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ANSWER: ONLINE ANTIQUE RESOURCES

noreply@blogger.com (maryanswers) — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 15:35:00 +0000

QUESTION: Hey, I have just started collecting antiques and am very new to this. I am facing a beginners problem :-) . I have the item with me but have no clue how to go about finding the catalogues for the items. Please Suggest some good links and forums like this which would make my job more easy. PS: I am already using google for it but no help :-(
Waiting for a quick reply. -Antiques Collector

ANSWER: Hi Antique Collector! It would help if I knew what you had to research … We have a book full of online resources we use for various items! A small list of our online resources and links are listed in our Resources & Links section of www.maryantiques.com
http://stores.maryantiques.com/-strse-template/faq/Page.bok
We also list a few of our favorite forums on this page. There are more great resource forums at:
http://antiques2.iantiquesguide.com/forum/ http://www.antiquesandthearts.com/%5C/forumresponse.asp?var=859&var2=14
http://www.antique-shop.com/forums/index.php?www
You can browse through a hallmark database and antique items sold through Heritage Auction Galleries http://fineart.ha.com/antiques/hallmarks.php
You can join collectors clubs here:
http://www.collectors.org/ or here: http://www.collectorcafe.com/
A list of glass collectors clubs here: http://www.glassshow.com/Clubs/aclubs.html

There are so many resources out there. If you provide a list of exactly what type of antique, collectible or vintage items you wish to research, I can provide many more specific resources. You may also register at maryantiques.com and submit photographs to maryanswers@maryantiques.com for help identifying a few items.
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ANSWER: ITEM LIQUIDATION - CALIFORNIA

noreply@blogger.com (maryanswers) — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 12:22:00 +0000

QUESTION: Hi. I saw your reply to the person who wanted to auction things from their storage unit on Yahoo. My family has several storage units of high-end designer things (but not antiques) that we'd like to sell, but we're unsure how. We've called around to some auction places and they offer a ridiculously small amount for the quantity and the quality of the furniture and the items we want to sell. We've tried one of those ebay selling places but we really have too much to sell everything individually online (and some of the items are large furniture pieces). We'd love to do an estate sale but don't have the space in our currrent house to display all these items in storage. Do you have any suggestions for selling things like this easily? Oh, and we live in Los Angeles. Thanks so much for any help you can offer! -Victoria

ANSWER: Hi Victoria! We have estate sale services at maryantiques. The service we offer is for estate liquidation and for private sales / collections. We value items, tag them and advertise the sale … For those services we usually take a percentage of the final sale price. Unfortunately, we only handle sales in NY! There must be a company with a similar service to ours in Los Angeles. Besides other advertising, we leave our cards with local funeral homes. You might try calling a local funeral home and ask if they know of a company that handles estate sales. Most companies which handle estates will also liquidate private collections. This would be the easiest way to sell all of your items at once.
There is a list of estate sale companies in Los Angeles here:
http://www.estatesales.net/estate-sale-companies/city.aspx?CityID=78&CityName=Los%20Angeles

Have you tried the larger auction houses? If you have high end designer items they may be interested.
Bonham & Butterfields has a monthly California auction with some contemporary (20th c) items and furniture (usually valued at under $3000). Call to see if they are interested. They will also sometimes handle an entire collection in a separate sale. They will take a commission based on the final sale price.

Auction houses should only take a commission of final sale price. Some will take a small insurance fee, and sometimes a photo fee. A dealer will usually offer a percentage of value.

LA Modern is an auction house which handles contemporary sales
http://www.lamodern.com/html/buying_selling.html
These Ca based auction houses handle estate sales, liquidations and more… http://www.siliconvalleyauctions.com/home.asp
http://www.abell.com/ has weekly estate auctions, they also pack your items to bring to their showroom.
http://www.johnmoran.com/

There are listings of many LA auction houses here
http://www.auctionzip.com/ca.html
http://www.auctionguide.com/cgi-bin/search/search.cgi?query=california&type=keyword&bool=or

As a buyer, I have also been to many private sales at storage units. If this is the option you are considering, I suggest you make a list of everything you have; what, maker, year from, size, condition, details. If it is possible to take some photographs of the items, do that as well. Then post the list and a sale date on craiglist.com, advertise your sale in local papers, hand out flyers, etc. There is always a market for high end designer items, I am sure you will get calls and visitors to your sale.

