The Exquisite Needlework of Appenzell Embroidery

The Exquisite Needlework of Appenzell Embroidery
by Lynda Kolski (01/05/09).
http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/exquisite-needlework-appenzell?utm_source=Publicaster&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=insider-2

Some of the finest white-on-white hand embroidery comes from a small town at the foot of the Alps in northeast Switzerland. Named for the town where it originated, Appenzell embroidery has been produced since the late 1700s.

These towels are nice examples of Appenzell embroidery, although because they are only floral without any figures, they are not as highly desired.
Through the 18th and 19th century, this exquisite needlework was done by hand by thousands of women working at home. The industry flourished during the early 1900s, when some of the best work was produced. Today, there are only a few embroiderers who continue to do this fine, time-consuming needlework. Strolling down the main street of Appenzell today, by the many early homes, you can look up at the rows of windows that provided bright daylight for the upstairs workshops and imagine the women bent over their embroidery hoops creating beautiful heirloom pieces.

Buratto work fills the center of the flower.
Appenzell is usually done on a fine Irish linen fabric with linen embroidery thread. The background consists of Buratto work, which is a grid or net type of needlework. True Appenzell embroidery will have lots of tiny five-petal flowers. The embroidery consists of a very fine satin-stitch embroidery and delicate seed stitches that are so tiny and exquisite, it’s hard to imagine it was done by hand. In fact, often women doing the embroidery worked under a magnifying glass. The satin stitching is used as a filer for various parts of the embroidery from full figures to the smallest flourish, or as a fine scallop along the border. Although Appenzell is considered whitework, often pieces will have a soft gray, silver or light blue shadow, which accents the fine stitching. In addition, the borders often are highlighted by a row or two of fine hemstitching.

Notice the tiny seed stitches in the bottom center of this towel.
Figures are commonly found in Appenzell embroidery, ranging from Victorian couples in all their finery to hunt scenes, or, less commonly, battle scenes. Sometimes children are depicted, or just a man or woman’s head. Pieces with figures are more desirable than, for example, a piece with just an urn of flowers, which is another common theme.
Appenzell embroidery is becoming harder and harder to find. It is also difficult to accurately identify a piece of true Appenzell, since similar types of work were done in other parts of Europe, particularly during the early 20th century. The most accurate way to verify a piece as true Appenzell is if it still carries the original label or tag. Since most labels were removed, however, it’s rare to find a piece with the label still attached. Most textile experts refer to pieces as Appenzell-style or Appenzell-type if the origin cannot be documented.


Delicate, five-pedal flowers are characteristic of Appenzell embroidery.
Lynda Kolski is a Worthologist who specializes in early linens and textiles.

Hey buddy, got a light?

Hey buddy, got a light?
by Alan M. Petrillo_
http://www.antiquetrader.com/article/Buddy_got_a_light_vintage_lighters/
A Dunhill 1950s Standard Unique Table Model, silver plated and engine turned with an engraved name on the base. All photos courtesy of International Vintage Lighter Exchange.
At one time, when smoking cigarettes was much more popular than today, nearly every other person carried either matches or a cigarette lighter.


While there are a lot fewer smokers today than in years past, vintage cigarette lighters still are attracting attention, but now as collectibles.
Rich Weinstein, owner of the International Vintage Lighter Exchange in Hendersonville, N.C., (http://www.vintagelighters.com/), says that cigarette lighters have been collected for more than 60 years, often because people simply liked them.

A very rare Ronson 1930s Kingcase with Watch, done in Tortoise Enamel and Dureum Plate.

“Smoking was so popular back then that it was a necessity to have lighters, whether they were carried in your pocket or placed on tables in your home,” Weinstein said. “What seemed to have sparked the interest in collecting came after the advent of butane lighters, which changed the look and functionality of fire-making devices. When something seems to be going out, people become nostalgic for the ones they remember and start searching for ‘vintage lighters.’”

Weinstein noted that with lighters, as with most mechanical devices, one can follow the changes over time that they went through, how the advances in technology affected them and “marvel at the ingenuity of the people who designed them.”

Yvonne Saldate-Auld, owner of the Atlanta Antique Gallery in Chamblee, Ga., (http://www.atlantaantiquegallery.com/), considers reminiscence as playing a large part in collecting vintage lighters.

