From a dolly to a (possible) Dali: that was the range of items reviewed by the experts at the recent Antiques Appraisal Night sponsored by the Town of Lloyd Historical Preservation Society (TOLHPS). Doing the appraising were antique experts Charles Glasner and Walter Marquez, both antique dealers, and Vivian Wadlin, ardent collector of antique toys, post cards, and other memorabilia. The program was held at Vineyard Commons Theater in Highland.
The dolly, a baby doll so realistic that it appeared to snuggle into whoever held it, was assessed by Wadlin, who identified it as a Vogue Doll, one of a series of dolls manufactured decades ago. The series, she said, included dolls ranging from little plastic ones in fashion clothes to baby dolls like this one. The doll’s owner commented that she’d bought it on eBay for a “nice” price, and Glasner responded that he’d recently seen one on eBay for $65. In a shop, the experts agreed, it would probably be priced in the $50 range.
As eBay entered the discussion, the experts advised collectors to look for the “sold” price. If an article sells for less than the listed price, there is a line through the original price, they said. The price it sold for is a better indicator of value than the list price, they emphasized.
It was later in the evening when the possible Dali came up for appraisal. The piece was an unsigned picture, probably of the Madonna and child, done in a modern version. Glasner described it as a limited edition serigraph. “I think it’s a Dali,” the owner interjected, as the experts examined it. That’s what she’d been told, she said, and Glasner offered to investigate further.
As always at the TOLHPS Appraisal programs, the articles examined throughout the evening ranged in value from about $25 to several thousand. The kind of item is one determinant of price of course. A pretty Valentine card from the 1920s or 1930s was assessed at the lower end, valued at $25. At the highest end, a key requirement is provenance, the experts stressed. Had the Mary and Jesus print described above been signed by Salvador Dali, its value would have soared.
Marquez described a mid-century modern caned-seat chair as “probably the most expensive thing here this evening.” Its provenance was clearly marked. It was designed by Hans Wegner, a famous Danish designer, and was one of a pair (at least) owned by IBM. Glasner said he’d seen a pair of identical chairs, with redone seats, priced at $18,000 for the pair. A single one, with the original cane still in good condition, would probably sell for about $6,000, the experts agreed. (Unlike boxes of blueberries in season, high-end chairs aren’t cheaper by the pair.)
The item that drew the most ooohhs and aaahhs was probably a beautiful red wool coat trimmed with gold thread that had been brought from India in the 1940s. Known as a Durbar Coat, it was the type of garment a maharaja in India prior to British colonial days would wear to meet with his subjects when they came to honor his special birthdays. Glasner reported he’d found such a coat priced at $5,000.
The coat, the experts agreed, was in amazing condition, inspiring a discussion of how to care for fine clothing. TOLHPS trustee Candace Shuster, a costume expert at Vassar College, gave some surprising advice. Don’t hang such a garment, she stressed, and never keep it in a cedar chest, where oil from the cedar can stain the clothing. Rather, wrap it in acid-free paper and store it in an acid-free box. Every six months to a year, take it out and refold, so the fold lines don’t set in.
Sharing the high end of the value scale was an oil painting on artist board of a view near the Albanian Mountains. It was painted by E.L. Henry, one of the founders of the Cragsmoor art colony, who was born in South Carolina, but moved to the Hudson Valley and lived in Ellenville for many years. The appraisers valued this painting at $4,500.
Many items at the lower end of the scale, or not even priced by the experts, won as much audience attention as the pieces valued high. A big audience pleaser was a beautiful bronze statuette of a nude dancer, about two feet tall. The owner reported getting it from an estate about 14 years ago. Without additional provenance, the appraisers said, they didn’t really know its value. But when asked what they would price it at in their shops, Glasner and Marquez said probably $300 - $400.
Most audience members were also quite taken by a small chest, on the design of a Victorian dresser, but of a size that would make it perfect for holding jewelry. Each drawer was originally a cigar box, and the chest itself was created by joining small pieces of material together in a way that made it look carved all over. The appraisers called it tramp art, but agreed it probably wasn’t made by hobos and tramps waiting for the next freight train.
A very different item was submitted by a teenager who collects war memorabilia. It was a Vietnam-era soldier’s helmet, and as it was passed through the audience, each person gasped at its weight. Pushed for a value, Wadlin suggested $50.
Whatever the appraised value, the experts stressed that to its owner, each item was priceless. Their main advice was to keep good records of provenance, whether in hopes of selling it one day or to get the most joy out of owning it. The more each owner knows about a treasured item, the more personal value it possesses and the more pleasure it provides.