news, trends, and analysis from the world of antiques and ... · collection of the film’s...

A VISION OF BEAUTY

In 1943, Norman Rockwell finished his highly acclaimed Four Freedoms paintings,

a series that earned international acclaim. He then started on a portrait of Jennifer Jones in The Song of Bernadette, a film about Bernadette Soubrious of Lourdes, France. In 1858, Bernadette reported seeing 18 visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She later was instrumental in the building of a chapel and a statue at the site of her visions in Massabielle, France.

The location of Rockwell’s painting for The Song of Bernadette was unknown for years but was discovered in the private collection of the film’s producer, William Perlberg (1900–1968). It subsequently passed to Mount St. Mary’s Academy in Los Angeles and then to private collections. On Oct. 26, it landed on the auction block at Heritage Auctions and sold for $605,000.

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INSIDERNews, Trends, and Analysis from the World of Antiques and Collectibles

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ANTIQUES ROADSHOW INSIDER

And you thought he traveled by reindeer and sleigh alone! Pictured above is Frank Earle Schoonover’s original painting for a 1928 magazine; it recently drew a five-figure price at auction (p. 3). At left are more affordable Santa collectibles: 1943, 1948, and 1960 issues of Santa Claus Funnies (Dell).

Volume 13Number 12

DeCember 2013

ON THE INSIDE

ON THE LOOKOUT Santa SightingSCollectors of art, prints, and drawings have long made Santa Claus a top target. With happy holiday wishes, we showcase some spirited examples (see p. 3).

ANTIQUES ROADSHOWANTIQUES ROADSHOW

X Toys: Collecting classic Corgi cars 5X Pottery: Discovering Frans Wildenhain 8X Glass: Ruby-stained glassware 11X Furniture: Antiques Roadshow finds 13X Reference: Index to all 2013 Insider articles 15

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ANTIQUES ROADSHOWTM

Editorial Director: Timothy H. ColeEditor-in-Chief: Larry CanaleManaging Editor: Diane MuhlfeldSenior Contributing Editor: Jane Viator Contributing Writers: Michael Hedges, Douglas R. Kelly, Pete Prunkl, Lana Robinson Production Consultant: Patti Scully-LanePublisher: Philip L. PennyEditorial Offices: P.O. Box 550, Clinton, MA 01510 • E-mail: [email protected]

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REMEMBER WHEN......as a kid, you would lie in the darkness in your bed on Christmas Eve in the darkness, listening to the ticking of the clock on your night table, barely able to contain yourself? What would Santa bring? Could you stay awake long enough to catch a glimpse of him? Would he find the cookies you left on the table? And you wondered how he would manage to deliver so many gifts to so many kids around the world. Reindeer-powered sleigh? Hot-air balloon? A motor vehicle? A really good travel agent? Maybe it was a combination of those methods.

Really, though, Santa’s secret didn’t matter. It was and is magical, and it’s one reason collectors look for objects that keep the holiday sirit alive. Of course, some objects go beyond holiday spirit and get into the “holy-grail collectible” area. Consider the Santa lithographed tin wind-up toy shown above. Made in Japan, the 7-inch-long car is possibly the only known example of its kind. Its final price reflects its rarity: Bidding started at $3,750 at Bertoia Auctions and soared to $32,000 at its closing on Nov. 9.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

ANOTHER YEAR OVER

The closing of calendar year 2013 likely has you feeling stressed about holiday activity, health issues, bills to come, and/or unmet

resolutions, not to mention the constant flow of world news that isn’t always good—most recently the horrendous typhoon that hit

the Philippines in November. So maybe it’s a good time to take a look at It’s a Wonderful Life again. (You’ve seen it only a few dozen times, right?)

A 1946 New York Times review of Frank Capra’s classic holiday movie took a shot at its sentimentality—“its illusory concept of life.” The film’s characters, the review said, “are charming, [Capra’s] small town is a quite beguiling place, and his pattern for solving problems is most optimistic and facile.” That’s one way to look at it. Or you could enjoy its overriding messages: to count our blessings, take care of those we love, and appreciate every moment. We all have a place, and there’s a place for all of us. In the world of antiques and collectibles, we’re constantly seeing reminders of such things, if we look for them. The example at right—a 27 x 41 one-sheet promoting It’s a Wonderful Life —is but one of many. In recent years, fine examples have brought $15,535, $12,547, and $11,950.

So as we head into 2014, I wish you happy holidays—and happy hunting. —Larry Canale, Editor-in-Chief

THE FIRST WORD

ON THE AIRTV TIMES, 2014

Just announced: Antiques Roadshow’s 2014 broadcast

schedule. Starting time for new episodes typically is 8 p.m. Eastern, but please check local listings for exact times. * Encore presentations: italics.

X JANUARY 68 p.m.: Boise, Hour 1 9 p.m.: Tulsa, Hour 1*X JANUARY 138 p.m.: Boise, Hour 29 p.m.: Tulsa, Hour 2*X JANUARY 20 8 p.m.: Boise, Hour 39 p.m.: Tulsa, Hour 3* X JANUARY 278 p.m.: Detroit, Hour 19 p.m.: Eugene, Hour 1* X FEBRUARY 38 p.m.: Detroit, Hour 2 9 p.m. Eugene, Hour 2*

X FEBRUARY 108 p.m.: Detroit, Hour 39 p.m.: Eugene, Hour 3* X FEBRUARY 178 p.m.: Baton Rouge, Hour 19 p.m.: Pittsburgh, Hour 1*X FEBRUARY 248 p.m.: Baton Rouge, Hour 2 9 p.m.: Pittsburgh, Hour 2* X MARCH 38 p.m.: Pittsburgh, Hour 3* X MARCH 108 p.m.: El Paso, Hour 1*X MARCH 178 p.m.: El Paso, Hour 2* 9 p.m.: El Paso, Hour 3*X MARCH 248 p.m.: Baton Rouge, Hour 39 p.m.: Atlana, Hour 1*X MARCH 318 p.m.: Kansas City, Hour 19 p.m.: Atlanta, Hour 2* X APRIL 7 8 p.m.: Kansas City, Hour 2

9 p.m.: Atlanta, Hour 3* X APRIL 14 8 p.m.: Kansas City, Hour 39 p.m.: Minneapolis, Hour 1* X APRIL 218 p.m.: Anaheim, Hour 1X APRIL 288 p.m.: Anaheim, Hour 2 9 p.m.: Minneapolis, Hour 2* X MAY 58 p.m.: Anaheim, Hour 39 p.m.: Minneapolis, Hour 3* X MAY 128 p.m.: Richmond, Hour 19 p.m.: Cats & Dogs compilation*X MAY 198 p.m.: Richmond, Hour 29 p.m.: Greatest Gifts compilation*X MAY 268 p.m.: Richmond, Hour 3X Note: New episodes taped in Jacksonville, Fla., and Knoxville, Tenn., air in Fall 2014.