“Like many other collectibles, vintage lighters are popular because they remind people of a bygone age,” Saldate-Auld said. “In addition, people admire the craftsmanship of older lighters, and when the lighters are made in the shape of animals, airplanes and other objects, they have a broad crossover appeal with other collectors.”

Weinstein believes that Zippo lighters have attracted the most attention from collectors.

“There are thousands of Zippo collectors worldwide and Zippo has its own club that helps promote the collecting of their lighters,” he said. “Second in popularity is Ronson, a lighter with an extremely long history dating from the early 1900s through the 1980s. There are many collectors who specialize only in Ronson lighters.”

Weinstein said that one of the greatest achievements in Ronson collecting was the publication of a book written by one of the foremost Ronson collectors, Urban Cummings.

“His 1993 book, ‘Ronson — The World’s Greatest Lighter,’ spans Ronson from 1913 to 1966, and these were the most prolific years for Ronson,” Weinstein pointed out. “The book helped collectors all over the world understand and enjoy the history of Ronson.”

The third most popular lighter among collectors, Weinstein said, is made by Alfred Dunhill of London. Best known for their art in lighter manufacturing, Dunhill catered to the elite as well as the regular smoker.

For the elite, Dunhill produced thousands of lighters with artistically-crafted enameling by some of the great craftsmen of their time, many of which were adorned with watches and made of precious metals. For those interested in Dunhill, the book, “The Dunhill Petrol Lighter, A Unique Story” by Luciano Bottoni, has more than 500 color photos and plenty of information on Dunhill lighters.

Mathew McLoughlin, a cigarette lighter collector and dealer associated with Saldate-Auld’s Atlanta Antique Gallery, said that cigarette lighters can run the gamut from simple flint and spark wheel mechanisms to the piezo ignition system lighter.

“Lighters with advertising slogans are very sought after by collectors,” McLoughlin said. “Companies used cigarette lighters to promote other products and gave lighters away as promotional items. Collectors are always keen to acquire these lighters to complete their collections.”

Another popular style with collectors, he pointed out, is the novelty lighter. Such lighters come in many shapes, some whimsical, such as toys or animals, and some even emit flashing lights.


“It’s interesting to note that several states have banned the sale of new novelty lighters since they appeal to children and pose a potential hazard,” McLoughlin said. “This will likely make vintage novelty lighters more sought after.”

McLoughlin noted that after the Second World War ended, the sale of lighters was led by the Japanese lighter industry.

“Between 1945 and 1952, all lighters produced in Japan were marked ‘Made in Occupied Japan,’” he said. “Today, these lighters, like the trench art and early Zippos, are regarded as relics of an era in recent history and are highly prized by collectors.”

Weinstein of International Vintage Lighter Exchange believes that fine collectible cigarette lighters are becoming harder to find.

“Each time one is bought, it reduces the availability,” he said. “Since there is a finite amount of these, scarcity is inevitable. It’s much harder to find a great, old lighter these days than it was 20 or 30 years ago.”


However, he’s sold some rare and exotic lighters in recent times, including a Dunhill enameled lighter with attached cigarette case that sported an enameled scene of Napoleon and Josephine that went for more than $15,000.

Another of his more memorable lighters sold was an extremely rare Dunhill table lighter with attached cigarette box in sterling silver called the Dunhill Pagoda that sold for $6,500. Also, Weinstein sold a rare Ronson lighter hidden in a walking stick for $3,500.

“But remember,” he pointed out, “most lighters will sell in the $20 to $100 range, so this hobby is available to many.”

Transferware china: Blue Willow is just the beginning

Transferware china: Blue Willow is just the beginning
May 06, 2009
by Mark A. RoederSummary
http://www.antiquetrader.com


Detail of transferware pattern. All photos submitted by Mark Roeder.


Transferware china is among the most beautiful china ever produced. It’s highly collectible and often highly valuable, but affordable pieces can still be found. Just what is transferware? Transferware is any pottery with decorative elements applied by transferring a pattern from a copper plate to paper and then to the pottery itself. Transfer prints are found on china, ironstone, and porcelain. There are tens of thousands of transferware patterns, but one of the most recognizable and most common is Blue Willow.



While blue is the color most commonly associated with transferware, it was produced in other colors. Some of these include red, pink, purple, cranberry, brown, black, green, yellow, gray and various shades and combinations of these colors.

