News, Trends, And Analysis From The World Of Antiques And

Transcription

ANTIQUES ROADSHOWINSIDER
™
Volume 13
Number 12
DECEMBER 2013
News, Trends, and Analysis from the World of Antiques and Collectibles
Santa Sightings
On the LOOKOUT
Collectors of art, prints, and drawings
have long made Santa Claus a top target.
With happy holiday wishes, we showcase
some spirited examples (see p. 3).
A VISION OF BEAUTY
I
Photos courtesy of Heritage Auctions
n 1943, Norman Rockwell finished his
highly acclaimed Four Freedoms paintings,
a series that earned international acclaim. He
then started on a portrait of Jennifer Jones
in The Song of Bernadette, a film about
Bernadette Soubrious of Lourdes, France. In
1858, Bernadette reported seeing 18 visions
of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She later was
instrumental in the building of a chapel
and a statue at the site of her visions in
Massabielle, France.
The location of Rockwell’s painting
for The Song of Bernadette was unknown
for years but was discovered in the private
collection of the film’s producer, William
Perlberg (1900–1968). It subsequently
passed to Mount St. Mary’s Academy in Los
Angeles and then to private collections. On
Oct. 26, it landed on the auction block at
Heritage Auctions and sold for $605,000.
And you thought he traveled
by reindeer and sleigh alone!
Pictured above is Frank Earle
Schoonover’s original painting
for a 1928 magazine; it recently
drew a five-figure price at
auction (p. 3). At left are more
affordable Santa collectibles:
1943, 1948, and 1960 issues
of Santa Claus Funnies (Dell).
ON THE INSIDE
X Toys: Collecting classic Corgi cars
X Pottery: Discovering Frans Wildenhain
X Glass: Ruby-stained glassware
X Furniture: Antiques Roadshow finds
X Reference: Index to all 2013 Insider articles
5
8
11
13
15
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW INSIDER
1
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
™
THE FIRST WORD
ANOTHER YEAR OVER
T
Photo at right and on pp. 1 and 3 courtesy of Heritage Auctions
he closing of calendar year 2013 likely has you feeling stressed
about holiday activity, health issues, bills to come, and/or unmet
resolutions, not to mention the constant flow of world news that
isn’t always good—most recently the horrendous typhoon that hit
the Philippines in November. So maybe it’s a good time to take a look at It’s a
Wonderful Life again. (You’ve seen it only a few dozen times, right?)
A 1946 New York Times review of Frank Capra’s classic holiday movie
took a shot at its sentimentality—“its illusory concept of life.” The film’s
Original 1946 onecharacters, the review said, “are charming, [Capra’s] small town is a quite
sheets from this film
beguiling place, and his pattern for solving problems is most optimistic and
classic can bring
facile.” That’s one way to look at it. Or you could enjoy its overriding
five-figure prices.
messages: to count our blessings, take care of those we love, and appreciate
every moment. We all have a place, and there’s a place for all of us. In the world of antiques and
collectibles, we’re constantly seeing reminders of such things, if we look for them. The example at
right—a 27 x 41 one-sheet promoting It’s a Wonderful Life—is but one of many. In recent years, fine
examples have brought $15,535, $12,547, and $11,950.
So as we head into 2014, I wish you happy holidays—and happy hunting.
—Larry Canale, Editor-in-Chief
ON THE AIR
TV TIMES, 2014
J
ust announced: Antiques
Roadshow’s 2014 broadcast
schedule. Starting time for
new episodes typically is
8 p.m. Eastern, but please check
local listings for exact times.
* Encore presentations: italics.
X JANUARY 6
8 p.m.: Boise, Hour 1
9 p.m.: Tulsa, Hour 1*
X JANUARY 13
X JANUARY 20
X JANUARY 27
8 p.m.: Detroit, Hour 1
9 p.m.: Eugene, Hour 1*
X FEBRUARY 3
9 p.m. Eugene, Hour 2*
X FEBRUARY 10
9 p.m.: Eugene, Hour 3*
X FEBRUARY 17
8 p.m.: Baton Rouge, Hour 1
9 p.m.: Pittsburgh, Hour 1*
X FEBRUARY 24
X MARCH 3
X MARCH 10
8 p.m.: El Paso, Hour 1*
X MARCH 17
X MARCH 24
9 p.m.: Atlana, Hour 1*
X MARCH 31
8 p.m.: Kansas City, Hour 1
9 p.m.: Atlanta, Hour 2*
X APRIL 7
9 p.m.: Atlanta, Hour 3*
X APRIL 14
9 p.m.: Minneapolis, Hour 1*
X APRIL 21
8 p.m.: Anaheim, Hour 1
X APRIL 28
X MAY 5
X MAY 12
8 p.m.: Richmond, Hour 1
9 p.m.: Cats & Dogs compilation*
X MAY 19
9 p.m.: Greatest Gifts compilation*
X MAY 26
X Note: New episodes taped
in Jacksonville, Fla., and
Knoxville, Tenn., air in Fall
2014.
Photo courtesy of Bertoia Auctions
BLAST FROM THE PAST
REMEMBER WHEN...
...as a kid, you would lie in the darkness in your bed on
Christmas Eve in the darkness, listening to the ticking of the
clock on your night table, barely able to contain yourself?
What would Santa bring? Could you stay awake long enough
to catch a glimpse of him? Would he find the cookies you
left on the table? And you wondered how he would manage
to deliver so many gifts to so many kids around the world. Reindeer-powered sleigh? Hot-air balloon? A
motor vehicle? A really good travel agent? Maybe it was a combination of those methods.
Really, though, Santa’s secret didn’t matter. It was and is magical, and it’s one reason collectors look
for objects that keep the holiday sirit alive. Of course, some objects go beyond holiday spirit and get into
the “holy-grail collectible” area. Consider the Santa lithographed tin wind-up toy shown above. Made in
Japan, the 7-inch-long car is possibly the only known example of its kind. Its final price reflects its
rarity: Bidding started at $3,750 at Bertoia Auctions and soared to $32,000 at its closing on Nov. 9.
2
TM
Editorial Director: Timothy H. Cole
Editor-in-Chief: Larry Canale
Managing Editor: Diane Muhlfeld
Senior Contributing Editor: Jane Viator
Contributing Writers: Michael Hedges, Douglas
R. Kelly, Pete Prunkl, Lana Robinson
Production Consultant: Patti Scully-Lane
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DECEMBER 2013
ON THE BLOCK
AUCTION
NEWS &
TRENDS
Here Comes Santa Claus...
...in a slew of illustrations and art that give
us a composite look at the jolly old elf.
A
ctual photographs of Santa Claus, Leyendecker’s original illustration for the
of course, are exceedingly rare, Dec. 19, 1948 American Weekly—a view
given the nature of his work—dis- of “mommy kissing Santa Claus” while
tributing gifts in the still of the night. But three young kids spied on them—sold
for generations, artists and illustrators for $131,450 at Heritage Auctions.
have been giving us their impressions
Then there’s Frank Earle Schoonover
of what the jolly ol’ elf looks like. Their (1877–1972).Born in Oxford,N.J.,Schoon
interpretations have varied wildly over over would study at the Drexel Institute in
the centuries.
Philadelphia and become
By now, however, most
part of the Brandywine
of us attach fairly consisSchool culture.
tent characteristics to Santa:
In 1928, Schoonover
long, white beard, round
depicted Santa in a hot
face, rosy complexion, and
air balloon for the Dec. 7,
big belly, all complemented
1928 issue of The Popular
by his white-trimmed red
Magazine. His original 30 x
suit and tall black boots.
26-inch oil on canvas went
That image comes from the
on to exhibit at a variety
collective work of artists
of Pennsylvania shows in
who have depicted Santa
the 1960s and 1970s but
for widely circulated adverwas nearly lost in 1981. A
tisements and popular
fire in a Chadds Ford, Pa.,
magazines and books. At Here’s how Schoonover’s
shop called The Wooden
the high end of this niche: Santa was used on The
Shoe damaged it, but the
original paintings by the Popular Magazine in 1928. painting survived, was conlikes of Norman Rockwell
served, and, in the 1990s,
and Joseph Christian Leyendecker.
exhibited at Brandywine Museum.
Fast-forward to Oct. 26, 2013. The
A number of holiday-themed Rock
well works have brought big dollars at painting’s owner had consigned it to
auction. Among them is the 22¼ x 18½- Heritage Auctions, where it found an
inch oil on canvas Deer Santy Claus, appreciative audience. By the the sale’s
which inspired a winning bid of $722,500 end, it had soared to $57,813.
at Christie’s in 2012. Two years earlier,
Collecting Santa images, however,
need not be a budget-busting pursuit.