Original 1946 one-sheets from this film classic can bring five-figure prices.

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DECEMBER 2013 3ANTIQUES ROADSHOW INSIDER

ON THE BLOCK

Actual photographs of Santa Claus, of course, are exceedingly rare, given the nature of his work—dis-

tributing gifts in the still of the night. But for generations, artists and illustrators have been giving us their impressions of what the jolly ol’ elf looks like. Their interpretations have varied wildly over the centuries.

By now, however, most of us attach fairly consis-tent characteristics to Santa: long, white beard, round face, rosy complexion, and big belly, all complemented by his white-trimmed red suit and tall black boots. That image comes from the collective work of artists who have depicted Santa for widely circulated adver-tisements and popular magazines and books. At the high end of this niche: original paintings by the likes of Norman Rockwell and Joseph Christian Leyendecker.

A number of holiday-themed Rock-well works have brought big dollars at auction. Among them is the 22¼ x 18½-inch oil on canvas Deer Santy Claus, which inspired a winning bid of $722,500 at Christie’s in 2012. Two years earlier,

Leyendecker’s original illustration for the Dec. 19, 1948 American Weekly—a view of “mommy kissing Santa Claus” while three young kids spied on them—sold for $131,450 at Heritage Auctions.

Then there’s Frank Earle Schoonover (1877–1972). Born in Oxford, N.J., Schoon-over would study at the Drexel Institute in

Philadelphia and become part of the Brandywine School culture.

In 1928, Schoonover depicted Santa in a hot air balloon for the Dec. 7, 1928 issue of The Popular Magazine. His original 30 x 26-inch oil on canvas went on to exhibit at a variety of Pennsylvania shows in the 1960s and 1970s but was nearly lost in 1981. A fire in a Chadds Ford, Pa., shop called The Wooden Shoe damaged it, but the painting survived, was con-served, and, in the 1990s,

exhibited at Brandywine Museum.Fast-forward to Oct. 26, 2013. The

painting’s owner had consigned it to Heritage Auctions, where it found an appreciative audience. By the the sale’s end, it had soared to $57,813.

Collecting Santa images, however, need not be a budget-busting pursuit. Look no further than the comic book market to find collectible examples. Dell’s Santa Claus Funnies from the niche’s Golden Age (1938–1955) and Silver Age (1956–1969) can be had for $50–$200. One recent 1948 example, graded Very Fine/8.0 on a scale of 10, sold for $167 at Heritage (see photo, p. 1).

If graded closer to 10, however, such comics can command several hundred dollars: Heritage recently sold a 1960 edi-tion graded 9.6 for $442 and a 1944 issue graded 9.4 for $956; photo at top of page). The comics’ original price: 10 cents.

Beyond his appearance as a vibrant representative of Christmas, Santa some-

times got put to work, too. Consider the 1918 government poster issued to rally support for the war effort. An example at a recent Hake’s Americana & Collectibles auction (photo below) sold for $525.

The illustration finds Santa deliver-ing a message of conservationism: He’s sitting atop his sleigh, guiding his rein-deer out of the path of a military vehicle packed with soldiers. The poster’s text barks: “Clear the Way” and “War has restricted production, fuel, labor, trans-portation—there’s every reason to clear away Christmas shopping now.”

...in a slew of illustrations and art that give us a composite look at the jolly old elf.

here ComeS Santa ClauS...AUCTION NEWS & TRENDS

Left: Leyendecker’s American Weekly cover, Dec. 18, 1848. Right: 1918 war-time poster.

Here’s how Schoonover’s Santa was used on The Popular Magazine in 1928.

Norman Rockwell: Deer Santy Claus.


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ICONIC AND SYMBOLIC

A wide range of Americana changed hands at Keno Auctions’ October sale. Among

the eye-catching pieces: a Frederic Auguste Bartholdi “A” model of the Statue of Liberty. The 51-inch-tall zinc sculpture sold for $37,500, far exceeding the pre-sale estimate of $3,000–$6,000. The work is dated August 1876 and bears the artist’s signature and copyright number (9939G).

After creating the Statue of Liberty, Bartholdi (1834–1904) produced a small

number of cast zinc models. The only foundry with whom Bartholdi had a contract was Paris-based Avoiron et Cie, which in the 1870s began reproducing the statue in cast for direct sale. This example, also called the “four-foot model,” was among the early issues.

BOOTH’S GANG... AND THE BROTHERS WRIGHT

The killing of Abraham Lincoln in 1865 prompted an all-out search for assassin

John Wilkes Booth. Within two weeks, Union soldiers tracked down Booth in northern Virginia, shooting and killing him on April 26, 1865. Authorities also arrested eight conspirators, sentencing four of them to death by hanging, an event captured by photographer Alexander Gardner (1821–1882) and his assistant, Timothy O’Sullivan, on July 7, 1865.

A rare grouping of four original prints of the execution highlighted a Swann Auction Galleries event on Oct. 17, selling for $100,000 (pre-sale estimate: $20,000–$30,000).

The images are among the first examples of photojournalism. They depict soldiers, witnesses, and reporters gathered around a scaffold holding the five condemned. Gardner and O’Sullivan created three of these images moments before the execution and one of them just moments after the hanging.

The executed included David Herold, who assisted Booth in his escape attempt, and Mrs. Mary Surratt, who maintained the boarding house where the conspirators planned the killing of Lincoln. Surratt was expected to

receive a last-minute Presidential pardon, but it never arrived. She became the first woman ever hanged by the federal government. Also executed were George Atzerodt, charged with attempting to murder Vice-President Andrew Johnson, and Lewis Payne, convicted for his assassination attempt on the secretary of state.

The photographs sold at Swann were albumen prints measuring 6¾ x 8¾ inches. All of them bear Gardner’s credit, titles, date, and copyright on the original mounts. The titles:• No. 1, Arrival on the Scaffold• No. 2, Reading the Death Warrant• No. 3: Adjusting the Ropes • No. 4: Thus It Be Ever with Assassins (pictured)

On a more uplifting note, an Oct. 18 sale of travel posters at Swann featured a color-ful poster centered on the Wright Brothers. Titled “The Nation, State and City Welcome the World’s Greatest Aviators,” the 31½ x 22–inch piece, printed by The Walker Litho. Co. of Dayton, Ohio, sold for $35,000 (pre-sale estimate: $15,000–$20,000).

The story behind the poster is an interesting one. The Wright Brothers’ first flight, in 1903, was met with some skepticism here in the States. But after traveling to Europe to demonstrate their ability to take to the skies in 1908, they were lauded as heroes. As Swann’s catalog tells us, the Wright Brothers “courted military contracts on both sides of the Atlantic, with Wilbur traveling to Europe and Orville staying back in America to do demonstrations for the U.S. government. They crisscrossed the ocean as they attempted to lure patrons to their project. Upon their successful return from Europe they were greeted by President Taft in the White House.”

