Hand-decorated storage boxes were important for storage in the 18th century when there were few places, other than shelves, to store small personal items. Collectors today treasure the work of the Bucher family in Berks County, Pennsylvania, made from about 1750 to 1800. There are memorials with dates ranging from 1792 to 1876 with Heinrich, the father’s name.
Heinrich Bucher, and eventually his sons, made and sold bentwood boxes decorated with yellow, green, red and white trees, tulips and other foliage on a black background. The boxes sell today for thousands of dollars. This box sold in a Conestoga auction for $4,260 after 26 bids. It had been estimated at only $1,000.
Q: We bought a four-piece dresser set at a consignment shop for $15. There is a powder box with a lid, a hair receiver, a small tray and a large tray. All four pieces seem to match. Three are marked “T & V Limoges, France.” One is only marked “A.L. Minaud.” There is a small chip on the edge of the powder jar lid. Can you tell me more about this set and an approximate value?
A: Your dresser set was made by Tressemanes & Vogt, a company in business in Limoges, France, from 1891 to 1907. Emilien Tressemanes and Gustave Vogt bought two small porcelain factories in 1891 and began making white porcelain for export to the United States. China painting was a popular hobby in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Amateur painters bought undecorated porcelain dishes and dresser sets and painted them with flowers or other designs. After Tressemanes retired in 1907, Vogt renamed the company Porcelaine Gustave Vogt. He sold the company to Martial Raynaud in 1919. A.L. Minaud is the artist’s name. Dresser sets can be found with a variety of pieces. In addition to the pieces you have, some sets include a hatpin holder, pillbox, trinket dish, small bowl, comb and brush, mirror or candleholder. Your four-piece dresser set might sell for $80 to $100 or more.
Q: I’m trying to downsize so my children aren’t saddled with “things.” I’d like to sell a large, framed photo taken of my grandfather’s battalion at the Mexican border during the Spanish-American War. It pictures all the men, covered wagons, and a train in the background.
A: The Spanish-American War only lasted for 10 weeks, from April 21 to Aug. 13, 1898. It was fought between Spain and the United States, and took place during the Cuban War of Independence. Theodore Roosevelt, who was assistant secretary of the Navy, resigned his position and joined the fight. He led his Rough Riders in the battle to capture San Juan Hill. Unless the photo pictures an important person or a unique event, it may be worth only a few dollars. Pictures of Roosevelt, African American troops, and the hanging of a prisoner of war have sold for a few hundred dollars. Contact a nearby auction house that sells photographs to see if there is any interest in your photograph.
Q: I recently came across an old copy of “People’s Home Journal” dated August 1923. It sold for 15 cents. It’s in good condition. Is there any value to this magazine? If so, is there someone I can contact?
A: “People’s Home Journal” was published by F.M. Lupton of New York from 1885 to 1929. The magazine had about a million subscribers and included recipes, household hints and short stories. Most issues sell online for $10 to $15, some for a few dollars more. Condition and desirability of the cover art is important.
Q: My daughter just got her first apartment, and I found her four Corning Ware casserole dishes in different sizes and one glass lid in a resale shop. I looked up the decoration and learned it is the Pastel Bouquet floral pattern. I paid less than $10 for the whole lot. Is it collectible?
A: Corning Ware was first introduced in 1958 by Corning Glass Works. The company was sold and is now known as Corelle Brands. The most popular patterns of Corning Ware are Cornflower Blue, made from 1957 to 1988; and Spice of Life, made from 1972 to 1987. Your Pastel Bouquet pattern was made from 1985 to 1990. Most pieces in this pattern sell from $15 to $50 each. It’s too bad you only have one lid, but you got a good deal!
Tip: Never store old paper collectibles and photographs in ordinary cardboard boxes or plastic bags. Buy the acid-free boxes and Mylar wrapping film that are approved for long-term storage. Many picture-framing and supply stores will have these items.
On the block
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.
Clothing, gown, Vera Wang, sleeveless, burgundy cloth, form fitting, low cowl neck with folded detail, flared slightly below knee, Vera Wang label inside, shoulder to hem 63 inches, $65.
Wavecrest tobacco jar, cover, round melon form, blue flowers, green leaves, creamy white ground, swirled lid with words “Tobacco Jar,” C.F. Monroe, circa 1900, 5 inches, $155.
Lalique glass perfume bottle, Grande Pomme, apple shape, frosted body, stopper with clear stem and two leaves, signed Lalique France, 5¼ by 5 inches, $205.
Wooden, firkin, sugar bucket, wood slats, four finger lapped bands, brown paint, swinging wire handle, lid, New England, 1800s, 10 by 10 inches, $325.
Halloween, figure, black cat, standing, humped back, long straight tail, papier-mache, paint, textured orange base, 1940s, 13½ by 6¾ by 17 inches, $490.
Jewelry, stickpin, pear cut black opal end, diamond connector, prongs, 14K yellow gold pin, Edwardian, 2½ inches, $565.
Clock, tall case, Gustav Becker, oak, flat overhanging top, paneled door, carved arts and crafts design on paneled door, white and brass dial, scrolled Arabic numerals, circa 1900, 80 by 21 inches, $625.
Furniture, blanket chest, cherry wood, rectangular recessed panels, two side-by-side drawers with brass pulls, brass escutcheons, ball turned legs, hinged lid, Kentucky, circa 1860, 26½ by 33 by 18½ inches, $940.
Bicycle, Schwinn, Black Phantom, black and red, streamlined style, light on front fender, flat carrier over back fender, 1950s, $1,800.
Pottery, bowl, abstract sgraffito design, green glaze, round, short foot, marked, Edwin & Mary Scheier, New Hampshire, 1950s, 9 by 13 inches, $2,750.
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