Its Roots Are Greek
Dear Collector: I bought this instrument at a flea market and don’t know what it is. Could you tell me?
Appropriately posed against an Ionic column, your bouzouki is also a product of Greek culture. A long-necked lute whose three or four strings are plucked with a plectrum, or pick, the bouzouki can be used as a virtuoso instrument or to accompany singers.
Dear Collector: I have a collection of Fresca bottle caps. On the inside are pictures of baseball players. The caps are my father’s from around 1930, when Fresca first came out.
Sorry, but Fresca debuted in 1966, and all the players you mentioned (Mantle, Al Downing, Tug McGraw, Ron Swoboda, etc.) were active in the 1960s. Each bottle cap is worth about $2.
Dear Collector: Enclosed find a photo of what must be a hair treatment machine, there were hairpins in the box when found. I would like to give it to a museum.
Forget about donating this “Violet Ray” to a repository devoted to the art friseur. An example of quackery, this device was used to apply mild electric shocks in the prospect of relieving pain.
Dear Collector: I have a board game copyrighted in 1886 by McLoughlin Brothers of New York. It’s called “Messenger Boy.” Could you possibly have time to find out the worth of this game?
With a Horatio Alger theme of success coming through hard work, “Messenger Boy” guided players through a career at the local telegraph office, with the winner being he who first makes it to the president’s office. A game in good condition with all the pieces could easily fetch $200 or more.
Dear Collector: My “Easter Greeting” egg was given to me by my father-in-law. The egg was his grandmother’s. It’s glass of some type and seems to be painted with silver-looking paint.
Typically late Victorian in its sentiment, you can often find similar expressions on other glass and porcelain items of the time. Given to family members or cherished friends, these tokens of devotion decorated mantles, bureaus and tables in Victorian households. Currently selling for $30-$50, which does not factor in the intrinsic value of its family connections; which, of course, are beyond value.
Dear Collector: Going through some old papers I ran across a “Paladin” business card that I got out of a box of Cheer detergent a long time ago. I would like to know if there’s a market in old Western memorabilia?
An adult television western starring Richard Boone, “Have Gun Will Travel” featured back-clad hero “Paladin” (whose first name was not “Wire,” contrary to what was printed on his famous calling card). Your trading card, a premium from Rinso, not Cheer, is now worth $15-$20.
Recommended reading:
“Mauzy’s Comprehensive Handbook of Depression Glass Prices” (Schiffer, 2000, $9.95). Just the right size for your pocket at 4x8 inches, this 208-page guide has over 140 color photos, and lists patterns alphabetically.
“Collector’s Guide to Children’s Books” (Collectors Books, 2000, $19.95 trade paperback). Covering the years 1950-1975, this is volume three in a series by Diane McClure Jones and Rosemary Jones. Along with the book list by author, there are separate sections on illustrators, series, hints on identifying first editions, and more. 268 pages with prices and many colors illustrations.