After that, the Wrights returned to their hometown of Dayton, Ohio, for a massive two-day celebration that included parades, concerts, fireworks, and receptions. This poster was their welcome home for the 1909 event.

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ANTIQUES ROADSHOW INSIDERDECEMBER 2013 5

TOYS

George Romney, the president and chairman of American Motors Corp. from 1954 until 1962 (and

father of 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney), once famously said, “Nothing is as vulnerable as entrenched success.”

That’s where British company Meccano found itself in 1955 and 1956 as the manufacturer of the hugely suc-cessful Dinky Toys series of models. (See the May and June 2013 issues Insider for more on the Dinky story.). And then an upstart player in the die-cast toy busi-ness, the Mettoy Co., launched its Corgi Toys series.

From the start, the Swansea, Wales-based Mettoy promoted its new Corgis as “the ones with windows,” and the buying public responded. What may seem today to be a minor detail was a game changer in 1956, and Mettoy started eating into Meccano’s profits.

“First it was windows, then it was interiors,” says Stephen Lanzilla, execu-tive director of the Boston Area Toy Collector’s Club. “Then it was ‘opening’ features like doors and hoods. Then it was accessories like luggage in the trunk, and so forth. When the competi-tion responded, Corgi upped the ante again.”

Corgi toys were distributed both in

When it launched its Corgi Toys line in 1956, Welsh manufacturer Mettoy started a long and profitable battle with Meccano, maker of Dinky Toys.

CatChing up With Corgi

By Douglas R. Kelly

The No. 200 Ford Consul was the first Corgi model, launching the line in 1956 and made in various colors until 1961. A mint boxed example such as the one shown here can bring $200-$300.

LATER PRODUCTION

Corgi Toys are still made today, although production switched from Wales to China

many years ago. The Corgi brand, in fact, has been bought and sold several times over the last 25 years, and is now owned by Hornby Hobbies Ltd. in Kent, England. Corgi celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2006 by issuing reproductions of a number of its older models, including the first Corgi model, the number 200 Ford Consul, which was made available in light brown, gold, and even chrome plated.

DEEPER DIVE

For many years, enthusiasts and collectors were able to go right to the source for

information/trivia/details on Corgi Toys: Marcel van Cleemput. Corgi’s chief designer from 1956 until 1983, van Cleemput was the man responsible for many of the models and innovations that kept kids and parents buying Corgi Toys. He also was the author of The Great Book of Corgi, an exhaustive and well-researched work that has become the go-to source for all things Corgi. Van Cleemput revised and updated the book a couple of years ago, releasing The New Great Book of Corgi 1956-2010 to wide acclaim in the collecting world. With Van Cleemput’s passing in March 2013, the toy hobby lost a true visionary.

CARDBOARD

Having the original box always enhances an old toy; it also, of course, tends to drive up

the price. As is the case with Matchbox models, older Corgis can be found with their original boxes, but be aware that there are several makers of reproduction boxes out there, too. Some of these are marked as repros, while others are not; if a box looks new while the toy doesn’t, tread carefully. (To learn more about telling the difference, see “Repro Boxes: The Next-Best Thing,” in the October 2011 issue of Insider.) —D.R.K.

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Douglas R. Kelly is editor of Marine Technology magazine and a collector of pop culture antiques. His byline has appeared in such publications as Model Collector, Associations Now, Back Issue, and Buildings.


the United States and in the United Kingdom. In the 1960s, Mettoy quickly expanded its product line to include movie- and television-inspired models (think the Batmobile and James Bond’s Aston Martin) as well as larger mod-els and sets. But the first eight to 10 years of Corgi production—that 1956 to 1965 period—is where many collec-tors’ hearts and wallets are focused.

A NATURAL PROGRESSIONMettoy had been producing other toy cars featuring clockwork and friction motors for a number of years before launching the Corgi line. So it was natural, perhaps, for the first Corgi models to come both with and without friction motors.

Those early models included such British standards as a Ford Consul, a Riley Pathfinder, a Vauxhall Velox, and an Austin Cambridge. But Mettoy jumped into the export market as well, producing a Studebaker Golden Hawk, a Citroën DS 19, and a Chevrolet Corvair. Each model came individually boxed and included a leaflet showing the other models available in the series.

As is the case with Dinky Toys, the phrase “Corgi Toys” would seem to indi-cate a product that is more plaything than scale model. But Corgis actually

are both; from the beginning in 1956, Mettoy produced a product that offered a high degree of automotive accuracy. It was this realism that enabled the company to compete directly with the similarly realistic Dinky Toys.

TRENDING UPNot surprisingly, the vast majority of 1950s and ‘60s Corgis that turn up for sale today are missing the box and leaf-let. Most also are in less-than-pristine condition. Mint-condition originals with original boxes, of course, bring the

highest prices, and the market has seen an uptick in values in recent years.

“Prices are going up,” Lanzilla says. “I attribute that to the fact that most [dedicated collectors] have been look-ing for Dinky and Matchbox, not just here in the United States, but overseas as well, particularly in the U.K. Many of these people have found that Matchbox prices have become higher and higher, and that certainly also applies to Dinky. So in the past five to 10 years, these people have been looking more seri-ously at Corgis.”

Corgi rarities costing $1,500 or more make news on occasion, but original examples of some of these early mod-els (with original box) can be had for $100 to $250. The key is to determine whether the model you’ve come across in that antique shop or estate auction is original or a restoration.

While restored examples do have something of a following, their value generally is a fraction of that of high-end original models. Looking at photos of original pieces can help, but there is no substitute for handling as many Corgi toys as you can, which will enable you to become familiar with original vs. restored paint, replacement vs. original parts, and so forth.

LOOKING FOR CLUESThe rivets used to attach a car’s body to its base plate can offer clues to a Corgi’s originality. If the rivets appear to have been “messed with,” or are otherwise damaged, there’s a good chance the model was taken apart at some point for restoration or repair. Look for mod-els with intact rivets.

American cars such

as this No. 219

Plymouth Suburban

wagon formed

an important

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line.

Several Corgis produced during the late 1950s

came with friction motors, hence the “M” in the model number. This

201M Austin Cambridge sold

for $600 at a 2013 auction.

The No. 233 Heinkel “bubble car”

was one of Corgi’s European entries in the early

years.

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YOUR DEADLINE IS...

....April 8 if you plan to apply for tickets to

one of the eight Antiques Roadshow events

this summer. You receive this issue of Insider

in late March or early April, so if you haven’t

yet applied for Antiques Roadshow tickets,

get to it—even before you dig into our

features this month. Visit pbs.org/antiques

to submit your application online. (Click

on “2013 Tour”; deadline is 11:59 p.m. E.T. on

Monday, April 8, 2013.)