You can place free classifieds in this California free classifieds paper http://www.recycler.com/antiques/results.classified?class=5900&sortfields=sort_key_num%20descending%2C%20start_date%20descending%2Ctitle%2Cprice_num
free classifieds online from LA weekly: http://losangeles.backpage.com/buyselltrade/classifieds/Results?adLanguage=All&section=4378

Your storage company probably holds auctions to liquidate units which are unpaid or in collections. You might try asking them which company they use, then call to find out that companies commission policy. If it is acceptable, ask if they would also handle your items.

Another option is to sell to prop houses, I know Los Angeles has many of them!! Here in NY, a prop house will ask for photos and descriptions of your items and they let you know which items they are interested in and the price they are willing to pay. You can find a listing of local prop houses in the phone book or in a film production guide / book (try your local library). In NY, it is the NY Production Guide. I am sure there is also a Los Angeles or California Production Guide. Or you can try looking in the MPE guide, Motion Picture Enterprises. We sometimes rent to prop houses. It’s always nice to then offer the item for sale with the tag that it appeared in such and such commercial or movie.

Hope I've given you some viable options!
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ANSWER: SELLING ANTIQUE GRANDFATHER CLOCKS

noreply@blogger.com (maryanswers) — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 22:08:00 +0000

QUESTION: I have 2 long case antique grandfather clocks that I want to sell as I am moving and do not have room for them. I do not know how to sell them other than sending them to Lawson's actions and I want another alternative please. Thank you. 1 is a painted face and 1 is a brass face. -Catherine

ANSWER: Hi Catherine!
With the makers, serial numbers and other identification factors, I would have a better understanding of their value and therefore could provide the best options to sell them…For now, I'll give you a variety of options!
Antique grandfather clocks range from about $3500-$15,000 and up, depending on maker, workings, wood, era, rarity and desirability….
There is a free identification guide, and pay per price guide here:
http://www.antiqueclockspriceguide.com/indexlinks.php?clocktype=longcase

A great resource to date your painted face clock is here:
http://www.dialrestorer.co.uk/7.html

And another site for help with valuing grandfather clocks here
http://www.antiquegrandfatherclocks.com/search.php

As far as selling:
There is Clock Magazine based in UK for worldwide collectors which has inexpensive classified advertising rates and reaches your target / clock collector buyers.
There are several clock collector sites which have free classifieds. If they are desirable by collectors this type of direct sale to a private collector is your best option.
http://www.clockpost.com/
Join forums meet collectors find out where to sell or if they are interested….
There is an antiques / clock forum here; they also have a directory of dealers /auctions and specialty fairs:
http://antiques2.iantiquesguide.com/forum/viewtopic.php?forum=2&showtopic=205
This has a complete listing of clock collectors discussion forums in every language
http://www.horologysource.com/DiscussionForums.htm

Check for local Antiquarian Horological Societies and try to get a classified ad to their members/ clock collectors.
There is one in Melbourne, the Australian Antiquarian Horological Society
http://www.clockandwatchclub.com/ForSale.htm
And another in Sydney…
http://www.aussieclocks.com/
You may also be able to contact these societies to find out who in your area consigns clocks.
A local antique shop or clock shop may be willing to consign the item for you. Keep in mind consignment means the dealer will get a percentage of the final value, while if you sell to a dealer you will get a percentage (usually 30%) of value.
There is a list of Australian Antique clock dealers and many other resources here:
http://www.antique-horology.org/Entries/SearchAll.asp

I have had some luck selling certain items on google base, craiglist and yahoo classifieds.
Both are free…stick to your asking price!
More free classified sites: http://antiques2000.com/?
Antiques forum and a classified section
http://www.icollectorbazaar.com/qa/

They consign / sell your antique clock for you, worldwide and commission based.
http://www.clockguy.com/index.html
Also buys and sells antique grandfather clocks:
http://members.aol.com/jtrt009/index3.html

