In the 1870s, fashionable chairs were made with padded upholstery, elaborate mahogany carved frames and springs to make the seats more comfortable.
But George Jacob Hunzinger (1835-1898), a German immigrant craftsman, had other ideas. He used flat, metal, fabric-wrapped wire instead of springs and upholstery to make comfortable chairs. The frames were just as original, often with “rod and ball” turnings that led to the modern name of “lollipop chairs.” He made many rockers with clever mechanical bases, and chairs that looked as if they were made of bolts and pipes. Some chairs could be folded, others just looked like folding chairs.
A recently sold rarity is the adjustable daybed. It was made about 1876. It has the fabric-wrapped wire webbing, spindles with ball finials and an adjustable back, and sold for $7,768. Hunzinger furniture is not as scarce as was thought before there were Internet listings, so prices have dropped a little since 2005. Most of the pieces are stamped with his name and a patent date.
Q: When I came to the U.S. from the U.K. some 25 years ago, I brought my collection of Moorcroft pottery. Some of the pieces date back to the 1930s. As I have passed my “sell-by” date, I would like to sell some or all of them. Unfortunately, there seems to be little or no interest now in Moorcroft. Any ideas how I can get a little cash for some of the pieces?
A: This is a good time to sell old Moorcroft. Prices are going up. William Moorcroft worked as a designer at James Macintyre &Co. in England before forming his own company in 1913. Financing was provided by Liberty, the famous London department store. The Moorcroft family bought out Liberty in 1962 and controlled the company until 1984, after which there were several changes in ownership. The company is still in business in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. According to the company’s website, www.moorcroft.com, Moorcroft is selling more of its pottery today “than it did even in its previous heyday during the mid-1920s.” Vintage Moorcroft vases sold this year for a few hundred to several thousand dollars. Contact some auctions in the U.S. that have been selling Moorcroft. There are also some auctions in Canada, England and Australia that sell vintage Moorcroft. There is an advantage to having international online buyers.
Q: What is a lusterweibchen chandelier?
A: Lusterweibchen chandeliers have a carved wood figure of the upper half of a woman’s body mounted on deer or elk antlers. They were first made about 1425 and were popular in southern Germany during the 15th and 16th centuries. The words “luster” and “weibchen” are German for “chandelier” and “female.” The woman often holds a candle or candle-shaped light in each of her outstretched hands. Some figures depict mermaids or other mythical figures with the tail of a dragon. Chandeliers with male figures, called luestermaennchen, also were made but are not as common.
Q: Many years ago, my grandmother gave me a small bottle that belonged to her grandmother. My grandmother was born in 1901, so the bottle must be from the mid-nineteenth century. The bottle is about 31/4 inches long. It’s deep red glass and has engraved sterling-silver stoppers at both ends. My grandmother said one end held cotton soaked with smelling salts for when a lady felt faint and the other held perfume. Can you tell me how old it is and if it has any value?
A: The story your grandmother told you is accurate. Smelling salts were popular during the 18th and 19th centuries, especially with fashionable ladies who wore tightly laced corsets and were prone to fainting spells. People didn’t bathe as often in Victorian times, so women carried perfume, too. Collectors call the little bottles that held smelling salts “scent bottles.” Necklaces, rings and other jewelry also were made to carry smelling salts. Smelling salts are used today by some athletes. A 4-inch bottle like yours, but made of blue glass, sold recently for $275.
Tip: Taking part in the arts by going to shows, galleries auctions, museums, craft, carpentry and painting classes and lectures, maybe even garage sales to search for collectibles has a positive effect on your health and well-being, according to a recent British study.
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.
Weller pottery, Woodcraft flower holder, five stepped openings, green, brown, 6 inches, $45.
Vasa Murrhina, water pitcher, clear glass, mottled pink, white, silver mica, 8 inches, $120.
Pickle castor jar, blue glass, enameled flowers, Aurora silver plate frame, footed, 8 inches, $205.
Razor, pearl pique handle, silver inlaid pins, Morocco leather case, Joseph Rodgers &Sons, $420.
Silver, salt &pepper, twisted, baluster shape, Antonia Pineda, Mexico, c. 1962, 3 inches, $530.
Arcade game, Fortune Teller, Gaze Into the Crystal For Your Fortune, Swami, lights up, coin-operated, 1930s, $540.
Inkstand, Louis XV style, gilt bronze, two urn wells, lids, scrolls, dolphin heads, shell style decoration, doors, 7 x 18 inches, $625.
Desk, Art Nouveau, fruit &nut woods, veneer, roll-top, fitted interior, open shelf, 51 x 44 inches, $1,230.
Bible box, flowers, painted, turned feet, 11 x 19 inches, $1,320.
American Encaustic Tile, tile, hillside tableau, shepherdess, dog, sheep, 12 x 24 inches, $1,725.
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