You’ll also find instructions on how to

apply via postcard. In fact, we’ll give you the

“short version” right here: You can apply for

tickets by sending a postcard to “City Name”

ROADSHOW (e.g., Detroit ROADSHOW),

Box 249, CANTON, MA 02021.

Include your name and the complete

address. Postcards should be no smaller

than 3½ x 5 inches and no larger than 4¼ x

6 inches, and they must be received no later

than April 8, 2013. Write clearly—any

postcards that are illegible or incomplete may

be disqualified.

Only one application per household to

one city, will be accepted. Check the show’s

web page for complete rules.

The complete eight-city

2013 tour schedule:

• June 1: Detroit, MI

• June 8: Jacksonville, FL

• June 22: Anaheim, CA

• June 29: Boise, ID

• July 13: Knoxville, TN

• July 27: Baton Rouge, LA

• Aug. 10: Kansas City, MO

• Aug. 17: Richmond, VA

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™


The 20th century spawned legions

of artists, designers, craftsmen,

photographers, and other creative

types whose work lives on. We can’t begin

to fit them all into a single issue of Insider,

but we can sample those whose legacy

has inspired trends and/or those who

are in the news. This month, we take

a closer look at multitalented furniture

maker Wharton Escherick (1887–1970),

versatile potter Frederick Hurten Rhead

(1880–1942), and the record-setting pho-

tographer Ozzie Sweet (1918–2013).

Pictured above: examples of Rhead’s

Fiesta ware on display in a retail set-

ting; an Escherick wagon wheel chair

from 1939 (this example sold at Rago

Auctions in 2011 for $100,650); and one

of Sweet’s iconic portraits of New York

Yankees slugger Mickey Mantle.

Coverage of our trio of 20th-century

luminaries begins on p. 7.

VOLUME 13

NUMBER 4

APRIL 2013

� Trends: Viator tours a Tribal Arts show 5

� Photographs: Ozzie Sweet: Legendary lensman 7

� Furniture: The best of Wharton Esherick 10

� Pottery: Frederick Rhead’s greatest hits 13

ON THE INSIDE

ON THE LOOKOUT A CENTURY OF STYLE

It’s fading further into

the past, yet the 20th

century lives on, thanks

to forms, objects, and

images that have won

permanent places in our

hearts. This month, we

celebrate three names

who put class and color

into American life.

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Host Mark L. Walberg www.antiquesroadshowinsider.com

EXCLUSIVE

TREASURE-HUNTING

TIPS!LORDER NOW to make sure you get these upcoming features: • Expert advice on whether you should insure your treasures • Tips on “soft” categories ripe for budget-conscious collectors • Results from our exclusive appraiser surveys • The celebrity collectibles boom • Market reports on the hottest categories, including Art Glass, Pottery, Vintage Toys, and Mid-Century Modern Design.

Take a close look at the model’s tires, too. Unless it was put away immediately upon purchase and never saw the light of day again until now, the tires on a 50- to 55-year-old toy should have at least a slightly “aged” look to them. Tires that appear to be new or that don’t seem to visually “match” the rest of the model may well be replacements.

Early Corgis certainly are harder to find than those from the 1970s-to-1980s period, so there are those who prefer to go the auction route. Examples

that turn up on eBay may or may not be offered by sellers who are knowledge-able about Corgi, but dedicated auction houses such as Special Auction Services and Vectis Auctions, both based in the U.K., offer buyers added assurance that the item they’re purchasing is original.

Although they couldn’t have known it at the time, the makers of Corgi Toys provided a snapshot—make that a lot of snapshots—of the world’s automo-biles of the 1950s and ’60s. Children who were lucky enough to receive a

Corgi as a gift or who bought a model or models with their own money expe-rienced, in a small way, the open road of the adult world.

Corgis also gave kids a way to keep up with the newest model coming down that road. “What intrigues me about the early years,” offers Lanzilla, “is they give you a way to contrast where they started with where they went. You can actually see the evolution year by year, and you also can see how the rest of the industry was playing catch-up to Corgi.”

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Top of page, left: Cars with two-color paint jobs generally sell for a premium over their single-color counterparts. This early Vauxhall Velox, though slightly chipped, brought $182 at Vectis Auctions in 2013. Center: This Chevrolet taxi that came with spring suspension (a novelty for a toy car in the early 1960s) made $243 at a 2013 auction. Top right: a Karrier “Mister Softee” ice cream truck. Pictured at left: This Ecurie Ecosse racing set featuring two Formula One cars and a Lotus sports racer brought $640 at a 2013 auction. Gift sets were a part of the Corgi line almost from the start.

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW INSIDERDECEMBER 20138

POTTERY

Nothing banishes obscurity more thoroughly than having your name on a dust jacket. Artists

who are the subjects of books attract fans, collectors, and good auction pric-es. Professor Bruce Austin of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) thinks he’s found the right person for the next book-driven revival. He’s betting on Frans Wildenhain (1905–1980).

“In my judgment, Frans’ work is cur-rently underrated and under-appreci-ated,” says Austin, author of a new book on the Mid-Century Modern potter and muralist. (See “Sources & Resources.”) “For collectors, this means it is afford-able. One can still purchase a great Frans piece for well under $1,000.”

For much of his life, Frans Wilden-hain played second fiddle to his wife of 22 years, Marguerite Wildenhain (1896–1985). Their popularity polarization began early in their relationship. She was his classmate at the Bauhaus in Weimer, Germany, and then his teacher at the State School of Applied Art in Halle,

Germany. She became a Master Potter in 1926, an honor he did not receive until 1929. Although both became important artists in the United States, it’s Marguerite who was the star.

RISING CRAFTSMANFrans Wildenhain taught at RIT from 1950 to 1970. There he was among the new faculty at the School for American Craftsman after it moved from Alfred University in 1949. Wildenhain was over-due for an exhibition at RIT. That idea was accelerated in 2010 when Robert Bradley Johnson, an early collector of Frans’ pottery, donated 330 pieces to RIT. That gift provided Austin with the basis for a 2012 exhibition and an illus-trated 256-page exhibition catalog.

Johnson practically cornered the market on Frans Wildenhain pottery.

“Bob collected steadily, enthusiasti-cally, and voraciously for more than a quarter of a century,” Austin says. His

maSter of SurpriSe

By Pete Prunkl

Keep your eyes open for Mid-Century Modern pottery by the other Wildenhain.

North Carolina-based Pete Prunkl, a frequent contributor to Insider, covered the Knoxville and Richmond Antiques Roadshow events in our September, October, and November issues.