I am unclear as to whether you are opposed to selling at auctions, or just at Lawson's… Christies has an office in Sydney, and Victoria; they also have a high value minimum consignment ( i.e. they may not consign an item if it is not worth over $10,000)
http://www.christies.com/locations/regionview.asp?GlobalRegionId=2
There is an auction directory for other Australian auction houses at http://www.auctiondirectory.com.au/
http://antiquefineartauctions.com/id5.html

If I can be of further assistance please include details about your clocks and photographs.
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ANSWER: AVON, ROCKWELL & COCKTAIL SHAKER

noreply@blogger.com (maryanswers) — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 14:06:00 +0000

QUESTION: I have a small red goblet by Avon is it worth anything? Also, a Norman Rockwell Stein "Brave the Storm", and an old martini glass shaker by SKOL with a Rooster an other pictures around it.
Jody
ANSWER: Hi Jody. Without photographs, it is very hard to say. Please take some pictures and upload them to putfile.com or another free photo hosting site. Then send us the link so we may be certain of our answers…
Re: Red Goblet: I believe you have the Avon 1876 Cape Cod Goblet which were originally candleholders / came with a candle in the original box. It is part of the Avon Ruby /1876 Cape Cod line which is embellished with a raised grape type pattern. This goblet was only made from 1977-1990.
Avon collectibles are becoming more popular as the years go on. Their ruby Cape Cod series is discontinued and desirable by collectors. However, the prices for Avon collectibles is currently from $5.-$40. If I am correct in identifying your goblet without a photograph, your goblet is currently selling for $10-12.

RE: Norman Rockwell Mug: Norman Rockwell collectibles were also mass produced, and though most were limited editions, their value reflects that. I believe your mug is from the 1985 Norman Rockwell Museum Collection, offered as part of the Norman Rockwell Seafarer's Collection. They were created especially for Long John Silver's seafood shops, this was the third in the series. As it is a limited edition and there are many collectors of Norman Rockwell items, I expect it will increase in value as time goes on. Currently these mugs garner from $7-15.

RE: Martini shaker: I believe you are describing the International Toast Vintage Cocktail Shaker. It reads, A Votre Sante', Salud, To Your Health, on the top. It has red, green, black, and white graphics with recipes for Martini, Daquiri, Bronx, Whiskey Sour, Manhattan, Bacardi Alexander, Sidecar; and a rooster on two sides of the glass, a chrome lid with a spout top. If I am correct in identifying the item without a photograph, these were made in the late 1940s/50s and retail from $65-125. Depending on condition, original top, etc….

P.S. Bar collectibles are becoming increasingly popular amongst collectors. Glasses and Cocktail shakers which were once standards in everyone’s home, are now rarer and sought after. Stricter alcohol laws and the growing number of modern day teetotalers are sure to help these collectibles increase in value. For shakers, my notes indicate an increase of $5 since last year …regardless of maker.

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ANSWER: WAVY ARTWORK & POSTERS

noreply@blogger.com (maryanswers) — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 15:59:00 +0000

QUESTION: How do my vintage and antique art prints and posters get wavy and what can I do about it? Lori V.

ANSWER: Provided by Ryan Dowler http://www.rareposters.com/
A poster can get wavy by one of two ways: water damage or high humidity.
There is also a couple of solutions: one is to take the poster to a framer where the poster can be Pressed (like a giant iron) or the poster can be mounted to linen or Japon (spelling?) paper. Mounting it also helps to reduce the waviness and iron the paper out.
The first option is the best, as it doesn’t require any mounting and is very cheap. Pressing at a framer should be less than $30.00. There is no set price, and all depends on the framer and the relationship the client may already have with the framer. It should only take 10 minutes of the framers time.

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Special thanks to Ryan Dowler of http://www.rareposters.com/ for the informative answer!

