THE COLLECTOR
Dear Collector,
I’m not sure if these refrigerator dishes are from the 1940s; what are they worth?
Made “exclusively” by Hall China, these circa 1939 pieces were just some of the many types offered either as sets or singly. Hall produced similar wares for Coldspot, Sears and other refrigerator makers. Your leftover and butter dishes are now worth $30-$45 each; a value which is dependent on color and condition.
Dear Collector,
This vintage clock “called” out to me as I was browsing the tables at a flea market. I bought it for just under $7. I was surprised to find it still worked and kept accurate time. Would you tell me something about its age and value?
The maker’s name, Telechron, is printed across its dial, but it took a bit of research to find the model or style name: “Harwich.” Originally retailing for $35 in 1940, your white and brown onyx table clock now has a value of about $140.
Dear Collector,
My mother got me a Sweet Sue doll (sorry, no photo) for my birthday in 1959. The box is long lost, but all her clothes have survived. Can you tell me what she’s worth?
Your hard plastic American Character dolly had a production life of nine years beginning in 1953. She looks to be in good shape, though I’m not sure of her size. If she’s 15 inches, value is $75. The larger version, at 22 inches, is worth another $10.
Dear Collector,
The enclosed picture is of a recording by Conrad Janis called “Dixieland Jam Session.” How old is it and how much is it worth?
Janis, a trombonist, recorded your Riverside record in 1956, years before he played Pam Dawber’s father on the late 1970s, early ‘80s television show “Mork & Mindy.” Was it a coincidence that his character, Fred “Fredzo” McConnell, owned a music store? Anyway, the album you asked about has a potential value of $25.
Dear Collector,
Is my cookbook (“A Book of Unusual Soups”) worth much? My mother sometimes made some of the recipes, which were not bad.
I wish you had included a few of the recipes from this 1923 hard cover. Other than its current value of $25, all I know about this book is that its author, Mary D. Chambers, claims that the term “julienne” applies to vegetables available in the month of July.
Dear Collector,
Would you please tell me if a 1952 half-dollar with Booker T. Washington and George W. Carver on it has any value?
Although apparently a U.S. coin worth face value, your limited mintage (about 8,000) piece is termed a commemorative, in this case honoring the legacy of two great Americans, and is worth considerably more than your average run of the mill “four-bits.” A coin of average uncirculated condition could go as high as $60.
Dear Collector,
I’ve searched all over trying to find out who made the pitcher that appears in the enclosed photos. Who do you think made the pitcher?
My vote is for a Staffordshire potter; maybe the Mayer brothers (Thomas and John) or Peter Holdcroft, all of whom operated in the 1840s. While I could not distinguish the pattern name, it does have the characteristic palette and designs employed by these potters.