SIGNATURE FRANS

Frans Wildenhain did not sign every piece of pottery he crafted, Bruce Austin says.

“Based upon my experience, though, most were signed,” he adds. “The only two signatures on pots are ‘FW’ or his last name. Some larger pieces have his first name—not many, though. ‘FW’ and his last name are most typical, with the ‘FW’ used more often.”

Is one signature earlier than the other? “One cannot date a pot by the signature used,” Austin says. “I know of early pieces signed with the conjoined ‘FW’ and later pieces with his last named spelled out. I know of virtually no pieces where he placed a date on them. So, the two signatures, I suppose, were used interchangeably.”

ARCHEOLOGICAL FANTASIES

Ruth Duckworth’s (1919–2009) unglazed white porcelain would never be mistaken

for Frans Wildenhain’s pottery creations, but their clay murals showed remarkable similari-ties. Both were German-born modernists who favored abstractions derived from nature and pioneered the large earth-tone mural. “Nature is very sexy,” Duckworth once said in an inter-view. Her masterpiece was Clouds Over Lake Michigan (1976), a 24-foot abstract map of water, hills, shoreline and clouds as seen from above.

REDUCTION FIRING

Wildenhain liked what depriving a kiln of oxygen did to his glazes. Potters as far

back as the ancient Chinese learned that glaze color and consistency can change dramatically in a reduced atmosphere. Copper, for instance, turns a crimson-purple; glazes loaded with iron become fluid and runny. But timing is critical. Oxygen is typically reduced only in the final stage of firing. The Chinese used wet wood for fuel during the reduction phase. A kiln is in reduction when yellow or orange flames shoot from its vents and peep holes. —P.P.

Here’s a look at the most common Frans Wildenhain signature.

This photo of a 10¼ x 10¼-inch reduction-fired Frans Wildenhain stoneware bottle was used for the frontispiece of Bruce Austin’s book.

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At 20 inches, this reduction-fired earthen-ware vessel was one of the taller objects in the Rochester Institute of Technology exhibition curated by Bruce Austin.

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW INSIDER9DECEMBER 2013

favorite store was Shop One, the retail shop Wildenhain and three other RIT profs established in Rochester in 1953. At parties, Johnson wrote in the exhibi-tion catalog, “Frans would introduce me to everyone as the person who allowed him to put a roof on his house.” Johnson thought that Wildenhain’s knobby and horned pottery was “spooky” and he col-lected it for one reason: “I liked it.”

Shop One was no ordinary store. In the United States in the early 1950s, handcrafted wares were available only at America House in New York City and Shop One. Establishing a business that sold only handcrafted pottery, silver, painting, metalware, furniture, and jew-elry was a gutsy—but not highly profit-able—move.

Within a few years, though, associate artists were recruited to the exclusive shop. Openings became gala occasions

covered by the local press. Reviewers regarded the shop as combination gal-lery and elegant apartment. And when the founders received artistic awards, their clientele grew.

By the 1970s, the suburbs and Interstate highways had isolated Shop One’s downtown neighborhood from its customers. The shop moved, con-fronted enormous overhead, faltered, and finally closed in 1976. Shop One left an enormous legacy. It broadened the

Left: Here’s a look at one of Frans Wildenhain’s many reduction-fired knobby pieces (17½ x 8¾ inches). Above: This photo from 1955 shows Professor Wildenhain (center) teaching his students at Rochester Institute of Technology.

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Above left: A cow, sheep, birds, farmer, maiden, and a stylized barn decorate this 4¾ x 6½- inch stoneware bowl. Above right: This 6¼ x 5½-inch bulbous stoneware bud vase in olive drip glaze over mirrored auburn sold for $400 at Rago Auctions in 2012.

Frans Wildenhain’s version of the classic lidded teapot features an exaggerated looping handle in reduction-fired stoneware. This pieces measures 5½ x 9½ x 6½ inches.

Rago Auctions sold this 17½ x 16-inch blue, amber, and white hemispherical ridged stoneware bowl as part of a two-piece lot for $1,440 in 2006.

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10ANTIQUES ROADSHOW INSIDER

DECEMBER 2013

marketplace for crafts and served as an international model for similar ventures.

During Wildenhain’s ten-ure at the School for American Craftsman, he encouraged his students to be experimental-ists, but only after they learned the “old school” fundamentals. “Wildenhain often told his students, first you learn how to do things my way, then you learn how to express yourself,” Austin says.

AN ERA CAPTUREDIn his pottery, Frans captured the spirit of the times in 1950s ceramics—a period rich in curves, color, abstract design,

simplicity, utility, earth tones, and indi-vidual creativity. He also experimented

with geometrics and sculp-tural works, but the majority of his pots looked functional and served a purpose.

But no matter how ordi-nary, Wildenhain’s pottery always included a surprise, Austin says. “Marguerite Wildenhain’s work is always perfect and perfectly executed. With Frans’ [work], there is always an element of catching me unaware.

“Compared with other

mid-century studio potters,” Austin adds, “Frans’ work stands up well.”

Yet he suffers from a lack of name recognition. Few pottery collectors know about Wildenhain because he shunned the spotlight. He found attention from reporters to be a bore, and wanted off the publicity bandwagon. After the RIT exhibition and Bruce Austin’s accompa-nying book, however, Frans Wildenhain may finally be ready for his close-up.

No other work in RIT’s 2012 Frans Wildenhain exhibition remotely resembled this 20 x 20 x 4-inch stoneware construction. It emphasizes Wildenhain’s “wild” side.

ON THE LOOKOUT

ON THE WALL

Frans Wildenhain was among the first mid-century ceramists to work in murals.

Many of these large works—some of them more than 200 feet long—dealt with science and medicine. Murals were the “perfect medi-um for Frans,” author and professor Bruce Austin says. “He had an oversized canvas for

an equally over-sized individual. He was a big man with an imposing physical presence.”

The mural was one medium in which Marguerite Wildenhain—his more famous wife (and, after 22 years of marriage, ex-wife)—never dabbled. “Murals clearly, unambiguously, set them apart,” Austin says.

—Pete Prunkl

Frans Wildenhain’s Allegory of a Landscape was installed at the entrance to Ingle Auditorium at Rochester Institute of Technology in 1971. The 8 x 28-foot unglazed clay mural represents an abstract aerial view of New York’s Finger Lakes.

SOURCES & RESOURCESBOOKS• Frans Wildenhain 1950-75: Creative and Commercial American Ceramics at Mid-Century (pictured below), by Bruce A. Austin (Bruce A. Austin, 2012) • The History of American Ceramics, by Elaine Levin (Harry N. Abrams, Inc.,1988) • The Invisible Core: A Potter’s Life and Thoughts, by Marguerite Wildenhain (Pacific Books Publishers, 1973)

Left: This 17¼ x 4¼-inch Wildenhain stoneware totemic sculpture in matte pastel glazes sold for $2,160 at Rago Auctions in April 2007. The base is incised “FW.”

