WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES

WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES
magazine
WORLDCLASSANTIQUES.COM
VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 3 | DECEMBER 2015
CONTENTS
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5
7
9
11
13
14
15
17
19
20
1
IDENTIFYING STERLING SILVER
How to identify silver hallmarks
CHRISTMAS RECORDS
The joys of being a collector of Christmas material
TRIP PLANNER FOR ANTIQUES & MUSEUMS
Add museums to your antiques trip destinations
RARE HANDHELD DEXTERITY PUZZLE GAME SET IN ORIGINAL BOX
From the World Class Antiques Online Marketplace
SETTING RECORDS ON THE AUCTION BLOCK
Dinosaurs, Dummies and Diamonds
WEBSITE BUZZ
Technical updates, announcements, and more
WHAT WE’RE READING
Reading recommendations from World Class Antiques editors
WOOTON DESK
Order Reigns Supreme, Confusion Avoided. Vexation Spared
TOY TRUCKS UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE
Vintage toy trucks – great collectibles, great Christmas gifts
SHOWCASE YOUR ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES WITH VIDEOS
Featured Videos
CHINA STILL HOLDING STRONG AGAINST US FOR ART AND ANTIQUES
Insight into the global Art market
WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE
7
Trip Planner for
Antiques & Museums
Rare Handheld
Dexterity Puzzle Game
Set In Original Box
9
11
Dinosaurs,
Dummies And
Diamonds
VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 3 | DECEMBER 2015
2
IDENTIFYING
STERLING SILVER
BY WAYNE JORDAN
I
recently got an email from an estate
executor wanting to know the best way
to “get rid of five sets of silverware”. It
seems that the decedent had received
one set as a wedding gift in the late 1940s,
and subsequently inherited sets from her
grandmother and an aunt. Then, she was
gifted two more sets from her mother-in-law.
Having five sets to dispose of in one estate
is unusual, but an estate with silverware to
dispose of is a fairly common occurrence.
After the American Civil War (1865) weddings
morphed from being simple at-home affairs to
becoming the ostentatious galas that they are
today. Wedding gifts went from being practical
household items to flashy luxury items. In the
early 19th Century, retailers began to adopt
gift registries so that gift duplication could be
avoided. For the first three-quarters of the
20th Century, it was customary for new brides
to receive some form of silver as a wedding gift.
So, there’s a lot of the stuff around. The
problem is that gifting formal dinnerware
fell out of fashion in the 1980’s and GenX’ers
and Millennials don’t seem too interested
in collecting old silverware. A lot of it can be
found at estate sales and flea markets. Some
of it is valuable Sterling silver. Much of it is
monetarily worthless, good only for use at
the dining table. There is not enough silver on
silver-plate to amount to anything. Some silverplate, however, is collectible (notably Sheffield,
which is a subject for another article).
Generally, vintage silver accumulations (it
would be inaccurate to call them “collections”)
are a mixed bag of silver-plate and sterling,
flatware, platters, bowls, etc. all thrown
together in a cabinet and priced well below
the value of the silver alone. The same is true
for an estate’s jewelry; some will be genuine
Sterling but most will probably be plated alloy
knock-offs. Those who know how to identify
sterling silver can often walk away from an
3
estate sale or flea market with an instant
profit. That being said, here’s how to sort
through an accumulation of vintage “silver” to
see if there’s anything worth acquiring.
First, arm yourself with a jeweler’s loupe,
a magnet, and a good silver identification
guide such as Jackson’s Pocket Guide (British)
http://www.amazon.com/Pocket-JacksonsHallmarks-Ian-Pickford/dp/1851491694/
ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=144
3623252&sr=1-1&keywords=pocket+hal
lmark+guide or Schiffer’s Encyclopedia of
American Silver Manufacturers. http://www.
amazon.com/Encyclopedia-AmericanManufacturers-Schiffer-Collectors/
dp/0764306022/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=U
TF8&qid=1443624048&sr=1-2&keywords=
american+silver+hallmark+guide There are
thousands of hallmarks, and some silver items
may contain up to four separate identification
marks. If you’re not inclined to carry around
books while you search, then a subscription to
WorthPoint’s Marks and Library http://www.
marksandlibrary.com/ will enable you to use
your smartphone to perform a search. There
are also free online guides to silver hallmarks,
such as http://www.925-1000.com/.
Check each piece for the obvious, i.e. a
declaration that the piece is Sterling. This
check may need to be done with a jeweler’s
loupe, because some of these marks are
very small. Most items made in Europe and
North America will indicate sterling if the item
meets the sterling standard, which is .925
parts silver and .75 alloys. If you see the word
“Sterling” or “Ster” (or the letters “S” or “SS”),
then you can be reasonably sure that what
you have is Sterling. Collectors may argue this
point because these days knock-offs abound.
Counterfeit silver may be marked Sterling, or
even have some sort of hallmark.
The best way to catch counterfeit hallmarks is
to understand the laws pertaining to marking
WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE
silver. Hallmarks have been regulated by law
since the days of ancient Egypt, so the subject
greatly exceeds the parameters of this article.
Serious collectors of silver should invest in
several collectors guides, beginning with the
ones listed above.