ANSWER - BOXING STUFF

noreply@blogger.com (maryanswers) — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 01:37:00 +0000

QUESTION: I am looking for any boxing collectables -I dont care what... have any?
Bill
ANSWER: We have small Jack Dempsey signed boxing gloves at maryantiques.com - I will email you a photograph! We also have several more items which we will be adding to our online catalogue soon. maryantiques.com also offers a wish list service, let us know what you are looking for and we'll find it for you. Just email wishlist@maryantiques.com
You may also want to check out boxingstuff.com and http://www.gasolinealleyantiques.com/sports/boxing.htm

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ANSWER: OLD VS. NEW MILK GLASS

noreply@blogger.com (maryanswers) — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 01:54:00 +0000

QUESTION: Hi. I was at some yard sales this past weekend and came up with another question for you. How can you tell the difference between authentic milk glass and just plain white glass? I think many floral arrangements used to come with this less expensive white glass. I've also noticed that some milk glass is marked "hoosier glass". Can you tell me which is worth collecting?
Thanks lp

MARYANSWER: Hi LP.
It is hard to say what is considered authentic milk glass. Milk glass is named for its color, made by a process which achieves a milky white glass. Milk glass has actually been around for centuries. It is made from a mixture of over 50% sand or now, silica, with chemicals and minerals being added to the hot glass mixture. Older companies also used bone ash. Most of what is collected today is glass from the late 1800s to the carnival and "newer" milk glass of the 1950s. These milk glass pieces can garner high values, primarily dependent on the pattern and rarity. You will also find some of the Fenton milk glass from the 1970s is already widely collected and demanding high prices.

Basically the differences you will see in older and newer milk glass is the color and transparency of the glass. As different chemicals and minerals became available, the process of making milk glass was modified and so was its look. The older milk glass has a transparency; when held up to a light, it will shine through, while the newer milk glass is opaque. Pure white is the most common type of milk glass but especially in older depression milk glass you will find some tinted with a touch of color, blue being the most popular.

To better explain the differences, I have included some examples from http://www.maryantiques.com/. The plates were made from 1930 - 1936 by MacBeth Evans Glass Company in the American Sweetheart pattern. They called this transparent white milk glass color Monax, one has a blue iridescence. Indiana Glass marketed most of its milk glass in the 1950s. An example is the Orange Blossom Pattern snack set. The Fenton Company, still a popular glass maker, manufactured these hobnail pattern milk glass salt & pepper shakers in the 1970s and they are already highly collectible. Note that this milk glass is opaque.

Though it is rarely marked, some of the other US companies producing milk glass during the depression era through to the 1950s included Duncan Glass, Westmoreland Glass Company, L.E. Smith Glass Company, Fostoria, Hazel Atlas, Federal Glass, Anchor Hocking, Indiana Glass, Fostoria, McKee. In France, Vallerysthal was the most noted manufacturer of older milk glass.

Many companies manufactured milk glass and almost everything was made in milk glass, vases, cups, etc. In fact it is still being manufactured and some of the most collectible pieces are being reproduced today. Some reproductions of older milk glass patterns look convincing. Another way to distinguish older milk glass apart from newer or reproduction milk glass is the mold marks. The mold lines in older glass are usually more defined and sharper than on the reproductions.

When talking about milk glass you will hear other terms mentioned such as Opal Ware, Opal Glass, Opaline Glass, Custard Glass, Lattacino. Opalware is believed to be the term first used to describe milk glass. Some call the blue and colored glass made in France during the late 1800s, colored milk glass, though it most widely known as, Opaline Glass (see the blue egg shape jar). A clearer almost translucent white glass also popular in the Victorian era is called Opal Glass (vase with candelabra). Then there is custard glass, which is actually an opaque custard look glass which is never pure white. Latticino is the term for milk glass threads in blown art glass, most popular in the 1960s.

From the information I gathered, Hoosier Glass is widely mistaken with the Hoosier Manufacturing Company which was founded in 1899. [They were the first to manufacture the popular kitchen cabinets that their competitors soon copied and are almost all now referred to as Hoosier Cabinets. These cabinets were available to buyers with optional glass sets which usually included canisters, spice sets, and sometimes more, though never vases. Most glass for these Hoosier Cabinets was manufactured between the early 1900s and around 1940 by Sneath Manufacturing Company. By the way, a wonderful site to reference this type of glass is www.towbees.com.]

You will find the Hoosier name and a pattern or production number on many vases, as this glass company, similar to the EO Brody company distributed many floral holders to florists. Though, since the late 1950s, EO Brody has been a distributor of vases, etc., while Hoosier was actually a manufacturer of glass vases, floral holders. Hoosier Glass pieces are mainly clear, green, and milk glass, and are not quite as common as those marked, EO Brody. General opinion is that Hoosier glass vases are a bit better quality.

