Prescott's "Instant" Appraisals

Objects provided by the Readers of the
Josie Prescott Mystery Series

Scan through these pages -- enjoy!

As part of the Free Instant Appraisals Offering (currently discontinued) almost 200 objects were appraised by the renowned auction house, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.  Readers provided a description and photos of the objects they submitted.  Browse through these pages to hone your skills or take the QUIZ, "You Be the Judge", to pit your knowledge against that of the experts!

Select an Object from the list below to View Its Appraisal
[Click any image to view an enlargement.]

Dali Sketch

Description: 

I have an original Dali in my possession that I would like appraised, and ultimately am looking to sell. The last appraisal I got was from Aspire Auction house in Sept. 2005 where it was valued at $5000-$8000. It was owned by the cartoonist Tom Wilson, creator or Ziggy.

Appraisal:

The estimate you have indicated seems accurate based on the photos and information provided.  I would put it in the category of $5,000-7,000. You may want to have it authenticated by Frank Hunter.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers

Savory Wiener Roaster

Description:

This is an old Savory Electric Wiener Roaster which I bought at a local estate auction. This Wiener Roaster is about 33 inches tall and 14 inches wide. It appears to be made out of porcelain or enamel ware and looks like some aluminum. It has a lighted embossed Savory sign at the top is a piece of ruby red glass. All the colored areas are enamel ware in a green, inside is in white and the wiener holders are red enamel. It has a manufacturer tag on the motor. When turned on the coils heat up and the holders go up and around like a ferris wheel. It’s very heavy at 90lbs plus.

Appraisal:

Antique cooking appliances are interesting as a collecting field.  People often buy them for their aesthetics more than their functionality.  With your Savory's patent dating it to the late 1920's and the machine itself not looking too much later (from the photos and information provided) I would estimate it at $200/400 at auction.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers

Bohemian Glass Candlesticks

Description:

All I know about these are that my mother picked them up in an antique shop about 40 years ago. She has now passed on and I now display them in my home. They are in very good condition with glass prisms hanging all around them. I have tried to find similar ones in shops and nothing shows the beauty like these in gold.

Appraisal:

What you have is a very attractive pair of Bohemian glass lustres probably dating back to the late 19th century.  As you haven't included a size, and it’s hard to tell from the photo, I am going to assume that they are probably about a foot high.  If so, at auction they would have an estimate of $500/700.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers

Soda Fountain Glasses with Jumbo

Description:

These are three soda fountain glasses I purchased at Solomon's Drug Store about thirty years ago when they were selling all their old fountain stuff. This store had been in business since before the Civil War, even filled prescriptions for Robert E. Lee. These glasses are 5 1/4 inches tall and are of a clear glass of very good quality. (Heisey?) Two of the glasses are in perfect condition; the other has a nick on the back of its handle. I am wondering if these were made for children at the time when Jumbo the Elephant first came to this country in the 1880s. They do not say "Dumbo", like the 1930s Disney movie. I have searched everywhere for information on them, but have found nothing.

Appraisal:

Here is an ironic fact—Jumbo II died from eating glass in 1936. I found a few other items of pressed glass with Jumbo the elephant’s image on it, including a peanut butter jar that was made for a Spice Company in Ohio. All of the pieces that I found do date to the end of the 19th century/beginning of the 20th century. It seems that Jumbo was "the first celebrity elephant." These glasses were probably made around the end of the 19th century, possibly as a part of a promotional push at the soda fountain. Based on the information and photos provided, at auction for the three, they would have an estimate of $80-120. The peanut butter jar was listed through a dealer for $225.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers

Italian Glass Dish

Description:

I found this piece at a yard sale and bought it from an old Italian lady who said it was a valuable, old piece of Italian glass. It has a label that reads: - Avventurina -V.NASONeC-Murano Italy.  It is 6" across, 1 1/4" thick, and black with gold swirled in it. It has one notch on the side, as if for a cigarette, so I think it is an ash tray. It’s a very heavy piece of glass.

