Old Wicker ‘Buggy’ A Very Valuable Piece
Dear Collector: I have an old wicker buggy or pram in excellent condition. It has the original straw-filled cushions. I would like to know the value and how old it might be.
What a beauty! My 1902 Sears catalog shows similar models selling for $16-$20; of course that included a parasol. Various manufacturers, including the renowned furniture firm of Heywood-Wakefield, produced baby buggies during the latter part of the 19th and early decades of the 20th century. Without a maker’s mark I cannot give you an exact date or value, but I should think a collector would be willing to pay $600-$800 for as fine an example as your carriage appears to be.
* Dear Collector: Please let me know the value of my book, “Enoch Arden” by Alfred Tennyson.
First published in 1864, this compilation of poems including the title piece about the travails of an orphan (very long, takes almost a weekend to read), is worth $50-$75 for a copy of the initial printing, in good condition, of course. But you have an 1897 issue which currently sells for only $10-$12.
* Dear Collector: How old is my “Wheelock, Prussia” china?
Peoria, Illinois, was the home of Wheelock Potteries from 1888 to 1971. Though they made utilitarian goods for the domestic market, they also imported finer wares from overseas prior to the First World War.
* Dear Collector: I have a “Hop Rod” gasoline engine pogo stick. They were only made for a short time in the early 1960s — no insurance company would cover the manufacturer, for obvious reasons. I am curious if this novelty has any value?
The only example that I’ve seen of this powered pogo pole, recently sold for slightly over $1,000. That should make you jump for joy!
* Dear Collector: What’s the history behind my “Smith & Edge” toy sewing machine?
The manufacturing partnership of Smith & Egge (you read the label wrong) was located in Bridgeport, Conn. Locks were among the many items in their inventory. With the original wooden box, which you told me is in your possession, this working toy is worth as much as $300.
* Dear Collector: As a child my husband was given a two-piece, milk glass candy dish in the shape of the warship Maine. Could you tell us the approximate value?
Your anecdotal history of this piece places it as being made not long after the sinking of the Maine in Havana Harbor, on Feb. 15, 1898. Unfortunately, this relic has been reproduced a number of times over the intervening years, reducing the price of originals. One of the factors in determining glass values is color. Generally, cobalt, red, and other vibrant shades command premium prices; while clear and milk glasses are at the lower end of the scale. Your “Remember The Maine” memento currently sells for $20-$30.
* Recommended reading: “Scandinavian Art Pottery” by Robin Hecht (Schiffer, 2000, $49.95). This 174-page hardcover book, focusing on Danish and Swedish makers, is well researched and written. Though some of the items photographed are poorly lit, the overall appearance is very pleasing and informative, especially the brief biographies on the various potters. Prices are listed in captions, and marks are highlighted.