#Middlebury #Kovels
Unique or unusual items sell quickly at shows and auctions. So this weather vane featuring a copper tennis racquet got bids up to the winning $1,815 at an auction in Maine.
Tennis started in the 12th century and was played without a racquet. The ball was hit with the hand. It was not until the 16th century that the game was called “tennis” and players used a racquet. By the 1960s, important tennis matches were open to both amateurs and professionals, and winning players got a large sum of money as a prize. But there are many collectibles from early tennis events as well as equipment from the past 100 years.
Since about 1870, some steins, vases, plates and even figurines pictured players and other tennis scenes. Old balls and racquets, even appropriate tennis clothing, are wanted. One of the most unusual tennis items sold recently is a pre-1950s tennis-racquet weather vane. It was made of copper and included copper-wire racquet strings. The racquet was attached to a mounting rod with a tennis-ball top. The weather vane sold at a James Julia auction for $1,815. It probably will be installed near a tennis court.
Q: I have a tiny bisque doll, which is about four inches tall. It has molded hair, painted brown eyes and rope joints. Marked on the back is “Sarah S. Putnam, Germany.” I’d like to know who this is and the age of the doll. It is in perfect condition.
A: Your doll was designed by Grace (not Sarah) S. Putnam. Born in California, Grace Storey Putnam (1877-1947) was divorced and trying to earn some money when she started designing dolls’ heads. In 1922, she copyrighted a wax doll’s head designed to look like the head of a 3-day-old infant. Within a couple of years, the doll, called “Bye-Lo Baby,” went into production, distributed by George Borgfeldt & Co., a New York importer.
The first dolls’ heads were bisque and made in Germany. Bodies were cloth, made by the K & K Toy Co., a subsidiary of Borgfeldt, which also assembled them. They came in several sizes. Later, heads were composition, wood, vinyl, wax or celluloid, made in Germany or the U.S. Other dolls were all bisque, all composition or a combination. They were sold until 1952. Your doll’s value depends on size, condition, age, and head and body type. Your doll was made sometime after 1925 and is worth about $200.
Current Prices
Compact, silver-tone metal, black, red and white paint, strolling couple, tree, hinged lid, mirror and powder puff, c. 1930, 3 1/2 in diameter, $15.
Beverage dispenser, stoneware, pale blue crock with “Iced Tea” stamped in navy blue, brass spout, lid, 1960s, 16 x 11 inches, 4 gallons, $120.
Golf sign, hand-carved wood, The golfers arms, golfer on course, arched top, multicolored paint, 1950s, 40 x 27 inches, $400.
Asparagus set, Majolica, rectangular server with handles, eight round plates, scalloped, molded stalks, leaves, c. 1905, 16 inches and 9 inches, $960.
Tip: Plastic furniture from the 1950s often scratches. A good polishing with automobile wax might help cover the blemishes.
For more collecting news, tips and resources, visit www.Kovels.com
(c) 2018 King Features Synd. Inc.
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