Kovels Komments

Q: I have a spittoon that that was used on a railroad car. The inscription on the side says “Union Pacific RR” beneath a picture of a locomotive. The train looks like it is from the 1880s. How can I tell if this is an old railroad spittoon or a reproduction? Login for more.

Q: I have a Jack and the Beanstalk pitcher. It's 8 1/2 inches high with a figural giant handle. The maker's stamp on the bottom is "Arthur Wood" on a banner over a globe. How old is it and is it a collectible? Login for more.

Some collectors are "decorators" who buy to fill the house. Some are "historians" who buy to research and record. Some are "complete set” buyers who want every collector plate. And some are "accumulators" who buy what appeals to them. But the collections must be sold or given away one day. In the last few months, we have seen a collection of two million butterflies and moths valued at about $41 million donated to the Florida Museum of Natural History. A collection of more than 500 cow figurines, paintings and other cow-related objects was sold at auction. One item, a cabinet filled with 300 toy cows, sold for almost $6,000. Three huge mechanical bank sales were held in 2009, and six separate auctions are needed to disperse the toy collection of Donald Kaufman. The first two sales brought $7.1 million. Don’t forget your collections are financial assets.

At a talk by an innovation expert, I learned a surprising bit of information about writing lists, ads, and other informative copy. Put 7 objects on a table, then ask someone to tell you how many things are there. You will probably get the answer "7" immediately. Try it again with a new person and 8 objects. Instead of getting the immediate answer "8," most people will count "1, 2, 3 …" before deciding. This has been tested, and an immediate answer usually comes at 7 plus or minus 2. To start counting when seeing 5 objects shows limited ability in this area. To recognize up to 9 without counting shows a special talent. That means the best list for anyone to grasp quickly is not a "Top 10," but a "Top 7" list. That amount of information sticks the best. Watch for our Top Seven lists in the future.

Here's our favorite blog post from the March 10 ezine. It includes more information on the dangers of using bleach:For pots that may have been washed with a bleach based product repeatedly or simply soaked in bleach, we would suggest a simpler, more environmentally friendly approach.You should soak the piece in a solution of white vinegar and water. The purpose of the vinegar is to neutralize the effects of the bleach and stop the disintegration of the piece. After soaking the piece in the vinegar solution, clean and soak in distilled water to remove the vinegar.Should you need to lighten the crazing lines on a piece, never use bleach. Instead, use hydrogen peroxide, the kind sold at the beauty stores for bleaching hair. You can soak the piece in the peroxide, then wash well and soak in distilled water. (Use gloves.) Some pieces may need more soaking than others. Lenore GustenGusten's Restoration Studiowww.gustens.com

A reader sent a picture of a "mystery" object from World War II to get a value. It was a picture of a bomb-like explosive device. It was even marked in Japanese. We wrote back and told him: "You should call your local fire or police department immediately and ask someone to come to your house to look at the 'mystery.' Old armaments can explode unexpectedly because the contents deteriorate and are unstable. We have heard many stories about collectors who are injured or houses that are set on fire by old souvenir hand grenades, bullets, and 'mysteries' like yours."

The historic Wendell August Forge factory in Grove City, Pennsylvania, was destroyed in a major fire on Sunday, March 7. The company has made aluminum, pewter and other metal pieces since 1923. The employees and customers who were in the building when the fire started were all able to get out unharmed. The fire appears to have been caused by a malfunctioning fan. Firefighters were able to save many of the dies that made patterns in the metal products, but the plant's machinery and most of its contents were ruined. The company president said the forge will rebuild and could be open by Christmas. Its retail stores in other cities are still open. Wendell August Forge makes hammered aluminum pieces and other hand-wrought metalware popular with newlyweds in the 1950s and later.

Q: I have tea set from my great-grandmother, who was a seamstress. One of her clients traveled back from abroad with barrels of china packed in sawdust. One barrel was stored in my grandfather's basement and the china was bartered for sewing by my great-grandmother. I estimate that the set was given to her around the turn of the century. Any information you have about this set would be appreciated. Login for answer.

