Stacking tea service has a bit of international history

Dear Collector: This unusual stacking teapot was a gift from my father to my mother sometime before WWII. All pieces, except the lid, are marked with “Hand Painted, Made in Japan” and a small elephant. Can you tell me who made it?

Comprised of five pieces (lid, sugar, cream, teapot and tray), your whimsical, yet practical set is attributed to Tashiro Shoten Ltd. In operation for only several decades starting in the 1930s, not much is known about this maker, except that they used several variations of a pachyderm print on their backstamps. The marks on your porcelain suggest that it was made in the ‘30s.

Dear Collector: We recently unearthed an “Easy Money” game I had as a child in the 1930s and ‘40s. It’s certainly a cousin of Monopoly; does it have any value?

Closer than a cousin, your 1935 economics-based board game is a clone of the more popular Monopoly. Parker Brothers, the producer of Monopoly, licensed rights to Milton Bradley, who changed the name, and tweaked the rules a bit. Possible value on your relic of childhood could be as high as $150.

Dear Collector: I have a VV4-3 Victrola in excellent working condition; what info can you give me regarding this phonograph?

Marketed between 1925 and 1929 (the serial number on yours puts its manufacture at 1926), Victrola called this model the “Consolette.” Originally selling for $85, your machine now has a value of over $200.

Dear Collector: Any value to our old 10 peso bill from the Dominican Republic?

Similar in design to U.S. notes, though it came from the press of a British printer, your 1952 bill is listed for $20 in “Standard Catalog of World Paper Money, Volume Two” edited by Neil Shafer & George S. Cuhaj (KP Books, 2003, $65).

Dear Collector: I have a Planters Peanut salt and pepper set; how much are they worth?

Your circa 1960s Mr. Peanut pair has a value of about $40.

Dear Collector: About 55 years ago an old friend gave me a “Young American” double action pistol, which I have never fired. Can you tell me the value of this gun?

Manufactured in two calibers by Harrington & Richardson of Worcester, Massachusetts, this model revolver was produced from 1884 to 1941. Since your handgun is in good to very good condition, let’s place its value at $100.

Dear Collector: I would appreciate information on this original Mickey Mouse doll?

A check of its left ear should reveal the hole where the Steiff button was removed from this vintage velvet covered plush toy. Even without the telltale tag, your doll is worth nearly $2,000.

Dear Collector: How old and how much is this working radio worth?

Mimicking automotive esthetics of the day, your 1956 Motorola #55L2U portable looks like the grill of a Chevrolet or Ford. Current value is $40.

Dear Collector: Should I keep my old neckties, hoping they will become valuable collectibles?

Why knot!

Recommended reading: “100 Years of Purses: 1880s to 1980s,” Ronna Lee Aikins (Collector Books, 2005, $24.95). “An Illustrated History of Bayonets,” Martin J. Brayley (KP Books, 2004, $29.99). The Other Matchbox Toys: 1947-2004,” Dana Johnson (Collector Books, 2005, $19.95).