Look no further than the comic book
market to find collectible examples. Dell’s
Santa Claus Funnies from the niche’s
Golden Age (1938–1955) and Silver Age
(1956–1969) can be had for $50–$200.
One recent 1948 example, graded Very
Fine/8.0 on a scale of 10, sold for $167 at
Heritage (see photo, p. 1).
If graded closer to 10, however, such
comics can command several hundred
dollars: Heritage recently sold a 1960 edition graded 9.6 for $442 and a 1944 issue
graded 9.4 for $956; photo at top of page).
The comics’ original price: 10 cents.
Beyond his appearance as a vibrant
representative of Christmas, Santa some-
Norman Rockwell: Deer Santy Claus.
times got put to work, too. Consider the
1918 government poster issued to rally
support for the war effort. An example at
a recent Hake’s Americana & Collectibles
auction (photo below) sold for $525.
The illustration finds Santa delivering a message of conservationism: He’s
sitting atop his sleigh, guiding his reindeer out of the path of a military vehicle
packed with soldiers. The poster’s text
barks: “Clear the Way” and “War has
restricted production, fuel, labor, transportation—there’s every reason to clear
away Christmas shopping now.” 
Left: Leyendecker’s American Weekly cover,
Dec. 18, 1848. Right: 1918 war-time poster.
DECEMBER 2013
3
AROUND AND ABOUT
ICONIC AND SYMBOLIC
A
number of cast zinc models. The only foundry
with whom Bartholdi had a contract was Parisbased Avoiron et Cie, which in the 1870s began
reproducing the statue in cast for direct sale.
This example, also called the “four-foot model,”
was among the early issues.
BOOTH’s GANG... AND THE
BROTHERS WRIGHT
T
he killing of Abraham Lincoln in 1865
prompted an all-out search for assassin
John Wilkes Booth. Within two weeks, Union
soldiers tracked down Booth in northern
Virginia, shooting and killing him on April
26, 1865. Authorities also arrested eight
conspirators, sentencing four of them to death
by hanging, an event captured by photographer
Alexander Gardner (1821–1882) and his
assistant, Timothy O’Sullivan, on July 7, 1865.
A rare grouping of four original prints of
the execution highlighted a Swann Auction
Galleries event on Oct. 17, selling for $100,000
(pre-sale estimate: $20,000–$30,000).
The images are among the first examples
of photojournalism. They depict soldiers,
witnesses, and reporters gathered around a
scaffold holding the five condemned. Gardner
and O’Sullivan created three of these images
moments before the execution and one of them
just moments after the hanging.
The executed included David Herold, who
assisted Booth in his escape attempt, and Mrs.
Mary Surratt, who maintained the boarding
house where the conspirators planned the
killing of Lincoln. Surratt was expected to
Photos courtesy of Swann Auciton Galleries
Photo courtesy of Keno Auctions
wide range of Americana changed hands
at Keno Auctions’ October sale. Among
the eye-catching pieces: a Frederic Auguste
Bartholdi “A” model of the Statue of Liberty.
The 51-inch-tall zinc sculpture sold for
$37,500, far exceeding the pre-sale estimate of
$3,000–$6,000. The work is dated August 1876
and bears the artist’s signature and copyright
number (9939G).
After creating the Statue of Liberty,
Bartholdi (1834–1904) produced a small
4
receive a last-minute Presidential pardon, but
it never arrived. She became the first woman
ever hanged by the federal government. Also
executed were George Atzerodt, charged with
attempting to murder Vice-President Andrew
Johnson, and Lewis Payne, convicted for his
assassination attempt on the secretary of state.
The photographs sold at Swann were
albumen prints measuring 6¾ x 8¾ inches. All
of them bear Gardner’s credit, titles, date, and
copyright on the original mounts. The titles:
• No. 1, Arrival on the Scaffold
• No. 2, Reading the Death Warrant
• No. 3: Adjusting the Ropes
• No. 4: Thus It Be Ever with Assassins (pictured)
On a more uplifting note, an Oct. 18 sale
of travel posters at Swann featured a colorful poster centered on the Wright Brothers.
Titled “The Nation, State and City Welcome the
World’s Greatest Aviators,” the 31½ x 22–inch
piece, printed by The Walker Litho. Co. of
Dayton, Ohio, sold for $35,000 (pre-sale
estimate: $15,000–$20,000).
The story behind the poster is an interesting
one. The Wright Brothers’ first flight, in 1903,
was met with some skepticism here in
the States. But after traveling to Europe to
demonstrate their ability to take to the skies in
1908, they were lauded as heroes. As Swann’s
catalog tells us, the Wright Brothers “courted
military contracts on both sides of the Atlantic,
with Wilbur traveling to Europe and Orville
staying back in America to do demonstrations
for the U.S. government. They crisscrossed
the ocean as they attempted to lure patrons to
their project. Upon their successful return from
Europe they were greeted by President Taft in
the White House.”
After that, the Wrights returned to their
hometown of Dayton, Ohio, for a massive
two-day celebration that included parades,
concerts, fireworks, and receptions. This poster
was their welcome home for the 1909 event. 
DECEMBER 2013
TOYS
LATER PRODUCTION
C
orgi Toys are still made today, although
production switched from Wales to China
many years ago. The Corgi brand, in fact, has
been bought and sold several times over the
last 25 years, and is now owned by Hornby
Hobbies Ltd. in Kent, England. Corgi celebrated
its 50th anniversary in 2006 by issuing
reproductions of a number of its older models,
including the first Corgi model, the number
200 Ford Consul, which was made available in
light brown, gold, and even chrome plated.
Catching Up With Corgi
When it launched its Corgi Toys line
in 1956, Welsh manufacturer Mettoy
started a long and profitable battle
with Meccano, maker of Dinky Toys.
DEEPER DIVE
F
Photo by Douglas R. Kelly
or many years, enthusiasts and collectors
were able to go right to the source for
information/trivia/details on Corgi Toys:
Marcel van Cleemput. Corgi’s chief designer
from 1956 until 1983, van Cleemput was the
man responsible for many of the models
and innovations that kept kids and parents
buying Corgi Toys. He also was the author of
The Great Book of Corgi, an exhaustive and
well-researched work that has become the goto source for all things Corgi. Van Cleemput
revised and updated the book a couple of years
ago, releasing The New Great Book of Corgi
1956-2010 to wide acclaim in the collecting
world. With Van Cleemput’s passing in March
2013, the toy hobby lost a true visionary.
By Douglas R. Kelly
G
eorge Romney, the president and
chairman of American Motors
Corp. from 1954 until 1962 (and
father of 2012 presidential candidate
Mitt Romney), once famously said,
“Nothing is as vulnerable as entrenched
success.”
That’s where British company
Meccano found itself in 1955 and 1956
as the manufacturer of the hugely successful Dinky Toys series of models. (See
CARDBOARD
the May and June 2013 issues Insider for
aving the original box always enhances an
more on the Dinky story.). And then an
old toy; it also, of course, tends to drive up
the price. As is the case with Matchbox models, upstart player in the die-cast toy business, the Mettoy Co., launched its Corgi
older Corgis can be found with their original
boxes, but be aware that there are several makers Toys series.
From the start, the Swansea, Walesof reproduction boxes out there, too. Some of
based Mettoy promoted its new Corgis
these are marked as repros, while others are
as “the ones with windows,” and the
not; if a box looks new while the toy doesn’t,
tread carefully. (To learn more about telling the buying public responded. What may
seem today to be a minor detail was
difference, see “Repro Boxes: The Next-Best
a game changer in 1956, and Mettoy
Thing,” in the October 2011 issue of Insider.) —D.R.K. started eating into Meccano’s profits.
H
DECEMBER 2013
The No. 200 Ford Consul was the first
Corgi model, launching the line in 1956
and made in various colors until 1961.
A mint boxed example such as the one
shown here can bring $200-$300.
“First it was windows, then it was
interiors,” says Stephen Lanzilla, executive director of the Boston Area Toy
Collector’s Club. “Then it was ‘opening’
features like doors and hoods. Then
it was accessories like luggage in the
trunk, and so forth. When the competition responded, Corgi upped the ante
again.”
Corgi toys were distributed both in
Douglas R. Kelly is editor of Marine Technology
magazine and a collector of pop
culture antiques. His byline has
appeared in such publications as
Model Collector, Associations
Now, Back Issue, and Buildings.