If there is doubt about an item’s authenticity
– such as an item’s weight or it’s “ring” not
seeming quite right, check the item with a
magnet. If the item is magnetic, then it has a
high concentration of alloy and is likely silverplate, not Sterling. A magnet test won’t work
if the item is stainless steel (non-magnetic)
and silver plated. Other methods of testing for
silver are available, but none are sure-fire and
may need to be done in combination. These
methods include:
•
•
•
•
Test for oxidation by rubbing with a soft
white cloth. If the cloth picks up black
marks from the item then it’s likely silver
(or at least silver-plate).
A piece can be tested with nitric acid
(kits are available) but chemical test only
indicate the presence of silver; an item
may still be plated.
Smell it. If the item has a sulfuric, metallic
smell then it’s not real silver; real silver is
odorless.
Perform a needle test (if you can get away
with it). Scratch an inconspicuous area
with a sewing needle (or a black stone) to
determine if it is plated or solid.
Not all silver is Sterling silver; some silver
is better (has a higher percentage of pure
silver) and some is not quite as good. Most
countries have adopted some variation of
the English system of identification, but not
all (some countries require no identification
at all). In most cases the quality of the silver
should be indicated on the item as a number
or a fraction. For example, the number 925
indicates sterling silver, as does the fraction
925/1000 (the numbers representing the percentage of pure
silver in the object). If the silver content is not marked at all
but still reads “silver”, be suspicious; some items marked
silver (such as “nickel silver”) are mostly alloys. Other types
and qualities of silver that you may find are listed below.
Some of these aren’t commonly found in North America, but
one may find them on antique item:
•
•
•
•
Fine silver, .999
•
German silver .800 or .835
.925 sterling mark, replacements.com
Britannia silver, .958
French silver, .950
Russian silver (found sometimes in the Canadian &
American Northwest), .916
or .875
Knowing how to identify the various qualities and types of
silver is just the beginning for a devoted silver collector. There
is a wide range of values even among similar items; some
makers and patterns are rarer than others. But, the place to
start is in knowing how to identify Sterling silver and I hope
this article (though short) has set your foot on that path.
Precious metals testing kit amazon.com
Jeweler’s loupe inteke.com
Mixed lot of silverplate liveauctioneers.com
VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 3 | DECEMBER 2015
4
CHRISTMAS RECORDS
BY JIM TRAUTMAN
O
ne of the joys of being a collector of
Christmas material is the large number
of different categories in which you can
specialize. Decorations, lights, advertisements,
wrapping paper, miniature figures for
Christmas village scenes, creche figures or
Coca-Cola material. The list is endless.
One area that will provide a lifetime of
searching is Christmas records. Christmas
singles and albums recorded and released in
the last 90 years would fill a very large book.
From 1926-1957, favourites of the Christmas
season were released on heavy 78RPM
records. Sold singly or in many instances in
full albums that contained two, three, or four
records. The 78s were eventually replaced by
the vinyl long-playing 331/3RPMs. In addition,
A short list of some Christmas
favourites and the year that each
was released.
1942 “Happy Holidays”
1946 “The Christmas Song”
many Christmas single hits after 1949 were
issued on the popular 45RPM vinyl records.
Christmas records have been recorded by
famous artists, unknown artists, groups, and
many were instrumental with full orchestras
or just organ and chimes. After World War
II, Christmas was recognized by companies,
department stores, and other organizations
as a perfect way to not only advertise their
product, but to provide customers with
records as a thank you gift for purchasing
automobile tires, batteries, phonographs, or
making purchases at a specific store. It was an
advertising tool to create repeat customers,
not only in the holiday season, but for the rest
of the year.
Some holiday movies were created around
certain songs that would remind the
viewer of the good times of Christmas past
and present. The movie and the songs
would often become a seasonal favourite.
The popular Christmas song received its
greatest boost during World War II with the
introduction of “White Christmas”. The song
was written by Irvin Berlin in 1940. Its fame
came about when Bing Crosby sang it in the
1947 “Here Comes Santa Claus”
1950 “Silver Bells”
1951“It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like
Christmas”
1954“There’s No Place Like Home For
The Holidays”
1957 “Jingle- Bell Rock”
1957 “The Little Drummer Boy”
1958 “The Chipmunk Song”
1962 “Do You Hear What I Hear”
1963“It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of
The Year”
5
The 1951 Decca Records boxed set of 78RPM records of
“Merry Christmas – Bing Crosby.” Included was “White
Christmas” and the Andrew Sisters singing “Santa Claus
is Coming to Town.” Value $75.
WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE
1960’s Christmas record volume 7 issued by Firestone
Tires. Each year Firestone would issue a new record for
customers to purchase in the store or some dealers
would give it as a gift for repeat customers. A new song
appeared on the album “I Still Believe In Christmas.”
Value $12.
1942 musical movie Holiday Inn. He sang it
as a duet with Marjorie Reynolds and the
song won an Academy Award in 1943. What
everyone thinks of as the original recording
of “White Christmas” is not in fact the original,
but a second recording made on March 19,
1947. The master of the original had been
copied so many times that it was no longer
useable. So Bing Crosby had to record a
second one and it is this master recording
that is heard every holiday season.
