It might take us a while to add the two instead of the one as we mature into the beginning of another year, with the decisions and opportunities that challenge us daily. We have been writing Ask the Appraiser for four years and giving you news, views and revelations about several topics: mov…
Once upon a time, American households regularly set tables and had family meals. Glass makers and china companies capitalized on this wholesome tradition by flooding the market with millions of pieces that once graced everyday tables of yore.
A few popular shows on television deal with the search for or discovery of an item and its sale at the end of an episode. We become glued to the program, thinking “something of great value is lurking somewhere in this house.”
The word “antique” is often used to describe anything that appears to be old, even if your grandmother purchased it in 1944. Age isn’t the only defining factor when assessing any antique or vintage item.
andlewick glassware is an icon of a nostalgic period from the not-too-distant past. It is easily identified by tiny glass beads interwoven into a pattern that produces an elegant and beautiful look. Manufactured from 1936 to 1984 by the Imperial Glass Company, thousands and thousands of piec…
In the appraisal world, we encounter all sorts of people and situations when a valuable item causes strife in families. One issue we have seen in recent appraisals is when one family member wants this, and another wants that, but they turn their backs on each other and never speak again if t…
Tucked away inside downtown Phoenix’s historic Heritage Square on 6th St. and Monroe stands a jewel known as the Rosson House. This Victorian and Eastlake classic home was officially opened to the public in 1980 and has since found its way onto the National Register of Historic Places. For o…
Over the years, we’ve crossed paths with clients who have brought us many unusual and different pieces, such as spill vases, magic lanterns and signal cannons. These everyday household items from the past can be very intriguing and interesting to collectors and those who are curious about ra…
The most common question appraises are asked is “what is it worth?” It’s a logical question, but with so many definitions of value, it can be confusing for the layman and, at times, for the appraiser. There are at least seven different values for the same object, and the answer varies for ea…
Eggs, rabbits, baskets, candy containers and small porcelain figures make Easter collectibles a signal that springtime is just around the corner. For those of you who enjoy a little bit of comprehensive knowledge, the word “Easter” comes from “Eostre,” a goddess of spring whose festival was …
A brief history of Valentines and how they became mainstream
It is estimated there are well over 300,000 avid Barbie collectors in the world. In 2012, some Barbies sold anywhere from $5 up to an obscene $85,000 (for the Diamond Barbie). Still to this day, vintage Barbie dolls command attention when searching for their values in the current market, so …
The holiday season is well upon us. You have either decorated for the celebration or are still working up the energy to drag out the memories of yore from the garage and begin the process.
Gone are the days of fine china, sterling, crystal, folded napkins and fine in-home elegant dinners. Sterling was the highpoint of finery for the dining table.
Mid-century modern design continues to be a popular style for homes, and many collectors like to capture that look in their kitchens.
As collectors, we require a valid certificate of authenticity to prove that art, signed posters or autographs are authentic. A COA is similar to maker’s marks, branded furniture and stamped or molded designs or symbols that not only identify the item but add a possible “guarantee” to the val…
Grandparents can play a huge role in many people’s lives, and Arcadia area resident Edgar Rider acknowledges these strong family ties in his new book 5990: Tribute Story about Grandparents.
Everything bought for the home, like furniture, rugs, lighting and artwork can be placed on some form of a timeline and affixed with labels like contemporary, antique, vintage or retro. An item’s age is not a key determinant of its value because other variables must be taken into considerati…
Collecting can add zip and zest to your life. Many collectors collect for the pleasure that each item brings to them. However, there are some who think each treasure found will become an investment. As appraisers, there are many times when we are forced to give clients unpopular news.
It isn’t uncommon to see the everyday items of our past make it back into the mainstream again. Generation Xers and Millennials are picking up a once forgotten music format: vinyl records. Almost at the point of extinction about 15 years ago, full-length LPs that helped define the golden era…
The current stay-at-home orders might lead to a resurgence in board games, but the days of families and friends sitting down to play Monopoly or Trivial Pursuit mostly seem to be behind us.
At A-Z Appraisal, we receive countless inquiries along with myriad questions about items ranging from spittoons to Navajo rugs that we privately answer or have written about in the “Ask the Appraiser’s” column.
Barbershops at the turn of the 20th century were home to many unique shaving mugs that were personalized to depict occupations, hobbies, fraternal organizations and pictures of barbershop owners. Today these mugs are highly desirable and difficult to find, and some can be worth up to several…
Why do people collect movie memorabilia and what is it, exactly? Well, if it’s an item associated with a popular movie, it could be considered a collectible.
Our client opened a wood and metal, leather-strapped trunk, and neatly wrapped in tissue paper was layer upon layer of crocheted and embroidered handiwork created by her grandmother and three aunts.
