Supremist tea set came from Russia

#Middlebury #Antiques

Once in a while, an unfamiliar design shows up in an auction. The Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches listed a tea set, two cups and a teapot with an Art Deco look and unfamiliar marks. The set was white with black and red blocks of color. The teapot had a vertical spout and rectangular handles creating a new geometric shape. The mark solved the mystery once it was translated. Written on the bottom of each piece in the Russian (Cyrillic) alphabet was the word that translated to “Supremist.” Next to it was the familiar hammer-and-sickle logo.

This group of porcelains, a teapot and two cups, was made in Russia in 1923 in the “Supremist” style. It did not attract any bidders at a Florida auction, even though it is a good example of a special style.

Some quick research told the story: It was an example of Supremist Art popular in Russia from 1913 to the late 1920s. (The teapot was dated 1923.) The Russian who created the style claimed it to be superior to all art of the past. It was totally abstract, based on the circle, square and cross and the colors red, white and black. Yet something – the extreme look of the set, the high estimate of $7,000 to $9,000, the lack of demand for a teapot with cups instead of a set with teapot, creamer and sugar, or perhaps the Russian origin – kept bidders away. The group did not sell.

At any auction, there can be valuable items that are passed over because the day’s crowd is looking for something else. Timing and location do have an effect on prices.

Q: How much is an old World War I helmet worth?

A: Steel helmets, sometimes called trench helmets, were developed in France in 1915 to provide protection to troops fighting in the trenches during World War I. Most soldiers wore leather or cloth hats before that. The British and Germans developed their own version of the steel helmet. When the American Expeditionary Forces entered the war in 1917, they only had wool hats. Helmets were bought from Britain to outfit troops until the U.S. began making a version known as the M-1917 later that year. The helmets were coated with sawdust while the paint was still wet, making a harder, non-reflective surface.

There are collectors who want anything from World War I, and re-enactors who want authentic equipment. Complete World War I steel helmets in good condition sell for over $100.

Recent Prices
Celery dish, RS Prussia, pink roses, green leaves, light green ground, white handles, 13 1/2 x 7 inches, $30.
Bottle, soda, Catawba Club beverages, 8 1/2 inches, $120.
Mardi Gras, parade bulletin, Krewe of Proteus, Zoraster, Walle & Co., 1912, 28 x 42 inches, $340.
Comic book, detective comics No. 27, 1st Batman appearance, DC golden age, 10 cents, May 1939, 8 inches, $660.

TIP: Mix three parts water and one part vinegar and use the mixture to sponge off the white salt stains that form on leather shoes or boots.

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