On October 4, 1943, Bing Crosby recorded
“I’ll Be Home For Christmas” with the John
Trotter Orchestra for Decca Records. It shot to
number three on the charts and stayed there
through the Christmas season, and remains
a Christmas favourite. “I’ll Be Home For
Christmas” became the most requested song
by soldiers and their loved ones back home
during World War II. Both of these hits from
more than 70 years ago continue to be heard
each holiday season.
In 1949, the first releases of Christmas
favourites were produced on the new vinyl.
45RPMs – Christmas Hymns and Carols appeared on RCA
records. It was a special 45RPM set of red vinyl records sold
or given out by the local RCA authorized dealers. The RCA
Red Seal Record has crossover appeal for the collector of
Christmas records or the collector of company advertising
material. Into the early 1950’s, vinyl 45RPM sets began to
replace the heavy 78RPMs.
With the end of World War II the Baby Boom was under way,
and Christmas records began to be focused on the millions of
new children in the United States and Canada. In December,
1949 the big hit was “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” sung
by Gene Autry. The song was based on a story by Robert May,
which he had written for his young daughter to assist her in
coping with the death of her mother in 1938. May worked for
the Montgomery-Ward Department Store chain and when he
read his story at a party, the company purchased it and put it
in a comic book, which was given to children after their visit to
Santa Claus at the department store. Eventually when Robert
May fell on hard times, the company returned the rights to the
story to him. (I don’t believe that would ever happen today.)
Millions of children grew up listening to “Rudolph the Red
Nosed Reindeer”, the next year Gene Autry had a second
hit with Frosty the Snowman. The song on the B side of the
record was “When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter”. Children’s
records were produced throughout the 1950’s on various
labels and connected to popular children’s television shows.
In 1953 “Howdy Doody and Santa Claus” was released by
RCA. All the famous characters from the show were heard on
the record. Children’s records were manufactured in bright
red and yellow colours. Peter Pan Records released many
Christmas records for children in the 1950’s and 60’s. One of
the singing groups was the Caroleers who later put out their
own 331/3RPM Christmas album.
A 1939 record by the Franciscan Clerics of Mission Santa Barbara, California. The
Mission is known as “The Queen of the Missions.” In the 1930’s the Franciscan
Choristers appeared on the three major radio networks and in 1939 presented a
nation-wide radio program for the coronation ceremonies of Pope Piux XII. The songs
are sung in Spanish. Value $25.
Throughout the 1950’s and 60’s hundreds of Christmas
records were issued each season by such artists as Johnny
Mathis, Dean Martin, Andy Williams, Guy Lombardo and His
Royal Canadians, The Norman Luboff Choir, Loretta Lynn and
Elvis Presley. My favourite was the singing dogs barking Jingle
Bells. I can remember my little cousin broke the record and
then we spent the afternoon trying to glue it back together
with Elmer’s Glue. It did not work. A friend has informed me
she and her siblings wore out “Alvin and the Chipmunks.” The
magic of the holiday season is everyone has a favourite song
which takes them back to a special place in time. It’s what
makes Christmas special.
Other albums were issued by such companies as Goodyear
Tire, Firestone Tire, A&P Grocery stores. The albums were
issued through company outlets. RCA continued to issue
45RPMs with four songs on each featuring their famous
artists Perry Como, The Ames Brothers, Harry Belafonte, Nat
King Cole.
As for the acceptable conditions of a record, it depends on
the collector. Some collect just for the album cover, others
are more interested in actually playing the records. Christmas
albums can be found at yard sales, second hand stores,
flea markets from 25 cents to a few dollars. The material is
unlimited.
Merry Christmas – my favourites are “Silver Bells” and the
“Christmas Song”.
1960’s Capitol Record Album of Nat King Cole Christmas Songs. Included was his famous
version of the “Christmas Song.” Value $12.
VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 3 | DECEMBER 2015
6
TRIP PLANNER FOR ANTIQUES & MUSEUMS
NORTH OF TORONTO
A
re you planning a day trip north of Toronto? Here’s our recommendation for a single-day, exciting
antiquing trip, consisting of 4 stops to indoor antique markets. The trip starts in Glen Williams in
the Halton Hills, continues to Caledon and Barrie, and ends in Elmvale.
North of Toronto
•Beaumont Mill Antiques &
Collectibles, Glen Williams
•Inglewood Antique Market,
Caledon
•Barrie Antiques Centre,
Barrie
•Main St. Market Bazaar,
Elmvale
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WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE
VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 3 | DECEMBER 2015
8
RARE HANDHELD
DEXTERITY PUZZLE GAME
SET IN ORIGINAL BOX
VIEW ITEM IN MARKETPLACE
T
his is a game collector’s dream come
true. An outer box, with minor wear,
that contains these 4 dexterity
games:
•
•
•
•
Skill Bingo.
Blackout: The bombing planes have
been sighted, they will arrive in exactly
two minutes. Can you blackout all the
lights in time to save the town.
Popeye the Juggler.
Chinese Checkers as Played in the
Orient
The Popeye the Juggler game is made by
King Features Syndicate, Inc. dated 1929.
