#Middlebury
A
re the Schuco stuffed bears made by the famous German Schuco company that made the very collectible toy cars? The German company started making clockwork and other mechanical tin toys in 1912 as Schreyer & Co. in Nuremberg, Germany. The name was changed to Schuco in 1921. The company designed and made many clever toys that moved.
This 1930s Schuco toy spaniel with brown ears, a white body and a stitched nose and mouth sold for $900, which was three times the estimate.
Teddy bears were added during the 1920s, and some were miniature bears that held a bottle inside. The famous “Yes/No” bear moved its head when you moved its tail up and down or sidewise. The business faced many reorganizations, and new companies formed in Germany and the U.S. until 1972, when it declared bankruptcy. It was later acquired and is now part of Simba Dickie Group, a major toy company.
The Schuco company in the U.S. made teddy bears in the 1920s with black button eyes. A few years later, the bears had jointed arms, jointed legs and flat feet, and by 1925, some of them could walk. An early 1930s Schuco Yes/No stuffed spaniel in nice condition with cut-glass eyes recently sold at a Bertoia Auctions auction for $900, although many Schuco toys sell today for less than $300.
Q: I inherited a carved wooden cane with a hidden sword in it. The cane is about 37 1/2 inches long and the blade is about 18 1/2 inches. The carved handle head looks Egyptian, and there are carved designs down the entire cane. It has a metal tip and a metal piece with a button to release the blade. I can’t find any markings on it. Any information including approximate value would be helpful.
A: Canes were popular accessories for the well-dressed man from the 1700s to the early 1900s. Gadget canes, which are canes that have special features or conceal items, are popular with collectors. Canes have been made that conceal swords and other weapons, flasks, lighters, fans, perfume bottles, pool cues, tools and other items. The cane’s value is determined by the material of the head, intricate hand carving and special features. A carved sword cane with overall leaf and vine carving sold for $360 recently, but several more common sword canes went for $25-$55.
Current Prices
Teddy bear, gray fur, black felt vest and hat, holding faux leather briefcase, faux pearls, jointed, Kent Collectibles, 1985, 12 inches, $15.
Game, Uncle Wiggily, pin the hat, Milton Bradley, frame, original packaging, hats, 24 x 30 7/8 inches, $71.
Spice rack, six Aunt Jemimas labeled with the spice names, red rack, shaped spices, 4 inches, 7 pieces, $145.
Cufflinks, sterling silver, turquoise scarab, pharaoh and King Tut amulet, rope and bead design, c. 1910, 1-1/4 x 3/4 inches, pair, $225.
TIP: 18th- and 19th-century Irish silver is more valuable than English, because it is rarer.
Have a collector on your holiday shopping list? The 51st edition of “Kovels’ Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide 2019” makes a great gift. The 528-page softcover book features 16,000 listings and more than 2,500 full-color photographs.
© 2018 King Features Synd. Inc.
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