Category: Treasure Hunt

Dear Donna,

I’m wondering if I could sell these. They belonged to my wife. She used them for bookends. She passed last year and I don’t want to throw them away. I would love to find a new home for them.

Thank you, Donna.

Emile

Dear Emile,

I am smiling though thinking of how your wife used the old shoe forms. She must have been a creative lady.

Even though most shoe forms don’t bring a lot of value, they do have many uses today. As your wife showed us.

The values all depend on age, size, unusual forms and sometimes even makers. An average price for a common adult size matching pair would be in the range of $20 to $30.

So, Emile, I do think you can sell them and someone will find a new use for them. You can try a local antique shop. Remember, though, you will get less because they then have to market them. It sounds to me like it will make you happy just finding them a new home.

Thank you, Emile, for sharing your story with us and thank you for not tossing them.

Dear Donna,

I picked this platter up. I am aware it is ironstone and has some value. It is very discolored. It doesn’t have any damage I can see, though. My question is, can I use it and is it better just for decorative purposes?

Ashley

Dear Ashley,

Ironstone has been around since the early 1800s. It’s an earthenware, which is porous. If the original glaze finish has a slight crack or even a pin hole, moisture from using, washing etc. can get under the glaze and create what you’re seeing as discoloration.

Can you use it the way it is? Yes! It’s been used for many many years most likely in that condition. There are collectors who like that look and ones who won’t have them with any discoloration or damage. So you can decide which way you prefer it, Ashley.

But there are also ways you can get them whiter again. Not sure of exactly the mix but I know it’s peroxide and sunshine. I don’t find long-term it works if you continue to use it. Remember even though your platter looks not damaged, somewhere the glaze is.

Hello, Donna,

Can you give me some advice on how to find a new home for my doll clothes? These were from my Barbie dolls. I hate to just toss them. They are all well-used but in good condition for being from the 1970s. Any ideas would be great.

Thank you.

Samantha

Dear Samantha,

Barbies, Ken’s clothing, accessories etc from the 1960s and on can be very sought after by a collector. It could be hard to find that market.

Older Barbie dolls, clothing etc. can vary in value. An item that was mass-produced and every child had would have low value. Hard-to-find ones can be really high. So one outfit can be worth $1 and another much much more — depending on condition always. But who didn’t over-play with their Barbie dolls?

Samantha, I think if you’re looking for a good home and for someone to love them, I might try passing them down to a child to play with them again. Or if you want a value for them, I might try finding a toy collector or doll collector, possibly through an antique shop. If you have difficulty you can reach out and I can try to find a referral for you.

I wish you luck and hope you find a treasure while funding a new home. Just seeing a child’s face when getting clothes for their Barbie is a treasure!

Hi, Donna,

I was wondering if you could tell me anything about this chair. I purchased it at a yard sale over 15 years ago and I am wondering if it is worth anything. I am looking to sell it. As you can see it folds up nicely so that it doesn’t take up much storage space. I don’t see any maker marks on it. The seat and back appear to be in excellent shape, but the frame is fairly scratched or worn. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Judy

Dear Judy,

Your folding rocker does seem to be in good shape for the age (early 1900s). It does look like at some point it has been refinished and possibly reseated. The rose carving on the top is sweet.

It’s a tough piece because even though it is officially an antique it’s not very sought after for today’s decor.

For marketing it, a value would be in the $75 range. I am not sure how easy that would be. I might try a consignment store. Remember, though, you will only get part of the value.

Judy, I hope this helped and you find a new home for your sweet chair.

Dear Donna,

I picked up this necklace at a local flea market. It’s marked 14 KT on the clasp. Could the diamonds be real? Cindy

Dear Cindy,

I think the only real way to have the stones checked would be a jeweler. They have diamond testers within reach. It takes just a minute to tell. I believe any jewelry store would do this at no cost.

For now the value in your necklace would be for a gold chain. If the stones are diamond that would increase the value. It’s tough when the stones are so small, though, to produce a very high value. When valuing diamonds, you want them to be in the 1 carat size or more. Then there are many factors in determining a value: cut, clarity, color, inclusions and any damage to the stone.

Cindy, if the stones are diamond chips the value would be in the $200+ range retail. If not, the value is in the gold if it’s real (the jeweler can test that as well). The chain itself will be in the $80+ range.

I hope this helps and good luck with your results. Thanks for sharing.

Hello, Donna,

I have a half dozen of these rolls. All are pennies from the 1930s through 1960s. Not sure if I should open them up or leave them. With pennies not being made any more, I was hoping you could point me in a direction to evaluate them.

Ed

Dear Ed,

Your rolls of pennies I can say are worth more than 50 cents each now. I think it’s also safe to say, not opening them.

Ed, what you need to do is find a local coin dealer/collector, someone you feel comfortable with. I would think at that point, they would open them. I found rolls with similar aged pennies in the $20+ range. Now it really depends on contents in your rolls. But just one rare or hard to find one could change everything. You could have a treasure.

After I got my first evaluation, I think I would always get a second opinion as well. Whether they are $20 for all or much more, you want the best offer. Ed, if you need assistance, you can call me and I can refer you in a couple directions. I hope you have a treasure!