Games are in good condition and they
look complete. The games look unused,
the paint on the metal rims is near perfect
and there is minor wear to the red box.
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WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE
The Blackout game has the cardboard
back pushed inwards and Popeye’s pipe
is loose. The games are about 3.5” inches
by 5.5” inches. The total box is about 15”
inches by 6” inches by 1” inch. Both issues
can be easily fixed, but I will leave that to
the new owner.
Box is in good to very good condition,
considering its age. Shows signs of age,
wear, scuffs, scratches, and one corner
is taped, but otherwise a strong and
complete box. There is an old inventory
SKU sticker on the back showing H Games
and most likely an inventory number. The
item was left as found, untouched.
If you would like to see more photographs,
please do not hesitate to ask. A highly
collectible and rare toy.
VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 3 | DECEMBER 2015
10
SETTING RECORDS ON THE AUCTION BLOCK
DINOSAURS, DUMMIES
AND DIAMONDS
I
t’s not unusual to find strange items coming
up for auction. Just look at the weird things
that have come up for sale in the 20-year
history of eBay, like Justin Timberlake’s
half-eaten French toast or Mayor Rob Ford’s
crack-confessing tie. Thankfully, in the world of
antique auctions, the strange and unexpected
are classified as such for their rare and
extraordinary value.
DEADLY DINOSAURS
Dinosaurs are becoming quite the attraction
of late. From a wooly mammoth to a cave
bear and sabre tooth tiger, if it’s dinosaurs
you’re looking for, then the Summers Place
Evolution Auction is just the place to find
them.
This year on November 25th, the headliner for
the Evolution auction will be the Allosaurus,
the first predatory dinosaur skeleton to be
sold in Great Britain. The Allosaurus date
back to the late Jurassic Period, about 155 to
145 million years ago, and were one of the
biggest of their kind. This particular specimen
measures over 9 feet in length and is expected
to fetch anywhere from $600,000 to $1 million.
The director at Summers Place Auctions,
Rupert van der Werff says: “We are pleased
to be offering this skeleton to our global
customers, and expect a lot of European
and Asian interest in this. The Allosaurus,
together with the T-Rex, has become the
quintessentially large, carnivorous dinosaur in
western popular culture. Given the size of this
Allosaurus it also adds the cute factor and it
may not just attract interest from museums,
but could also be the wow factor in a luxurious
living room.”
That would have to be a very luxurious living
room indeed!
THE LARGEST PRIVATE
VENTRILOQUIST DUMMY
COLLECTION
When you’ve been collecting for as long as
Dan Willinger, it’s not easy breaking up your
prized collection, especially when the objects
in question stare back at you as if to say, “How
could you!”
But as life would have it, circumstances left
Willinger with no choice and after a painful
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WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE
decision, he’s parted ways with all but seven
dolls from his collection of 250 ventriloquist
dummies.
It’s an extensive collection that would impress
historians and collectors alike, with several
of the puppets falling into the true antique
category. Topping the bill, though, for those of
you in the know, are three George and Glenn
McElroy dolls with provenance, and 60 Frank
Marshall characters. Each dummy is expected
to fetch $200 to $300 each, and $2,000 to
$3,000 for the more valued ones, with a few
rarities valued at $20,000.
The first half of this auction took place on
September 26, and the following one on
October 25, 2015 at Crown Auctions in New
Hampshire.
THE MAGNIFICENT BLUE MOON
DIAMOND
Sotheby’s auctions are known for setting
world records, and the next Magnificent
Jewels and Noble Jewels auction will be no
exception. The headliner for this show is the
very rare Blue Moon diamond, an exceptional
beauty that will make auction history as
the largest cushion-shaped fancy vivid blue
diamond to hit the auction block.
David Bennett, Worldwide Chairman of
Sotheby’s International Jewellery Division,
commented: “The tremendous excitement last
year over the discovery of a 29.62-carat blue
rough diamond at the Cullinan mine in South
Africa has now been proved to have been
totally justified. Weighing in at 12.03 carats, the
‘Blue Moon’ diamond is a simply sensational
stone of perfect colour and purity, combined
with a superb cushion shape. Blue, for me, is
the most mysterious and magical of all the
colours of diamond, and the Blue Moon will
now take its place among the most famous
gems in the world.”
This exceptional rare gem took more than six
months to cut and shape into the exquisite
cushion-shape – a job you should only trust
to the professionals. Now the diamond
weighs 12.03 carats. It has been classified as
internally flawless by the Gemological Institute
of America (GIA) and given the highest
possible colour grading of any blue diamond
in existence. It is estimated to fetch $35-55
million at auction in Geneva on November
11th.
entitled Arab in Black was used to fund
Mandela’s legal defence in the 1950s. The
unusual frame comes from one of the ornate
antique door cases from Zanzibar, where
Stern worked during the 30s and 40s. Stern
used these kinds of frames for her most
precious works, and thankfully so, as it is
perfectly preserved and has been saved from
its former, inglorious role as kitchen notice
board.
The painting sold for $1,671,805 at Bonham’s
South African Sale on September 9th.
