Category: Treasure Hunt

Dear Donna,

I have a set of clear Pyrex bowls that I got at a yard sale. I’m wondering if they have value to them, being a set of three. All are in really great unused condition. I have seen pattern Pyrex pieces for much more than I paid for these, so I am curious.
Linda

Dear Linda,
I think the set of bowls is sweet, and being Pyrex is a plus. But keep in mind Pyrex is still produced today. Many patterns have changed and there have been some different styles as well over time. The company started in Corning, N.Y., but now is in Pennsylvania. Can’t think of any home that doesn’t have a piece or several in it. The stuff was made to last, and that it did.

I would say that values are in the patterns, age, condition and rarity of production of pieces. So clear and common form at any age would be in the lower end of values. Not knowing what you paid I still think in today’s secondary market the set of three would be in the range of $25. You can’t buy a good set of bowls cheaper these days.

Dear Donna,

Are you familiar with the maker on this pendant? It says 14kt and Jabel, not Jared. I inherited this from my family and was wondering if you could share any information with me on a value.
Mindy

Dear Mindy,
I have to say I had never seen the mark before, but then again there are so many jewelers out there.

What I did find out was that Jabel started off as a ring maker and later created pendants and other pieces as well. I feel safe in saying your pendant is from the mid-century era to the 1960s. I found a set of earrings that are almost a match to your design, but they were 18kt gold, so the price would be significantly higher.

I think we would be safe in thinking the value of yours would be in the $350 range in the market. It all depends on the maker, amount of weight in gold and the size and quality of the diamond.

So your family passed you down a treasure.

Dear Donna,

We recently purchased a Victorian home in Hampton. We have three doors that are missing the match for knobs. Wondering if you might be able to help locate matches. Are they worth trying to find?
Rob and Shea

Dear Rob and Shea,
The value on antique doorknobs can run usually in the range of $10 to $50 depending on material and design. Now the tough part will be to find matches — like needles in a haystack, as they say.

I would try online first to see if a match is on any selling sites. Try Googling antique brass doorknobs (you might have to replace them both if you find what you are looking for in a complete set). Or maybe you’ll find similar knobs with the same aged patina (coloring of the aged brass). Next I might try flea markets and salvage shops as well.

All of these suggestions could take time, so it depends on the amount of effort you want to put into replacing them with original ones, or finding similar ones from the same time period that will fit into the rest of the doors.

Dear Donna,

Can you tell me anything about this sweet doll? She is 3 1/2” tall and seems to be made out of string.
Tina

Dear Tina,
Your doll is part of a family for 1960s doll houses. I think they are made from a rubber plastic with string applied over it for a natural color and look and possibly durability.

Any kind of toys that made it through the 1960s to now should be priceless. I was a 1960s child and I played hard with my toys so it amazes me whenever I see such toys in good or unused shape.

The value of your doll would be higher if you can find the whole family of them together. Alone I would say that for collectors of miniatures she might be in the $10 to $20 range.

This was a necklace that we found in my mother’s jewelry collection. It seems to be a coin in good shape. Can you give me any advice on it? Should I leave it in the casing or remove it? Any information will be helpful.

Karl from Dover

Dear Karl,
What your mom has or had is a Morgan 1921 silver dollar. It wasn’t uncommon to find dollar or half dollar coins in necklace form (sometimes other coins as well). Condition on most is poor but the coins, if older like hers, are usually real silver.

The Morgan dollars were minted from 1878 to 1904 and then again in 1921 like yours. If you look closely on the back of the coin, between the D and the O of “dollar,” there should be a tiny letter. That will give you the mint where it was struck (made).

The value on them in general for the year 1921 is in the range of $25 to $40 depending on the condition. If it were mine I would leave it in the setting until you bring it to someone to see. If you are looking to sell it, let them remove it. Until then don’t clean it; just keep it as you found it.

Note: Never clean coins yourself. Always let a professional in coins handle that, because cleaning can lower the value of coins.

Dear Donna,
My sister came across these glasses at a flea market. We decided to get your input on them. They are different, but do they have any value?

Kim and Bev
Dear Kim and Bev,These glasses are fun and wild! They look like mid-century style opera glasses. That is how women would use their spectacles back in the day — to watch operas, plays, etc. — and maybe they were used for the same purpose even in the 1950s and ’60s.

It’s tough to tell the age from a photo but if they are from the ’50s or ’60s they would probably have a value in the range of $100. Beware, though; these glasses were reproduced because they were so funky and fun. New ones would be in the range of $10 to $20.

I think for you to really determine the value you should have them looked at in person. But until then you have a general idea, and time to have fun with them. They could still be used today depending on the lens strength.