Rare Books Commanding Record Prices

Last week a soldier’s first edition of “The Federalist Papers” sold for $80,000 and edition of “Common Sense” sold at auction for $56,000. That’s over $1.2 million.

Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas was pleasantly surprised by the positive buyers’ response to their recent Rare Books and Historial Manuscripts auction that included a 1st edition of the Federalist Papers. When the piece hammered at $80,000 ($95,600 with Buyer’s Premium) the applause in the room wasn’t only for the greatness of the lot, but also for the recipient of the full hammer price: Captain Nathan Harlan, an Indiana National Guardsman preparing to ship out for his second tour of duty.

Prior to the auction the lot had been conservatively estimated to bring $8,000-12,000, but the price rose amidst a flurry of international publicity and multiple bidders. Before the auction Heritage offered to waive its previously agreed-upon, customary seller’s commission in a show of support for Captain Harlan and his upcoming deployment; he gratefully accepted the offer.

“I can’t thank you enough for all of your help,” Captain Harlan wrote to Heritage. “You not only made special arrangements for me to receive the money because I will be overseas when settlement day comes, but you also waived the seller’s fee. That’s unbelievable in this day and age.”
The winning bidder is from the Baltimore, MD area.

“We have been moved and amazed by the reach of this story,” said James Gannon, Director of Rare Books at Heritage Auction Galleries.

Early American history showed sustained strength throughout the auction, especially in the form of an historic second edition of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, which brought $56,760, and a 1663 document signed by Mayflower pilgrim John Alden, the man widely credited as the first to set foot on Plymouth Rock, which went to an erudite collector for $15,535.

Superb examples of first edition fiction tomes were in great demand during the Rare Books section of the auction with a trio of books whose publication dates span the better part of 135 years. Chief among these books was the most recent, and certainly the most famous to modern day audiences: A first English edition hardcover copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, just one of an estimated 500 from the original printing, brought $29,875, showing the continuing strength of the premiere run of this popular series.

A remarkable first edition first impression of Charles Dickens’ masterpiece Great Expectations, in the original cloth no less, brought $23,900 from a determined bidder, while a first edition first printing of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ American classic Tarzan of the Apes, in its original dust jacket – one of just 5,000 original copies printed – rose to the occasion with a price of $20,912.

Two more intriguing lots finish the Top 10 of the Heritage June 16 event: The original Fort Knox Bullion Depository blueprints and a singular archive of writings from mid-19th Century Supreme Court Justice John McLean, spanning four decades (the 1820s through the 1850s) of his notable life. Both lots respectively brought $6,572.
It just goes to show you, that even in a weak economy, unusual items still sell for a lot of money!

Appraising Value of Toy Soldiers

Vintage Toy Soldiers in Good Condition

Nadja,

Hi! Our organization is having a silent auction as a fundraiser and someone donated iron toy soldiers to us. I read an article you wrote and wanted your advice on the value of them. Every piece is made of iron. I have cannons, cannon balls, powder kegs, shovels, soldiers on horseback with ponytails on their hats, hats with wings, and soldiers on horseback with flags and hats with a pointy front. I also have every type of foot soldier and horses by themselves. Can you give me an idea of the value of these things or tell me where to look? Thank you so much for your help!!!

M.S.
Education Alliance

http://www.whatsupmag.com/home-garden/antiques/08-11-25/Antique_Toy_Soldiers.aspx
The above link should take you to the article.
A question was also sent to this blog on the topic in November of 2008, so there are a lot of folks out there with metal toy soldiers. It sounds as if you have an incredible donation and you can probably increase the value of the bid if you can give some history on the collection and its relationship to the previous owners. Referred to as provenance, the ownership history can greatly increase the value of an antique or collectible. As to the basic value– while there are reference book/price guides I’d suggest thinking in terms of counting up the pieces and multiplying by 10 to work up a base price and then adding another $100 on top of that for your charitable cause. If you are looking for a reference point, I’d recommend http://members.upnaway.com/~obees/soldiers/links.htm.
The best of luck and I hope you raise a lot of money for your cause.

How to sell Antique Silver Flatware

Nadja,

I would like your advice on the best way to sell sterling flatware. I am interested in selling a set of Stieff Rose. Here’s a description of what I have.

