Category: Treasure Hunt

Dear Donna,

Can you help me age this Mickey Mouse eraser? Is there any value to it?

Thank you.

Christine

Dear Christine,

I have seen many of these so I think I can help.

Your Mickey Mouse pencil top eraser was manufactured by the Diener Co. The owner was a good friend of Walt Disney. In the late 1950s he produced a line of Disney character erasers from his company. Along with Mickey there were many other Disney characters —Pinocchio, Goofy, Dumbo, Donald Duck etc. I believe yours, in the style it is, was from the late 1950s or 1960s. The value is in the range of $15 in good condition.

Christine, I hope this was helpful and thanks for a smile. How can you not when you see a Disney item?

Hi, Donna,

My parents got this from my dad’s aunt about 20 years ago, not sure how long she had it. We are just wondering how much it would be worth to sell. It also comes with a dining table and four or six chairs. Not in perfect condition — there are some dings.

Thanks.

Carol

Dear Carol,

Your black lacquered dining room set is in an Asian decor style. Looks to me like it was a high-quality set when purchased.

The issue for me is it’s really not considered an antique. It looks like it could be from the 1960s-ish. To put a value on it I think first it has to be in good clean condition. Any damage or areas needing work will take away from the value.

I would try retail consignment or marketing it yourself. If you bring it to a consignment store they should be able to help in pricing it. I also think photos of all of the set will help too.

Carol, I’m sorry to not give you more than advice. Tough for me to give you a proper value for it. Good luck and I hope you find a new home for it.

Dear Donna,

I just purchased my first in what I hope will be a small collection of pig cutting boards. How can I tell which ones are the best to collect? I don’t intend on using them but could I use older ones still?

Thank you, Donna.

Danielle

Dear Danielle,

I want to start off by saying what a nice collection it will be! Cutting boards have been around for centuries. Pig-shaped ones were popular during the 1930s and 1940s.

I think if I were collecting them I would go for clean ones with no damage. Some cutting marks on the surface wouldn’t bother me. Being that old, some might have been overused or have become oily or discolored or have edge damage. Even though they have come from the 1930s you still can find them in clean condition.

As far as using them, there are all kinds of cleaning agents for wood out there, including food-safe conditioning oils. After cleaning them I would feel comfortable using them for serving on. I think, though, if I wanted to use one for cutting I would mix in a new one to my collection. That’s just my preference.

Remember collecting is an investment as well. The values on pig cutting boards run from $10 to $100.

Danielle, I’m happy to share with readers people collecting items from the past. It always puts a smile on my face being an antique enthusiast. Thanks for sharing.

Note: Pig shapes are considered good luck!

Hello, Donna,

Can you give me any information on this hand-painted wood blue jay? I believe it could be hand-carved as well. There are three places where it might have been in something on the bottom. It’s 9 inches long and 3 inches wide.

Charlene

Dear Charlene,

Sweet blue jay bird! It’s tough to tell a value if there is no maker or carver’s name on it. You didn’t mention it so I am assuming there are no markings. So let’s start off by just the quality of the carving. Look at detailing, intricate carving, painting, etc. You can also check the eyes to see if they are glass or plastic. Glass eyes are better for a higher value.

The holes were probably a place to go into a base, as you said.

Taking all this into consideration I would say the value of your carved wood blue jay is in the $40 range.

Dear Donna,

I found this in my dad’s jewelry box. Wondering if you can tell me if it’s military. My father was in the Vietnam War. Thank you for any information.

Wendy

Dear Wendy,

What you found is not a military medal. It looks like it could be and I can see how you thought that. It is from the National Rifle Association, an award medal given for good marksmanship at 50 feet, as it says on it. There are several different medals like this; most are a base metal with a plate of tone color. The value on them is in the range of $10 to $30. Even though the value is lower they still are collectible to enthusiasts.

Thanks for sharing, Wendy.

Donna Welch has spent more than 35 years in the antiques and collectibles field, appraising and instructing. Her new location is an Antique Art Studio located in Dunbarton, NH where she is still buying and selling. If you have questions about an antique or collectible send a clear photo and information to Donna at [email protected], or call her at 391-6550.

Hi, Donna,

I have a rattan chair made by the Wakefield Rattan Co. out of Wakefield, Mass. The chairprecedes the merge with Hayward Furniture Co. As you can see by the label the pattern date is April 1877. After much research all I know is that it is called a double back chair. But that is about all, except for the information on the label on the bottom of the chair. Can you tell me more about the chair and its value?

Jane

Dear Jane,

You made my job easy on your chair. The research you have done on your Wakefield chair is correct. It was before the merge in the late 1800s into Hayward Wakefield. The value on most Hayward or Wakefield items, and even Hayward Wakefield items, is high as long as there is no damage and the item is close to original condition. They were a leading company in rattan furniture and then went on. I found values all over the place. The more elaborate the design the higher the value. So I think it’s safe to say yours would be in the $700+ range to a collector. Nice treasure!

Donna Welch has spent more than 35 years in the antiques and collectibles field, appraising and instructing. Her new location is an Antique Art Studio located in Dunbarton, NH where she is still buying and selling. If you have questions about an antique or collectible send a clear photo and information to Donna at [email protected], or call her at 391-6550.