5
Photos courtesy of Vectis Auctions
American
cars such
as this
No. 219
Plymouth
Suburban
wagon
formed
an
important
part of the
early Corgi
line.
Several Corgis produced
during the late 1950s
came with friction motors,
hence the “M” in the
model number. This
201M Austin
Cambridge sold
for $600 at
a 2013
auction.
the United States and in the United
Kingdom. In the 1960s, Mettoy quickly
expanded its product line to include
movie- and television-inspired models
(think the Batmobile and James Bond’s
Aston Martin) as well as larger models and sets. But the first eight to 10
years of Corgi production—that 1956
to 1965 period—is where many collectors’ hearts and wallets are focused.
A NATURAL PROGRESSION
Mettoy had been producing other toy
cars featuring clockwork and friction
motors for a number of years before
launching the Corgi line. So it was
natural, perhaps, for the first Corgi
models to come both with and without
friction motors.
Those early models included such
British standards as a Ford Consul,
a Riley Pathfinder, a Vauxhall Velox,
and an Austin Cambridge. But Mettoy
jumped into the export market as well,
producing a Studebaker Golden Hawk, a
Citroën DS 19, and a Chevrolet Corvair.
Each model came individually boxed
and included a leaflet showing the other
models available in the series.
As is the case with Dinky Toys, the
phrase “Corgi Toys” would seem to indicate a product that is more plaything
than scale model. But Corgis actually
6
are both; from the beginning in 1956,
Mettoy produced a product that offered
a high degree of automotive accuracy.
It was this realism that enabled the
company to compete directly with the
similarly realistic Dinky Toys.
TRENDING UP
Not surprisingly, the vast majority of
1950s and ‘60s Corgis that turn up for
sale today are missing the box and leaflet. Most also are in less-than-pristine
condition. Mint-condition originals
with original boxes, of course, bring the
highest prices, and the market has seen
an uptick in values in recent years.
“Prices are going up,” Lanzilla says.
“I attribute that to the fact that most
[dedicated collectors] have been looking for Dinky and Matchbox, not just
here in the United States, but overseas
as well, particularly in the U.K. Many of
these people have found that Matchbox
prices have become higher and higher,
and that certainly also applies to Dinky.
So in the past five to 10 years, these
people have been looking more seriously at Corgis.”
Corgi rarities costing $1,500 or more
make news on occasion, but original
examples of some of these early models (with original box) can be had for
$100 to $250. The key is to determine
whether the model you’ve come across
in that antique shop or estate auction is
original or a restoration.
While restored examples do have
something of a following, their value
generally is a fraction of that of highend original models. Looking at photos
of original pieces can help, but there
is no substitute for handling as many
Corgi toys as you can, which will enable
you to become familiar with original vs.
restored paint, replacement vs. original
parts, and so forth.
LOOKING FOR CLUES
The rivets used to attach a car’s body to
its base plate can offer clues to a Corgi’s
originality. If the rivets appear to have
been “messed with,” or are otherwise
damaged, there’s a good chance the
model was taken apart at some point
for restoration or repair. Look for models with intact rivets.
The No.
233 Heinkel
“bubble car”
was one
of Corgi’s
European
entries in
the early
years.
DECEMBER 2013
Photos courtesy of Vectis Auctions
Take a close look at the model’s tires,
too. Unless it was put away immediately
upon purchase and never saw the light
of day again until now, the tires on a 50to 55-year-old toy should have at least a
slightly “aged” look to them. Tires that
appear to be new or that don’t seem to
visually “match” the rest of the model
may well be replacements.
Early Corgis certainly are harder
to find than those from the 1970s-to1980s period, so there are those who
prefer to go the auction route. Examples
that turn up on eBay may or may not be
offered by sellers who are knowledgeable about Corgi, but dedicated auction
houses such as Special Auction Services
and Vectis Auctions, both based in the
U.K., offer buyers added assurance that
the item they’re purchasing is original.
Although they couldn’t have known
it at the time, the makers of Corgi Toys
provided a snapshot—make that a lot
of snapshots—of the world’s automobiles of the 1950s and ’60s. Children
who were lucky enough to receive a
Corgi as a gift or who bought a model
or models with their own money experienced, in a small way, the open road of
the adult world.
Corgis also gave kids a way to keep
up with the newest model coming down
that road. “What intrigues me about the
early years,” offers Lanzilla, “is they give
you a way to contrast where they started
with where they went. You can actually
see the evolution year by year, and you
also can see how the rest of the industry
was playing catch-up to Corgi.” 
Top of page, left: Cars with two-color paint
jobs generally sell for a premium over their
single-color counterparts. This early Vauxhall
Velox, though slightly chipped, brought $182
at Vectis Auctions in 2013. Center: This
Chevrolet taxi that came with spring
suspension (a novelty for a toy car in the
early 1960s) made $243 at a 2013 auction.
Top right: a Karrier “Mister Softee” ice cream
truck. Pictured at left: This Ecurie Ecosse
racing set featuring two Formula One cars
and a Lotus sports racer brought $640 at
a 2013 auction. Gift sets were a part of the
Corgi line almost from the start.
R
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News, Trends, and Analysis From the World of Antiques and Collectibles
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....April 8 if you
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one of the eight Antique this issue of Insider
receive
this summer. You
you haven’t
early April, so if tickets,
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get to it—even beforeVisit pbs.org/antiques
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features this month.
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and the complete
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• June 1: Detroit,
FL
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Jackson
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, CA
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ID
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Rouge, LA
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• Aug. 10: Kansas nd, VA
Walberg
• Aug. 17: Richmo
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ON THE INSID
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Viator. Esherick
Fiesta photo by Jane
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Vintage Toys, and Mid-Century Modern Design.
7
POTTERY
F
rans Wildenhain did not sign every piece
of pottery he crafted, Bruce Austin says.
“Based upon my experience, though, most
were signed,” he adds. “The only two signatures
on pots are ‘FW’ or his last name. Some larger
pieces have his first name—not many, though.
‘FW’ and his last name are most typical, with
the ‘FW’ used more often.”
Is one signature earlier than the other?
“One cannot date a pot by the signature used,”
Austin says. “I know of early pieces signed
with the conjoined ‘FW’ and later pieces with
his last named spelled out. I know of virtually
no pieces where he placed a date on them.
So, the two signatures, I suppose, were used
interchangeably.”
Here’s a look at the most common
Frans Wildenhain signature.
ARCHEOLOGICAL
FANTASIES
R
uth Duckworth’s (1919–2009) unglazed
white porcelain would never be mistaken
for Frans Wildenhain’s pottery creations, but
their clay murals showed remarkable similarities. Both were German-born modernists who
favored abstractions derived from nature and
pioneered the large earth-tone mural. “Nature
is very sexy,” Duckworth once said in an interview. Her masterpiece was Clouds Over Lake
Michigan (1976), a 24-foot abstract map of
water, hills, shoreline and clouds as seen from
above.
Master
of
Surprise
Keep your eyes open for Mid-Century
Modern pottery by the other
Wildenhain.
By Pete Prunkl
N
othing banishes obscurity more
thoroughly than having your
name on a dust jacket. Artists
who are the subjects of books attract
fans, collectors, and good auction prices. Professor Bruce Austin of Rochester
Institute of Technology (RIT) thinks
he’s found the right person for the next
book-driven revival. He’s betting on
Frans Wildenhain (1905–1980).
“In my judgment, Frans’ work is currently underrated and under-appreciated,” says Austin, author of a new book
on the Mid-Century Modern potter and
muralist. (See “Sources & Resources.”)
“For collectors, this means it is affordable. One can still purchase a great Frans
piece for well under $1,000.”
For much of his life, Frans Wilden
hain played second fiddle to his wife of
22 years, Marguerite Wildenhain (1896–
1985). Their popularity polarization
began early in their relationship. She was
his classmate at the Bauhaus in Weimer,
Germany, and then his teacher at the
State School of Applied Art in Halle,
REDUCTION FIRING
W
ildenhain liked what depriving a kiln of
oxygen did to his glazes. Potters as far
back as the ancient Chinese learned that
glaze color and consistency can change dramatically in a reduced atmosphere. Copper,
for instance, turns a crimson-purple; glazes
loaded with iron become fluid and runny. But
timing is critical. Oxygen is typically reduced
only in the final stage of firing. The Chinese
used wet wood for fuel during the reduction
phase. A kiln is in reduction when yellow or
orange flames shoot from its vents and
peep holes. —P.P.
8
At 20 inches, this reduction-fired earthenware vessel was one of the taller objects
in the Rochester Institute of Technology
exhibition curated by Bruce Austin.
Photos courtesy of A. Sue Weisler
SIGNATURE FRANS
This photo of a 10¼ x 10¼-inch
reduction-fired Frans Wildenhain
stoneware bottle was used for the
frontispiece of Bruce Austin’s book.
Germany. She became a Master Potter in
1926, an honor he did not receive until
1929. Although both became important
artists in the United States, it’s Marguerite
who was the star.
RISING CRAFTSMAN
Frans Wildenhain taught at RIT from
1950 to 1970. There he was among the
new faculty at the School for American
Craftsman after it moved from Alfred
University in 1949. Wildenhain was overdue for an exhibition at RIT. That idea
was accelerated in 2010 when Robert
Bradley Johnson, an early collector of
Frans’ pottery, donated 330 pieces to
RIT. That gift provided Austin with the
basis for a 2012 exhibition and an illustrated 256-page exhibition catalog.
Johnson practically cornered the
market on Frans Wildenhain pottery.
“Bob collected steadily, enthusiastically, and voraciously for more than a
quarter of a century,” Austin says. His
North Carolina-based Pete Prunkl, a frequent
contributor to Insider, covered
the Knoxville and Richmond
Antiques Roadshow events in
our September, October, and
November issues.
DECEMBER 2013
Photo courtesy of Rochester Institute of Technology Archives Collection
Photo courtesy of A. Sue Weisler
Left: Here’s a look at one of Frans Wildenhain’s many reduction-fired knobby pieces
(17½ x 8¾ inches). Above: This photo from 1955 shows Professor Wildenhain (center)
teaching his students at Rochester Institute of Technology.
covered by the local press. Reviewers
regarded the shop as combination gallery and elegant apartment. And when
the founders received artistic awards,
their clientele grew.
By the 1970s, the suburbs and
Interstate highways had isolated Shop
One’s downtown neighborhood from
its customers. The shop moved, confronted enormous overhead, faltered,
and finally closed in 1976. Shop One left
an enormous legacy. It broadened the
Photos (2) courtesy of A. Sue Weisler
favorite store was Shop One, the retail
shop Wildenhain and three other RIT
profs established in Rochester in 1953.
At parties, Johnson wrote in the exhibition catalog, “Frans would introduce me
to everyone as the person who allowed
him to put a roof on his house.” Johnson
thought that Wildenhain’s knobby and
horned pottery was “spooky” and he collected it for one reason: “I liked it.”
Shop One was no ordinary store.
In the United States in the early 1950s,
handcrafted wares were available only
at America House in New York City
and Shop One. Establishing a business
that sold only handcrafted pottery, silver,
painting, metalware, furniture, and jewelry was a gutsy—but not highly profitable—move.
Within a few years, though, associate
artists were recruited to the exclusive
shop. Openings became gala occasions
Frans Wildenhain’s version of the classic lidded teapot
features an exaggerated looping handle in reduction-fired
stoneware. This pieces measures 5½ x 9½ x 6½ inches.
DECEMBER 2013
Photos (2) courtesy of Rago Auctions, Lambertville, NJ
Above left: A cow, sheep, birds,
farmer, maiden, and a stylized
barn decorate this 4¾ x 6½inch stoneware bowl. Above right: This 6¼ x 5½-inch
bulbous stoneware bud vase in olive drip glaze over
mirrored auburn sold for $400 at Rago Auctions in 2012.
Rago Auctions sold this 17½ x 16-inch blue, amber, and white hemispherical
ridged stoneware bowl as part of a two-piece lot for $1,440 in 2006.
9
marketplace for crafts and served as an
international model for similar ventures.
During Wildenhain’s tenure at the School for American
Craftsman, he encouraged his
students to be experimentalists, but only after they learned
the “old school” fundamentals.
“Wildenhain often told his
students, first you learn how
to do things my way, then you
learn how to express yourself,”
Austin says.
AN ERA CAPTURED
In his pottery, Frans captured
the spirit of the times in 1950s
ceramics—a period rich in
curves, color, abstract design,
simplicity, utility, earth tones, and individual creativity. He also experimented
with geometrics and sculptural works, but the majority
of his pots looked functional
and served a purpose.
But no matter how ordinary, Wildenhain’s pottery
always included a surprise,
Austin says. “Marguerite
Wildenhain’s work is always
perfect and perfectly executed.
With Frans’ [work], there is
always an element of catching
me unaware.
“Compared with other
F
rans Wildenhain was among the first
mid-century ceramists to work in murals.
Many of these large works—some of them
more than 200 feet long—dealt with science
and medicine. Murals were the “perfect medium for Frans,” author and professor Bruce
Austin says. “He had an oversized canvas for
No other work in RIT’s 2012 Frans
Wildenhain exhibition remotely resembled
this 20 x 20 x 4-inch stoneware construction.
It emphasizes Wildenhain’s “wild” side.
mid-century studio potters,” Austin
adds, “Frans’ work stands up well.”
Yet he suffers from a lack of name
recognition. Few pottery collectors know
about Wildenhain because he shunned
the spotlight. He found attention from
reporters to be a bore, and wanted off
the publicity bandwagon. After the RIT
exhibition and Bruce Austin’s accompanying book, however, Frans Wildenhain
may finally be ready for his close-up. 
Left: This 17¼ x 4¼-inch Wildenhain stoneware totemic sculpture in matte pastel
glazes sold for $2,160 at Rago Auctions in April 2007. The base is incised “FW.”
ON THE LOOKOUT
ON THE WALL
Photos courtesy of A. Sue Weisler
Photo courtesy of Rago Auctions, Lambertville, NJ
Left: a 30½
x 50¼-inch
ceramic
triptych
modeled in
high relief with
elongated
figures,
covered in
green, blue
and brown
matte glazes,
and mounted
on wood. It
sold at Rago
Auctions
in 2007 for
$5,400.
an equally over-sized individual. He was a big
man with an imposing physical presence.”
The mural was one medium in which
Marguerite Wildenhain—his more famous
wife (and, after 22 years of marriage,
ex-wife)—never dabbled. “Murals clearly,
unambiguously, set them apart,” Austin says.
—Pete Prunkl
SOURCES & RESOURCES
BOOKS
• Frans Wildenhain 1950-75: Creative and
Commercial American Ceramics at MidCentury (pictured below), by Bruce A. Austin
(Bruce A. Austin, 2012)
• The History of American Ceramics, by
Elaine Levin (Harry N. Abrams, Inc.,1988)
• The Invisible Core: A Potter’s Life and
Thoughts, by Marguerite Wildenhain (Pacific
Books Publishers, 1973)
Frans Wildenhain’s Allegory of a Landscape was installed at the entrance to Ingle
Auditorium at Rochester Institute of Technology in 1971. The 8 x 28-foot unglazed
clay mural represents an abstract aerial view of New York’s Finger Lakes.
10
DECEMBER 2013
COLLECTIBLES/GLASS
J
ohn and Elizabeth Welker, authors of
Pressed Glass in America, confirm the
distinction between “flashed” and “stained”
glass. Flashing, they note, is performed by
dipping glass into hot glass of another color,
“a blown glass method not to be confused
with staining used on pressed glass.”
The Welkers define staining as the
coating of a piece of glass with a chemical
whose true color is developed by heat. “The
staining material is painted on the annealed
[cooled] article with a brush wherever the
decorative effect is desired. It is then fired
on for permanency at which time the glass
assumes the desired color.”
TERMS TO KNOW
T
he terms “ruby-flashed” and “ruby-stained”
have been used interchangeably in
reference to fired-on coloring added after
the creation of a piece of glass. Technically,
this is incorrect. Experts say the process
is correctly called “staining.” The different
terminology can be confusing: Lots of online
sellers and retailers continue to use both terms
as if they are the same in their descriptions
and identification of the glassware.
POPULAR PATTERNS
I
n the 1986 book The Encyclopedia of
Victorian Colored Pattern Glass, Book 7,
Ruby-Stained Glass from A to Z, William
Heacock lists the most desirable patterns as:
• heart and sand
• broken column
• snail
• ruby thumbprint (Excelsior)
• button arches
• ivy and snow
• red block
The 1896 “locket
on chain” pattern of
A.H. Heisey & Co. in
Newark, Ohio, is also rare and desirable.