78pc STIEFF ROSE PATTERN STERLING SILVER FLATWARE SET

Presented is a fine 78 piece sterling silver flatware set by Stieff. The set is done in the Stieff Rose pattern which was first produced in 1892. The knives, hollow handle carving fork, and servers have sterling silver handles and stainless steel blades. All other pieces are solid sterling silver.

The set includes:
• 8 dinner knives: 8 7/8 inches long
• 8 forks: 7 inches
• 8 salad or dessert forks: 6 inches
• 8 soup spoons: 6 ½ inches
• 8 teaspoons: 5 7/8 inches
• 8 small teaspoons: 5 ½ inches
• 8 flat handle butter spreaders: 6 inches
• 3 hollow handle servers: 9 7/8 x 2 ¼, 9 7/8 x 1 ½, 6 1/8x 1 3/8 inches
• 1 hollow handle carving knife 14 inches
• 1 hollow handle carving fork 11 1/2 inches
• 5 serving spoons: 8 1/2 inches
• 2 iced tea spoons: 7 ½ inches
• 1 butter or cheese knife: 7 1/4 inches
• 1 cold meat (three prong) serving fork: 7 5/8 inches
• 1 berry spoon with repoussé strawberries on the bowl: 8 inches
• 1 sugar spoon: 6 inches
• 1 point tip spoon: 6 inches
• 1 ladle: 6 1/4 inches
• 1 cocktail fork: 6 inches
• 1 2-prong fork: 4 3/8 inches
• 1 butter pick: 5 5/8 inches
• 1 broad flat spoon: 5 ¼ inches
The condition is very good to excellent. Several pieces need to be polished. The pieces are hallmarked on the reverse with Sterling Stieff. The backs are monogrammed with “W”.

I appreciate your advice.

L. W.
Response:

The good news is, the price of silver is going up. The bad news is, fewer and fewer people have time to polish silver and it is never a good idea to put sterling flatware in the dishwasher.
If you have the time, the highest prices are paid for individual pieces by folks who need to replace a missing item from their set, such as an iced tea spoon. You can selling the set, piece by piece on eBay or a similar online auction and the items are easy to ship, as they are not breakable. Set up an account. Wait until the check clears before shipping or only accept money orders.
If you are in a hurry, there are plenty of dealers who inventory large quantities of flatware to sell as replacement pieces. To give you an idea of prices– currently a five piece place setting is listed at $170 but an individual soup spoon is listed at $85. Expect to receive half of the list price from a dealer.
To give other readers some background on the Steiff Rose pattern, which is extremely popular in the Baltimore, Maryland region of the country- the design is characterized by an ornate raised rose pattern. The earlier pieces, probably produced before the factory moved from downtown Baltimore to the Wyman Park neighborhood are slightly larger in size and heavier in weight. In 1979 Steiff purchased Samual Kirk and Sons having previously purchased the assets of the Kirk Corporation in the late 60s. In 1990 Lenox Incorporated purchased Kirk-Steif and still produces the Steiff Rose pattern.

How to Sell Wedgwood Dishes

Charnwood, a discontinued pattern by Wedgwood

Hi Nadja,
I have enjoyed reading your articles in the magazine. I have a set of 8 plus other serving pieces of fine china – Wedgewood the Charnwood pattern. I am interested in selling the set but am not sure how to go about finding a dealer that might be interested in this china. Any ideas?

Thanks,
L.J.

Your inherited set of Wedgwood in the Charnwood pattern is sold by a number of dealers online who specialize in discontinued china patterns. Introduced in 1951, it is a colorful and handsome design inspired by polychrome designs from the late 19th century. If you no longer wish to keep the set of dishes, the pattern was discontinued in 1987, you could probably sell the dishes online. I found a similar set which was being offered for $1200. Individually a dinner plate sells for approximately $60, while a lunch plate sells for approximately $35. Plan on receiving approximately half of those list prices, if selling to a dealer. Consider trying to sell your set online at Craig’s List, Ebay, or through a newspaper classified advertsement.
Regarding your general questions concerning finding appraisal help, please read the previous blog entry.

