#Middlebury #Kovels
This strange cabinet was made in the 19th century to display many small, unusual items, known then as curiosities. It auctioned for $1,936.
“Cabinet of curiosities” was the name of an important room in the 1600s and, years later, a “cabinet of curiosities” meant just a cabinet. The room often had displays of skeletons, minerals, horns and plants, and some man-made fantasies like a mermaid or piece of the “True Cross.” Collections of medals, silverware, stamps, minerals and other unusual things were popular in later cabinets.
The early elaborate rooms with unusual displays were a sign of social importance. The simpler cabinet suggested the owner was a scientist or researcher with less status. A recent James Julia auction sold a Victorian bird’s eye maple specimen cabinet with carved trim, columns, cases, drawers of various sizes, locks, keys and a mirror. It had been refinished, so the 63-inch high cabinet sold for $1,936. The cabinets sell quickly, no doubt to be used by a 21st-century collector.
Q: I have a Pairpoint pickle castor, but I don’t have the glass insert for it. Will this drastically reduce the price? Should I try to find a suitable piece of glassware and marry the piece or sell it as it is?
A: Pickle castors were popular in about 1890. A silver or other metal frame held a glass jar, which usually had a silver or silver-plated top. The holder had a handle and a hook that held a pair of tongs. Replacement frames and glass jars have been made. You may be able to find a replacement glass jar online, or at antiques shows and shops. A replacement glass insert won’t add enough to the price to cover the cost of the glass and your time. Original pickle castors with colored glass insets sell from $100-$250.
Q: I have an Edison GEM light bulb from about 1905 with the sticker still on it. Can you tell me its approximate value and who would be interested in this?
A: The letters GEM stand for General Electric Metallized. The GEM filament was invented by Willis Rodney Whitney, the director of the General Electric research lab in Schenectady, New York. GEM lightbulbs were made from 1905 to 1918, when production stopped to conserve fuel during World War I. There are collectors who want any unusual lightbulbs. Look for sources online that sell vintage lightbulbs. Most also will buy them. GEM bulbs sell online for $10 to $15.
Current Prices
Yo-yo, tin lithograph, space shuttle, astronaut in rocket, red, yellow, blue and white, Japan, 1950s, $15.
Corncob holders, skewers, sterling silver, corncob shape handles with spear-shaped spikes, signed, Webster, 1960s, 3 inches, set of 8, $135.
Fishing rod, wooden halibut rod with copper reel, Mathews Conveyer Co., c. 1910, 39 inches, $365.
Poison ring, silver and gold gilt, garnet cabochon center, oval locket with clasp, rope twist and scroll design, c. 1800, size 10, $1,040.
TIP: Clean your jewelry with jewelry cleaner or detergent suds and warm water. Brush the back to remove soap residue or other dirt from the back of the stones.
For more collecting news, tips and resources, visit www.Kovels.com.
(c) 2018 King Features Synd., Inc.
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