THE COLLECTOR
Dear Collector,
This plate has been in the family for years, the date on it is 1901. Could you let me know the value?
Bearing the green underglaze mark of Klingenberg, a prominent maker of Limoges porcelain, your hand painted and signed plate has a high value of nearly $100.
Dear Collector,
My husband has had this Winchester Model 62 rifle before our marriage in 1959. He wants to give it to our grandson for hunting.
According to the serial number you provided, your .22 caliber pump-action rifle was manufactured in 1937, making the rifle an early example of this model. It has a possible value of $400.
Dear Collector,
I am a railroad buff and bought this 10 Colones note while on a cruise that visited Costa Rica. If you look on the front left, there’s a woman holding an old steam locomotive. I paid about $10 for it, did I get a bargain?
Yes you did. Quadruple the price you paid, and that would be the current value on your circa 1920s bill.
Dear Collector,
This Clark cigarette lighter belonged to my mother’s father who probably got it sometime during World War II. I used it until I quit smoking in the 1990s. If it lights, what do you think it’s worth?
This may pre-date the war, because this type of lighter generally dates from the 1930s. Given that it still works, value could be $40 to $50.
Dear Collector,
My husband bought a pair of ceramic quails in 1941 for $5.95 each. They did not come in a box; however on the bottom it says “Brad Keeler.” I would like to know anything you can find out about them?
Keeler, a California designer located in Los Angeles, was most noted for his hand painted porcelain flamingoes and other exotic birds. The average wage back in 1941 was about $25 a week, so your husband paid quite a lot of money for his birds. I think the current value of $10 to $15 each is relatively low compared with their original purchase price.
Dear Collector,
The print in the enclosed photo is signed “M. Soyer.” On the back is label with a short bio of the artist and the title “Dancer at Rest.” I inherited this from my mother. I think she got it in the ‘60s. Does it have any value?
Moses Soyer, along with his brother Raphael, emigrated to the U.S from Russia, after which they both gained fame in the art world and beyond. Dancers were among Moses’ favorite subjects and appear in a great deal of his works. Your print is now worth $100-$150.
Dear Collector,
My older sister was an Elvis fan from day one. She has since sold or given away most of her collection and gave me an old TV Guide with Elvis on the cover. I think it way be worth a lot in the future and stored it away for my granddaughter (when I get one). Will it be valuable?
Right now, your September 1956 magazine is worth about $100. By the time your granddaughter (when you get one) is a teenager, it may be double that value.