JUST FOR FUN
If you’re into surrealist art or if you’re a big fan
of Pink Floyd, then take notice! The famous
eyes, designed by Storm Thorgerson, went
on sale on October 13th at Summers Place
Auctions. These eyes stand 6 foot high, 3 foot
wide, and weigh 50 kg each. They are one of
ten pairs designed for Pink Floyd’s DVD, Pulse,
and are expected to fetch $12,000-$16,000.
ADVERTISE WITH US!
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH
From million-dollar diamonds to million-dollar
paintings, and a remarkable find in a London
flat of a work by South Africa’s foremost
artist, Irma Stern. Valued at $2 million, the
painting was casually hanging on the kitchen
wall, covered in notes and reminders like a
common-or-garden bulletin board.
The piece has an extraordinary provenance,
starting with Nelson Mandela. The painting,
If you’d like to place an
ad or have a question
about advertising in
the magazine, please
contact us.
VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 3 | DECEMBER 2015
12
WEBSITE BUZZ
Technical updates, announcements about new product and services,
additions to our help center and more!
NEW! ADD BROCHURES AND FLYERS TO YOUR ANTIQUES EVENT LISTING
We’ve rolled out two new features on World Class Antiques to make your antiques shows and events pop! By frequent request, now you can
add a PDF presentation file, along with an event image that displays right on the listing.
Here’s an example: https://worldclassantiques.com/eventdetail.aspx?eid=199
PDF Presentation: Great for flyers, brochures, catalogues, maps, price lists or buyer/seller packages. Upload in PDF format only with a 2MB
maximum size; visitors can download and save to their computers.
Event image: This is different from the gallery feature, and displays right on the event listing(s). Great for an event cover photo, posters,
advertisements and more.
Both options are simple to use, with the option to select files from your computer or drag and drop right from your desktop.
Learn how to use these great features in this help tutorial:
https://worldclassantiques.com/Help/directory-events.aspx
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WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE
WHAT WE ARE READING
to the ombre DUETT lamp to the elegant
KROKEN lounger.
Source: http://www.apartmenttherapy.
com/10-of-the-best-vintage-ikeapieces-222736
IN PHOTOS: VINTAGE NEW YORK
A look back at New York city through the years.
Source: http://www.harpersbazaar.com/
culture/features/g6070/vintage-new-york/
A BOUNTIFUL ERA FOR
SINGAPORE ART
11 BEST VINTAGE IKEA PIECES:
BRING THEM BACK!
A call to IKEA to bring back some of the
amazing stuff that used to line the retailer’s
shelves. From a chair-that-turns-into-a-bed
Wang Zineng, Head of Sale for Southeast
Asian Art, looks at the series of convergences
that have seen art and the market booming in
Singapore, ahead of the sale of Singapore Art
on 29 November at Christie’s Hong Kong
Source: http://www.christies.com/features/
A-bountiful-era-for-Singapore-Art-6769-1.
aspx
Have a story that you’d like
to share with us?
Just send us an email.
VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 3 | DECEMBER 2015
14
WOOTON DESK
BY WAYNE JORDAN
“Order Reigns Supreme, Confusion Avoided.
Vexation Spared”.
W
hat more could one possibly want from a desk? The above
advertising text from the British newspaper The Graphic
from May 17,1884, imbues the Wooton Patent Cabinet Office
Secretary (or “Wooton Desk”, as it came to be known) with all the
virtues of the Victorian age. “With this Desk” continues the advert, “one
absolutely has no excuse for slovenly habits in the disposal of numerous
papers, and a person of method may here realise that pleasure and
comfort which is only to be attained in the verification of the maxim: “A
place for everything, and everything in its place.” (The King of Desks:
Wooton’s Patent Secretary by Betty Lawson Walters Smithsonian
Institution Press Washington D.C. 1969)
Manufactured for a mere ten years from 1874 through 1884 by the
Wooton Desk Company of Indianapolis, Indiana, the Wooton Desk
quickly became established in the homes and offices of industrialists,
bankers, educators, and publishers on four continents. Wooton Desks
were sold in the U.S. Canada, Europe, South America, and Asia and
anchored the personal offices of such luminaries as Ulysses S. Grant,
John D. Rockefeller, and Joseph Pulitzer.
Unfortunately, the Wooton Desk was born into a rapidly changing
business environment; one might say that it was doomed from
inception. Prior to the advent of the Wooton, business was transacted in
ink via hand-written letters, contracts, and ledgers. The concept behind
the Wooton Secretary was that one well-organized businessman would
be able to keep track of all his correspondence and filing in the Desk,
which combined a writing table, filing cabinet, letter-box, and safe into
one portable unit.
Incorporated into a single rolling cabinet, the Secretary contained doors
that would open from the front to reveal two wings containing pigeonholes on one side and file boxes on the other. A solidly-supported
writing table would fold down from the top front. Drawers and cubbyFour Grades: http://historicindianapolis.com/woot-woot-for-the-wooton-theking-of-desks/
holes were provided above and below the writing desk. Without moving
one’s chair, a user had access to all one-hundred-ten compartments.
When not in use, the unit could be folded up, locked (only one key
needed!) and rolled to a convenient storage spot. A bronze letter slot
was provided on the outside so that late-arriving correspondence could
be dropped into the interior mail box without having to re-open the
entire unit.
http://www.buffaloah.com/f/glos/desk/woot.html
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WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE
For a Victorian-era businessman, the desk was ideal. But, change
was in the wind. As the Industrial Revolution picked up steam in the
late 19th Century, businesses became awash in paper. Contracts and
correspondence began to be written using typewriters, and large
companies created typing pools with entire floors of women dedicated to
keeping up with correspondence. The quantity of paper generated made
it impractical to fold a copy of each letter and place it into a pigeon-hole,
as was formerly the custom. Rather, the process became placing unfolded
https://repository.si.edu/handle/10088/2403
letters into cardboard folders and placing those folders alphabetically into
a cabinet built specifically to contain them (i.e., filing cabinets).
As clever as Wooton was, he might have been able to adapt to the
changes in the business environment but a series of financial setbacks
hastened the end of the company.
Rapid growth can strain the resources of any company, and Wooton
Desk was no exception. The success of the Secretary Desk spawned
competition from cheaper knock-offs, and Wooton began losing
business to its imitators. Keeping commitments to suppliers and dealers
in the midst of fast growth and lower sales led to cash flow problems.
In response to new competition, Wooton developed a more traditional,
less expensive desk product built with some of the features of the
Secretary Desk, called the Rotary Desk. But, competitors were quick
to copy this desk as well, and pursuing patent infringement lawsuits
with multiple companies in multiple countries would only further strain
Wooton’s weakened finances.
In the early 1880’s, Wooton suffered a devastating factory fire in which
only twenty percent of their losses were covered by insurance. The final
blows to Wooton were the economic recession of 1882 and the resulting
financial panic of 1884. Nationwide, more than ten thousand banks
and businesses failed. Indianapolis suffered along with the rest of the
country. Wooton Desk Company folded, and the rights to its patents
were sold. Thereafter, Wooton-style desks were manufactured and sold
by several other companies.
Since knockoffs and reproductions of original Wooton desks are
ubiquitous, collectors should exercise caution when buying one. The
1876 Wooton catalog lists four models of the Secretary Desk: Ordinary,
Standard, Extra, and Superior. Each model was manufactured in three
sizes, varying in height from about 4’7” to 5’; width from 3’3” to 3’9”, and
depth from 2’5” to 2’8”. The exterior cases were constructed primarily
of black walnut (the dominant hardwood in the Indianapolis area) with
decorative veneers and carvings on the high-end models. Secondary
(interior) woods were of pine, poplar, or maple depending on the
function of the wooden part. Hardware was usually plated or enameled
bronze. Filing boxes were made of green cardboard and had brass pullrings. Secretary desks designed for office use would usually have the
external letter slot and the Wooton patent name plate.
Desk joinery should be closely inspected by a potential buyer. During the
production years of authentic Wooton Desks, drawers were commonly
joined by either scallop and dowel joints (Knapp, 1867) or finger joints
(1880). Evenly-spaced dovetail joints didn’t come into common use until
the end of the 19th Century and are generally considered to be a 20th
Century technology. Since Wooton was out of business by 1885, no
authentic desks would have drawers with machine-made dovetail joints.
Wooton Desks were originally priced from about $90 for a strippeddown, small Ordinary model to about $750 for a large fancy Superior
model; in today’s dollars, that range translates to $1,530 up to $12,750.
Of course, you’ll rarely find them priced such; antique dealers sell
authentic Wooton Patent Secretary Desks between $25,000 to $250,000
depending on the provenance of the desk.
Most authentic Wooton Desks are in the hands of collectors and
museums. However, there is anecdotal evidence that they occasionally
show up at estate auctions, selling in the low four-figure range.
VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 3 | DECEMBER 2015
16
TOY TRUCKS UNDER
THE CHRISTMAS TREE
BY JIM TRAUTMAN
C
hristmas is a time for nostalgia and
what better way to portray what
Christmas means to children than those
two holiday classics, “A Christmas Story”
and “Miracle on 34th Street.” These two
movies are set in the 1930’s and late 1940’s,
and demonstrate the magic of the holiday
season as seen through the eyes of the major
characters.
The opening scene for “A Christmas Story”
is the large decorated Christmas window at
Higbee’s Department Store. Ralphie, Flick,
Schwartz and Randy stare wide-eyed into
the toy-filled window of the store. Lionel and
Marx electric trains roared down the track and
through the tunnels. Soldiers marched along
and other sections of the window were filled
with large metal trucks of all types.
Starting in the 1930’s, the large department
stores realized that having a Santa Claus in
residence at the store would bring in shoppers
as the young children would wish to visit Santa
Claus and give him their Christmas list. After
World War II, two factors created a massive
demand for toys for boys and girls. It was
the period of the Baby Boom which created
a greater number of children. Middle class
prosperity meant that their parents could
afford to buy their kids more toys. Santa Claus
was moved into his new home of Toyland. Boys
and girls could not only visit Mr. Claus but ask
for the toys are their wish list. In those days,
girls asked for dolls, doll houses and boys
usually asked for the new big metal trucks that
were coming onto the market.
