Author: Donna Welch

Dear Donna,

We have an older home and are looking to replace the shutters. We want older wooden ones.

Can you point me in the right direction as to where to look for bulk supplies? I would need 21 of them total.

Carla

Dear Carla,

My first thought is, wow, what an undertaking! But I can appreciate the reuse.

First you need to have an exact measurement of each window needing them. Then when you buy old/antique shutters, most are painted. So you either have to use them in the original color or condition or refinish them, which probably isn’t worth all the cost and effort.

I would start off by looking at flea markets, outdoor shows, salvage stores, etc. Twenty-one is not too big a number to look for. It’s just finding them in usable condition as is!

I think you could pick up the lot of them for $200 or less depending on size and where you find them.

I wish you luck in your hunt!

Dear Donna,

I inherited this typewriter and am wondering if you could give me any information on it, and a value.

Doug

Dear Doug,

I immediately liked your typewriter for the color.

The Royal Typewriter Co. has made many styles and colors since opening in the early 1900s. So many makes and models have survived and are still usable today. Ahh, the days when items were made to last!

Your green one is from the 1940s to 1950s. It looks to be in good shape with a cleaning needed. If you can get it typing again, I think the value would be in the $60 range.

If it’s only good for decorative use or for parts for steampunk jewelry makers, etc., the value would be lower.

Dear Donna,

My grandmother took a trip to Europe in 1913, starting in Germany and then going to the Netherlands, France, England and Ireland. She accumulated a number of postcards in the process and I’ve had them for years and am wondering if they have any significant value.

What do you think?

John

Dear John,

Having postcards from Europe is pretty similar to having postcards from the U.S. Most of them are mass-produced (even now) and of significant sites, views, places, historical pieces etc.

I think you should have them looked at just in case. Maybe a few are worth over $10, and rarer ones even more, but most in general are in the $1 range.

Dear Donna,

I came across this miniature school desk that almost fell apart when I picked it up. It was missing most of the original bolts and the remaining ones were loose. It has a little rust on it, but overall it’s in good condition. No information was on it indicating manufacturer or age.

When I brought it to a hardware store to find replacement bolts, people were fascinated with it! One person said sell it on eBay. Any suggestions?

Stephen

Dear Stephen,

My first reaction to selling it online is yikes — I wouldn’t want to pack it for shipping!

Your child’s school desk is not too uncommon to find. It’s from the late 1800s to early 1900s, but there were many. Most bolted to the floor so they seem to be found in OK condition today.

The value ranges from $20 to $75 depending on being in original condition, and some are more desirable than others (like double ones and unusual ones).

I think to find yours a new home, I might try locally and keep the price range under $30. I hope you find it a new home to be used again for a new purpose or decorative display.

Dear Donna,

I have three of these wooden soldiers. I think this was part of a bowling set that was my mom’s.

My first question is, are these old enough to have value? Next question is, could I find more or similar ones to create a collection for my son?

Emily

Dear Emily,

I enjoy the fact that the set of three soldiers might be the beginning of a new collection.

Your toy soldiers could definitely have been part of a bowling pin set. They have been made for many years, from the late 1800s to now. Older ones such as yours could have been marked at one time Germany or Japan.

I think the value would be in having the complete set, and even better if in the original box. That might be in the range of $100+.

Now for starting a new collection moving forward, that’s priceless! The hunt will be fun and there is no saying what you will find out there today. Yes, it’s always worth collecting antiques and older items. Have fun, and I will keep my eyes open for you as well.

Dear Donna,

I’m looking for an opinion on how to preserve the painting on this old cabinet. It was poorly stored for many years and I don’t think it’s worth a lot of money, but I’d like to preserve the painting. Could I do so by spray lacquer? Or is there something more appropriate? It is an old glass-shelved curio cabinet.

Clare

Dear Clare,

I want to start off by saying the cabinet looks lovely. Sad to see the wear and tear that things made over 100 years ago can go through along the way.

My advice would be to contact a specialist furniture refinisher. They should be able to do the task and possibly even have painters on hand to replace parts of the missing areas.

The downside to this is that the cost could exceed the value of the cabinet, so you have to decide whether it’s worth it.

As far as attempting the work yourself, it could be tough and the end result is the painting is gone. I feel most of the original varnish would have to be removed. That job would scare me!

I hope this was helpful and you’re successful in restoring your cabinet.

Dear Donna,

We thought you would enjoy this set of Goffstown history books. They are in good condition and full of some very interesting facts from Goffstown, N.H. Could you possibly give us an approximate value and is this something you might be in need of?

Betty

Dear Betty,

Your books look to be in great shape! Tougher to find the set, so that’s a plus. I want to say thank you for sharing with us and thinking of me for a home. I happily say I have my own set from when I lived in Goffstown. You’re right, there is so much interesting history in them.

Your books’ value comes from age, having both and condition — if the pages are all there and there are no tears, fading, wrinkles, etc. The value of town history books vary depending on rarity as well. These would be in the range of $50+.

I do hope you find a new home for your set. I still enjoy mine!

Donna

Dear Donna,

Do postcards from the 1950s have value?

Joann

Dear Joann,

I always think everything antique or collectible has a value — the question is how much.

Postcards are a market within the field that has many collectors for several reasons. Basically when looking at postcards the value is in age, rarity, condition and subject. Postcards from 1940s and 1950s that are comical mass-produced ones I’m sure have collectors for them. The value tends to run in the couple-dollar range for most. But I feel finding someone who will enjoy them again is worth it.

I am hoping you can guide me. I have this wedding band that belonged to my sister. I have no use for it and am wondering what I should do with it. It’s marked 14KT with no other markings. If I had to guess, I’d say it was from the 1970s.

Can you help by telling me what would be the best way to find it a new home, maybe with a jeweler or a gold buyer?

Karen

Dear Karen,

I think the first thing you need to do is confirm it is gold. It’s tough to really tell these days when there are so many fake marks out there.

Step 2 is find someone you can trust to do business with. The markup on jewelry is so high, returning it for a wedding band to sell again might not give you the best value.

I would see what the secondary buyback value is and then what the gold value is, assuming it is gold. That’s why dealing with someone you can trust is important. I can give you a couple names of who I always dealt with for gold and silver if needed. They can determine gold, weight and best value.

Dear Donna,

Can you provide me any information on this kitchen cabinet? Age and possible value?

Jacob

Dear Jacob,

Your Hoosier cabinet was produced in the early 1900s to 1940s by the Sellers company of Indiana. Their first cabinet was done in the late 1800s, but painted versions were later.

They were made to hold all your baking needs in one cabinet. Some had built-in flour bins, sugar jars, spice jars, bread boards, and many more useful items at arm’s reach. Also the wonderful enamel top on yours was perfect for a working surface.

Complete ones in original factory paint and condition are tough to find because they were so heavily used in the time and then repainted over and transformed into just a storage cabinet. There are many people who still decorate with them today.

Jacob, the history of Hoosiers is an interesting one to read about. Even how the cabinets got their name.

The value on them can range from $200 to $3,000. This depends on age, original condition, contents, etc. Repainted ones usually are in the range of $200 to $400.

I hope this was helpful and thank you for sharing your sweet useful cabinet.

Donna