How to Find an Antiques Appraiser

Hi Ms. Maril,

I am new to the area and was reading the Eastern Shore magazine and noticed an article you wrote on ruby glass and that you attended an art museum opening in Centreville, which is near our house. I was hoping you could guide us. We have several boxes of collectibles, many of them old and possibly antique, and would like to have them appraised before deciding what to do. This includes porcelain dishes, silverware, framed pictures, etc. In the article it mentioned that you are a former antique dealer. We wondered if you could recommend a couple of dealers who may be local to us whom we could call upon?

We really appreciate your help–

S.L.
Centreville, MD

There are so many different kinds of antiques, no one appraiser is an expert on everything. That’s why I would recommend that you first visit some local antique shops and ascertain who is specializing in what type of item. For example, there are dealers on Maryland’s Eastern Shore that specialize in oriental rugs and others who specialize in decoys. Consult with dealers who know about the items you’re seeking to have appraised. Do not pay for an appraisal, if the same dealer is planning to purchase the items.
You’ll also notice that there are a number of pseudo “Antique Road Shows” that give folks the opportunity to get a general appraisal for five or ten dollars. On March 21st and 22nd, such an event (16th Annual Antiques Show and Appraisal Event) is going to take place in Easton at the Waterfowl Building. The proceeds collected benefit the Mental Health Association of Talbot County. (410)-822-0444. This is an inexpensive way to get a general idea on values from experts.
(It’s written about on the Giving Back Page in the current March issue of What’s Up? Eastern Shore). Stay informed on local events by visiting our websiteand sign up for our e-newsletter when you visit the site.

A Question About Antique Toy Soldiers

The underside of one of the cast soldiers.

[caption id="attachment_156" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="A Diverse Group of Collectible Metal Soldiers"][/caption]
I am trying to research and find out about my antique toy soldiers and their value. I played with these metal/tin type soldiers as a little girl in the 70’s. I believe they were my father’s. I was told then that they had a great value to them since they were antiques. The paint is worn off and I am wondering if they are “connoisseur figures”. Can you help solve this mystery for me, I have attached pictures above

Thank you!
M. H.

Thank you M.H. for your interest in learning more about antiques and sharing your photos. (Bloggers, if you’d like to read the original article the writer is referring to, please go to www.WhatsUpMag.com and look in the Antiques department in the Home section of the content listings. You’ll find other articles about antiques there as well.)
In answer to your question, you have inherited some collectible soldiers, but I am dubious as to their “great value”. From what I’ve seen, the more valuable soldiers consist of large sets, in excellent condition, with the original box. Your soldiers look well worn and well loved.
I do not, however claim to be a specialist in the field of antique toy and model soldiers. The best course of action I’d recommend is to do further research by consulting some reference texts on the topic. If there is any markings that designate a particular company or at least let you know whether or not the soldiers were made in America, that will get you started.
Even if you find that your soldiers are only in the $25 to $65 price range for the group; you have some heirlooms to pass down to your children with happy memories attached.
All the best-
Nadja Maril

Thoughts on Antique Maps

This email was sent in response to the article published in print and online

Dear Ms. Maril,

I had intended to send this note sooner but needed a quiet Sunday morning after the elections to do so.

I have a number of maps collected since 2000 or so, but want to highlight four to make a few points. All are beautiful, none is priceless but each was made for a different reason.

- Thomas Fuller’s “Juda” (or Judea from his “A Pisgah Sight of Palestine” published in 1650. It goes from the Med in the West to the Dead Sea in the East, from Jerusalem in the North to Kadesh Barnea (the furthest point the Israelites reached in their first journey to Canaan) in the South. Fuller, an English preacher and writer on religion and history, was not a cartographer and it is said that three artist collaborated with him to produce the three lovely cartouches on the left and the dramatic scene of the Dead Sea on the right. There’s a small scene of David and Goliath, a depiction of Moses standing on Mt. Pisgah as he oversaw the locations of the 12 tribes of Israel with many annotations, flags and historical sites shown clearly. This is a quintessential Holy Land map meant to accompany his text. “Booksellers have always done well by me.” he said. It is a map that accompanied his unorthodox views of sects for which he was pilloried by Puritans and loyalists alike.

