How classic Prince Albert prank got its start

  • By Terry Kovel Syndicated Columnist
  • Wednesday, April 4, 2012 8:09pm
  • Life

Our ancestors enjoyed jokes any day of the year, not just on April Fools’ Day.

By the 1850s, potters were making puzzle jugs with holes that let liquid dribble down a shirt front and beer mugs with a ceramic frog or snake inside waiting to appear when the beer was gone.

There were bronze figures that came apart to show a different figure inside, and odd ceramic birds that were really bottles with heads that could be removed. One famous American potter made pig-shaped bottles with a saying on the rear that started, “in a hog’s …”

And there were numerous bottles by the German firm Schafer and Vater that were shaped like comic men and women.

But the best joke for children of the 1930s involved a tobacco tin. Prince Albert was a very popular brand of tobacco first made in 1907. It was named for the future king of England, Edward VII (called “Albert” by his family), and his picture was on the front.

It was packaged in a rectangular red tin container with a flip lid. Since many tobaccos were sold in bags, not tins, it was special. The ultimate joke, still quoted today, is a child’s call to a drugstore: “Do you have Prince Albert in a can?” The druggist’s answer, “Yes,” was followed by the young prankster’s response, “Then let him out,” followed by peals of laughter.

The brand also used Chief Joseph, a Nez Perce Indian chief, as an advertising symbol in 1913-14. A large tin sign picturing both the chief and a Prince Albert tobacco tin sold recently for $8,400, proving that Prince Albert tobacco is no joke.

Q: I inherited an old smoking stand. It has a label on the bottom that says, “H.T. Cushman Mfg. Co., Bennington, Vermont.” The stand is 26 inches high and has an ashtray on the top, a pipe holder on each side, a drawer and a small cabinet. Please give me some information about the maker and value.

A: H.T. Cushman Manufacturing Co. was founded by Henry Theodore Cushman in 1889 and remained in business until 1980. It made all sorts of things, from pencil boxes to furniture. The company introduced smoking accessories in the 1910s and continued to make them through the ’20s.

Today, Cushman smoking stands sell for $150 to $300.

Q: I have a pottery pitcher painted gold with a long-tailed orange, blue and green parrot-shaped handle. The impressed die-stamped mark on the bottom of the pitcher is “Camark Pottery” within an outline of the state of Arkansas. Do you know anything about the company? The pitcher is in perfect condition, and I’m wondering what it’s worth.

A: “Camark Pottery” was the trademark used by Camden Art Tile and Pottery Co. of Camden, Ark. The company was founded by Samuel J. “Jack” Carnes in 1926. Your parrot-handled pitcher is a well-known Camark specialty design called the “Waffle Batter Pitcher.”

In the 1920s, a New York retailer had been selling similar pitchers made by an Italian company. When that company could no longer provide the pitchers, the retailer sent a sample to Camark, and Camark started making the pitchers for both the retailer and its own customers.

The style of mark on your pitcher dates it to 1927-28. If it’s in great condition, it’s worth $100 or more.

Q: I now own some beautiful cut-glass pieces that belonged to my grandparents. After a recent move, I discovered that one of the bowls had split in half. Is it possible to fix this?

A: It probably is possible, assuming the split is clean and in a cut, not clear, part of the glass. The monetary value of the bowl is lost, but its sentimental value, appearance and use can be saved. If you’re worried about repairing it yourself, look online for a professional who repairs glass.

If you prefer repairing it yourself, prepare a work surface, have toothpicks and some kind of clamping material on hand and buy some clear epoxy glue. Apply the glue carefully, wipe the excess away and clamp the two parts together using masking tape.

Once repaired, the bowl can be used to hold fruit, but it may leak if filled with water. Don’t wash it in the dishwasher.

Write to Terry Kovel, (The Herald), King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019.

&Copy; 2012, Cowles Syndicate Inc.

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.