A 1920’s metal fire engine with two ladders and bell
Companies such as Doepke, Smith-Miller,
Lincoln, London, and OTACO were creating
fantastic fire engines, construction trucks of
all types, and gasoline tankers. Each company
was manufacturing trucks that were realistic
in colour and appearance to the real ones
seen on the road, right down to the tires being
made of rubber.
ladder truck, along with a fire engine water
pumper truck. Their #1 seller hit the market
in 1949; and it was a steel construction crane.
All of the Doepke vehicles were made of heavy
steel construction and had rubber Goodyear
tires. Sadly, due to various cost factors and a
changing market for toys the company closed
its doors in 1959.
Many of the companies were not even in the
business of making toys prior to World War II.
The Doepke Company of Cincinnati, Ohio was
opened in 1946 by Charles W. Doepke and his
brother Fredrick. Many toys manufactured
after the war had a military aspect to
them, but Doepke did not follow suit. The
company manufactured large metal trucks of
construction vehicles, a fire engine hook and
When I was growing up in the 1950’s my
Christmas list to Santa Claus usually included
a request for a new Smith-Miller truck. Over
the years my collection of heavy metal SmithMiller trucks grew to include a covered US
Army truck towing a firing artillery piece. Inside
the truck were cardboard ammo boxes for
delivery to the troops or shells for the towed
cannon. One year I received a large boxed
set which I can see even after 50 plus years.
It consisted of a large cargo trailer being
pulled by a silver tractor truck. A tractor trailer
carried a full load of telephone pole logs. The
last one I remember from the set was a new
car carrier with six shiny cars loaded onto the
trailer. I was a lucky kid – my aunt and uncle
owned a toy store. New Smith-Miller trucks
are still being manufactured. The company
operated from 1944-1955, but was reopened
in 1979 by a new owner Fred Thompson.
Thompson discovered some of the original
trucks in the warehouse which had been
closed since 1955. The original rubber tires did
not survive the test of time.
A 1975 Hess Oil Company tractor trailer carrying oil drums. Along the road is an advertsing sign for Du Pont Zerex
Anti-Freeze.
17
WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE
Minnitoys, other companies hit upon the idea
of selling their product through their store
outlets. This year marks the 50th Anniversary
of the first Hess gasoline truck. Leon Hess
had founded the Hess Oil Company in Asbury
Park, New Jersey in 1933. His company’s fleet
consisted of one 1926 oil truck. Earlier this
year the company was sold for $2.6 billion.
The tradition of the Hess trucks will continue
as a 50th Anniversary set has been released.
Hess trucks are in the running to be inducted
into the Toy Museum in Rochester, New York.
In addition, there is a traveling exhibit of Hess
trucks touring the Eastern Seaboard. Just
google the Hess Company for days and areas.
A 1930s large Buddy L ride on truck. The wheels are controlled by turning the handle on the radiator.
In Canada there were several companies that
manufactured large metal trucks of all types.
The London Toy and Lincoln Toy Companies of
Ontario had actually started their businesses
during World War II with contracts to make
metal ammunition boxes for the army.
With the end of the war, the owners of the
companies looked out upon storage yards
filled with scrap pieces of metal. There was
a new demand for toys since the war had
controlled the use of vital materials. Both
companies’ combined produced 24 different
types of large metal trucks. There were
construction cranes, steam shovels, MasseyHarris farm tractors, stake trucks, lumber and
logging trucks, and tow trucks.
A early 1930s Keystone ‘Ride Em’ steam roller
manufactured in Boston, Massachusetts.
A third Canadian company, OTACO, was
founded prior to World War II. At that early
stage the company manufactured farm
equipment, metal fences for livestock, and
wagon wheels. During World War II the
company manufactured wheel assemblies
and other parts for the famous Mosquito
fighter bomber. Their annual report during the
war years depicted a drawing of a Mosquito
fighter bomber coming straight the reader.
After the war, when the company discovered
that its old business was no longer profitable,
new products had to be found. An American
named Anderson was brought from Indiana
by The Royal Bank of Canada to manage the
company. Looking around at all the scrap
metal inspired the manufacture of heavy duty
toys as the answer.
OTACO put out one toy in the late 1940’s,
a steam shovel that opened the door to
requests to make specific trucks. Private
companies including gasoline companies,
department stores, and food companies put
in orders for scale model trucks manufactured
in the correct company colours, with each
company providing the correct paint chips
for their trucks. The trucks were modeled on
the same scale and as the Tonka trucks in
manufactured in Minnetonka, Minnesota.
These trucks were not sold through the
OTACO, but were sold by the contracting
companies gas stations, food stores and
other venues connected to the firms that had
ordered the products. There were gasoline
trucks for Esso, Texaco, Supertest, Irving
(which had not only Canadian gas stations, but
stretched into New England), Shell, White Rose,
Hochelaga, and Sunoco. The Heinz Company
depicted several different products on their
trucks. In Ontario and other areas the trailers
had ads for ketchup or other Heinz products.
