THE COLLECTOR

Dear Collector,

This Oliver No. 9 typewriter was headed for the trash, but it was rescued. Any ideas about it and its worth?

Oliver made 500,000 units of this model between 1915 and 1922. Sometimes called the “Bat” because its widespread keys and side-mounted handles vaguely resemble a flying rodent, this three-bank keyboard QWERTY typewriter (because those are the first six letters on the left hand) was available in olive green, a marketing scheme linking the maker’s name with machine’s color. Similar instruments in good working order are now valued at $100.

Dear Collector,

We wonder how old this “Little Bo Peep” cookie jar is, and what it is worth now.

Research shows that Regal China was responsible for manufacturing your jar (one of three versions of their Goldilocks, not Little Bo Peep, design), probably in the 1940s or ‘50s. Current value is about $300.

Dear Collector,

I have a 1954 New York Giants baseball yearbook in good condition; can you please let me know its value?

Possible value is $85.

Dear Collector,

Please help me identify the maker and age of this silver-plated pitcher. The only marks I see are: “MM Co.”

Not much background can be found on the manufacturer, Macomber Mfg. Company of Providence, RI, except that they were in business during the first decade of the 20th century.

Dear Collector,

We’ve had this painting in our family for three generations (it originally belonged to my wife’s grandfather), and know nothing about the artist. If you can, would you tell us something about Tony Nell?

Antonia Nell (1890?-1960), a Washington, D.C.,-born watercolorist, sculptor and illustrator trained at the Denver School of Art, sometimes signed works with the masculine form of her name: Antonio or Tony. Her last recorded auction price of $10,000 was in 1998 for a watercolor titled “The Floating Feather.”

Dear Collector,

I have a pretty well-used Series 1928 $10 gold certificate; is it worth anything?

Average buying price on a circulated bill is about $19, but your note may be worth less due to its worn condition.

Dear Collector,

This sugar bowl belonged to my great-grandmother. I would like to know who produced this piece.

The “RCW Bavaria” backstamp, configured around a small flower, was somewhat difficult to track down. Knowing that many German porcelain makers often include within their markings the place in which they operate, I found Retsch & Co. of Wunsiedel (a city and district in Northeast Bavaria) using this particular symbol on their wares immediately after World War I.

Dear Collector,

I found a “Babe Ruth’s Big Book of Baseball” among some other books in a box that I bought at auction. It looks to be in good condition, there are no pages missing, tears or damage; what do you think it’s worth?

Your 1935 edition was a premium from Quaker Puffed Wheat. Considering that it is 70 years old, it seems to be in great shape; which puts the value of this illustrated 64-page book at nearly $200.