Collecting: Cookie jar

Q: My wife and I have a Little Red Riding Hood cookie jar that appears old, but does not have any markings on the bottom. Is there someone I can contact about it? — Russ, North Providence, R.I.

A: One of the better clubs for collectors is the American Cookie Jar Association, 4005 Spyglass Lane, Bethany, OK 73008; and www.cookiejarclub.com/. There are several Internet sites that also might be helpful, including http://collectibles.about.com/.

***

Q: Can you tell me the artist, cathedral, value and any historical detail about a sepia print that I have that is signed in pencil. The signature could be “Moricebe.” — Pat, Ormond Beach, Fla.

A: Since I could not find the name in any of my reference books, I suggest you contact an art expert. Two of the more established experts are Myreen Moore, West Ghent Arts, 1404 Gates Ave., Norfolk, VA 23507; and Alan Bamberger, ArtBusiness.com, 2510 Bush St., San Francisco, CA 94115. A good Internet source is http://www.artfact.com/. When contacting an expert, you should expect to pay a fee for his or her services.

***

Q: I have a set of china dinnerware, service for 12, in the Lady Diana pattern manufactured by the Grace China Company. How much do you think it’s worth? — Dolrita, Apopka, Fla.

A: You can contact Replacements, Inc., to see how much individual pieces are priced in their huge inventory. Since the design of your pattern appears to be fairly new, I suspect it is probably post World War II. The address for Replacements is P.O. Box 26029, Greenboro, NC 27428.

***

Q: I have one of the first Hoover vacuum cleaners ever manufactured. Who can appraise it for me? — Art, Naperville, Ill.

A: Ken Wagman is membership coordinator of the Vacuum Cleaner Collectors Club, and you might be able to suck up some valuable information if you contact him. You can reach Wagman at 340 West Main St., Capron, IL 61012; or http://www.vaccc.com/.