I had the map mounted with a mid to dark blue inside matte and a larger yellow matte. It’s stunning and, I believe, colored contemporaneously. Which brings me to two other points: contemporaneous color makes the map slightly more valuable though fading over 350+ years in this case may have encouraged owners to have the coloring redone; second, any maps mounted on non acid-free matting will deteriorate over time, a consideration all collectors should observe.

- Georg Matthaus Seutter’s 1728 map of the Mogul Empire, a part of his “Atlas Novus.” This large (25″ X 21″) map was once folded to fit the folio. The overall shape of India is incorrect, the hinterlands is roughly accurate. The map has two lovely cartouches (top and bottom left) and a trading ship taking on cargo in the Bay of Bengal. The theme of the map is the wealth of Indies and north to the Tartariae Pars and east to China. I’ve not checked the interior geography (which, in such maps was often a guess based on limited access) but the coastline appears fairly accurate but probably not good enough for an exacting navigator. It was made at the time that the East India Company was consolidating its trade and political power which led in many ways to the British eventually gaining complete control of the Indian subcontinent. As this was not a practical map for navigators, my guess is that it had a fair amount of cheerleading underlying its publication but it remains a very handsome map whose message was “wealth.” It’s interesting nonetheless that the Portuguese Vasco de Gama was the first major explorer of this region, though no maps remains from his visits as the Portuguese were notoriously guarded and suspicious that others would use their discoveries against them. Find me a fine Portuguese map and I’d be highly interested.

- Willem Blaeu’s 1634 Prester John (Presbiteri Ioannis) map featuring present day Ethiopia. It is in two pieces, the large map and an accounting in Latin of the “Regnum Abissinorum” that I’ve placed on the back of the mounted map. But, the interest is the story that the Pope feared a Mongol invasion and turned from help to “Prester John,” a Christian potentate who ruled over an empire carved out from within Muslim and pagans in the Orient. This was a popular though thoroughly mythical story that endured from the 12th to 17th Century and the locus shifted from the Orient to Ethiopia when Blaeu made his story map, accurate along the coast but fantastical in the interior with animals and large lakes not present then or now. Decorative they are and that must have been the point. Much the same with an “Oceani Ethiopici” in the lower left where the Sudan now is. The Red Sea is well-depicted, but the upper right just shows an empty Arabia Pars, the desert that it must have seemed in 1634. The map, however, is to retell the story of Prester John, a tale five centuries in telling and retelling. It just does it in the form of a map with an accompanying test. The map was based on an Ortelius 1573 map that’s almost a duplicate on a larger scale, more colored and with many of the improbable animals in the same places. (The Ortelius is on sale for 1000 euros, the Blaeu was much less, than half, no doubt because of Ortelius’ fame, the older age of the original and the “ripoff” by Blaeu.) A last note on this map: it shows the Congo to the west and Mozambique to the bordering south, a truly Sarah Palin view of Africa but centuries before her time.

- Back to Blaeu, this time Johannes and Cornelius, sons of Willem (17thC vice 16th). This map is a 1666 highly color-outlined map of Greece and its islands. It would have no value for navigation, has a wonderful cartouche of Socrates or an allegoric figure in the lower left, and would probably just be a part of an atlas or folio of maps. It also has a coat of arms of the probable sponsor of this map, Claudio Salmasio, a French author of an Anthology of Greece. My guess is that this map was for home collectors of handsome “coffee table” books but was incorrect in showing Macedonia as a part of Greece, a mistake made by several prominent 17thC cartographers. This map is much in the spirit of the Stoopendahl bible books that highlighted the map showing the “Journey of St. Paul and the Other Apostles,” via a shipwreck and his grievous injuries near Malta and his death upon reaching the Vatican. This map has been done many times by others with 12 surrounding small pictures showing various biblical scenes. The Stoopendahl may not be the best of many maps on thuis subject, but it makes for a handsome piece of decoration with a story.

I suppose what I’m saying is that maps more often told stories than they were practical. I doubt that many three century old navigational maps or charts exist. The maps were educative, they were handsome, they were in some ways historical, but they were often allegorical and they were created by men who did not travel on the vessels that collected the information on coastal navigation and interior features that they depict.