Buster Brown yo-yo, tin, image of Buster &Tige on both sides, Japan, 1 x 2 inches, $35.

Mexicana tablecloth, 12 scenes of Mexico, cotton, 52 x 50 inches, $50.

Chicken waterer, yellow clay, molded birds, “Manufd. by the W.R. &Co., Akron Ohio, 1885,” 6 1/2 inches, $175.

Coffee grinder, wood, iron and tin, lithographed flags, soldiers and Teddy Roosevelt, Bronson-Walton Co., Cleveland, early 1900s, 10 1/2 inches, $205.

Weathervane, schooner, copper, three masts, cast-zinc directionals, c. 1900, 52 inches, $300.

Canteen, wooden, stave construction, bentwood bands, original red and black paint, oblong, American, 19th century, 8 1/2 x 10 inches, $350.

Sheraton stand, one drawer, walnut, curly maple and poplar, bowed walnut drawer, Ohio, 1820-1840, 29 x 18 3/4 inches, $410.

Kathe Kruse boy doll, blond hair, brown eyes, jointed legs, red shorts, white shirt, vest, 1950s, 14 inches, $450.

Georg Jensen cocktail set, sterling silver, Rose pattern, includes bottle opener, cheese scoop, cheese plane, bar knife and caviar spreader with horn blade, original case, $550.

Van Briggle vase, two bears at top, matte blue to green glaze, marked, 1930s, 15 1/2 inches, $1,770.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Everett P. Fog, 15, in front of an Everett mural along Colby Avenue on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Hello, Everett! No escape when your name is same as the town

Everett P. Fog, 15, sees and hears his first name wherever he goes. His middle name is also epic.

Jared Meads takes a breath after dunking in an ice bath in his back yard while his son Fallen, 5, reads off the water temperature on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Chill out: Dive into the cold plunge craze

Plungers say they get mental clarity and relief for ails in icy water in tubs, troughs and clubs.

Schack exhibit to highlight Camano Island watercolorists

“Four Decades of Friendship: John Ebner & John Ringen” will be on display Jan. 16 through Feb. 9.

XRT Trim Adds Rugged Features Designed For Light Off-Roading
Hyundai Introduces Smarter, More Capable Tucson Compact SUV For 2025

Innovative New Convenience And Safety Features Add Value

Sequoia photo provided by Toyota USA Newsroom
If Big Is Better, 2024 Toyota Sequoia Is Best

4WD Pro Hybrid With 3-Rows Elevates Full-Size

2025 Toyota Land Cruiser (Provided by Toyota).
2025 Toyota Land Cruiser revives its roots

After a 3-year hiatus, the go-anywhere SUV returns with a more adventurous vibe.

Enjoy the wilderness in the CX-50. Photo provided by Mazda USA Newsroom
2025 Mazda CX-50 Adds Hybrid Capability to Turbo Options

Line-Up Receives More Robust List Of Standard Equipment

Practical And Functional bZ4X basks in sunshine. Photo provided by Toyota Newsroom.
2024 bZ4X Puts Toyota Twist On All-Electric SUV’s

Modern Styling, Tech & All-Wheel Drive Highlight

Photo provided by Mazda USA Newsroom
2025 Mazda3 Turbo Premium Plus Hatch Delivers Value

Plus Functionality of AWD And G-Vectoring

2025 Mazda CX-90 Turbo SUV (Provided by Mazda)
2025 CX-90 Turbo models get Mazda’s most powerful engine

Mazda’s largest-ever SUV is equipped to handle the weight, with fuel efficiency kept in check.

Provided by Bridges Pets, Gifts, & Water Gardens.
Discover where to find the best pet supplies in town

Need the perfect store to spoil your furry friends? Herald readers have you covered.

VW Jetta SEL is a sedan that passes for a coupe. Photo provided by Volkswagen U.S. Media.
2025 VW Jetta Offers Greater Refinement, Technology And Value

A Perfect Choice For Small Families And Commuters

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.