FLASH OR FAKE?
R
uby-flashed glassware is highly collectible
and therefore profitable to replicate, so it
shouldn’t surprise anyone that reproductions
have recently emerged. Counterfeit pieces are
properly inscribed with “old” dates and names
that can easily fool unsuspecting buyers. One
clue to keep in mind is that old ruby-stained
glassware generally has tiny spots on it where
the red has flaked off. Another indicator of
age is that pressed glass will frequently have
tiny chips or rough edges from wear. Finally,
many of the modern pieces are deep orange
rather than deep red in color. Play it safe. Buy
only from reputable dealers.
—L.R.
DECEMBER 2013
Flash From
the
Past
Colorful ruby-stained glassware
continues to call
out to collectors,
just as it did in the
late 19th and early
20th centuries.
By Lana Robinson
M
ost of us have seen, and probably own, a cheap, commercial
souvenir purchased in the gift
shop of a popular U.S. landmark or vacation destination. Mugs, collector plates,
shot glasses, and salt and pepper shakers
are among the tacky trinkets available to
tourists from the 1950s and later.
But the “ruby-flashed” glass souvenirs
of the late 19th and early 20th centuries
were far from tacky. These
were, in fact, elegant heirloom-quality keepsakes
offered at fairs, amusement parks, and tourist
attractions. Train stations,
resorts, and carnivals also
sold or gave away as prizes a
variety of these deep crimson novelties: toothpick
holders, tumblers, goblets,
creamers, vases, baskets,
slippers, paperweights, and
other ornamental pieces.
Today, you’ll find this nostalgic glassware in its various forms for sale online,
in antiques stores, and at estate sales,
garage sales, and auctions. Also known
as “ruby-stained,” such pieces are fun to
collect, beautiful when displayed, and
affordable for budget-minded collectors.
IN THE BEGINNING
Ruby-stained glassware emerged in
Bohemia in the early 1800s and became
popular in Europe as an attractive, cheaper alternative to Venetian glass. It didn’t
catch on as a souvenir item in America,
however, until Chicago’s Columbian
Exposition events in 1892 and 1893.
Soon, fairs across the nation were offering the suddenly popular glassware with
monograms, dates, and other inscriptions
etched into it. Pieces frequently boasted
Photos by Lana Robinson
NEWSFLASH
Above and below: two views of a 1903
example of ruby-stained glassware.
a sentimental message:
“To My Dear Mother,” for
example, or “Remember
Me.” Working-class Vic
torians, although modest
in many ways, loved to
flaunt these scarlet treasures as spoils from their
travel adventures.
Some manufacturers
sought to expand interest beyond the souvenir
realm by offering such
larger glassware collections as lemonade sets, punch bowl sets,
castor sets, and dresser sets.
FAIR GAME FROM 1904
Many of the ruby-stained souvenir
items found today originally were sold
to attendees of the 1904 World’s Fair,
which ran from April 30 to December
1 that year in St. Louis, Mo. The most
spectacular of several Victorian-era
world’s fairs, the event was billed as
“The Greatest of Expositions,” and by all
Lana Robinson is a freelance writer based in
Texas. Among the stories she has
written for Insider: how to sell your
objects in online auctions (October
2012), millefiori paperweights
(December 2012), and mid-century
barware (September 2013).
11
accounts, it lived up to its reputation.
The fair grounds and exhibitions
encompassed some 1,200 acres, including
the western half of Forest Park. The fair
commemorated the Louisiana Purchase,
the 1803 land acquisition that more than
doubled the size of the United States.
Memorabilia from this celebrated fair is
abundant. Some ruby-flashed relics from
the St. Louis exposition are common and
inexpensive—as little as $15—while rare
items sought by modern collectors and
historians can be more costly, though still
reasonable ($100–$300 or more).
Ruby-stained glass is basically decorated pattern glass. The key chemical in
the coating is copper sulfide that, when
the glassware is baked in a kiln, turns
bright red. Before 1880, the process for
making two-color glass involved the layering, or flashing, of color over clear glass.
Afterwards, patterns were hand-cut. The
ON THE LOOKOUT
MARKET REPORT
W
hat type of ruby-stained glassware is out there for beginning
collectors? One place to look (and to sample sales prices) is eBay.
Right now, ruby-stained toothpick holders are plentiful on the auction
site. They often sell for $5–$25, although competing bidders occasionally
drive the prices a bit higher. In September 2013, for example, a rare rubystained A.H. Heisey Touraine toothpick holder inscribed “Gettysburg
1863” (pictured at right) sold for $395. A.H. Heisey & Co. did not exist
in 1863, so this toothpick holder likely was created in 1913 to mark the 50th anniversary of the
Battle of Gettysburg.
In July 2013, a large 1893 Chicago World’s Fair souvenir ruby-stained thumbprint pitcher
brought $87 in an eBay auction. In August, a mint-condition 1890 Sandwich, Ill., souvenir vase
sold for $114. A few days later, the winning bid for a lot of two souvenir tumblers and two bowls
dated 1897 and bearing the names “Emma and Elizabeth Liddle” was $160.
Higher-end pieces to change hands in recent months include a ruby-stained King’s Crown
honey dish in near-mint condition that brought $1,600 (pictured below).
Depending upon its rarity or appeal, a piece need not be perfect to sell for a decent price. In
August, a ruby-flash pitcher from Atlantic City (1897) with a crack in the bottom sold for $390.
You sometimes see ruby-stained pieces
from Europe turn up on eBay. In August, an
oversized ruby-flashed goblet commemorating the Great Exhibition of 1851 sold for $666.
The 9 ½-inch presentation drinking glass had a
wheel-engraved image of the Crystal Palace in its
temporary home in Hyde Park, London, with this
inscription: “The Great Exhibition of Industry
of All Nations, 1851.” A second, identical goblet
offered by the same seller brought only $390 a
month later. It just goes to show you how the
market fluctuates based on the resolve of bidders. —Lana Robinson
12
Photos by Lana Robinson
Those who collect
ruby-stained glass
may focus on pieces
related to events (at
left: a memento from
the 1941 Texas State
Fair) or organizations
(at right: an 1892 glass
with “American Institute”
etched underneath the
name “Maggie”). Still
other collectors may
focus on pieces tied to
a location or attraction
(example: the 1904
Niagara Falls pitcher
shown far right).
process was laborious and expensive.
In 1888, Henry Mueller’s patented
chemical stain process for application
to the raised surfaces of pressed pattern glass in the U.S. paved the way for
mass production of ruby-stained Early
American Pattern Glass (EAPG).
Many of the designs were made to
look like popular cut glass patterns of
the era. “King’s Crown,” which derives its
name from the zigzag design resembling
the top of a crown, was one of the most
common industry patterns. Glassware
with “button arches,” “daisy and button,”
“thumbprint,” and “block and diamond”
motifs were other favorites.
Between 200 and 300 ruby-stained
patterns landed in the marketplace. Most
are illustrated in William Heacock’s book
The Encyclopedia of Victorian Colored
Pattern Glass, Book 7/Ruby-Stained Glass
from A to Z. (See “Popular Patterns” sidebar, p. 11.)
THE ATTRACTION
Collectors of ruby-stained glassware are
drawn into the hobby for various reasons.
• Some choose pieces on the basis of
form (toothpick holders, for example).
• Others collect a variety of forms but
only a certain pattern.
• Some collect items only from a particular city, while others collect by venue,
like the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, or a
certain historic site or landmark (Niagara
Falls, for example).
• Still others favor pieces with sweet little
verses or old-fashioned names etched
into them.
• More discriminating collectors enjoy
the challenge of searching for obscure
pieces. Regardless of the type, they seek
out pieces that retain close to the original
condition of the stain.
Speaking of condition, it’s a good
idea to preserve your pieces: Remember
to carefully handle and clean the glass to
prevent loss of the color application. 
DECEMBER 2013
FURNITURE
Tour Talk: Road-Find Furniture
Our contributing editors report on four worthy finds—plus an
educational “miss”—from Antiques Roadshow’s 2013 tour.
By Jane Viator
MYSTERY METALWORK: An air of
mystery surrounded a handsome metal
table an Anaheim-area resident brought
to Antiques Roadshow in June. The
owner had only verbal provenance, and
that came from the maker’s niece.
The story is that a James Kubic or
Kubik, a California silversmith, made
An unknown but skilled metalworker was
responsible for the imaginative stylings
of this table’s legs.
the piece for a 1931 exposition in Los
Angeles. But so far the alleged maker’s
name can’t be traced, nor can any association with an exposition at that date.