Appraisal:

Your Italian glass dish looks to date to about the 1950's.  The Avventurina name is related to the term aventurine, the process of adding oxidized metal to molten glass to give it the sparkling appearance.  These bowls, ashtrays, and vases were turned out in fairly large numbers and I would expect yours to bring between $100/200 at auction, based on the photos and information provided.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers

Chandelier

Description:

I have a bit of an antique mystery regarding the attached chandelier.  In my search I've found different spellings for "Quezell," but so far nothing with this exact name.  I purchased the chandelier approximately 30 years ago in eastern Canada.  The copper base is 13 3/4 in. across and hanging length is 36 in.  Each of the four globes is etched on the inner top rim with the name "Quezell."  The interiors of the globes have a pearlized or opalescent finish.  There are no chips, cracks or damage. I would greatly appreciate any information and believe this chandelier may have come from the New York area.

Appraisal:

It is a mystery.  The shades are very similar to those made by Quezal, which was the trade marked name for a glass manufacturer which competed against Tiffany Studios in the first quarter of the 20th century.  I say similar because I couldn't find an exact match for the form of your shades, nor could I find any evidence that shades were accidentally mis-marked from the factory.  From the images the fixture and shades do look to be of the period.  It is possible that in the past someone took shades of a similar vintage and signed them to try to increase the value.  That said I would think a presale estimate (based on the information provided) for this fixture and shades would be in the $800/1200 range.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers

Covered Porcelain Bowl

Description:

This bowl is made of fine porcelain china. It is in fantastic condition, there are no chips cracks or in glaze. The finial on top is gilt. The bowl is 6 1/4" round, and 1 1/2" high without the lid. The lid is 2 ¼" tall to the top of the finial. The stamp on the bottom is: EMPIRE ENGLAND 8 Y (IN GOLD / POSIBLE 4) 648.

Appraisal:

This covered bowl was produced by the Empire Porcelain Co. of England who operated from 1896-1967. The printed green marks were used in the 1940s and 1950s and the numbers "648" written on the bottom stand for June 1948, when the piece was produced. As an individual piece, without its corresponding porcelain dinner service, this bowl would probably bring around $30-50 at auction. This is based on the information and photos you provided.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers

Rookwood Pottery Vase

Description:

This is a 7 1/2" by 4 1/2" Rookwood Pottery Vase that I recently purchased at a small town auction for $120.00.  The vase is a basic utilitarian piece in dusty rose dull matte.  It is signed with the early Rookwood mark as well as the roman numerals dating it to 1930.  It also has another interesting stamp that I believe might be the maker's mark.  The vase is in very fine condition with no chips, cracks or crazing.  It does have small black "smudge" lines, in various places that, unfortunately, do not show up in the photos. 

Appraisal:

You have an interesting piece of Rookwood.  The date mark is correct for 1930 but the other mark was a special mark they used in 1930/1931 denoting the 50th anniversary of the company.  While it does not increase the value to the level of an artist's signature, it does help.  Based on the information and photos provided, I would put an auction estimate of $300/500 on this lot.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers

Meakin Bowl

Description:

This is bowl is 11" long x 6 ½" wide x 3" high and is marked Melton on the bottom. It appears to be made of porcelain china. There are no chips or cracks, but it is badly stained from age. The design appears to be in brown. There is no lid.

Appraisal:

This transfer decorated serving dish was made by the Alfred Meakin Company of Tunstall, England. The mark dates this piece to the end of the 19th century (after 1891 when the company began to add "England" to their marks) and is a nice example of English transfer decorated pottery. Based on the information and photos, at auction this piece would be estimated at $100-150.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers

Blue Pitcher

Description:

This is a 3" by 2 1/2" blue Sponge ware Pitcher that I purchased at the Salvation Army for 49 cents. It is made of red clay and has blue sponge ware glazing on it. It is unique in shape and there are several small chips on the lip of the pitcher. It is glazed inside, as well and there is much evidence of crazing on the inside of the pitcher.

Appraisal:

Sponge ware, also known as spatterware, has been produced in England and America since the early 19th century.  It was a fairly common way of cheaply decorating pottery and was used by numerous firms.  Due to your item's fairly small size, the photos and information provided, at auction it would be estimated at $10/20.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers

Tankard

Description:

This is a Tankard of some sort with beautiful etchings of flowers. It’s made of pewter with a removable lid. On the bottom it has the numbers 2224 and then a symbol with what looks like an earth and an eagle on top. It reads Reed & Barton Patented Aug. 4, 1868, May 18, 1878. My mom got it in the late 1950’s.  I tried to clean this with silver cleaner and probably shouldn't have.