While highly collectible today, transferware was originally a cheap alternative to expensive imported pieces from China. It first appeared in the late 18th century, but became extremely popular in the 1820s and 1830s. Transferware has been made continuously since that time. Most of the transferware found today was produced in the last 50 years, but earlier pieces are out there. The earliest transferware I’ve located dates to the 1820s or 1830s. This isn’t surprising as earlier transferware was produced in much smaller quantities. As a general rule of thumb, the earlier the piece, the higher the price, but this doesn’t always hold true. Condition plays a large role, of course. I purchased a damaged, unmarked, transferware cup dating from the 1830s at a local auction for $8. The price was low because the cup had a couple of old chips and a crack. I purchased it for the beautiful transferware pattern in lavender. The cup had no handle, which is typical of early cups.

Like many, my first introduction to transferware was Blue Willow. The pattern is the most widely recognized and probably the most common as well. I was attracted to its deep blue color and attractive pattern. While many pieces of Blue Willow were out of my price range, others were far more affordable. I own some vintage pieces from as early as 1910, but most of my collection is of far more recent vintage. The beauty of Blue Willow is that old and new can be easily mixed. I actually use a set of this transferware china as my everyday dishes. I purchased an eight place setting of newer Blue Willow at an auction for only $50! That’s far cheaper than most new sets.



The Blue Willow pattern tells its own story. There is more than one variation of this tale, but each tends to flow along the same lines. As the tale goes, long ago, a Chinese Mandarin, lived in a wonderful pagoda under an apple tree on the right side of the bridge seen in the pattern. He was the father of a beautiful girl, who was the promised bride of an old but wealthy merchant. The girl, however, fell in love with her father’s clerk. The lovers eloped across the sea to the cottage on the island. Her father pursued and caught the lovers and was about to have them killed when the gods transformed them into a pair of turtle doves, seen at the top of the design.

The Blue Willow story is a nice tale, but it has no real basis in fact. The pattern was not created to tell the story. Rather, the story was told after the pattern was designed. The tale isn’t Chinese either. According to different sources, it is either British or American in origin. The tale is no more than a 19th century merchandising scheme. Blue Willow itself didn’t even originate in China. It was created in England. An estimated 90 percent of older Blue Willow was made in the Staffordshire county of England, but it was also produced in other areas of Great Britain. The British Isles do not have a monopoly on Blue Willow. A great many pieces produced after 1930 were made in Japan and various other parts of the world.

Blue Willow is only the beginning, however. Over the years I’ve purchased pieces from several of the tens of thousands of patterns available. There are some real buys out there, especially if one doesn’t mind a bit of damage. At a local auction, I picked up two 19th century soup bowls in the Asiatic Pheasants pattern. Both bowls were cracked, but still useable and I got the pair for only $2! I use these as cereal bowls on an almost daily basis. Using such damaged pieces allows me to actually use antique china without the cost or worry of breakage that comes with undamaged pieces. If they were in excellent condition, my bowls would cost upwards of $40 each.

Dating transferware can be difficult. Many of the early pieces are unsigned. Many patterns made in Great Britain between 1842 and 1883, however, were registered with the Patent Office in London. The registration marks on the reverse of these pieces can be dated. British transferware made between 1890 and 1920 usually has “England” printed on the back. After 1920, the mark became “Made In England,” I’ve noted that older transferware often has richer and more plentiful color than later pieces. Manufacturers of more recent pieces tend to skimp on the amount and quality of color. This varies greatly with the manufacturer, of course, but it is another clue to age.

Values for transferware vary greatly. Early or rare pieces can run into the thousands of dollars. Price tags in the hundreds are not uncommon, but there is a great variety of transferware available in the under $100 price range. Common pieces of recent vintage, such as plates, can be quite affordable. I’ve often sold such pieces myself at flea markets for $10 or less and I regularly spot similar examples for under $25.

Transferware can be found anywhere other antiques and collectibles are located. One good source is the household auction. Very early or rare pieces don’t usually turn up at such sales, but this is a good source for more common pieces. They can sometimes be purchased in partial sets for very reasonable prices. I’ve spotted a few good buys on eBay, too, and as usual, eBay offers quite a selection. Keep in mind the cost of shipping and insurance if buying on eBay, however, as they can significantly added to the cost. Don’t expect to find great bargains, as they are definitely the exception and not the rule. Don’t let price tags in the low hundreds scare you off, though. While much transferware is quite costly, there are a great many affordable pieces out there.