In Quebec the trucks had the logo for baked
beans since more beans were sold in Quebec
than anywhere else. In addition, on trucks sold
in Quebec, one side was in English and the
other French, due to the bilingual nature of
Canada. OTACO named the trucks Minnitoys. A
real Minnitoy truck is easy to document since
the name was misspelled on the rubber tires,
with only one n. Minnitoys sell in the range of
$1,500 to $6,000 (US) depending on the logo
advertising on the tractor trailer.
By 1960 the major large metal truck
companies had closed due to the high cost
of steel. But if you were a kid, trucks had
moved into a new era. Plastic had become
the leading material for toy makers and like
As the company grew and expanded into
gas stations (remember when there were
gas wars, and prices went down, not up?),
Leon wanted to provide a product to loyal
customers and also to keep them visiting his
gas stations. In 1964 the first Hess Gasoline
truck appeared. Sold only in company stations
it sold for $1.39 and included a battery. The
first truck could be filled with water and had a
long hose to let the water in and out, just like
a real gasoline tanker truck. That first truck in
mint condition can command a price of $2,500
today. Since 1964 the company has issued a
different truck item each year. The magical
time is the week of Thanksgiving. Gasoline
tankers, trailers with an airplane, space shuttle
and satellite, fire engine, rescue vehicle,
helicopter, the list seems endless. Mr. Hess
insisted that each item have some moveable
parts on it, lights that flash, propellers that
spin, and the company has always included
a battery pack in the sale price. This is great
since the last thing parents want to do on
Christmas day is to discover a great toy, but no
correct battery in the house.
In addition, Hess began selling miniature
vehicles in mid-year to keep the customer
coming into the station. Drinking glass sets
featuring a different vehicle have been sold
and this year one can purchase a poster which
not only commemorates the 50th Anniversary,
but pictures every vehicle with its year of
release on it. The only non-truck was issued
in 1966 with the launch of the “Hess Voyager”
tanker ship.
Other companies have sold products in their
gas stations. Texaco has sold trucks, and fire
trucks since one of their gasoline products
was known as “Super Chief” and the ad
featured a child in a fire chief’s helmet. My
favourite, purchased only a few years ago at
a gas station is a zoo wagon consisting of a
tractor trailer with the company logo and a
trailer filled with large circus – type animals.
Now is the time to check out your local gas
station to see what might be great to put
under the Christmas tree.
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 3 | DECEMBER 2015
18
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WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE
CHINA STILL HOLDING STRONG
AGAINST USA FOR ART AND ANTIQUES
I
n 2011, China overtook the United States
as a global art market for the first time,
a “fundamental and important” change
according a The European Fine Art Foundation
(TEFAF) report at that time. Created annually
by Dr. Clare McAndrew’s firm Art Economics, the
report provides the leading indication of the
global art market when it is unveiled each year.
Figures for 2011 showed China had a 30%
share of the market, based on both auction
and dealer sales. The US took second
position, followed by the UK and France. “The
dominance of the Chinese market has been
driven by expanding wealth, strong domestic
supply and the investive drive of Chinese art
buyers,” said the report, highly reflective of
overall shifts in the global economy.
The report noted that China would have to
content with an overheated market and try to
promote stable, long-term growth. China was
exceptionally strong in the areas of modern
and contemporary art, with many auction
houses and art galleries opening up in Hong
Kong and Beijing.
crash, 2007 highs, playing their part along with
modern art to push 2014 transactions past
2007 totals for the first time.
Skip ahead to 2015, and the latest TEFAF
report shows the global art market grew 7% in
2014, where post-war and contemporary art
accounted for almost half of total spend. This
rise means the fine art and antiques market as
a whole has about doubled in value over the
past ten years.
The top 20 artists in this category, from Martin
Kippenberger to Andy Warhol, accounted for
42% of spend, however, the report notes that
“buyer confidence has been slow to return
and many collectors are now more vigilant,
particularly regarding provenance, and with a
lower tolerance for what are perceived to be
over-priced, low quality works.”
The US returned to its place as the largest
single market with a 39% share, but China held
steady in join second place with the UK – a 1%
increase for the US, 2% for the UK and 2% fall
for China.
Original Painting by John Newby, “The Novices” 1988
Auction sales of contemporary and post-war
art have grown so phenomenally in both value
and volume that they outstripped the pre-
It concludes “A lack of legislation on
guarantees of authenticity and little legal
recourse for fakes has failed to provide
adequate incentives for many auction houses
to issue full warranties and leaves little
protection for customers.”
Quick facts from the latest report:
•
•
•
•
•
Together, Christie’s and Sotheby’s make up
42% of the global auction market
Art fairs came second to gallery sales in
importance for dealers, accounting for
40% of transactions by value
68% of dealers felt the growth in art
consulting was a negative, because of
the lack of regulation and qualifications
needed to set up business
Approximately 309,000 companies make
up the global art market, employing more
than 2.8 million people
Online sales accounted for 6% of the
market; the majority have a price range of
$1,000-50,000
Salvatore Fergola (Italian, 1799–1874) Moonlight on the Gulf of Pozzuoli
VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 3 | DECEMBER 2015
20
WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES
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WORLDCLASSANTIQUES.COM
Publisher: World Class Antiques
Place of publication: Toronto, ON, Canada
Numbering: Vol.1 No.3
Frequency: Bimonthly
ISSN 2369-4017