Appraisal:

What you actually have is a water server.  Originally it would have sat on a base, with the two knobs on either side fitting into conforming grooves.  It would then have been tilted forward on the front knobs, saving the server from having to actually lift it.  The decorations on your item reflect the aesthetic movement which would date it right at the end of the 19th century.  Unfortunately, as it is incomplete, based on the photos and information, at auction it would sell for around $50.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers

Native American Glass Plate Photo

Description: 

My next door neighbor (age 77) died and her daughter and I found several of these when going through the shed. This is one of several glass plates that are 4" X 3-1/4". All are Indians. Along the outside it reads 19 (L70510) Reed Indian Units - N0. 1 - Little Matin (Copyright Roland W. Reed).    The other end reads KEYSTONEVIEW COMPANYTRUCOLOR PROCESS STUDIOS, MEADVILLE, PA. U.S. Pat. No. 1,992,128 and Trade Mark Reg. No. 808,747.  There are no chips, cracks or scratches but the red paper along the edges has parts missing. The colors are muted. Her dress in light tan with bright teal band.

Appraisal:

The Keystone View Company was founded in 1892 and continued well into the 20th century.  They turned out many of these slides in a wide range of subjects and thus come up at auction fairly regularly.  While interesting and collectable, based on the information and the photo it would tend to sell between $5 and $10 each.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers

German Insulated Coffee Pot

Description:

I purchased this German Insulated Coffee Pot at a local estate sale. It is in perfect condition, with no chips or dings. There is a silver metal hammered cover over the porcelain, with a grey felt material for the insulation. The top locks with a silver type hinged lock that fits over the silver button knob. There are three feet and a knob on the lid that looks like bakelite or plastic or some other material. The original insulation is grey felt. There is one stain/discoloration a little larger than a quarter on the inside bottom of the felt. There is a mark on the porcelain: "HUTSCHENREUTHER /GELB" beneath, with 1.4L oval with a lion and the initials "LHS."  Below that is "Bavaria, Germany, US ZONE."  There is a mark on the metal pot:" WMF" in a stamp with the letters with "DRP." Mint condition.

Appraisal:

Your coffee pot, having the U.S. Zone stamp, easily dates it to 1945-1949.  German was an occupied country during those years following the Second World War.  While it is an interesting design, both functionally and aesthetically, it has not been around long enough to become a proper antique.  Based on the photos and information provided, it would have a presale auction estimate of $40/60.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers

Limoges Owl

Description:

I bought this at an auction several years ago. It was on a mantel above a fireplace and it has a lot of streaks on it that looked like water stains. I finally got the courage to clean it and it came out perfect. It has the Limoges Guerin Mark which would date it from late 19th C to 1900.  I happened upon a picture of it in Antique Trader Price Guide 2005 - page 658.  The problem is that the book says it is a rare Crown Pairpoint Ware Vase, but this has the Guerin Mark. There is one spot where the paint did not take. 

Appraisal:

Many porcelain manufacturers made similar form vases with handles at the turn of the century.  Some Limoges were decorated in France and some were sent as blanks to be decorated by the end purchaser.  These would often be signed.  Based on the information you have sent and the photo, your vase would have an auction estimate of $200/400.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers

Dino Martens Murano Vase

Description:

I have had this vase for 40+ years. It could be a Dino Martens. It is 10" high, and made of heavy encased glass colors of red, yellow, blue, white, orange and black.  There are also clear pieces of glass.  It has a murrine pinwheel and beautiful filigrana, zanfirico and copper aventurine. It’s in excellent condition.

Appraisal:

Dino Martens did Murano glass in the mid 20th century. This seems to be from the "Oriente" series designed for Aureliano Toso in the mid 1950s. Based on the photo and information provided, in good condition this would have an estimate of $3,000-5,000 at auction.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers

Harlequin Toy

Description:

This is a sand box toy which I had 50+ years and it was old when it was given to me.  It’s 5.5"x2.5"x6.5" with a glass front. Paper constructed, wire hinged dancing Harlequin. It’s all sealed, marbleized and paper finished. It’s in mint condition.

Appraisal:

This appears to be a reproduction of a 19th century magic box, probably made in the early 20th century. Based on the photos and description provided, if it’s in good condition the estimate would be $100-200 at auction.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers