Dolls, dolls, and more dolls

April 2023

Michelle Knows Antiques

Dolls, dolls, and more dolls

by Michelle Staley

Q: Since my wife passed away, I’ve been cleaning out our house and donating much of the “old stuff” to charity, but my wife’s doll collection has me wondering if it should be handled differently.

The first doll is regally dressed, and a Spanish mantilla, la. She is positioned on a stand and measures 10 inches in height.

The black doll resembles a French Creole, with blue eyes and “pigtail braid” and wearing a daring flowing lace gown. She has a tag that reads “La Bamboli di Ariana.” Also on a doll stand and measuring 11 inches in height.

Small cloth doll with printed features looks like it may be from Latin America, and a small tag reads “Hecho en Mexico.” Measures 5 inches tall in sitting position.

Cloth doll representing a black girl wearing a burlap sun-hat. Designed to represent a doll owned by an enslaved black child, the doll probably was purchased at a plantation gift shop. 9 inches tall.

The next two dolls are actually one. Flip the full skirt of the blonde lady dressed in pink and white, and a black lady appears, looking like Aunt Jemima, with red dress, white apron, red scarf and gold earrings. About 10 inches total height.

Appreciate any suggestions.
Best regards, Ken W

A:  The first doll looks like a Spanish Flamenco dancer. She reminds me of a Klumpe doll, a pressed felt doll. I noticed her hard plastic lower arm and the shape of her eyebrows which are uncharacteristic to Klumpe or similar press felt dolls but I can say that she is in the style of a Klumpe. She was more than likely purchased in Spain as a souvenir and would resell for $20 – $25.

The “La Bamboli di Ariana” doll took a bit of research. She is a beautiful doll. She was made in Italy at the company’s plant located in Taormina. The clothing is hand crafted by artisans in the plant. She is made of bisque porcelain with amazing blue glass eyes. These dolls were made in limited editions, with a value of $200-$225.

The “plantation doll” falls into the $10-$15 area and the contemporary little black rag doll has a value of $15-$20. Antique rag dolls were made from a variety of scraps of cloth, old button eyes and if they had hair it was usually made with wool yarn. They were stuffed with straw, hay or excelsior.

 

Ruby Glass Pickle or Olive Castor with Tongs in a Silver Holder

La Bamboli di Ariana doll

La Bamboli di Ariana doll (Images courtesy of the submitter)

 

 

The Topsy Turvy doll is a contemporary version of an older doll. Topsy Turvy dolls date back to the slave era. The general consensus is that these dolls were primarily for African-American enslaved children, but the purpose of the dolls is not clearly understood nor agreed upon. It is argued that they were designed so that black slave children could play with forbidden white dolls, while being able to hide this fact from white people. One side of the doll is a white girl and when you flip the skirt it becomes an African- American girl, thus hiding the white girl under the skirt from any dangerous eyes. The resale value is $30 – $35.

The little Mexican doll is adorable and is dressed in the stereotypical serape and large straw sombrero. I think that he is adorable. Hecho en Mexico translates in to Made in Mexico. The resale value is $15-$25.
I would donate all of the dolls with the exception of the Italian doll and take the tax write off. The “La Bamboli di Ariana” would sell well on Facebook marketplace.

Cheers, Michelle

 

 

*All prices given are for sale in a private sale, antique shop, or other resale outlets. Price is also dependent upon the geographic area in which you are selling. Auction value, selling to a dealer or pawn shop prices are about ½ or less of resale value.

Michelle Staley is a Lenexa, KS-based dealer and researcher with 35 years of experience in the antique trade.

Send questions with photos to Michelle at michelle@discovervintage.com or TXSmichelle@gmail.com. Please keep queries to one question; questions without photos of the item may not be answered. There is no guarantee that your question will be answered or published.

Michelle is also available for consulting and extensive research work beyond this column. If you would like an appraisal on an antique or collectible please go to www.michellesantiqueappraisals.com for a one-on-one appraisal. Please note new web address.