Transferware is some of the most beautiful china available. Single plates and serving pieces are great for display. Partial sets are attractive on plate racks and in china cabinets. Don’t forget to make use of your transferware pieces, too! Damaged examples, common items, and pieces of recent vintage are all wonderful for everyday use.

Whether you collect a china cabinet full of transferware or just a few pieces, you’ll find it a beautiful, nostalgic, and useful collectible that will bring you pleasure for years to come.

If you haven’t collected transferware before, give it a try. I guarantee it will add to your collecting enjoyment.




Mark A. Roeder is the author of two nationally syndicated columns on antiques, Successful Antiques Collecting and Spotlight on Antiques & Collectibles. His expertise comes not only from researching antiques, but from collecting, buying, and selling them for more than three decades.

Marghab Linens—The Finest Embroidery Ever Made

Marghab Linens—The Finest Embroidery Ever Made
by Lynda Kolski (04/23/09).
http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/marghab-linens%e2%80%94the-finest-embroidery



Yellow and white Margandie and linen placemat and napkin in the Iris design.
Close-up of the Iris napkin showing the intricate detail Marghab Linens are known for.
Imagine a tablecloth of the finest Irish linen, embroidered with the best French embroidery floss in a design of exquisite colors and flowing lines. Not a stitch out of place or less than perfect; a design so intricate that it consists of more than 85,000 tiny stitches. Only one company ever produced such magnificent work—Marghab Linens.

Started in 1937 by Emile and Vera Way Marghab on the island of Madeira—a Portuguese archipelago in the mid Atlantic Ocean—Marghab produced the finest hand-embroidered linens in the world. The company produced nearly 300 designs, many of which had several variations. Until the company closed in 1980, Marghab reigned as the finest of the Madeira embroidery houses. Several competitors, such as Imperial and Jabara, also produced fine linens in Madeira, but they were always second to Marghab. To date, no other linen house has been able to match Marghab’s exquisite workmanship.

A native of South Dakota, Vera was the driving force behind the quality and design of Marghab linens. Her insistence on the most perfect embroidery and the finest materials was unparalleled. Every piece was inspected before being sold. She was known to have rejected an embroidered piece that took months to create if just a few stitches were missing or not to her very high standards.


A tablecloth with matching napkins in the Hibiscus pattern. Some tablecloths had 100,000 stiches.
A close-up of the Hibiscus pattern. Photos do not do justice to this exquisite needlework.

At the height of their business, Marghab employed nearly 90 people in its Madeira facility. However, the majority of the embroidery was done by hundreds of highly skilled women throughout Madeira’s countryside. Then, needlecraft was a skill passed down through the generations from mother to daughter. Only the most skilled embroiderers worked for Marghab. These ladies usually worked outside in the island sunlight. Few wore glasses, and almost none used any kind of magnifying glass to do their needlework.

The embroiderers were paid by the stitch. Some of the tablecloths contained nearly 100,000 stitches. Many of the designs took months to complete, and some of the more intricate took as long as a year.

Marghab used only the finest fabrics and threads. Many of the linens were woven in Ireland specifically for Marghab. Emile and Vera made frequent trips to Ireland to supervise and ensure the quality of their linen. Marghab is also known for its own trademarked organdy fabric, called Margandie. The organdy available on the market at the time was not up to Vera’s standards, so she partnered with Swiss weavers and developed Margandie, made from Egyptian cotton. To ensure the perfect colors for their embroidery thread, Marghab had thread dyed specifically for them in England and France.


A set of Dancer cocktail napkins, which came in several colors.
Two fingertip towels in the Water Leaf pattern.
In keeping with the high standards of quality that Vera demanded for her linens, she allowed them to be sold only in chosen stores. Vera personally inspected each store to ensure it met her standards. Fifty-four stores in the U.S. were granted the right to sell Marghab linens. These salons had to agree to very strict guidelines set forth by Vera. For example, Marghab linens could never be displayed with other linens and were never to be put on sale.

Marghab linens were not signed. When new, they had a paper label pinned to them. Although you can occasionally come across a piece with the original Marghab tag still pinned to it, or still in the original Marghab box, it is unusual and a real find. The best way to identify a piece of Marghab linen is to become familiar with the designs. While some patterns have been copied, such as Rose Tree, Jacaranda Tree, Knight and Ponto Grego, there are often small details that give them away as a copy.

