Lucite trunk appealed to designers

#MiddleburyCT #Antiques #Lucite

It’s essential for designers to stay on the cutting edge of fashion, which often means finding innovative uses for new materials. Lucite, a clear acrylic resin made by DuPont, was available for commercial use by 1937. By the 1960s, it was used in furniture. Designers often added accents made of smooth, reflective materials like chrome or brass or upholstered their pieces with bright, colorful fabric.

The appeal of this Lucite trunk is crystal clear. It sold for $531 at New Orleans Auction Galleries. (Kovels.com)

Another way to decorate Lucite pieces involved enclosing decorations, such as flowers, in the resin. The clear, shiny material made designs – and the rooms they furnished – look lighter. Some Lucite pieces were made in unusual shapes and styles. Others were more conventional, like this mid-century steamer trunk, which sold at New Orleans Auction Galleries for $531. This may have an advantage over typical wooden or leather trunks: The clear material means you don’t have to open it to see what’s inside!

Q: What is the difference between cut glass and pressed glass? Which is more valuable?

A: Cut glass is an ancient technique that was revived in Europe in the 1500s. Cut and engraved designs added luster to the glass and helped hide flaws like bubbles. Mold-blown glass used easier and cheaper techniques to imitate cut glass. The mechanical glass press was invented in the 1820s, making production even simpler and less expensive. To tell the difference between cut glass and pressed glass, remember the three Ls: look, lift and listen. Cut glass designs have sharp edges, so they sparkle more than pressed glass, which has rounded edges. When you pick up a cut glass item, it will feel heavier than a similar piece of pressed glass. Tap your finger against a piece of cut glass and it will ring with more clarity than pressed glass. Cut glass is usually more expensive than pressed glass, but current prices vary from under $20 to thousands of dollars. Cut glass with a signature or famous manufacturer like Baccarat or Waterford tends to sell for higher prices. Embellishments such as silver mounts or colored glass can further increase the price.

TIP: Liquid window cleaner is an excellent jewelry cleaner.

Current Prices
Doll set, Effanbee, Suzette, George and Martha Washington, white wigs, painted faces, blue side-glancing eyes, 11 inches, pair, $55.
Poster, Imagination Celebration, two figures in hot air balloon, monster and horned dog seated on ground, starry sky, multicolor, Maurice Sendak, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, frame, 13 1/4 x 10 inches, $125.
Furniture, stand, magazine, Stickley Brothers, oak, No. 6617, four shelves, notched crest, circular cutouts, two vertical slats on back, paper label, 49 1/2 x 14 x 12 inches, $2,340.
Satsuma porcelain figurine, Kwannon, standing, holding lotus blossom, multicolor robes, red mark, signature, early 20th century, 15 inches, $2,560.

For more collecting news, tips and resources, visit www.Kovels.com.
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