French bread boxes were ornate

#MiddleburyCT #BreadBox #Panetiere #LoneRanger

Many of us have a bread box in the kitchen. It’s usually a simple, purely utilitarian affair made of metal or plastic; nothing as fancy as a carved panetiere like the pictured one that sold for $1,408 at Neal Auction.

Would you want to give something as elaborate as this name as mundane as “bread box”? A French Provincial piece practically demands the French name “panetiere.” (Kovels.com)

Panetieres were made and used in the Provençal region of France by the 1600s. Like the bread boxes of today, they kept loaves of bread safe from pests while allowing air to circulate to prevent mold. Unlike the humble bread box, they were made from wood with decorative carvings. This one features a carved and painted lyre door, turned posts, scrolling supports and a carved crest and apron.

Recall the cultural significance of bread in France, and the fancy panetiere is perfectly fitting. After widespread hunger and extreme inequality fueled the Revolution, a law made in 1793 required bakers, under the penalty of imprisonment, to make the same type of bread for the rich and poor alike. In 1993, a decree declared that only four ingredients could be used for traditional French bread: water, salt, wheat flour and yeast or starter. UNESCO granted the most famous type of French bread, the baguette, world heritage status in 2022. An antique panetiere is certainly fit for a cultural treasure.

Q: My brother has an old Lone Ranger lamp from when he was little. Can you tell us the value of it?

A: “The Lone Ranger” radio show made its debut in 1932. The first movie was made in 1938, and the television show ran from 1949 to 1957. Toys and memorabilia remained popular after the show ended and are collectible today. We have seen multiple styles of Lone Ranger lamps. There is one with a figure on horseback on the base and one shaped like a covered wagon. There is also a Lone Ranger “Chuck Wagon” lantern that was made as a toy but could work as a real lantern if fuel was added. (The packaging for the lantern warned kids to leave that part to the grown-ups!) Early Lone Ranger toys often sell for over $100. The exact value of your lamp will depend on which one it is and its condition.

TIP: A brisk rubbing with olive oil will remove most alcohol stains from wood.

Current Prices
Kitchen, spoon, wood, chip carved bowl, carved handle, rooster, man playing saxophone, hand at base, loop handle, c. 1900, 14 1/2 inches, $50.
Textile, weaving, Navajo, Yei, three figures alternating with two cornstalks, rainbow guardian, 20th century, 26 1/2 x 50 inches, $430.
Game, Four & Twenty Blackbirds, board, blackbird pieces, instructions, box, McLoughlin Bros., box 20 1/2 inches, $450.
Weathervane, fish, cod, painted, orange, yellow, molded scales, applied fins, 14 x 33 inches, $600.
Jewelry, set, pin, earrings, round, scenic, woman golfing, enamel ground, green, red, white, 14K gold, clip earrings, pin 1 3/8 inches, earrings 3/4 inches, $1,070.

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

© 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.