The book, “Perfection, Never Less – The Vera Way Marghab Story,” by D.J. Cline, is the only published reference available on Marghab linens. Unfortunately, a great deal of the book is spent on Vera’s personal life, and not on the making of Marghab linens. It has some nice full-color photos of about 30 of the Marghab designs, so it is a fairly limited resource.


Jacaranda Tree placemat and runner, one of Marghab’s more popular patterns.
A Marghab Linen cocktail napkin with the Calla Lilly design.
The largest and most complete collection of Marghab linens is in the Marghab Gallery at the South Dakota Art Museum. Vera was instrumental in organizing this gallery, which opened in 1970. In 1995, Vera died at the age of 95, and left her personal collection of Marghab linens to the South Dakota Art Museum. Its web site has photos of a few of the patterns on exhibit there. There are also a few pieces of Marghab in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Another good resource for Marghab designs is the WorthPoint website. Go to Research Your Items and under the Price Guides, do a search for Marghab linens. Susanin’s Auctions held a sale of Marghab linens for the South Dakota Art Museum in 2005, and most of the items sold are shown here with a description and photo. This is one of the most reliable resources, since these descriptions were provided by the South Dakota Art Museum, the pre-eminent authority on Marghab. If you are a registered member of WorthPoint, you will also be able to see the prices realized for each item.

Because of their limited numbers and the high quality of workmanship, Marghab linens command high prices. If you are buying them online, be sure to deal with a knowledgeable and reputable dealer. I have seen a number of embroidered linens described as Marghab that were not. I have also come across embroidered linens described as “Marghab-style.” There was only one Marghab—a piece either is Marghab or it isn’t. Once you have seen firsthand some of the exceptional embroidery done by Marghab, you will understand why it stands alone as the finest embroidery in the world.

Lynda Kolski is a Worthologist who specializes in vintage textiles.

Bold, Vibrant Vintage Wilendur Tablecloths and Kitchen Linens

Bold, Vibrant Vintage Wilendur Tablecloths and Kitchen Linens
by Lynda Kolski (03/26/09).
View All Articles By http://www.worthpoint.com/author/lynda-kolski

Wilendur’s popular dogwood pattern came with several different colored backgrounds, including dark green and white. The Begonia pattern is typical of the bright colors found on Wilendur tablecloths. This one still bears the original tag.
An early Wilendur paper tag, which, if still attached, adds value to the piece.
Wilendur tablecloths can still be occasionally found with its matching napkins.

Some of the most popular items in collectible linens today are the brightly colored printed tablecloths of the 1930s-1960s. These vintage table linens take us back to a simpler time, often evoking fond memories. Perhaps the best-known of printed table linens is the Wilendur brand produced by the Weil and Durrse Company from 1938-1984.





Weil and Durrse actually produced several lines of table linens, but Wilendur is the most popular and most sought-after. The company first began manufacturing table linens in 1924 with its “Pride of Flanders” table linens, made of fine European linen, primarily from Belgium. When importing products from Europe became difficult during the run-up to World War II, the company shifted to a heavy cotton or sailcloth fabric, and in 1938 introduced Wilendur tablecloths.

When most people think of vintage tablecloths, the heavy, durable cotton fabric for which Wilendur and other early brands are known is what comes to mind. Decades later, however, Wilendur tablecloths were actually made from a variety of fabrics, including lighter cotton, synthetic blends, terrycloth and even plastic.





There are hundreds of Wilendur designs, but the name is closely associated with the classic repeating patterns of 14-inch- and 16-inch-squares of design. This is sometimes referred to as the “array design” or “three-across.” Typically, there were three squares of the same design repeated across the tablecloth. The number of rows depended on the length of the cloth. Wilendur also made traditional border patterns, in which the design formed a border around the cloth or a solid color bordered the design.

Wilendur’s American Beauty pattern was one of several rose patterns offered. After 1958, Weil and Durrse added an e to the end of the Wilendur name. Royal Rose was yet another example of the popular Wilendur rose pattern. An early Wilendur fabric tag. Not all Wilendur tablecloths had fabric tags.

Few of the Wilendur designs were patented, so they were often copied by other companies. Sometimes Wilendur linens had a cloth label attached, but not always. It’s not unusual to find a classic Wilendur “American Beauty” rose pattern on a tablecloth bearing the label from another company. Wilendur patterns were often used on other brands made by Weil and Durrse, such as Setting Pretty, America’s Pride and Oppa Tunity. Although design can be one clue to identifying the maker of a tablecloth, because so many designs were copied, it is not a definitive identifier.

