Category: Treasure Hunt

Dear Donna,

Can you help with a value on this old telescope? I’m not sure it’s still working properly but really liked the look.

Cecile

Dear Cecile,

I like the look too. Great antique decorative item.

There were several telescope manufactures and many sizes and and distance purposes. What I noticed about yours from the pictures is the leather sheathing that usually covered the brass is missing. Also, the top of the scope seems to have damage, so this could be why it might not be working. The damage could be from a fall or just wear and tear over the years. They are from the early to mid 1900s.

In the condition yours is in I would say it is just for decorative purposes and the value would be under $25. If it were complete, and depending on the maker, it would be in the $100+ range.

For decorativeness it’s a treasure!

Dear Donna,

Can you help with a value on this antique box?

Mary

Dear Mary,

Your box that you seem to be using for jewelry looks like it’s serving a good purpose.

It looks to be from the Victorian era (middle to late 1800s). The blue area is enameling and appears to have some damage. The metal covering the wood looks like tarnished brass.

The tricky part would be where you see the painting-like areas. It’s better for the value if they were painted and not just transfers. Transfers that resemble paintings were very common during that era.

Either way I think the value would be in the $100+ range as is. If they’re really painted, the value would be higher. My recommendation to be sure is to have someone take a look at it in person, as it is hard to tell just from the photo.

Dear Donna,

Can you help with a current value on this set of Matchbox cars? As you can see, they are in good condition in the box.

Mindy

Dear Mindy,

Matchbox cars are a very collectible market. It all depends on age, rarity and condition.

Your Circus Comes to Town set was from the 1990s, but Matchbox goes back further than that, and you still can find many untouched and in unused condition. With Matchbox cars that’s the important key to value. The higher prices come with mint condition, in-the-original-box cars.

Your set value ranges from $30 to $60 in the original box and complete, so keeping it as you found it is important.

Dear Donna,

I have collected these cows over the years. Please don’t ask me why! I just picked one up whenever I saw one. I am turning 70 this year and it’s time to start house cleaning.

Do you think there is a collector out there that would be interested in these plastic cows? Or do I just put them out in a yard sale?

Carol from Manchester

Dear Carol,

I’m still chuckling over your email. Thanks for sharing and for the smile.

Your cows are sweet, and I can understand how collecting one item leads to more and more and more!

Plastic cows were, and still are, mass produced, so they probably aren’t too hard to find, and each cow individually would be inexpensive to pick up. But a collection like you have should be in the $30 range. You have done all the hard work for an easy collection for someone.

I hope your collection finds a good home.

Dear Donna,
I have this basket that is probably 100 years old from my mother; I think it was for a baby. I would love to know if it has value and am also looking for ideas for places that might like this, or to find out if there is no real value other than as a family item.
Martha

Dear Martha,
I’m not sure if your basket is for a baby; it could be a gathering basket as well. It doesn’t show any signs of interior wear or of any cloth or liner.
I also can say I have never seen one made out of grapevine. Maybe it’s not American. I don’t have any expertise in this area. I’m giving you my gut feeling after doing a bit of research as well.
My advice is to bring it to an antique shop and have someone look at it directly. That sometimes can help.
I’m sorry to not be much help to you and hope you do find out more. Please share with me if you do, as I am always looking to learn more myself.

Dear Donna,
I am interested in finding out what this piece might be. Can you identify it?

RJ

Dear RJ,
What you have is a Victorian (middle to late 1800s) infant or invalid feeder. They were very common, used mostly to feed sick children or adults. There were ceramic ones, silver ones and many with a wooden handle and a silver-plated or sterling feeder like yours.

The value on one like yours would be in the range of $30 to $50. Finding a buyer might be tough, but I am sure there are collectors out there somewhere.