Trinket box

Q: I have a small trinket box that is marked “M. Horn 1883.” I assume it must be quite old and wonder if you can tell me more about it. — Susan, Dayton, Ohio

A: It’s not as old as you might imagine. The company that manufactured your box was based in Eastland, Texas, and operated for at least two years beginning in 1952. According to Lehner’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Marks on Pottery, Porcelain & Clay by Lois Lehner (Collector Books), the small company specialized in vases, console sets, candy boxes and other items it marketed as art china.

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Q: An elderly friend has two paintings she would like to sell. Is there a way we can have them appraised for a nominal fee? — Laura, Providence, R.I.

A: For more than two decades, Telepraisal has gathered pricing data on approximately 200,000 artists and sales of their works. Printouts of the data can be purchased for $35 per search or, if desired, a more formal appraisal is also available. The contact information is M. Barden Prisant, FRICS, c/o Telepraisal, 32 Union Square, No. 1016, New York, NY 10003; info@telepraisal.com; www.telepraisal.com; and 212-614-9090 and 800-645-6002.

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Q: I have a huge collection of Avon collectibles and would like to find out how much they are worth. Can you help me? — Gloria, via e-mail

A: One of the best ways to find out the current values of Avon collectibles is to monitor eBay. The eBay auctions are an accurate snapshot of what items are fetching. Another source that might be helpful is The National Association of Avon Collectors, P.O. Box 7006, Kansas City, MO 64113.

Q: I have a copy of Medical Diagrams of the Human Body by Dr. Don A. Chase, M.D., published in 1916. Is it worth anything? — Kae, Estevan, SK, Canada

A: I could not find your book at abe.com, my favorite online book search source. I contacted several used book dealers, and all agreed that your book is probably worth in the $20 to $35 range.