Wilendur tablecloths are commonly found in smaller sizes, such as 54-inches square or 54 inches by 72 inches. Like other printed cloths of the time period, they were meant to be used on the kitchen table, which seated four to six people. I often have customers looking for larger sizes to accommodate farm tables or today’s larger tables. However, during the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s, kitchen tables were much smaller. It’s difficult to find a vintage printed tablecloth longer than 72 inches. There are some reproductions made from vintage designs that are sized for today’s larger tables. A vintage tablecloth can work on a larger table, however. Often people will lay the tablecloth at an angle, allowing the wood corners of the table to show. Another way is to cover the table with a larger solid color cloth and drape the vintage cloth over top of it.

This Wilendur Aster tablecloth has the original tag and has never been used, but has significant storage soiling. Wilendur did a number of fruit prints, including this handprinted strawberry design. The tag on a Wilendur handprinted strawberry print design. This is an early Wilendur paper tag that was used only on towels.

Besides tablecloths, Weil and Durrse also produced placemats, napkins, runners, towels and aprons in matching patterns for their Wilendur tablecloths. Luncheon sets or tea sets, consisting of a small (usually about 34- or 35-inch-square) tablecloth and four napkins, were also available. The company also sold its fabric from bolts. Housewives could buy any length of fabric and make tablecloths, napkins, placemats, towels or curtains. The bolt fabric was either 44- or 54-inches wide with two selvage sides. All the lady of the house had to do was hem the two ends.




Wilendur tablecloths always had two selvage and two hemmed sides. This provides an easy way to spot Wilendur reproductions, as most are hemmed on all four sides. Also, reproductions are usually 60-inches square; a size that Wilendur never manufactured.





Although Wilendur is known for its vibrant and colorful floral designs, it also had patterns with fruit and vegetables, Christmas, southwestern motifs, stripes and solids, home décor, and barnyard themes. A number of classic Wilendur patterns came in several different colors. For instance “Dogwood,” a 1950s pattern, came in at least eight different color backgrounds that showcased a white and gray flower. While several of the colors—such as pink, green and red—are readily available, finding the Dogwood pattern with the black background is difficult. There were a number of rose patterns, which also were available in several colors. Roses were very popular, so this design was used widely among many of the tablecloth manufacturers. Wilendur’s “American Beauty” came out in the 1940s and was one of their best-selling designs. Red rose patterns are still abundantly available.

The back of the Wilendur label declares the company’s commitment to quality. A Wilendur yellow rose towel with an early paper label still attached. This southwest design is another example of the vibrant colors used by Wilendur. Towels manufactured by Wilendur will sometimes have a sewn-in tag. In 1958, Wilendur added an “e” to the end of its name on all its labels. Finding a tablecloth with Wilendure on the tag will date the cloth to 1958 or later.

There are many variables that affect the price of Wilendur tablecloths—condition, design, color, size and fabric are the most important. Unused tablecloths that still have their original paper tags attached command a higher price, even with minor storage soiling, which many will have. Certain designs or patterns, such as Wilendur’s 1950s lobster and clam pattern—which is hard to find and still very popular—will bring higher prices. Prices can range from $30 to $150 or higher for a pristine, unused, hard-to-find pattern. Towels generally sell for $10-25.

The bold, vibrant colors of Wilendur tablecloths and kitchen linens are still quite popular today. And thanks to the exceptional quality of the fabric used, there are many cloths still available in good condition despite the fact that they are anywhere from 30-70 years old.

Lynda Kolski is a Worthologist who specializes in vintage textiles.

Common Sense Antiques: Cleaning Wood Furniture

Common Sense Antiques: Cleaning wood furniture
March 24, 2009
by Fred Taylor
www.furnituredetective.com

Well, you bought it, got it home, lubed the drawers, leveled the doors and it looks great doesn’t it? Doesn’t it? Maybe it needs something to brighten it up. Maybe it needs refinishing – and maybe it doesn’t. Before you spend a whole lot of money to get a piece refinished, try some good old fashioned elbow grease and common sense with a little bit of information and guidance.

First, you must determine if the existing finish is sound. Does it show signs of water damage, such as white rings or shadows on the tops and legs? Does it show excessive exposure to direct sun such as flaking, peeling and discoloration or bare spots? Is the finish crazed or alligatored? If the answer is yes to any of the above, pass on the rest of this article and call someone you trust to discuss a new finish. If the finish appears sound but just dull stay tuned.