Appraiser Brian Witherell, who specializes in California artists, artisans,
and objects, has never heard of Kubic
(or Kubik) or of metalwork associated with him. Lacking firm attribution
or other identifying information, the
appraiser valued the piece—clearly the
work of a skilled and imaginative metalworker—at $800–$1,000.
STAND-UP GUY: Joe’s Art Nouveau
bronze and mahogany lamp stand,
made in Berlin by Albert Reimann
(1874–1976), likely was one of a pair
when it was originally produced. This
surviving piece, according to appraiser
Peter Loughrey of Los Angeles Modern
Auctions, is worth $3,000–$5,000.
Reimann was a noted woodworker and metalworker in Germany from
1902 through 1935. His workshop, however, was attacked by the Nazis in the
1930s and further destroyed during later
bombing raids. The Nazis also destroyed
the Reimann School of Art & & Design
in Berlin, a private institution he founded in 1902.
Appraiser Loughry explained to
Joe that German Art Nouveau (called
Jugendstil) was different from French,
Belgian, and other European styles. And
within Germany, he said, there were
subtle differences between the major
cities (see sidebar below).
A CLOSER LOOK
VARIATION ON A THEME
J
ugendstil, the Art Nouveau style that arose in Germany in the
mid- 1890s, continued as a prominent influence through the
first decade of the 20th century. It took its name, per Encyclopaedia
Britannica, “from the Munich magazine Die Jugend (‘Youth’), which
featured Art Nouveau designs.”
Two phases, Britannica continues, “can be discerned in Jugendstil:
an early one, before 1900, that is mainly floral in character and rooted in
English Art Nouveau and Japanese applied arts and prints; and a later,
more abstract phase growing out of the Viennese work of the BelgianCover of an 1896
issue of Die Jugend.
born architect and designer Henry van de Velde [1863–1957].”
DECEMBER 2013
Photos by Jane Viator
A
s longtime viewers of Antiques
Roadshow know, the series attracts
eye-catching furniture in every city
it visits. And there’s much more beyond
the pieces you see appraised on the PBS
series. Here’s just a small sampling of furniture that wasn’t chosen for taping but
nevertheless caught the eye of Antiques
Roadshow’s producers in Anaheim and
(on p. 14) Knoxville.
Anaheim Antiques Roadshow guest Joe
thumbs through a book in his collection that
documents Albert Reimann’s career.
Information of this sort is not only helpful in
establishing value; it can actually add to it.
Senior contributing editor Jane Viator has
written in every issue of Insider
since our premiere in July 2001. Her
coverage of Antiques Roadshow’s
Anaheim event also appears in our
September and October issues.
13
WHAT’S IN A NAME?: The name Gallé
is associated with some of the finest
glass produced in France during the
Art Nouveau period. The best-known
member of the talented family, Émile,
also designed furniture from 1885 until
his death in 1904. (His family continued
the business until 1931, when it moved
on to the Art Deco style.)
Gallé furniture, highly sought by collectors, is typically inlaid with naturalis14
tic motifs composed of many types of
woods. A Gallé table at the Anaheim
Antiques Roadshow, with its bold signature, looked at first glance like a
characteristic example, with its motif
of pond lilies and sinuous supporting
legs. But the appraisers agreed that this
piece is valued at a few hundred dollars—not many thousands—because,
alas, it’s a fake. Despite the signature, it
lacks the grace and subtlety of a genuine Gallé creation.
Appraiser Arlie Sulka pointed out
the telltale signs of a wannabe, made
with intent to deceive. The inlay is
crude, the workmanship leaves much
to be desired, and floral motifs of the
legs are stiff, flat, and unconvincing.
As always, whether the object is furniture, fine art, metalwork, or ceramic, never
rely on the signature alone. The piece
should tell its pedigree by the quality of
materials, workmanship, and design. 
ON THE ROAD: KNOXVILLE
PATENT FURNITURE
Photo by Donna Prunkl
WELL-TRAVELED CHAIRS: When
Victoria’s parents bought a house in
Hawaii, it came with six mahogany chairs
like the one pictured here. They’re made
in the Regency style of around 1800,
inlaid with bone and made with the cane
seats favored in hot climates.
Appraiser Brian Witherell believes
this chair and its companions were
made in one of the Caribbean islands
and made their way to Hawaii, a crossroads where items from all around
the world accumulated over the years.
Witherell valued the six chairs—all of
them with arms, instead of the more
usual two armchairs and four matching
armless side chairs—at $1,500.
Victoria’s elegant chairs have traveled thousands of miles in their 200year history. If they could only speak,
they’d have some great stories to relate.
Photos by Jane Viator
Appraiser
Brian
Witherell
(left) inspects
one of a set
of six chairs
brought in
by Victoria
(photo below).
Right: Was
this table
the work of
Gallé? No—
his quality is
nowhere in
sight.
I
f you think the back supports on
this late-19th-century Hunzinger
platform rocker look like lollipops,
you’re not alone. Appraiser John Sollo
of Rago Arts didn’t refer to Ed’s chair
that way during Antiques Roadshow’s
Knoxville event last summer, but he
acknowledged that it’s a common
descriptive among collectors.
George Hunzinger (1835–1898)
opened his New York City furniture
factory in 1855 and began
accumulating 21 furniture patents.
He “put spice in Victorian designs,”
Sollo said. “His unique chairs were
the beginning of Modernism in
America.”
Ed’s chair is “a cool piece,” said
Sollo. It was produced in a wide
variety of styles, including traditional
rockers and side chairs, and most
had upholstered seats. Ed’s chair had
remnants of its original tag.
Sollo also noted that the market
hasn’t been kind to Hunzinger’s
invention. In 1995, Ed’s chair would
have brought $2,000 at auction.
Today, it would fall between $1,200
and $1,800.
—Pete Prunkl
Ed (right) got the lowdown on his “lollipop” chair
from appraiser John Sollo.
DECEMBER 2013
REFERENCE
2013 Antiques Roadshow Insider Article Index
™
B
elow is an index, organized by category, to all Insider features and departments from the past year.
(Note: For information on availability of back issues, call 800-424-7887.)
Anhaeim, Part 2 (“Best in the West”) 10/13, p. 11
Anaheim, Part 3 (“Memorable Medallions”)
11/13, p. 7
Detroit, Part 1 (“Editor’s Notebook”) 7/13, p. 15
Detroit, Part 2 (“One Good Turn...”)
8/13, p. 1
Detroit, Part 3 (“Got Milk [Glass]?) 10/13, p. 7
Ghost stories on the road (“Antiques RoadGhostshow”) 10/13, p. 13
Knoxville Part 1 (“Antiquing in Downtown K-Town”) 9/13, p. 5
Knoxville Part 2 (“Suffragists, Studebaker,
Samples, and Such”) 10/13, p. 8
Richmond Part 1 (“Virginia Callin‘”)
10/13, p. 4
Richmond Part 2 (“A Military Question”)
11/13, p. 8
Tour finds, 2012 (“Digging Deeper”) 6/13, p. 14
7/13, p. 1
8/13, p. 5
• AMERICANA & FOLK ART
Antiques Roadshow finds (“The Stuff of Heroes”) 7/13, p. 10
Decoys, at auction (“Duck, Duck, Hen...”)
6/13, p. 3
Williams, Andy, folk art collection (“Collecting at Its Best”) 5/13, p. 13
• CARE & MAINTENANCE
Antiques preservation (“The Guardian Angel’s Antiques Guide”) 5/13, p. 5
• COLLECTIBLES
Batman (“The Throwback Hero”)
5/13, p. 2
Beatles collectibles (“Blast From the Past”) 11/13, p. 2
Bonnie & Clyde guns, auction (“Bonnie & Clyde”) 3/13, p. 4
Comic book rack, vintage (“Blast From the Past”) 3/13, p. 2
Get Smart TV memorabilia (“Blast From the Past”) 10/13, p. 2
Gumball machines (“Serious Coin”)
11/13, p. 9
Kennedy, John F., memorabilia (“That Dark Day”) 11/13, p. 1
Lone Ranger, collectibles (“Blast From the Past”) 8/13, p. 2
National Parks collecting (“Lure of Our National Parks”) 7/13, p. 12
Pens, fountain (“Blast From the Past”)
7/13, p. 16
• DECORATIVE ARTS
Bertoia, Harry, designs (“Resolute and Industrious”) 6/13, p. 10
Inuit sculpture (“Getting Into Inuit”)
8/13, p. 13
Tiffany Studios auction (“Tiffany Treasure”) 2/13, p. 1
• PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS
Buttersworth, James (“Smooth Sailing”) 3/13, p. 3
Children’s book art (“Big Draws”)
3/13, p. 6
Comic book art (“Pen, Ink, Paper... Shazam!”)