 

Happy ‘kitschy’ Anniversary

March 2023

Michelle Knows Antiques

Happy ‘kitschy’ Anniversary

by Michelle Staley

Q: I inherited a stack of 50th anniversary plates and have no idea what to do with them or if they are worth the time and effort to put them up for sale. Can you please help me?

A: Ah, the anniversary plates. Someone in your family celebrated a 50th wedding anniversary and instead of beautiful items made of gold (it is the golden anniversary), they were given anniversary plates. There are plates, cups, and a wide assortment of kitsch items for every anniversary milestone. A single plate is nice, but to have a stack of them is a bit much. You cannot eat off of the majority of these decorative plates for several reasons. Older plates may contain lead in the paint or the decoration is not fired, which causes it to come off of the plate quite easily.

Other milestone occasions are often celebrated, such as time with a company. Generally, one does not receive a plate to mark this milestone; usually, a watch or other symbolic item is given.

The value of these plates is less than $5. There are a few exceptions, such as high-quality pieces marked ‘Wedgewood’ or a similar known pottery or glass plates with intricate, hand-painted details.

What is kitsch? Kitsch can be defined as a low-brow style of mass-produced art or design using popular or cultural icons. However, it can also be defined as art, decorative objects or design considered by many people to be ugly. Lacking in style, kitsch items are often comical in one way or another.

‘Kitsch’ is a German word that is generally used to describe objects that are considered tasteless or common while aspiring to high art. The word ‘kitsch’ roughly translates to the English “tacky.” For many people, kitsch decor is overly bold and garish; there are others who find it a fun and attractive style.

If you want to create authentic kitsch-style decor, it’s important to use a wide range of bright colors. While the most popular are yellow, magenta, fuchsia, turquoise, bright green, purple, or any other bright color or strange style.

TV lamps are often seen as kitschy. I agree that some are a bit over the top, but I love them anyway. It is a running joke in my family. Some TV lamps can sell for well over $100, and I have found that the more kitsch the lamp, the bigger the payday. Here are a few for your enjoyment. www.collectorsweekly.com/lamps/tv

Ruby Glass Pickle or Olive Castor with Tongs in a Silver Holder

"Kitschy" Anniversary Plate

Detail of a 50th anniversary dinner plate. (Images courtesy of the author)

 

* Note from the publisher: As you may know, this year is a special anniversay for Discover Vintage America. Fifty years ago, in July 1973, Ken Weyand published the first edition of Discover, calling it, “Discover North.” We will be celebrating all year and have a special issue in the planning for August with the history and background of this niche publication. We may have to find one of these kitchy anniversay plates to commemorate the occasion!
– Patti Klinge

*All prices given are for sale in a private sale, antique shop, or other resale outlets. Price is also dependent upon the geographic area in which you are selling. Auction value, selling to a dealer or pawn shop prices are about ½ or less of resale value.

Michelle Staley is a Lenexa, KS-based dealer and researcher with 35 years of experience in the antique trade.

Send questions with photos to Michelle at michelle@discovervintage.com or TXSmichelle@gmail.com. Please keep queries to one question; questions without photos of the item may not be answered. There is no guarantee that your question will be answered or published.

Michelle is also available for consulting and extensive research work beyond this column. If you would like an appraisal on an antique or collectible please go to www.michellesantiqueappraisals.com for a one-on-one appraisal. Please note new web address.

 

La Belle Époque brings late 19th century Paris to life

February 2023

Michelle Knows Antiques

La Belle Époque brings late 19th century Paris to life

by Michelle Staley

Over the holidays, my granddaughter, a true thespian, and I were watching the movie “Moulin Rouge.” Out of the blue she said, “Granny, is the Moulin Rouge a real place and what era is being depicted?” Yes, she spent many hours in her younger years listening to me talk about time periods and items specific to those times.

The Moulin Rouge is a real location, and the cabaret is still thriving with daily shows. Moulin Rouge translates into “Red Mill” and the building still sports a red windmill. It was the birthplace of the can-can dance. The dance was originally performed as a seductive dance by the working ladies to lure in clients and over time transformed into a high stepping, raucous dance revue that spread throughout Europe and inspired the opening of numerous cabarets. The interior of the Moulin Rouge cabaret is still decorated much as it was when it first opened.

It was established in Paris by two gentlemen in October 1889 and embodied The Belle Époque period. The open garden at the Moulin Rouge allowed for people of all walks of life to mingle, enjoy popular entertainers of the day, and participate in evening champagne events. It was a popular spot for artists of the time and Toulouse-Lautrec was a regular. The Moulin Rouge with its neon lights was the first fully electric building in Paris.

he Belle Époque or La Belle Époque is a period of French and European history, usually considered to have begun around 1871-1880 and ended with the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Belle Époque literally means “Beautiful Age.” Paris saw a lot of destruction of important landmarks during the Franco-Prussian war and the Paris Commune, a short-lived revolutionary government. Despite this slight setback, Paris hosted two iconic international exhibitions, the World’s Fair of 1889 and 1900. During this period, the Eiffel Tower was built along with several other buildings of great importance.

Ruby Glass Pickle or Olive Castor with Tongs in a Silver Holder

Moulin Rouge Poster

An advertising poster of the Moulin Rouge by Alfred Choubrac, 1896. (Image courtesy of Wikimedia)

The Belle Époque

The Belle Époque was an era characterized by optimism, economic prosperity, and technological and scientific progress in both Europe and the United States, but its primary center was Paris. In this prosperous climate, artistic freedom flourished; the middle and lower classes were afforded luxuries previously not available to them. Every aspect of life was touched during The Belle Époque. Fashion brought about mutton sleeves and got rid of the bustle, department stores began popping up, the art scene changed from Realism to Impressionist. La Belle Époque was truly a time to be alive for many Parisians and people around the world.

 

*All prices given are for sale in a private sale, antique shop, or other resale outlets. Price is also dependent upon the geographic area in which you are selling. Auction value, selling to a dealer or pawn shop prices are about ½ or less of resale value.

Michelle Staley is a Lenexa, KS-based dealer and researcher with 35 years of experience in the antique trade.

Send questions with photos to Michelle at michelle@discovervintage.com or TXSmichelle@gmail.com. Please keep queries to one question; questions without photos of the item may not be answered. There is no guarantee that your question will be answered or published.

Michelle is also available for consulting and extensive research work beyond this column. If you would like an appraisal on an antique or collectible please go to www.michellesantiqueappraisals.com for a one-on-one appraisal. Please note new web address.

 

The well-appointed Victorian dining table

December 2022

Michelle Knows Antiques

The well-appointed Victorian dining table

by Michelle Staley

The weather outside is frightful here in the Plains of Kansas. Today we reached a high of 28 degrees. The Farmer’s Almanac and persimmon seeds both indicate that we are all in for a cold and wet winter which means we might have a white Christmas this year.
I adore the appointments of the wealthy Victorian lifestyle. The boned girdles and bustles aren’t my thing but I love the over-the-top decorating. This is most evident by the abundance of art and mirrors on my walls and the little knick-knacks sitting around on small tables or wood corner shelving units. The Victorian era is considered to be during the reign of Queen Victoria in England from 1837 to 1901. It coincided with the Industrial Revolution and the rise of a prosperous middle class, both in the UK and the United States.

Victorian dining table

The Victorian dining table, especially during the holiday season, was a sight to behold. The centerpiece consisted of several large and elaborate candelabras. This was a practical solution to provide ample lighting and was also a stunning effect of light play as the candlelight bounced off of mercury glass, crystal, and silver that adorned the table.

The dinnerware bits and pieces that I am going to tell you about were most often seen in homes of affluence. It is quite possible that when Sears & Roebuck and Montgomery Wards catalogs hit, the U.S. middle class consumer was afforded the ability to purchase silverplate, glass, and china specialty dinnerware sets. I could not find any suitable stock photos to use as an example and in the one year that I recreated a Victorian holiday table, I failed to take pictures of it. Please try to visualize what a well-set table looked like.

Ruby Glass Pickle or Olive Castor with Tongs in a Silver Holder

Ruby Glass Pickle or Olive Castor

Ruby Glass Pickle or Olive Castor with Tongs in a Silver Holder

Eight Bottle Victorian Era Cruet Set with Silver Holder

Eight Bottle Victorian Era Cruet Set with Silver Holder

Eight Bottle Victorian Era Cruet Set with Silver Holder

* Most of the photographs are from my inventory, items I have already sold, and my mom’s house. A few came from theantiquesalmanac.com/foreveryfoodthereisadish.htm which is an amazing website filled with great information.

Holiday meal 

A holiday meal could consist of as many as 12 courses and each course required the appropriate dinnerware and serving pieces. Many households would purchase three or four complete sets of china to accommodate the multiple courses and to comply with the decorum of the times. The initial place setting was dependent upon the foods served and the number of courses. The place setting began with the dinner plate at the center. Forks were placed on the left side of the plate, starting with the dinner fork, followed by the fish fork, and salad fork, and ending with a cocktail fork, followed by the spoons. The dinner knife was placed to the right of the plate, followed by the fish knife, butter knife, and additional knives for cheese, game, or fruit, then came the iced tea spoon, cream soup spoon, bouillon spoon, hot teaspoon, and demitasse spoon. A dessert spoon and fork were placed above the plate, placed in a bowl-to-stem fashion. There was also a special ice cream or sorbet spoon which was also above the plate. Some hostesses preferred a cheese scoop to the knife. If a scoop was used it was placed with the spoons. Also, above the plate and a bit to the right was the small butter pat plate next to an individual salt cellar with a spoon. These are fun to collect and can be found in silver, plate, glass, and ceramic. If you have sterling silver cellars they must have a glass liner or else the salt will pit the silver.

Serving Pieces

Serving pieces are among my favorites and the aesthetic is relatively easy to reproduce for your table. Every meat has its own platter. The red meat platter should have small channels in it with a well of sorts at one end to catch the juices. The fish platter is adorned with a fish. Oyster plates, highly collectible, have depressions in which you place your half shell. Platter size depended on the meat being served for example the turkey platter is larger than that of a chicken, which is larger than the quail platter.

Lidded Vegetable dishes

There are also lidded vegetable dishes and those that don’t need a lid. Vegetables that would cool quickly such as asparagus, which also has its own tongs, would be in a lidded dish with a glass insert with holes in it set over warm water to keep them warm. There was no passing around of dishes so depending upon the crowd and table size imagine all of these items within easy reach of all diners, or you have servants to serve everyone.

Also, strategically places cruet holders, pickles, and olive casters grace the table. Just imagine the colors of the holders with the silver or plate polished to a high shine.

The sideboard was generally reserved for cakes, pies, other small sweets, and fruit.

Prices vary greatly

If you were to purchase napkin holders, cruets, or castor sets in an antique shop, the prices vary greatly. There are many reproductions on the market so please know what you are purchasing before you spend a lot of money. On the other hand, if you want to host a beautiful Victorian meal, start planning quite a few months in advance and hit the thrift stores on a regular basis along with the big box specialty stores along the lines of Home Goods and you will be able to pull this look off. One little thing that makes the meal perfect is to ask everyone to dress nicely. Okay, I admit that I went way overboard on the attire, it was a formal dress but everyone indulged me to the point that many of the women wore long gloves and semi-period clothing and I don’t have a single picture to show for it.

Happy Holidays to each and everyone one of you!
– Michelle

Silverplate asparagus or another small vegetable dish with a water bath on bottom

Silverplate asparagus or another small vegetable

Silverplate asparagus or another small vegetable dish with a water bath on bottom

*All prices given are for sale in a private sale, antique shop, or other resale outlets. Price is also dependent upon the geographic area in which you are selling. Auction value, selling to a dealer or pawn shop prices are about ½ or less of resale value.

Michelle Staley is a Lenexa, KS-based dealer and researcher with 35 years of experience in the antique trade.

Send questions with photos to Michelle at michelle@discovervintage.com or TXSmichelle@gmail.com. Please keep queries to one question; questions without photos of the item may not be answered. There is no guarantee that your question will be answered or published.

Michelle is also available for consulting and extensive research work beyond this column. If you would like an appraisal on an antique or collectible please go to www.michellesantiqueappraisals.com for a one-on-one appraisal. Please note new web address.

 

Thanksgiving-themed items hold their value over the years

November 2022

Michelle Knows Antiques

Thanksgiving-themed items hold their value over the years

by Michelle Staley

Cute little figural Candles

Question: These cute little figural candles have been in my family for years. I don’t want to burn them because they are so adorable. One still has a label on the bottom that says “Gurley.” Can you tell me anything about them? Thank you.

Answer: You are right. These Gurley candles are precious and becoming very hard to find in good, unused condition.

The Gurley Novelty Co. began life in 1939 as the W&F Mfg. Co. owned by candlemaker Franklin Gurley. Mr. Gurley worked with The Socony-Vacuum Oil Co. to reuse the paraffin byproduct from oil production to create a number of wax products, including candle figures. The first candles were marketed under the name “Tavern.” In 1949 Mr. Gurley purchased the rights to the Tavern name and changed the company name to the Gurley Novelty Co., where production focused on candle figurines for just about every holiday. Sales were excellent until the 1970s and the company eventually closed.

 

Gurley Novelty Co. candles

Gurley Novelty Co. candles

Grouping of the original Gurley Novelty Co. candles. (photo courtesy of the author)

 

The Vermont Country Store purchased the Gurley molds and is producing the candles. Since many of the Gurley candles lost the label on the bottom you need to learn the difference between the original Gurley’s and the contemporary pieces.

You have a wonderful grouping of the original Gurley Novelty Co. candles. I notice that you are missing the small Pilgrim girl, but this set would still fetch a nice price of $45-$50.

Turkey Platter

Question: My mom had this platter for years and only used it on Thanksgiving, we had ham for Christmas. I think it is about the ugliest platter I have ever seen, but if it is worth anything I might just keep it. Can you tell me how much it is worth?

Answer: Turkey platters abound and as a matter of fact it is a collecting genre all of its own.

With the British economy struggling after the Revolutionary War, British potteries began targeting the American market by crafting dinnerware that would sell well in the USA. Transferware and flow blue items soon flooded the market depicting patriotic scenes, historical landmarks, and the Westward expansion. Abraham Lincoln declared the fourth Thursday of November to be the nation’s official Thanksgiving Day in 1863. Around 1870, English potters began producing turkey-themed wares for the American market in honor of the newly declared day of Thanksgiving. Even companies such as Wedgwood jumped on the turkey-themed wagon with stunning pieces.

Turkey Platter

Turkey platter

Turkey platter made by the Johnson Brothers Pottery. (photo courtesy of the author)

Your turkey platter was made by the Johnson Brothers pottery in England (1883-2003*). Based on the mark on the back, your particular platter is circa 1930. The pattern is named “His Majesty” and was discontinued for many years but reintroduced in 2004.
Your 20” platter has a resale value of $100-$125. Are you going to use it on Thanksgiving Day?

* In 2003 Johnson Brothers ceased production in England, and the dinnerware is now being made in China.

*All prices given are for sale in a private sale, antique shop, or other resale outlets. Price is also dependent upon the geographic area in which you are selling. Auction value, selling to a dealer or pawn shop prices are about ½ or less of resale value.

Michelle Staley is a Lenexa, KS-based dealer and researcher with 35 years of experience in the antique trade.

Send questions with photos to Michelle at michelle@discovervintage.com or TXSmichelle@gmail.com. Please keep queries to one question; questions without photos of the item may not be answered. There is no guarantee that your question will be answered or published.

Michelle is also available for consulting and extensive research work beyond this column. If you would like an appraisal on an antique or collectible please go to www.michellesantiqueappraisals.com for a one-on-one appraisal. Please note new web address.