The background on Hoosier Glass is somewhat unclear: Hoosier Glass is owned by Syndicate Sales Inc. (Indiana Corporation), and is a manufacturer of, “holders for flowers; namely, vases for receiving floral arrangements.” The name was first trademarked in 1979. The trademark was renewed in 1993; yet in a quick search, I could find no web based evidence of the Indiana based Glass vase business today. Currently, the market value of Hoosier Glass vases ranges from about $5 - $15 a vase. There is a small society of Hoosier Glass collectors and it is expected to be valued a bit higher in the future.

As far as what is worth collecting ... If you are collecting for investment, look for the older more fragile milk glass by the well-known companies mentioned above. Though, I truly believe its worth collecting any piece ... if you really like it!! Besides, almost anything bought from a garage sale is worth more, or at the least, what you paid! Another collecting trend to note, is that some of the more widely produced items no one thought worth collecting are now some of the rarer antiques.
As a collector of milk glass you may also want to know about the Milk Glass Collectors Society, http://www.nmgcs.org/
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ANSWER: IDENTIFYING MARK & PIECES

noreply@blogger.com (maryanswers) — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 17:13:00 +0000

QUESTION: Thank you for your response to my Ask Yahoo question. The link you suggested was one I've checked and it didn't help. Since you invited me to ask you directly, here it is. Concerning antiques, my mystery ceramic mark is an arrow crossed with a sword, beneath is an L in script? The mark is in blue and the number, 6794 is below that. It's on the bottom of a sugar and creamer set, very elaborately decorated with flowers and leaves. The top edges of the pieces are sawtooth on both sides with goldleaf.
The last two pictures are also something I'm puzzled about…I think it's a sugar spooner, fairly hefty. On the bottom it says, The Henry Bruml Co. curved over an XIV, then a level New York...all of this engraved in the center of the bottom of the container.
Thanks so much for your help.
Maxine Booth

MARYANSWER:
Hi Maxine. As far as your porcelain sugar & creamer, they are pretty, but not very old. The pattern is transfer, note the mismatched seam in the pattern. These pieces are the Paisley Fantazia pattern sugar & creamer made by or imported by, Lefton in the 1970s. The mark on your item, the blue cursive L and the crossed sword & arrow mark is the 1971 trademark used by Lefton. There was most likely also a paper sticker on them at one time. The number is a production or pattern number. A cup & saucer in this pattern recently sold for $35.
The George Lefton Company was founded in Illinois in 1940 by George Lefton, a Hungarian Immigrant and fine porcelain collector. Lefton imports a wide variety of porcelain, glass and other products into the United States mostly from Japan.

Regarding your other photos, first it is a covered sugar. The Henry Bruml Company was an Advertising Novelty Company at 42 Warren Street, New York. Most of their pieces were found in and marked with the names of hotels, pharmacies, etc. Yours is a bit unusual because it does not have an advertising name. It may have been a restaurant piece. Most pieces marked Bruml are silver plate, so I assume yours is also. In a quick search, the only registered date I could find for Henry Bruml Company was 1930; they may have been in business for years before and after. From the looks of the photograph, the design of your piece fits in the 1920s-1930s art nouveau period. Most Bruml pieces sell within the $20-30 range.

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ANSWER: LIQUIDATING AN ESTATE

noreply@blogger.com (maryanswers) — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 16:40:00 +0000

Another question maryanswered on a different Q&A...

QUESTION: How can I liquidate my mother's estate?

MARYANSWER: I am sure your Mom would have wanted you to benefit from her collections. If you live within 90 miles of New York City we handle estate liquidation http://www.maryantiques.com. If not I am sure there is a local service similar to what we offer, search , search, search....As others suggested, you might try a local auction house, they will auction entire house contents or entire collections. They will usually come to the house and evalulate it, no lugging... they take a commission, well worth it --they publicize your items and I agree, since their commission is based on the sale of your item, they work to sell it. Of course, if your items do not sell, you do have to bring them home yourself, but most will sell! Try http://www.auctionzip.com/cgi-bin/auctio... they list local auctions. Antique dealers will most likely offer you 30% or less of the items value. You might also try consigning at local shops too. Hope I've helped!