1/13, p. 11
Hobcaw Barony art theft/Antiques Roadshow “Missing Masterpieces report (“Looking for Clues”)
1/13, p. 1
Morriseau, Norval, Antiques Roadshow find (“One Good Turn...”) 8/13, p. 1
Nautical art (“Wet and Wild”) 1/13, p. 5
Street art at auction (“Tomorrow’s Art Today”)
6/13, p. 6
• GLASS, PORCELAIN, & POTTERY
Barware, mid-century (“Glass with Class”) 9/13, p. 13
Cliff, Clarice, pottery (“Wonderfully Bizarre”)
11/13, p. 13
Market report, glassware (“The Glass Ceiling?”)
8/13, p. 11
Rhead, Frederick H., pottery (“Peerless Potter, Part 1”) 3/13, p. 10
Rhead, Frederick H., pottery (“Peerless Potter, Part 2”) 4/13, p. 13
Rie, Lucie, pottery (“Minimal and Uncluttered”)
5/13, p. 10
Ruby-stained glass (“Flash From the Past”)
12/13, p. 11
Wildenhain, Frans, pottery (“Master of Surprise”) 12/13, p. 8
• ON THE ROAD: ANTIQUES ROADSHOW REPORTS
Anaheim, Part 1 (“20th Century Unlimited”)
9/13, p. 8
• PHOTOGRAPHS, PRINTS, & POSTERS
Hand-related photographs at auction (“All Hands”) 2/13, p. 3
Horror movie posters (“A Frighteningly Good Find”)9/13, p. 3
Sweet, Ozzie, photography (“Sweet View of the Past”) 4/13, p. 7
War-time posters (“Classic Calls to Action”)
9/13, p. 4
YOUR DEADLINE IS...
....April 8 if you plan to apply for tickets to
one of the eight Antiques Roadshow events
this summer. You receive this issue of Insider
in late March or early April, so if you haven’t
yet applied for Antiques Roadshow tickets,
get to it—even before you dig into our
features this month. Visit pbs.org/antiques
to submit your application online. (Click
on “2013 Tour”; deadline is 11:59 p.m. E.T. on
Monday, April 8, 2013.)
You’ll also find instructions on how to
apply via postcard. In fact, we’ll give you the
“short version” right here: You can apply for
tickets by sending a postcard to “City Name”
ROADSHOW (e.g., Detroit ROADSHOW),
Box 249, CANTON, MA 02021.
Include your name and the complete
address. Postcards should be no smaller
than 3½ x 5 inches and no larger than 4¼ x
6 inches, and they must be received no later
than April 8, 2013. Write clearly—any
postcards that are illegible or incomplete may
be disqualified.
Only one application per household to
one city, will be accepted. Check the show’s
web page for complete rules.
The complete eight-city
2013 tour schedule:
• June 1: Detroit, MI
• June 8: Jacksonville, FL
• June 22: Anaheim, CA
• June 29: Boise, ID
• July 13: Knoxville, TN
• July 27: Baton Rouge, LA
• Aug. 10: Kansas City, MO Host Mark L.
• Aug. 17: Richmond, VA
Walberg
ON THE INSIDE
� Trends: Viator tours a Tribal Arts show
� Photographs: Ozzie Sweet: Legendary lensman
� Furniture: The best of Wharton Esherick
� Pottery: Frederick Rhead’s greatest hits
5
7
10
13
OF
STYLE
It’s fading further into
the past, yet the 20th
century lives on, thanks
to forms, objects, and
images that have won
permanent places in our
hearts. This month, we
celebrate three names
who put class and color
into American life.
T
he 20th century spawned legions
of artists, designers, craftsmen,
photographers, and other creative
types whose work lives on. We can’t begin
to fit them all into a single issue of Insider,
but we can sample those whose legacy
has inspired trends and/or those who
are in the news. This month, we take
a closer look at multitalented furniture
maker Wharton Escherick (1887–1970),
versatile potter Frederick Hurten Rhead
(1880–1942), and the record-setting photographer Ozzie Sweet (1918–2013).
Pictured above: examples of Rhead’s
Fiesta ware on display in a retail setting; an Escherick wagon wheel chair
from 1939 (this example sold at Rago
Auctions in 2011 for $100,650); and one
of Sweet’s iconic portraits of New York
Yankees slugger Mickey Mantle.
Coverage of our trio of 20th-century
luminaries begins on p. 7.
1
Our April issue paid tribute
to photographer Ozzie Sweet
(his iconic portraits of Mickey
Mantle and Albert Einstein
are pictured above and at left)
along with craftsman Wharton
Escherick, whose c. 1960 S-K
side chair is pictured far left.
™
VOLUME 13
NUMBER 10
OCTOBER 2013
WRAPPED
ON THE LOOKOUT
IN
RICHMOND
Antiques Roadshow’s summer
tour winds up in Virginia with
a slew of prizes and surprises.
SPECIAL:
GHOSTS ON
THE ROAD!
p. 13
EXQUISITE ESCRITOIRE
E
• SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS
Fans, electric (“Dedicated Fans”)
Phone booths, vintage (“Blast From the Past”)
Radios, antique Catalin (“Rainbow Radios”)
1/13, p. 8
2/13, p. 2
2/13, p.
ven in our mod-minded world, some
styles always look great. Consider the
William & Mary walnut and walnut veneer
escritoire (fall-front desk) above. Dating to
1705–1710 Philadephia, this 66-inch-tall
model of early American craftsmanship
opens to a complex interior of secret drawers
and compartments. A bidder at Skinner Inc.
spent $270,00 for this beauty in August.
A
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’
• SILVER
Perry, Charles O., scuplture (“Time for a Find”)
1/13, p. 2
R&S Garrad centerpiece (“Time Again for a Find”) 2/13, p. 16
• SPORTS MEMORABILIA
Ali, Muhammad, memorabilia (“The Greatest”)
First baseball card (“Take Me Out to the Yard Sale”) Jones, Deacon (“Farewell to a Football Legend”) Ruth, Babe, jersey auction (“Great Catches”)
Snead, Sam, memorabilia (“Legend of the Links”)
3/13, p. 1
3/13, p. 16
7/13, p. 2
1/13, p. 4
10/13, p. 3
• TOYS & DOLLS
Corgi toys (“Catching Up with Corgi”)
Dinky toys, Part 1(“Name-Dropper”)
Dinky toys, Part 2 (“The Real Deal”)
Robot toys (“Toy Time”) Soldiers, toy (“An Enduring Passion”)
12/13, p. 5
5/13, p. 7
5/13, p. 7
2/13, p. 5
9/13, p. 11
• TEXTILES
Fashions, vintage (“Retro Rags”) 2/13, p. 7
Sanders, Col., Kentucky Fried Chicken suit (“The Clothes
Off the Colonel’s Back”)
4/13, p. 16
Zoot suit, auction (“Suit Up!”)
2/13, p. 8
• TRIBAL ARTS
San Francisco Textile & Tribal Arts Show
(“We Are the World”)
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION (Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685). 1. Title of publication: Antiques
Roadshow Insider. 2. Publication No.: 0021-3230. 3. Filing date: 9/27/13. 4. Issue frequency: Monthly. 5. No. of issues published annually: 12.
6. Annual subscription price: $45.00. 7. Known office of publication: 800 Connecticut Ave., Norwalk, CT 06854-1631. Contact person:
Greg King, 203-857-3119. 8. Headquarters or general business office of the publisher: same as above. 9. Publisher: same as above.