D.H.
Crownsville, MD

Antique Globes Another Type of Collectible

Remember when teachers used globes of the world to explain about geography? It wasn’t that long ago. My daughter, who is now fifteen, was given a globe of the world when she was six and it seemed like a nifty gift at the time then, but now everyone uses computers to find there way around the planet.

Besides the names and the boundaries of various nations keep changing. This month I wrote my antique column in What’s Up? Annapolis and What’s Up Eastern Shore magazines (November 2008 at www.whatsupmag.com)  about maps, but I didn’t have space to talk about globes.  The older ones, certainly fall into the category of antiques and collectibles.

There are those colorful small tin globes  of the world that were made between the 1920s and 1950s. Small in size that sat atop many school desks and were used for easy reference. The there are the early, and much coveted, leather globes that were crafted and made by hand.  Values can range from a few dollars to several hundred, depending on materials and condition.  For someone who likes to travel they can  make a fine and unusual gift.

How Old is My Antique Miller Lamp?

Miller Lamp

Hi there.. I was wondering if you may be able to answer a question about this lamp I recently acquired from my great grandmothers house. It’s a Miller lamp, about 26 inches high. It’s marked EM& Co 1149 underneath. I haven’t seen it in any old catalogs, eBay, or even your book, that I recently purchased on Amazon. I’m trying to narrow down the exact year. All I have heard so far is anywhere between 1900 and 1920. Have you ever come across this particular lamp? Thanks for any info and for your time.
A.L. Wakefield MA

You have inherited a very handsome lamp by the Edward Miller Company founded in the mid 1840’s and located in Meriden, Connecticut. The company is still in business, so if you want to specifically determine the exact year of manufacture you could try contacting them and see what they have in their files from the early 1900’s. I have placed their contact information for you at the end of this blog entry.
Generally, based on the style and design of your lamp I estimate your lamp was made in approximately 1920. I base this on the simple geometric style of the sillouette cutwork influenced by the Art Deco style. However, there were many overlaps in style influences so your lamp could be as early as 1905. I take it you already examined it for any patent numbers or dates on the sockets or base. These may provide further clues. You can contact the U.S. patent office to look up dates of specific patents, however this only helps approximate age as an older patented socket might be used on a newer lamp.
275 Pratt Street
Meriden, CT 06450 USA
sales@themillerco.com
Telephone:
(203) 235-4474
Want to read more articles on antiques by Nadja Maril? Here is another one you’ll enjoy from the WhatsUpMag.com website. Go to www.WhatsUpMag.com

Unique Case Increases Value of Antique Photos

Mid 19th Century Ambrotypes in gold leafed frames

Recently a reader and colleague shared with me an unusual item- a lovely boxed set of antique photographs. These are no ordinary photographs, they are ambrotypes, popular in the mid 1800’s these were positive images affixed to a glass plate. Often confused with its earlier cousin, daguerreotypes, an image captured on a thin layer of glass. You can tell the difference between the two by holding the glass plate and tipping the image one way. If it is a daguerreotype it becomes nearly invisible, tip it another, and the image pops into view. It is this distinctive “memory ” that makes the daguerreotype recognizable and distinguishes it from ambrotypes and tintypes. To read more about early photography please link to my antique column on the subject at http://www.whatsupmag.com/apr06/antiques.shtml

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One side of Victorian era gutta percha case.

Even more interesting than the images it contains is the box itself, which is made from gutta percha. Popularly used for furniture and jewelry during the Victorian era, gutta percha gets its name from a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. The sap from the trees produced a material that could be molded into the appearance of carved wood and a number of ornate furniture items made by the Gutta Percha Company established in 1847 were exhibited at the Great Exhibition held in London in 1851. Carved brooches, lockets, and beads were made of gutta percha and sold as mourning jewelry. It was even successfully used for golf balls!

Created in a mold, the box gives the appearance of being carved.

As for the value of the box, with molded decoration on both sides and the ambrotypes that are handsomely surrounded by gold leaf decoration still in mint condition- I would place it at between $350 and $500. The box itself is worth approximately $150 and portrait ambrotypes usually start at $50 each and go up depending on condition and rarity of subject. As this is a specialized type of antique, by going directly to collectors or dealers, the seller may have better success obtaining a higher price.