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ANSWER: IDENTIFYING A SILVER HALLMARK - WB

noreply@blogger.com (maryanswers) — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 16:10:00 +0000

QUESTION: I would like to identify the hallmark on an antiques silver plated gravy boat with 5 hallmarks, WB & Co S EPNS?

MARYANSWER: Without a photo it is hard to tell. WB or W.B. is also the mark for William Brearley - 1863 - 1872. W.B & Co is the mark for William Briggs & Co - 1875 - 1922. You would have to compare your mark to items made by all of these companies to be certain. There are wonderful silver and silverplate hallmark sites out there. These have photos of many makers marks, http://www.silvercollection.it and www.925-1000.com also Abes Silver (he charges a $3.00 fee - well worth it if you need to research!) The Silver Forum is also a valuable tool for learning about and researching silver / plate hallmarks. We have more resource links at http://www.maryantiques.com - resources & links page.

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ANSWER - CLEANING ANTIQUE GLASS

noreply@blogger.com (maryanswers) — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 00:49:00 +0000

Linda P said...
wow -- I found your answer about cut vs. pressed glass really informative. Now I'll have to check all my vintage glass to sort out what's what.

QUESTION:
Does anyone know how to remove scale or lime deposits from glass vases? I have one square piece that must have been used as an aquarium and I can't get the scale out of it. Thanks for any suggestions!

MARYANSWER:
Thanks Linda P!
Chemicals in water causes lime scale buildup in glass... Your vase might have been used as an aquarium, it may have been in the ocean, under the kitchen sink or just used to hold flowers!! Any water residue may cause buildup: Glass must be cleaned and dried thoroughly to preserve its luster.

A good scrubbing with a soft brush and warm soapy water will remove most dirt, but is usually ineffective in removing scale stains. There are professionals whom clean antique glass. I have a few tricks you might want to try first.

Before we get started, a few don'ts ... First, never use hot water or any extreme temperature, you may crack the glass. Never scrub flint, flashed or stain glass, you will rub the finish off. To avoid scratching your glass, do not use abrasives. Do use a soft bristle brush which will not scratch your glass. Keep in mind, wet glass is slippery, wet soapy glass is an accident waiting to happen! Try wearing planter gloves with rubber grips and wash glass carefully over a soft plastic tub or foam liner in the sink.

One of the first things I try on scaled glass is Efferdent Denture cleaner (this also works on some porcelain stains...another post!) Follow the directions, let it sit. Then, use a soft brush or cloth and gently scrub the remaining lime away. From your vase description, you may have to try this more than once. Glass stovestop polishing creme with a soft brush may also work. Some use Lime Away or other bathroom lime remover. In extreme cases the chemical, muriatic acid will almost always work. If you chose this method to remove the scale, be sure to follow the directions and read all cautions on the label; wear heavy protective gloves and a mask to protect yourself from harmful fumes. Most chemicals do not mix with water and two chemicals may be dangerous if mixed together, so be sure your vase is clean and dry beforehand.

I glanced through a 1912 issue of The Houswife offered at maryantiques.com and found what could literally be called an, "old wives tale" ... A copper penny with a little white vinegar and some good but careful shakes. Of course, Bon Ami was the most advertised cleaner of that era. A newer tale ... rinse it with some Coca Cola: Another is to soak it with bicarbonate of soda /antacid. I have not experimented with these methods yet.

Remember to wash and dry your vase thoroughly after any treatment. Keep in mind, water residue .... and ceramic tile floors, are potentially damaging to your glass! Oh, for those who aren't sure … antique glass is not a good place to store your fish!

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ANSWER - Cut vs. Pressed Glass

noreply@blogger.com (maryanswers) — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 16:05:00 +0000

QUESTION: Hi.
I have a question about identifying glass. How can you tell if a piece is cut or pressed glass and which is worth more?

Thanks for the help.

Linda

PS -- Great site by the way!

MARYANSWER:

Many people are confused about the difference between cut and pressed glass!