The first step is to clean the piece. Be sure to remove all hardware such as drawer pulls. You don’t want water and cleaner to puddle up around them.

Remove mildew with a solution of one capful of bleach in a quart of warm water. Wipe off the mildew and dry the piece with a clean cloth. Clean the piece with soap. Murphy’s Oil Soap is a great cleaner. Just follow the directions on the package and go to it. Use water to rinse the soap but DO NOT let it sit on the furniture and be sure to dry the piece when you are done. Don’t let it “air dry.” Be advised that Murphy’s Oil Soap and other organic cleaners such as Flaxsoap from Sherwin-Williams are just that – cleaners. They will remove dust, dirt and general grime and grunge but not years of abuse from oil based furniture polishes. This “greasy kid stuff” must be removed with a more powerful cleaner such as mineral spirits, also known as paint thinner.

Yes, paint thinner. The chemistry is totally different from the finish and mineral spirits will not hurt any solvent based finish such as lacquer, which is the finish on almost all factory finished furniture since 1900, provided that the finish is sound as described above. The exception to this is oil finished Scandinavian furniture, which requires a whole different maintenance routine.

If the finish is sound and if it is solvent based, clean with spirits and a soft cloth such as a T-shirt or diaper (cloth only) until the rag comes up clean. When you are done, the results should look like a total disaster. The piece should look dull, dirtier than when you started, and streaky. This is the residue of the spirits so don’t worry. Buff it with a dry cloth after letting the spirits dry for 30 minutes. This should improve the appearance slightly but don’t overdo it.

Now that you have cleaned dirt and oil from the finish, it’s time to shine it up. Use a little Jubilee Kitchen Wax, the white cream, on a damp, clean cloth. Apply it as if you are waxing your car, except don’t work so hard and don’t let the wax dry. Follow immediately with a dry soft cloth and buff the Jubilee to a mellow sheen. Severe cases may require two coats of Jubilee and sometimes it doesn’t work at all but it’s worth the effort to find out. If it does provide a benefit, don’t overdo it! A piece should only be waxed once or twice a year and left alone after that. Dry dusting with a soft cloth adds to the “patina” of an older piece after years of loving care. Lots of good furniture is ruined every year by “overlove.”

Send your comments, questions and pictures to Fred Taylor, PO Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423 or e-mail info@furnituredetective.com.

Visit Fred’s website at www.furnituredetective.com. His book How to be a Furniture Detective is available for $18.95 plus $3 S&H. Send check or money order for $21.95 to the address above.

Fred and Gail Taylor’s DVD, Identification of Older & Antique Furniture ($17 + $3 S&H) and a bound compilation of the first 60 columns of “Common Sense Antiques by Fred Taylor” ($25 + $3 S&H) are also available at the same address.

For more information call 800-387-6377, fax 352-563-2916, or e-mail info@furnituredetective.com.

Valuable Items That Slip Through the Cracks

Valuable Items That Slip Through the Cracks
by Robert Timmons (03/17/09).
http://www.worthpoint.com

When it’s time to liquidate a family estate what are the first things we think of as having value. The dinning room is our first thought for its silverware, crystal and that special dinner ware that you only saw on holidays. Then we hurry into the bedroom and locate the jewelry boxes. After that it’s the furniture, lamps and perhaps those favorite paintings, or pottery.

Traditionally the values have always been highest in these areas and often the other items are over looked. I’m talking about the stuff you find in the back of the chest of drawers, in the closets, on the tables, shelves and throughout the kitchen. Pocket knives, lighters, buttons, old postcards, kitchen gadgets, the old appliances, shop tools, linens, toys, books, record albums, medicine bottles, luggage, costume jewelry, clothing apparel, photo-albums, holiday decorations.

The list is unending because these items are not as important as the fine silver, china or the heirloom desk, but they were part of our everyday fabric of life. You might be surprised to find that all those miscellaneous items can have collectively quite a value.

Here are just a few examples of items that are often overlooked for value:
Pocket Knives:

This is a nice vintage double blade pocket knife marked "IMPERIAL PROV. RI U.S.A." on the 2.2" long blade, with a crown above the mark, the other blades are 1.25" long.

This is a nice vintage double blade pocket knife marked "IMPERIAL PROV. RI U.S.A." on the 2.2" long blade, with a crown above the mark, the other blades are 1.25" long.