Left: a 30½ x 50¼-inch ceramic triptych modeled in high relief with elongated figures, covered in green, blue and brown matte glazes, and mounted on wood. It sold at Rago Auctions in 2007 for $5,400.

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ANTIQUES ROADSHOW INSIDERDECEMBER 2013 11

COLLECTIBLES/GLASS

Most of us have seen, and prob-ably own, a cheap, commercial souvenir purchased in the gift

shop of a popular U.S. landmark or vaca-tion destination. Mugs, collector plates, shot glasses, and salt and pepper shakers are among the tacky trinkets available to tourists from the 1950s and later.

But the “ruby-flashed” glass souvenirs of the late 19th and early 20th centuries were far from tacky. These were, in fact, elegant heir-loom-quality keepsakes offered at fairs, amuse-ment parks, and tourist attractions. Train stations, resorts, and carnivals also sold or gave away as prizes a variety of these deep crim-son novelties: toothpick holders, tumblers, goblets, creamers, vases, baskets, slippers, paperweights, and other ornamental pieces.

Today, you’ll find this nostalgic glass-ware in its various forms for sale online, in antiques stores, and at estate sales, garage sales, and auctions. Also known as “ruby-stained,” such pieces are fun to collect, beautiful when displayed, and affordable for budget-minded collectors.

IN THE BEGINNINGRuby-stained glassware emerged in Bohemia in the early 1800s and became popular in Europe as an attractive, cheap-er alternative to Venetian glass. It didn’t catch on as a souvenir item in America, however, until Chicago’s Columbian Exposition events in 1892 and 1893.

Soon, fairs across the nation were offer-ing the suddenly popular glassware with monograms, dates, and other inscriptions etched into it. Pieces frequently boasted

a sentimental message: “To My Dear Mother,” for example, or “Remember Me.” Working-class Vic-torians, although modest in many ways, loved to flaunt these scarlet trea-sures as spoils from their travel adventures.

Some manufacturers sought to expand inter-est beyond the souvenir realm by offering such larger glassware collec-

tions as lemonade sets, punch bowl sets, castor sets, and dresser sets.

FAIR GAME FROM 1904Many of the ruby-stained souvenir items found today originally were sold to attendees of the 1904 World’s Fair, which ran from April 30 to December 1 that year in St. Louis, Mo. The most spectacular of several Victorian-era world’s fairs, the event was billed as “The Greatest of Expositions,” and by all

flaSh from the paSt

By Lana Robinson

Colorful ruby-stained glassware continues to call out to collectors, just as it did in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Lana Robinson is a freelance writer based in Texas. Among the stories she has written for Insider: how to sell your objects in online auctions (October 2012), millefiori paperweights (December 2012), and mid-century barware (September 2013).

Above and below: two views of a 1903 example of ruby-stained glassware.

NEWSFLASH

John and Elizabeth Welker, authors of Pressed Glass in America, confirm the

distinction between “flashed” and “stained” glass. Flashing, they note, is performed by dipping glass into hot glass of another color, “a blown glass method not to be confused with staining used on pressed glass.”

The Welkers define staining as the coating of a piece of glass with a chemical whose true color is developed by heat. “The staining material is painted on the annealed [cooled] article with a brush wherever the decorative effect is desired. It is then fired on for permanency at which time the glass assumes the desired color.”

TERMS TO KNOW

The terms “ruby-flashed” and “ruby-stained” have been used interchangeably in

reference to fired-on coloring added after the creation of a piece of glass. Technically, this is incorrect. Experts say the process is correctly called “staining.” The different terminology can be confusing: Lots of online sellers and retailers continue to use both terms as if they are the same in their descriptions and identification of the glassware.

POPULAR PATTERNS

In the 1986 book The Encyclopedia of Victorian Colored Pattern Glass, Book 7,

Ruby-Stained Glass from A to Z, William Heacock lists the most desirable patterns as: • heart and sand • broken column • snail • ruby thumbprint (Excelsior) • button arches • ivy and snow • red block

The 1896 “locket on chain” pattern of A.H. Heisey & Co. in Newark, Ohio, is also rare and desirable.

FLASH OR FAKE?

Ruby-flashed glassware is highly collectible and therefore profitable to replicate, so it

shouldn’t surprise anyone that reproductions have recently emerged. Counterfeit pieces are properly inscribed with “old” dates and names that can easily fool unsuspecting buyers. One clue to keep in mind is that old ruby-stained glassware generally has tiny spots on it where the red has flaked off. Another indicator of age is that pressed glass will frequently have tiny chips or rough edges from wear. Finally, many of the modern pieces are deep orange rather than deep red in color. Play it safe. Buy only from reputable dealers. —L.R.

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accounts, it lived up to its reputation. The fair grounds and exhibitions

encompassed some 1,200 acres, including the western half of Forest Park. The fair commemorated the Louisiana Purchase, the 1803 land acquisition that more than doubled the size of the United States.

Memorabilia from this celebrated fair is abundant. Some ruby-flashed relics from the St. Louis exposition are common and inexpensive—as little as $15—while rare items sought by modern collectors and historians can be more costly, though still reasonable ($100–$300 or more).

Ruby-stained glass is basically deco-rated pattern glass. The key chemical in the coating is copper sulfide that, when the glassware is baked in a kiln, turns bright red. Before 1880, the process for making two-color glass involved the lay-ering, or flashing, of color over clear glass. Afterwards, patterns were hand-cut. The

process was laborious and expensive. In 1888, Henry Mueller’s patented

chemical stain process for application to the raised surfaces of pressed pat-tern glass in the U.S. paved the way for mass production of ruby-stained Early American Pattern Glass (EAPG).

Many of the designs were made to look like popular cut glass patterns of the era. “King’s Crown,” which derives its name from the zigzag design resembling the top of a crown, was one of the most common industry patterns. Glassware with “button arches,” “daisy and button,” “thumbprint,” and “block and diamond” motifs were other favorites.

Between 200 and 300 ruby-stained patterns landed in the marketplace. Most are illustrated in William Heacock’s book The Encyclopedia of Victorian Colored Pattern Glass, Book 7/Ruby-Stained Glass from A to Z. (See “Popular Patterns” side-bar, p. 11.)

THE ATTRACTIONCollectors of ruby-stained glassware are drawn into the hobby for various reasons. • Some choose pieces on the basis of form (toothpick holders, for example). • Others collect a variety of forms but only a certain pattern. • Some collect items only from a particu-lar city, while others collect by venue, like the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, or a certain historic site or landmark (Niagara Falls, for example). • Still others favor pieces with sweet little verses or old-fashioned names etched into them. • More discriminating collectors enjoy the challenge of searching for obscure pieces. Regardless of the type, they seek out pieces that retain close to the original condition of the stain.