Q: I have tea set from my great-grandmother, who was a seamstress. One of her clients traveled back from abroad with barrels of china packed in sawdust. One barrel was stored in my grandfather's basement and the china was bartered for sewing by my great-grandmother. I estimate that the set was given to her around the turn of the century. Any information you have about this set would be appreciated. Login for more.

Thanks to all the readers who gave advice about the disintegrating art pottery we wrote about in last week's tip. They suggested the cause was mice, hatching insect eggs, termites, pressboard or Chinese drywall fumes, or an old chlorine bleach cleaning. Other suggested causes include a change in humidity or altitude or temperature. Or possibly the pottery froze while being shipped; then when it defrosted, it chipped. And don’t ignore the possibility of old repairs. Here are a few of the most interesting suggestions in the blog. We haven’t tried any of these, so be careful. For more, go to (Tip, March 3). Login for more...

Spring is coming. If you have been living with snow, be sure when it melts to clean your garden ornaments with mild soap and water and remove mud and mold and maybe moss. Sometimes moss is part of the beauty of an old garden urn or pot. Clean the inside of all containers you are replanting. The plants will be happier with no leftover insects or disease spores and, of course, new soil.

Q: I bought this antique spice cabinet at the estate sale of my mother’s best friend, who was an avid antiques collector. The cabinet is wooden. Behind the center door there are two small shelves with large holes in them, obviously meant to hold bottles of flavoring. The clock face, door inset, and drawers are glazed ceramic. Can you tell me where this spice cabinet was made, how old it is, and the value? Login for more.

Q: My sisters and I recently inherited seven flow blue plates from my mother. The plates depict historical events and are marked with the name of the scene, "Staffordshire, England," and "R&M Co." inside a diamond. Some of the titles are "Ride of Paul Revere, April 18, 1775," "Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775," and "Washington Prayer at Valley Forge, 1777." Can you give us some information about these plates along with estimated value? Login for more...

The Giacometti sculpture of a walking man sold for $104,327,006 (see Feb. 10 Kovels Komments) to become the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction. It was sold to an unidentified buyer now known to be Lily Safra, one of the world’s richest people. She is the widow of Edmond Safra, who died in an arson fire in his Monte Carlo apartment in 1999. The fire made international news, and the arsonist, Mr. Safra’s male nurse, was convicted of the crime in 2002. Lily Safra owns the world’s most expensive house, near Monte Carlo, as well as property in Geneva, Monaco, and London. According to reports, she had the Giacometti statue delivered to London. She has been an ardent art collector and is chairwoman of her well-funded family foundation, which supports projects in 50 countries.

The rare Shogun Mixture tin auctioned by Morphy’s last weekend sold for $8,625. We first saw this pocket tobacco tin and at can collectors "Canvention" while we were filming our television show in 1989. It sold for $6,000. At that time, only one other was known. A few more have surfaced since then.

The argument is settled. Batman can beat Superman--at least last week. Last Thursday (Feb. 25) Detective Comics No. 27, which featured the first appearance of Batman, sold for the new record price of $1,075,500 at a Heritage Galleries auction. The printed comic book, originally priced 10 cents in 1939, was in "8" condition (grading is 1 to 10). The price beat the $1 million record set by the first Superman comic book three days earlier

The art and antiques business seems to be improving. Sotheby’s just announced that its September to December 2009 sales brought the auction house its "second highest fourth quarter income ever." We have noticed happier dealers at recent shows and auctions.

Mexican jewelry collectors beware. Lily Castillo, daughter of the famous silversmith Antonio Castillo, is reproducing the works of some of the best-known 1950s Mexican jewelry makers, including Castillo, Margot de Taxco, and Hector Aguilar. She has permission to use their original hallmarks.

This is a reverse tip. Can anyone help with this email request? We have never heard of this problem. "My sister has a huge Roseville pottery collection. She has noticed small chips of paint on her shelves and determined that something is 'eating' her pottery. She said there are tiny holes that are suddenly appearing and hairline cracks in the pots." She goes on to explain that this has happened only since her sister moved to a new house. We suspect there was an abrupt change in the moisture level surrounding the collection, but properly fired pottery should not be affected this seriously. Suggestions are welcome.

Q: I would like to know the maker of this napkin ring marked "erindring fra Norge" and with an anchor with the letter "P" on either side of it. Login for more.