American painter, illustrator and sculptor Frederic Remington is perhaps best known as one of the most gifted interpreters of the American West. His early work appeared as illustrations in popular journals, but as he matured, he turned his focus to painting and sculpture. In fact, his work i…
With help from our fine readers, I’ve come across many fascinating topics and unusual collections. Your submissions wind up being a treasure hunt for both of us. Keep those questions coming…
It is common for appraisers to assist attorneys, fiduciaries, trust officers and others in accurately dispersing items in a will or trust. This typically helps families and other heirs avoid problems of distrust, or worse, outright theft. As a self-defense tool, every estate, regardless of s…
Most Americans have no idea what a “coddler” is, how to identify one, or its functionality. Coddlers are small containers made of porcelain or pottery with a decorative, cup-shaped base typically sitting on a pedestal and featuring a screw-on lid with a lifting ring used to prepare – wait fo…
The Greater Phoenix area has nearly 20 auction houses to choose from when you’re looking to sell an estate. With many choices comes varying levels of service and professionalism. I urge all my clients to do their research ahead of selecting a broker, because neglecting due diligence can have…
1. Millennials and antiques just don’t go together.
By Tom Helms and Jeff Pearson
Great age is not important for a toy. Condition is the true master, coupled with demand, especially if it tickles the nostalgia factor in the collector. According to toy collectors, toys made before World War II are considered antique, while toys made after the war are modern. The toys that …
We know spring lies just around the corner when eggs, rabbits, baskets, candy containers, small porcelain figures and other Easter collectibles start hitting shelves. For the curious, the word “Easter” comes from “Eostre,” a goddess of spring whose festival was celebrated in April. It wasn’t…
To some, “downsizing” is a vile, nasty word. People tell themselves, “I just can’t throw it away, I might need it. It belonged to my mother. I have to keep all the records. It’s valuable and the kids might want it.” To others, downsizing is a way to shed the shackles of stuff: empty, simplif…
From 1865 until the late 1950s, the Griswold Manufacturing Company of Erie, Pennsylvania made various cast iron implements for home use. Its selection of cookware, including skillets, muffin pans, roasters, bread molds, waffle irons, kettles and miniatures have stood up to the test of time a…
The holiday season is here and most of us are either decorating for the celebration or still working our energies up to make it out to the garage to drag out the memories of yore.
When establishing a value on an item, a savvy owner will always consider the condition, location, definition of value and market before providing a price. Neglecting these factors can lead to an incorrect price that an educated buyer wouldn’t pay for whatever you are trying to sell.
Although it’s likely that the vases, novelties and dinnerware items occupying your shelves are every day household brands, such as Fiesta, Hull, McCoy, Roseville and Bauer, there may be a piece hidden among these well-known names that is obscure and has value.
Dizziness? Can’t sleep? Memory fog? These and flu-like symptoms just might be caused by your new laminated furnishings, flooring, upholstered chairs, and other décor that have been chemically treated.
Dizziness? Can’t sleep? Memory fog? These and flu-like symptoms just might be caused by your new laminated furnishings, flooring, upholstered chairs, and other décor that have been chemically treated.
Décor and furnishings are slowly evolving from the popular mid-century modern style to new designs that combine antiques, mid-century, contemporary and transitional trends. This nationwide trend takeover has created a more relaxed vibe and eclectic look in the home, and it has been inspired …
It’s always amazing to read all the interesting reader questions we get each month—and we do our best to read and respond to them all. Sculptures, unused sporting event tickets and vintage Halloween items are just a few of the treasures we’ve had the pleasure of researching.
I collect the weird and wacky. I also love collecting pieces affiliated with or used in a movie. Movie memorabilia! To some, that gun used by Han Solo was just a plastic toy. To me, it’s collectible!
Collecting authentic, high-value items can be a tricky endeavor. Anything that is valuable and highly collectable has also been faked or forged to scam unknowing buyers out of their hard-earned money.
Everyone at one time or another will be faced with having to sell an estate, and it is the astute person in charge who makes the decision that everyone must live with for the rest of their lives.
A new year is upon us, and with it come predictions for trends in furniture, antiques and collectibles.
We know it is an obvious statement when we say we live in the Southwest. Our history boils over with the essences of “Old West” vibes to this day. Long gone are the days of old, but much of that Southwest history is still alive in our business as we see it in your homes on a day-to-day basis.
My mother loved my father very much. They wed in the mid-1960s and aside from work, I don’t think they were ever apart. November 12, 1988 was a day that changed my mother forever. In addition to being the day that my father passed away, it also marked the start of the disease that would take…
Ho, ho, ho! If you are ready for the holidays, then you have probably already made the annual journey to the garage or attic to retrieve and unpack your boxes of décor. Other than sentimental, do you have anything of value in those boxes? With today’s focus on Midcentury Modern décor, numero…