Speaking of condition, it’s a good idea to preserve your pieces: Remember to carefully handle and clean the glass to prevent loss of the color application.

Those who collect ruby-stained glass may focus on pieces related to events (at left: a memento from the 1941 Texas State Fair) or organizations (at right: an 1892 glass with “American Institute” etched underneath the name “Maggie”). Still other collectors may focus on pieces tied to a location or attraction (example: the 1904 Niagara Falls pitcher shown far right). Ph

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ON THE LOOKOUT

MARKET REPORT

What type of ruby-stained glassware is out there for beginning collectors? One place to look (and to sample sales prices) is eBay.

Right now, ruby-stained toothpick holders are plentiful on the auction site. They often sell for $5–$25, although competing bidders occasionally drive the prices a bit higher. In September 2013, for example, a rare ruby-stained A.H. Heisey Touraine toothpick holder inscribed “Gettysburg 1863” (pictured at right) sold for $395. A.H. Heisey & Co. did not exist in 1863, so this toothpick holder likely was created in 1913 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.

In July 2013, a large 1893 Chicago World’s Fair souvenir ruby-stained thumbprint pitcher brought $87 in an eBay auction. In August, a mint-condition 1890 Sandwich, Ill., souvenir vase sold for $114. A few days later, the winning bid for a lot of two souvenir tumblers and two bowls dated 1897 and bearing the names “Emma and Elizabeth Liddle” was $160.

Higher-end pieces to change hands in recent months include a ruby-stained King’s Crown honey dish in near-mint condition that brought $1,600 (pictured below).

Depending upon its rarity or appeal, a piece need not be perfect to sell for a decent price. In August, a ruby-flash pitcher from Atlantic City (1897) with a crack in the bottom sold for $390.

You sometimes see ruby-stained pieces from Europe turn up on eBay. In August, an oversized ruby-flashed goblet commemorat-ing the Great Exhibition of 1851 sold for $666. The 9 ½-inch presentation drinking glass had a wheel-engraved image of the Crystal Palace in its temporary home in Hyde Park, London, with this inscription: “The Great Exhibition of Industry of All Nations, 1851.” A second, identical goblet offered by the same seller brought only $390 a month later. It just goes to show you how the market fluctuates based on the resolve of bidders. —Lana Robinson


DECEMBER 2013

FURNITURE

As longtime viewers of Antiques Roadshow know, the series attracts eye-catching furniture in every city

it visits. And there’s much more beyond the pieces you see appraised on the PBS series. Here’s just a small sampling of fur-niture that wasn’t chosen for taping but nevertheless caught the eye of Antiques Roadshow’s producers in Anaheim and (on p. 14) Knoxville.

MYSTERY METALWORK: An air of mystery surrounded a handsome metal table an Anaheim-area resident brought to Antiques Roadshow in June. The owner had only verbal provenance, and that came from the maker’s niece.

The story is that a James Kubic or Kubik, a California silversmith, made

the piece for a 1931 exposition in Los Angeles. But so far the alleged maker’s name can’t be traced, nor can any asso-ciation with an exposition at that date.

Appraiser Brian Witherell, who spe-cializes in California artists, artisans, and objects, has never heard of Kubic (or Kubik) or of metalwork associ-ated with him. Lacking firm attribution or other identifying information, the appraiser valued the piece—clearly the work of a skilled and imaginative met-alworker—at $800–$1,000.

STAND-UP GUY: Joe’s Art Nouveau bronze and mahogany lamp stand, made in Berlin by Albert Reimann (1874–1976), likely was one of a pair when it was originally produced. This surviving piece, according to appraiser Peter Loughrey of Los Angeles Modern Auctions, is worth $3,000–$5,000.

Reimann was a noted woodwork-er and metalworker in Germany from 1902 through 1935. His workshop, how-ever, was attacked by the Nazis in the 1930s and further destroyed during later bombing raids. The Nazis also destroyed the Reimann School of Art & & Design in Berlin, a private institution he found-ed in 1902.

Appraiser Loughry explained to Joe that German Art Nouveau (called Jugendstil) was different from French, Belgian, and other European styles. And within Germany, he said, there were subtle differences between the major cities (see sidebar below).

Senior contributing editor Jane Viator has written in every issue of Insider since our premiere in July 2001. Her coverage of Antiques Roadshow’s Anaheim event also appears in our September and October issues.

tour talk: road-find furniture

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By Jane Viator

Our contributing editors report on four worthy finds—plus an educational “miss”—from Antiques Roadshow’s 2013 tour.

Anaheim Antiques Roadshow guest Joe thumbs through a book in his collection that documents Albert Reimann’s career. Information of this sort is not only helpful in establishing value; it can actually add to it.

A CLOSER LOOK

VARIATION ON A THEME

Jugendstil, the Art Nouveau style that arose in Germany in the mid- 1890s, continued as a prominent influence through the

first decade of the 20th century. It took its name, per Encyclopaedia Britannica, “from the Munich magazine Die Jugend (‘Youth’), which featured Art Nouveau designs.”

Two phases, Britannica continues, “can be discerned in Jugendstil: an early one, before 1900, that is mainly floral in character and rooted in English Art Nouveau and Japanese applied arts and prints; and a later, more abstract phase growing out of the Viennese work of the Belgian-born architect and designer Henry van de Velde [1863–1957].”

An unknown but skilled metalworker was responsible for the imaginative stylings of this table’s legs.

Cover of an 1896 issue of Die Jugend.


DECEMBER 2013

WELL-TRAVELED CHAIRS: When Victoria’s parents bought a house in Hawaii, it came with six mahogany chairs like the one pictured here. They’re made in the Regency style of around 1800, inlaid with bone and made with the cane seats favored in hot climates.

Appraiser Brian Witherell believes this chair and its companions were made in one of the Caribbean islands and made their way to Hawaii, a cross-roads where items from all around the world accumulated over the years. Witherell valued the six chairs—all of them with arms, instead of the more usual two armchairs and four matching armless side chairs—at $1,500.

Victoria’s elegant chairs have trav-eled thousands of miles in their 200-year history. If they could only speak, they’d have some great stories to relate.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?: The name Gallé is associated with some of the finest glass produced in France during the Art Nouveau period. The best-known member of the talented family, Émile, also designed furniture from 1885 until his death in 1904. (His family continued the business until 1931, when it moved on to the Art Deco style.)

Gallé furniture, highly sought by col-lectors, is typically inlaid with naturalis-

tic motifs composed of many types of woods. A Gallé table at the Anaheim Antiques Roadshow, with its bold sig-nature, looked at first glance like a characteristic example, with its motif of pond lilies and sinuous supporting legs. But the appraisers agreed that this piece is valued at a few hundred dol-lars—not many thousands—because, alas, it’s a fake. Despite the signature, it lacks the grace and subtlety of a genu-ine Gallé creation.

