Watch With Box Easily Worth $500
Dear Collector: This Mickey Mouse watch was given to me by my parents in the early 1930s. It still works and is complete with the original box it came in.
The firm of Ingersoll, located in Waterbury, Conn., was about to file for bankruptcy in 1933 when someone got the bright idea of reworking their stock of WWI timepieces into Mickey Mouse character watches.
Sold at Sears Roebuck and Macy’s (where over 10,000 were purchased in one day alone), within a matter of two years, nearly 2.5 million wrist and pocket watches were retailed.
For collectors of Disneyana, a watch in working order, complete with fob and box, is easily worth $500.
Dear Collector: Can you give me any info on artist Leo Frank? I have one of his prints.
A native of Germany, Frank (1884-1948) produced oil paintings and woodcuts prints. The last auction price on one of his prints was $56.
Dear Collector: How old are my Priscilla and John Alden bookends?
Dating from 1928, your Connecticut Foundry iron bookends currently sell for $50-$80.
Dear Collector: I recently came across an old book in the shape of a skull. Called “Toast Book,” it’s compiled and illustrated by Clare Victor Dwiggins. Can you tell me if there’s any value to this?
A popular cartoonist during the early 1900s, whose work appeared in many newspapers under the nom de plume “Dwigs,” Dwiggins produced this unique tome, praising drink, for the Winston Co. of Philadelphia. Your book now sells for $70-$100.
Dear Collector: My husband has a copper two-cent piece dated 1864. He took it to a dealer who offered him $10.
Not copper but bronze, there were over 19 million pieces minted in that year. Depending on condition and variety, one of these coins goes for $8 to $50.
Dear Collector: I just dug out some of my old toys and games from my parent’s garage. One of them is a board game based on a TV program “Casey Jones.” What’s it worth, if anything?
Saalfield Publishing made the game in 1959. Alan Hale Jr., of “Gilligan’s Island” fame, played the fabled locomotive engineer on this short-lived series. I found this game listed for $45 in a price guide. Of course, that’s for one in very good condition. I’m told that early editions of Monopoly (probably the most favorite board game in American history) sell for $800 and up.
Dear Collector: Is my old Smith manual typewriter valuable?
Looks to be a 1930s model, which would make it worth about $50.
Dear Collector: I’ve got a No. 30 Parker’s National metal and wood coffee grinder. Valuable?
Termed a “box mill” and dating from the late 19th century, this is valued at $140-$165.
Dear Collector: Does my white and orange Pepper Cadets button have any relationship to the soft drink Dr Pepper?
It sure does! These were distributed in the 1930s and are now priced at $20.
By the way, the story goes that a young man who was wooing his boss’ daughter invented this popular drink. In an attempt to impress his pharmacist employer, the youth named the new beverage after him — Dr Pepper!
* Prices quoted reflect retail values and, as with many antiques and collectibles, these values vary. Readers are encouraged to submit questions with photos to: The Collector, P.O. Box 878, North Andover, MA 01845, or e-mail Gerardi01@aol.com. Please don’t ask us to suggest a buyer for your goods. Sorry, photos cannot be returned and will become the property of The Collector. We cannot provide personal replies; selected letters will be answered in this column.