Sample Column

Dear Collector,
I found this pot in my mother's kitchen cabinet. Approximately 6-inches high, it is marked on one side, "Spirit of 76 Bunker Hill," and on the other, "Boston The Home of The Bean." I am most interested in the age of the pot, hopefully where it was produced, and the meaning of the words.

It definitely looks old, but without a maker's mark we'll never be able to properly date it. Similar pots were made in various Ohio potteries around 1876, our country's centennial. The Battle of Bunker Hill (fought on nearby Breed's Hill) occurred on June 17, 1775, not 1776. Boston, associated with the baked bean from the 17th century, was also famous for its cod fishing; as remembered in this bit of doggerel: "Boston the home of the bean and the cod. Where Cabots talk only to Lowells, and Lowells talk only to God." The "Sacred Cod," an ancient carved artifact, has hung in the House of Representatives at the Massachusetts State House for the last two centuries. As to the current value of your bean pot, which I believe to be a true antique, not a reproduction; let's start it off at a modest and conservative $150.

Dear Collector,
I am interested in finding someone that can tell me about old postcards

"The Postcard Price Guide" by J.L. Mashburn (Colonial House, 1997, $19.95) is a great reference for the novice collector.

Dear Collector,
I was wondering about the value of my grandfather's .22 caliber rifle?

Made in 1906 by Hamilton Rifle, the value varies from $100 to a high of $250, depending on condition.

Dear Collector,
I have inherited a Corona typewriter with a patent date of February 8, 1910. Could you please tell me its value?

This pre "Smith-Corona" #3 portable with its case, fetches only $30-$75.

Dear Collector,
I am inquiring about a print I received 30 years ago. Titled "Madonna," it is by a German artist named Gabriel Max who died in 1915.

Max, a Czech, worked primarily in oils. While an original canvas may sell for $10, 000 or more, unless the print you have is signed and numbered, it's more than likely worth only a nominal value of $15-$30.

Dear Collector,
I have an "Admiral Fitzroy's Royal Polytechnic Barometer," circa 1880. Can you suggest somebody that works on antique barometers?

Perhaps Philip R. Collins' "Care and Restoration of Barometers" (Antique Collector's Club, 1997, $14.95) can assist your search.

Dear Collector,
I have a set of 12 Wedgwood plates that I believe were a wedding present to my parents in 1943. Each plate depicts a different structure in London and on the back is written: "Old London Views--Sponsored by British War Relief Society, USA, First Edition, 1941."

Single plates currently sell for $20-$30 each, with a complete set worth $300 plus. Though these are marked as first editions, there was never a second issue, due to our entry into the war at the end of 1941.

Prices quoted reflect retail values, and as with many antiques and collectibles these values vary. Readers are encouraged to submit questions with photos to: THE COLLECTOR™, PO Box 229, West Boxford, MA 01885-0229 or ask online at: www.askthecollector.com. Please don't ask us to help buy or sell goods. Sorry, photos cannot be returned and will become the property of THE COLLECTOR™.