Collectibles: Family treasures, finds and mysteries | OregonLive.com

Q I found this wooden rabbit a few years ago in the back of a secondhand store.? I was delighted to find it, as it reminded me of the old carousel rabbit that I used to ride as a child at Oaks Park. It is 25 inches long, 10 1/2 inches high, and its ears are 9 inches long. I'm very interested in learning about its origin and value.
A.J.A., Northeast Portland

A Your rabbit is 20th century and certainly made in the style of early-20th-century carousel animals, but it merely has decorative appeal, since it is not antique. You would see this rabbit priced from $20 to $30 in a store and $5 to $10 at auction.

?

Q These two brass figure bookends belonged to my father when he worked and lived in New York City in the 1920s and 1930s. I am curious to know if they have any value. They are about 8 inches tall and weigh around 3 pounds each. On the underside of one of the statuettes is a label that reads "Ovington's New York" with a handwritten item number, and another label that reads "Ronson Oval Old Gold."
J. H., Fairfield, CT

A Your pair of spelter bookends was designed and manufactured by a company called Ronson, one of this country's most prolific and creative bookend-makers. Spelter is the term for a zinc alloy that often contains a bit of lead and various other metals. It is a common material for small decorative objects that are later painted. Most of Ronson's works were registered to the company name rather than to individual artists. Your pair of "Royal Gold Chinese Students" bookends was manufactured around 1929 and is listed in Stuart Schneider's book "Ronson Art Metal Works." The pair would be priced at retail in a nice antique shop from $350 to $375. At auction, if in perfect condition, they might fetch $100 to $200.

?

Q This three-handled vase has a different portrait on each of its sides. My grandparents lived in Richfield, Utah. My grandfather would frequently take his team and wagon to St. George on purchasing trips for his store, and was in the habit of bringing back a present for his wife. If this was one of those presents, it has been in my family for approximately 100 years. It has a small chip on the top rim. It is 6 1/2 inches tall, and with the handles is 7 1/2 inches across. There are no markings on the bottom.
B.I., Bend

A Your portrait vase is commonly called a "loving cup," a type of vessel commonly used in ceremonies that involve many people drinking from the same cup. They were used in weddings, traditional ceremonies such as wassailing, and important political or ceremonial meetings where the lords would drink first and then have the cup passed to the guests. Loving cups have anywhere from two to four handles and are often very ornate and made from porcelain or silver. Your cup dates from around 1890. Without a maker's mark it is difficult to know the country of origin. The decoration is a combination of hand painting and transferware (for the portraits).
The transferware process starts with printing an image onto tissue paper, then applying the wet tissue to the object. When the tissue is removed, the ink stays behind, and the piece can then be fired to make it permanent. If your loving cup were in perfect condition, it would have a retail price of $175 to $275 and an auction price of $60 to $80.

??

Q My mom bought this lamp around 1939 at a secondhand store in St. Helens. It has slag glass panels and the original covered wiring. It's 24 inches high and the shade is 18 inches in diameter. There are no markings. Who do you think made this and what do you think it is worth?
J. H., Scappoose

A Your turn-of-the-century slag glass lamp is one of many from this era that are unmarked and unattributed to a fine maker. Slag is a modern collectors' term for opaque pressed glass with colored streaks, most often cream and white. At the turn of the century this type of glass was often called "brown malachite" or "marble glass." The caramel-colored slag is the most common color, and tracking down the maker would require extensive research. As an unattributed lamp, this would retail in a nice Oregon antique shop from $300 to $600. At auction you would hope to get from $100 to $300 if it is in good condition.

?

Q My father was stationed in southern China during WWII and brought back this chair. It is 35 inches tall and 20 inches wide and folds shut in a rather unique way. The seat is woven. I have never sat in this chair as it looks a bit delicate. I don't know the age of the chair -- just that it was built before WWII. Anything you could tell me about this antique would be most welcome.
R.S., Corvallis

A Your Chinese folding chair is from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). It is a design that is believed to have come from the West and to have been introduced to China in the second century. Chinese folding chairs are often made from bamboo or wood and have soft seats of rope, rattan, hemp or leather. Many also have footrests and headrests. This type of chair is believed to be the design inspiration for our modern-day director's chairs and folding beach chairs. They were used for traveling and as special seats of honor at ceremonies. Your chair would sell in a nice antique shop from $1,600 to $2,000 and would carry an auction price of $500 to $800. If you can find a resource to translate the characters on the back splat, this might influence the price.

ABOUT COLLECTIBLES

The values of items featured in the collectibles column are estimated by Portland appraiser Terra Goodman, who is accredited in appraisal practice, theory and law as well as product knowledge, ethics and proper appraisal procedures. She is certified in fine and decorative arts through Sotheby's Auction House, where she studied American and European furniture and decorative arts. Goodman is the only Sotheby's, New York-trained appraiser in the Portland area.

To find a professional appraiser, contact the Certified Appraisers Guild of America, the International Society of Appraisers, the American Society of Appraisers or the American Association of Appraisers. Estimates provided for items reviewed in the collectibles column are for "fair market value" only and should not be used for appraisals for insurance or IRS purposes.

If you have a rare, very old and/or unusual item of furniture or home decor you would like considered for inclusion in the column, send a high-quality photo along with measurements and information about the age and condition to:
carolynpatten@gmail.com
or to:

Collectibles/Homes & Gardens
The Oregonian
1320 S.W. Broadway
Portland, OR 97201

Please include your name and town, along with contact information; phone number or email address. Contact information will not be published.

Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/hg/index.ssf/2013/01/collectibles_family_treasures_18.html

modern family george strait how i met your mother Jordan Pruitt real housewives of new jersey Kanye West sex tape emmys