The gold washed exterior of this vintage pen knife is elaborately engraved with fanciful scroll and floral work. The smaller of its two blades is marked "Keene New York M.I. Germany."

The gold washed exterior of this vintage pen knife is elaborately engraved with fanciful scroll and floral work. The smaller of its two blades is marked "Keene New York M.I. Germany."



To see this to see this Imperial knifeon GoAntique.com, click here. To see this Keen knife, click here;

Some of the old collectible pocket knives were made by companies like Case, Keen, Buck and Kabar and should not be overlooked. These little knives may be stuck back in a drawer or in old storage box. These are just a few of the collectible makers of pocket knives, which can bring in a tidy little sum: a Keen knife with two blades, the longer of which at 3.5 inches, can bring $45.00; A vintage Buck #301 with three blades, $30; An old Case XX pocket knife with two blades (2.25″), $40.

Not too many people smoke anymore, but the cigarette lighters are very collectible; especially when they are from a well known company or famous designer. Everyone knows Playboy and its classic black-and-white “Bunny” design. The Ronson pocket-style Bunny lighter from the 1950’s is priced from $14 to $18. Ronson makes a slim, classic-style pocket lighter that many companies have used to promote their products, from Coca Cola to power tools. These lighters can sell for $5 to $25.
Pocket Lighters:

Zippo United Fruit Co SS Talamanca Ship Lighter.

This lighter is in very good condition, with only minimal scratching. This item comes with it's original box, which is in good condition also. The box does have some wear, including very slight soiling and edge wear, and a tear in the paper as you can see from our photos. This item is marked Patent # 2032695, indicating that it dates pre-1950s.

Zippo United Fruit Co SS Talamanca Ship Lighter. This lighter is in very good condition, with only minimal scratching. This item comes with it's original box, which is in good condition also. The box does have some wear, including very slight soiling and edge wear, and a tear in the paper.



A Vintage 1959 USS Independence (CVA 62) Town & Country Zippo Lighter. Zippo is Used with wear. Basically, common wear for a lightly used Zippo.

A Vintage 1959 USS Independence (CVA 62) Town & Country Zippo Lighter. Zippo is Used with wear. Basically, common wear for a lightly used Zippo.



To see this Zippo/SS Talamanca lighter on GoAntique.com, click here; to see this USS Independence lighter, click here.

Zippo also made commercial lighters for advertisements and they, like the Ronson, have various collectible prices in today’s market. A simple but classic Zippo Army Lighter can sell for 32.50, and more if the lighter has military emblems or regimens on the outside design. We had at our not too long ago an original Zippo issued from the aircraft carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. We sold it for $55 retail, and it went out so fast that it may have been worth a quite a bit more.
Costume Jewery:

Silvertone music theme cufflink set with a G clef and musical notes motif.

Silvertone music theme cufflink set with a G clef and musical notes motif.





This vintage cuff link and tie pin set is made by Swank with June birthstone.

This vintage cuff link and tie pin set is made by Swank with June birthstone.



To see these musical cuff links on GoAntique.com, click here; to see this Swank/June birthstone set, click here.

One of the other areas of value is in the old jewelry box, after you clean out the good stuff—the diamond rings, gold and silver watches and so forth. What is left is the costume jewelry, cuff links and tie tacks. Basic assortments of costume jewelry made of different metal, glass or plastics can go for $65 to $125, depending on the age and styles. Sometimes even higher amounts for special pieces with designer names like Eisenberg, Weiss, Hobe and Miriam Haskel, just to name a few. A nice 2′-inch brooch by Weiss with imitation pearls sells for $15 to $20. A collection of rhinestone jewelry by Weiss and Kramer can sell for $60 and higher. A nice Hobe brooch, $17.50. A rhinestone ring, signed Hobe, for 27.50. A Eisenberg Ice brooch for $52.50. A Swank sliver with blue stones, cufflinks and tie bar could be valued from $5 to $7.50. On average, the cuff link sets can sell for $2 to $10, depending on the style and age.

These are just a few of the things that slip through the cracks. In most houses, if we go into the kitchen or the garage, we would find a small fortune. We tend to keep the old coffee pots, gadgets and small appliances. There are rows of price guides in bookstores today to help place current values of just about everything ever made for the consumer markets, from decades and decades back. Before you haul all those boxes off to the trash, do a little research. You may find that you have enough value there to take that Caribbean cruise.

Robert Timmons is a general Worthologist.