Cut glass is usually higher quality glass. Held to the light you will see a refraction of light that breaks into a prism color effect. However, there were some pieces of pressed glass that were very high quality and made to imitate cut glass. They may be mistaken for cut glass at first, but close inspection will reveal the difference…

Pressed glass is also sometimes referred to as Pattern glass, as it was a method that could be used to manufacture many pieces in the same style (pattern) in various colors. Pressed glass has the pattern pressed into the glass when it is molded. Pressed or Pattern glass will nearly always show the mold marks, a very thin raised line caused by glass filling the very small gap where the mold parts come together. Most pressed glass were made with three or four part molds, few were two. In other words, if you see two to four - or any - thin raised lines on your piece, it is pressed or pattern glass. Look closely, some pressed glass may have the mold mark disguised by part of the pattern.

Cut glass has the pattern cut after the basic shape has been molded. Cut glass will not show any mold marks, as they are cut away or polished off during the process of cutting the pattern.
Generally, even on the small intricate patterns, cut glass will have very well defined patterns, whereas pressed glass nearly always has a slight blurring on the details.
When you run your fingers over pressed or pattern glass the edges feel rounded. The feel of cut glass is sharper, as the glass was actually cut with a wheel to make the pattern.

As far as value, though cut tends to be slightly higher, there are significant collectors of each. As always, the maker, quality and demand determine the value!

Other Glass Notes:
EAPG is Early American Pattern Glass. EAPG period was about 1850 to 1915. Before that, most glass was not grouped into families with shared design (known as a pattern!). EAPG implies that the item belongs to one family or pattern. You can search for matching patterns online using maryantiques resources and links page

ABC is American Brilliant Cut glass. ABC is usually referred to as ABP, American Brilliant Period was about 1875-80 to 1920.

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ANSWER - Using Your Senses! - Testing Bakelite…

noreply@blogger.com (maryanswers) — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 14:52:00 +0000

QUESTION: I just bought a bracelet and was told it is bakelite. How can I tell if it really is? Is there a test?

MARYANSWER:

Using Your Senses! - Testing Bakelite…

Many recommend using a hot needle or hot water to test items. Others use Dow Scrubbing Bubbles and Formula 409 for testing Bakelite.

Unless you really don’t care about your item maryantiques does not recommend these methods!!

A hot needle test will leave a hole or a tunnel if your item is plastic. Hot water may destroy an item made from celluloid. A little Dow Scrubbing Bubbles or Formula 409 rubbed on the item may determine if item is Bakelite (the rubbing cloth will turn yellow). However, if it is ivory or bone it may stain it. Also, you must make sure to wash all of the chemicals off and dry your item thoroughly to ensure no damage is done to your item.

In fact, other than using your senses … sight, hearing, touch, smell … there are no safe methods of testing Bakelite.

Use your sense of sight. A Bakelite item may be cast, laminated, inlaid, carved, and tinted almost any color of the rainbow. Bakelite can be transparent, translucent, or opaque. Bakelite colors, however, do change with age. The surface color tends to darken, and a patina develops. For instance, white Bakelite may become creamy ivory or a light yellow color. Very fine pits and scratches are also produced with wear.

Use your sense of touch. Feel the item. Bakelite tends to be heavy. It is heavier then plastic, celluloid and most of other similar materials. It is dense, once it has been heated and formed, it can not be melted down and re-formed.

Use your sense of hearing. When two pieces of Bakelite are tapped together they make a distinctive deep clacking noise, later plastics produce a high pitched clicking noise.

Use your sense of smell. Rub the item aggressively with a finger until it gets hot. Smell your item or finger. If it is Bakelite, you’ll notice an odor….an unforgettable carbolic acid smell.

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WELCOME

noreply@blogger.com (maryanswers) — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 23:09:00 +0000

HI!
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A little about me...

At twelve I picked up my first antique….a gorgeous Victorian hall chair. My neighbors were throwing it out and I begged my parents to let me have it! From that time, the obsession took over. I began taking my allowance to garage sales, asking relatives and neighbors for items they deemed old and I felt were treasures. Then I bought at auctions, took vacations just to go antiquing…The innocent childhood hobby had become an obsession…a passion. As the years went on, I not only acquired knowledge but accumulated quite a collection. A wide variety of items from every era gone by.

This year I am pleased to announce the opening of maryantiques.com.

And with that comes this blog…

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