what appears to be an underground cave. The painting is signed “M. Gianni” in the lower left corner.

A: Here are a few things to do to learn more about your painting: First, make sure it really is a painting and not a print. If you can’t tell, take it to an expert in your area. Then check online artist databases. You can find some information online, but you can learn more if you go to your local library and ask someone there to help you search databases that the library subscribes to. “M. Gianni” may be an Italian artist named Maria Gianni, who was born in the 19th century but worked into the 20th. She painted using watercolors and gouache. If you have an original painting, its value depends on its condition and size. Some Maria Gianni paintings have auctioned for prices in the low hundreds, but others have topped $1,000.

Q: I have a 6-foot-tall cardboard cutout of Elvis Presley wearing his black leather outfit. I’ve had it for 20 years. What is it worth?

A: Life-size cardboard cutouts of Elvis still are being made and sell for about $20-$30 today.

Q: I bought some green frosted pressed-glass dishes at an estate sale. They are clear glass on the inside and frosted green-blue on the outside. The frosting looks green from the front and bluish from the back. The plates have “KIG Indonesia” in raised letters on the surface on the outer edge. Can you tell me anything about them? Are they safe to eat from?

A: Most frosted glass dishes are safe to use. Frosted glass is made by acid-etching or sandblasting clear glass. Since the “inside” of your dishes are clear and are the surface the food touches, you can be sure they are OK. “KIG” stands for Kedaung Industrial Group, which was founded in Jakarta, Indonesia, by Agus Nursalim in 1969. The company started out making glass and tableware for Indonesia but was soon exporting goods throughout the world. Eventually the Kedaung Industrial Group included more than 30 companies that made glassware, enamel cookware, ceramic housewares, stainless-steel flatware, glass blocks, ceramic tiles and other products. It claimed to be one of the world’s largest manufacturers of glass, and had retail stores in several cities. The company also made reproduction early-American glass. In the United States, products were sold at Walmart and other stores.

Q: We have an oak hanging map cabinet that’s 51 inches wide by 21 inches high. It holds seven large pull-down canvas maps printed by W. &A.K. Johnston of Edinburgh, Scotland. They include maps of Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America, the United States and a couple of the two hemispheres. The maps of Europe show the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Russian Empire, not the Soviet Union. The map of Africa is barely recognizable. There’s a large country in the center of the continent labeled “Congo Free State.” How old are the maps, and what is the full cabinet worth?

A: Look for a copyright date on the maps to date them more precisely. They predate World War I, which ended the Austro Hungarian Empire and saw the formation of the Soviet Union. The Congo Free State existed from 1885 to 1908, so the maps can more precisely be dated as pre-1908. William Johnston (1802-1888) and Alexander Keith Johnston (1804-1871) were partners in a printing business that they founded in Edinburgh in 1826. Alexander became a respected geographer, and the brothers’ firm eventually printed and sold maps, atlases, guidebooks and globes. Some very old maps can sell for millions. Your maps, designed for educational purposes, are not worth that much, but your cabinet and maps could sell for hundreds of dollars if the maps are in excellent condition.

Tip: When rewiring an old Arts and Crafts lamp, use fabric-covered wire that looks very much like the silk-wrapped cord used at the turn of the 20th century.

Write to Terry Kovel and Kim Kovel at Kovels, The Herald, King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019.

Current prices

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

Coal scuttle, tole, painted landscape, cutout handles, France, 12 inches, $70.

Wooden egg crate, J.G. Cherry Co., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, stenciled, bail handle, lid, c. 1900, 11 x 12 inches, $120.

Chompy the Beetle toy, lithographed tin, windup, red, yellow, orange, Marx, Japan, box, 1965, 6 inches, $180.

Medical spring bleeder, silver plate, engraved “Dr. Holiday,” slip case, c. 1835, 21/4 x 23/4 inches, $185.

Empire-style chair, wood, gilt trim, ormolu mounts, Sphinx front legs, griffin mounts, upholstered, 40 x 28 inches, $520.

Sign, “Eat Chicken Dinner,” “Candy,” tin, painted, 71 x 371/2 inches, $645.

Amish quilt, Trip Around the World, blue, red, green squares, black border, Lancaster, Pa., c. 1830, 72 x 75 inches, $900.

Electric lamp, Venus in shell, waves base, alabaster, Italy, 16 inches, $1,125.

Studio camera, steel, mahogany case, adjustable wood stand, Swift &Son, London, c. 1890, 583/4 inches, $1,250.

Silver coffeepot, George II, repousse, leaves, treen handle, William Holmes, England, 1767, 12 inches, $1,625.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.