Editor: Larry Canale. Managing Editor: Diane Muhlfield, Antiques Insider LLC, an affiliate of Belvoir Media Group, 800 Connecticut
Ave., Norwalk, CT 06854-1631. 10. Owner: Belvoir Media Group LLC, 800 Connecticut Ave., Norwalk, CT 06854-1631. 11. Known
bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amounts of bonds, mortgages, or
other securities: None. 13. Title: Antiques Roadshow Insider. 14. Issue date for circulation data below: August 2013. 15. Extent and nature
of circulation (average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months/ no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date):
DECEMBER 2013
A CENTURY
Photo © Ozzie Sweet, courtesy Diane Sweet
Photo courtesy of Rago
Auctions, Lambertville, NJ
• FURNITURE
Antiques Roadshow finds (“Tour Talk”)`
12/13, p. 13
Escherick, Wharton (“The Beauty of an Adventurous
and Daring Man”) 4/13, p. 10
Modern design (“Modernism: Names to Know”) 5/13, p. 3
Sani, Paolo, and Gambi, Gaetano, carved chair at Antiques Roadshow (“Sitting Pretty: Odyssey of an Antique”) 3/13, p. 7
20th Century furniture at auction (“Hot Seats”) 11/13, p. 3
ON THE LOOKOUT
Fiesta photo by Jane Viator. Esherick chair photo courtesy of Rago Auctions, Lambertville, N.J. Mickey Mantle photograph by Ozzie Sweet/Courtesy Randall Swearingen
• ADVICE
Appraiser tips (“Myth vs. Reality, Part 1”) Appraiser tips (“Myth vs. Reality, Part 2”)
VOLUME 13
NUMBER 4
APRIL 2013
4/13, p. 4
T
he work shown above, created by
impressionist artist Guy Rose (1867–
1925) paced a Bonhams auction of California
and Western Paintings & Sculpture when it
fetched $374,500. The oil on canvas, 15 x 18
inches in size, is titled Wind Swept Pines.
ON THE INSIDE
� On the Road: Richmond Antiques Roadshow report 4
� On the Road: Detroit and... milk glass?
7
� On the Road: Knoxville knockouts
8
� On the Road: Best of the West—Anaheim
11
� SPECIAL REPORT: BOO! Tour ghosts and ghouls 13
ntiques Roadshow wound up its
biggest tour in some 10 years on
Aug. 17 in Richmond. The show’s
producers, experts, and crew, plus, of
course, host Mark L. Wahlberg, traveled
to eight cities over a two-and-a-halfmonth span. Along the way, the
appraisers examined roughly
80,000 items. Highlights from
the eight events begin appearing on PBS starting in January.
Meanwhile, we’ve been
sharing all kinds of finds exclusive to Insider, beginning in
our July 2013 issue. We carry
on this month with reports
from Richmond, Knoxville, Anaheim,
and Detroit.
But first, take look at what appraiser
Leila Dunbar called “the world’s big-
The “world’s biggest onesie,” as appraiser
Leila Dunbar (right) called Sam Huff’s jersey,
would bring a five-figure auction price.
gest onesie.” Actually, it’s a Washington
Redskins football jersey worn by Sam
Huff (pictured at left) in the 1960s.
Dunbar told the jersey’s owner that
it could bring $15,000–$25,000 at
auction. Insurance value: $30,000.
Huff was a star linebacker
who played for the Redskins from
1964–69 after eight standout years
with the New York Giants. He was
inducted into the Pro Football Hall
of Fame in 1982.
Dunbar’s appraisal of Huff’s No. 70
jersey was taped for TV. But on pp. 4–5
this month, you’ll find a host of Insiderexclusive Richmond highlights. �
1
Above: Our October cover
captured Leila Dunbar appraising
a game-worn Sam Huff jersey at
$15,000–$20,000. Below: Our
November issue showcased a
Yousuf Karsh portrait of JFK
(auction value: $10,000–$15,000).
™
VOLUME 13
NUMBER 11
NOVEMBER 2013
THAT DARK DAY...
ON THE LOOKOUT
...50 years ago stays in our memory:
Nov. 22, 1963. Yet the short span prior
to that pivotal point—and the promise
of Camelot—also remains alive, thanks
in part to a healthy supply of
JFK memorabilia. See p. 5.
COLOR MY WORLD
A
bove and below are examples of two
colorful collecting niches you’ll read
about in this issue: Clarice Cliff pottery (p.
13) and vintage gumball machines (p. 11).
ON THE INSIDE
� Collectibles: JFK’s enduring popularity
� On the Road: Furniture finds
� On the Road: Richmond tales worth telling
� Collectibles: Chewy chewy—gumball machines
� Pottery: Name to know: the colorful Clarice Cliff
5
7
8
11
13
This iconic photograph of John F. Kennedy by Yousuf Karsh (1908–2002)
entered a Swann Auction Galleries sale with an estimate of $10,000–$15,000.
A. Total no. of copies printed (48,089/53,600). B. Paid and/or requested
circulation: 1. Paid/requested outside-county mail subscriptions
stated on Form 3541 (43,859/42,857). 2. Paid in-county subscriptions
(0/0). 3. Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales, and other non-USPS paid distribution (6/7). 4. Other classes
mailed through USPS (0/0). C. Total paid and/or requested circulation (43,865/42,864). D. Free distribution by mail: 1. Outside-county
as stated on Form 3541 (243/253). 2. In-county as stated on Form 3541 (0/0). 3. Other classes mailed through USPS (0/0). 4. Free
distribution outside the mail (3,716/10,431). E. Total free distribution (3,959/10,684). F. Total distribution (47,824/53,548). G. Copies not
distributed (266/52). H. Total (48,089/53,600). J. Percent paid and/or requested circulation (91.7%/80.0%). 17. I certify that all
information furnished on this form is true and complete. —Gregory M. King, Circulation Director, 9/06/13.
1
15
FUTURE FEATURES
A
MAILING LABEL
Insider on the Internet: AntiquesRoadshowInsider.com
TM
ntiques Roadshow’s new episodes begin
in January (see p. 2), and as the TV
season progresses, we’ll bring you still more
exclusive highlights our editors rounded
up during the 2013 tour. Among them:
long-promised coverage of everything from
airline memorabilia (pictured:
1960s stewardess jacket) to
Howdy Doody to cameos. In
the works for coming issues:
stories on collectible walking
canes; Beatles memorabilia;
and “silver-soldered” antiques,
plus a special feature on how to
get your treasures appraised.
Visit pbs.org/antiques
the last word
Photo courtesy of Keno Auctions
Timeless T ip: D ig D eep
When appraisers say “Do your homework,”
they mean it. And they practice what they
preach, as illustrated by this story.
A
painting by Chinese-American
artist Yun Gee (1906–1963) landed at New York-based Leigh Keno
Auctions in plenty of time for its Fall
Auction in October. Company owner
Leigh Keno originally
“had the painting as
Fauvist School” (see
below) and gave it an
estimate of $200–$400.
Before finalizing
the sale, however, Keno
decided to dig deeper
Leigh Keno
into the painting’s his-
tory, seeking “the help of
a friend who knows the
artist’s work,” he said.
Armed with new information, Keno adjusted
the estimate to $10,000–
$20,000.
And once the painting was “attributed correctly,” he said,
“it garnered a great deal of attention”
—so much so that it sold for $42,500.
“It would have been a great Antiques
Roadshow moment,” Keno told Insider.
“The owner had no idea of its value.”
FAUVIST SCHOOL refers to art in the sytle of les Fauves (French for “the wild beasts”). The
movement evolved in the early 20th century from a group of French artists, among them Henri
Matisse (1869–1954), Maurice de Vlaminck (1876–1958), and Andre Derain (1880–1954).
Fauvism (pronounced “foe-vism”) is characterized by bold and vivid colors and simple but distorted forms. Fauvism was a relatively short-lived movement (its peak years were between 1905
and 1910) but it had an international influence and helped push the evolution of 20th-century art.
She had received the painting in the
1960s as a wedding gift from her aunt
and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Morris Fish,
passionate collectors of art since the
1930s, and kept it for some five decades
before consigning it.
Gee’s striking Double Self Portrait, an
oil on board measuring 11 x 16½ inches, bears the artist’s signature (lower
left) and is dated “12/8/26.” The verso
includes Chinese script that translates
to “Self Portrait Heads”—plus an early
price tag reading $40. 
KEEP ‘EM COMIN’
N
ext month in this space we’ll present the funniest reader captions for
the photograph at right. Meanwhile, keep those submissions coming.
The photo captures Sean Quinn, head of security at Antiques Roadshow
events, livening up a long line of treasure-toting “early birds” in Richmond,
Va., last August as they waited for the doors to open.
Despite being on crutches at the time, Quinn primed the
crowd with his early-morning jokes, then led the gang in a
rousing “Welcome to Richmond!” greeting for Antiques
Roadshow’s film crew. Send your captions for the scene to
AR Insider, Just for Fun, P.O. Box 550, Clinton, MA 01510
(e-mail: [email protected]). As always, thank you!
Photo by Larry Canale
JUST FOR FUN

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