Appraiser Arlie Sulka pointed out the telltale signs of a wannabe, made with intent to deceive. The inlay is crude, the workmanship leaves much to be desired, and floral motifs of the

legs are stiff, flat, and unconvincing. As always, whether the object is furni-

ture, fine art, metalwork, or ceramic, never rely on the signature alone. The piece should tell its pedigree by the quality of materials, workmanship, and design.

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PATENT FURNITURE

If you think the back supports on this late-19th-century Hunzinger

platform rocker look like lollipops, you’re not alone. Appraiser John Sollo of Rago Arts didn’t refer to Ed’s chair that way during Antiques Roadshow’s Knoxville event last summer, but he acknowledged that it’s a common descriptive among collectors.

George Hunzinger (1835–1898) opened his New York City furniture factory in 1855 and began accumulating 21 furniture patents. He “put spice in Victorian designs,” Sollo said. “His unique chairs were the beginning of Modernism in America.”

Ed’s chair is “a cool piece,” said Sollo. It was produced in a wide variety of styles, including traditional rockers and side chairs, and most had upholstered seats. Ed’s chair had remnants of its original tag.

Sollo also noted that the market hasn’t been kind to Hunzinger’s invention. In 1995, Ed’s chair would have brought $2,000 at auction. Today, it would fall between $1,200 and $1,800. —Pete Prunkl

ON THE ROAD: KNOXVILLE

Appraiser Brian Witherell (left) inspects one of a set of six chairs brought in by Victoria (photo below). Right: Was this table the work of Gallé? No— his quality is nowhere in sight. Ph

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Ed (right) got the lowdown on his “lollipop” chair from appraiser John Sollo.


REFERENCE

2013 Antiques RoAdshow insideR ARTICLE INDEx

Below is an index, organized by category, to all Insider features and departments from the past year. (Note: For information on availability of back issues, call 800-424-7887.)

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION (Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685). 1. Title of publication: Antiques Roadshow Insider. 2. Publication No.: 0021-3230. 3. Filing date: 9/27/13. 4. Issue frequency: Monthly. 5. No. of issues published annually: 12. 6. Annual subscription price: $45.00. 7. Known office of publication: 800 Connecticut Ave., Norwalk, CT 06854-1631. Contact person: Greg King, 203-857-3119. 8. Headquarters or general business office of the publisher: same as above. 9. Publisher: same as above. Editor: Larry Canale. Managing Editor: Diane Muhlfield, Antiques Insider LLC, an affiliate of Belvoir Media Group, 800 Connecticut Ave., Norwalk, CT 06854-1631. 10. Owner: Belvoir Media Group LLC, 800 Connecticut Ave., Norwalk, CT 06854-1631. 11. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amounts of bonds, mortgages, or other securities: None. 13. Title: Antiques Roadshow Insider. 14. Issue date for circulation data below: August 2013. 15. Extent and nature of circulation (average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months/ no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date):

A. Total no. of copies printed (48,089/53,600). B. Paid and/or requested circulation: 1. Paid/requested outside-county mail subscriptions stated on Form 3541 (43,859/42,857). 2. Paid in-county subscriptions (0/0). 3. Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales, and other non-USPS paid distribution (6/7). 4. Other classes mailed through USPS (0/0). C. Total paid and/or requested circulation (43,865/42,864). D. Free distribution by mail: 1. Outside-county as stated on Form 3541 (243/253). 2. In-county as stated on Form 3541 (0/0). 3. Other classes mailed through USPS (0/0). 4. Free distribution outside the mail (3,716/10,431). E. Total free distribution (3,959/10,684). F. Total distribution (47,824/53,548). G. Copies not distributed (266/52). H. Total (48,089/53,600). J. Percent paid and/or requested circulation (91.7%/80.0%). 17. I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. —Gregory M. King, Circulation Director, 9/06/13.

YOUR DEADLINE IS.......April 8 if you plan to apply for tickets to one of the eight Antiques Roadshow events this summer. You receive this issue of Insider in late March or early April, so if you haven’t yet applied for Antiques Roadshow tickets, get to it—even before you dig into our features this month. Visit pbs.org/antiques to submit your application online. (Click on “2013 Tour”; deadline is 11:59 p.m. E.T. on Monday, April 8, 2013.)

You’ll also find instructions on how to apply via postcard. In fact, we’ll give you the “short version” right here: You can apply for tickets by sending a postcard to “City Name” ROADSHOW (e.g., Detroit ROADSHOW), Box 249, CANTON, MA 02021.

Include your name and the complete address. Postcards should be no smaller than 3½ x 5 inches and no larger than 4¼ x 6 inches, and they must be received no later than April 8, 2013. Write clearly—any postcards that are illegible or incomplete may be disqualified.

Only one application per household to one city, will be accepted. Check the show’s web page for complete rules.

The complete eight-city 2013 tour schedule:• June 1: Detroit, MI• June 8: Jacksonville, FL• June 22: Anaheim, CA• June 29: Boise, ID• July 13: Knoxville, TN• July 27: Baton Rouge, LA• Aug. 10: Kansas City, MO• Aug. 17: Richmond, VA

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The 20th century spawned legions of artists, designers, craftsmen, photographers, and other creative

types whose work lives on. We can’t begin to fit them all into a single issue of Insider, but we can sample those whose legacy has inspired trends and/or those who are in the news. This month, we take a closer look at multitalented furniture maker Wharton Escherick (1887–1970), versatile potter Frederick Hurten Rhead

(1880–1942), and the record-setting pho-tographer Ozzie Sweet (1918–2013).

Pictured above: examples of Rhead’s Fiesta ware on display in a retail set-ting; an Escherick wagon wheel chair from 1939 (this example sold at Rago Auctions in 2011 for $100,650); and one of Sweet’s iconic portraits of New York Yankees slugger Mickey Mantle.

Coverage of our trio of 20th-century luminaries begins on p. 7.

VOLUME 13NUMBER 4APRIL 2013

� Trends: Viator tours a Tribal Arts show 5� Photographs: Ozzie Sweet: Legendary lensman 7� Furniture: The best of Wharton Esherick 10� Pottery: Frederick Rhead’s greatest hits 13

ON THE INSIDE

ON THE LOOKOUT A CENTURY OF STYLEIt’s fading further into the past, yet the 20th century lives on, thanks to forms, objects, and images that have won permanent places in our hearts. This month, we celebrate three names who put class and color into American life.

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Host Mark L. Walberg

Our April issue paid tribute to photographer Ozzie Sweet (his iconic portraits of Mickey Mantle and Albert Einstein are pictured above and at left) along with craftsman Wharton Escherick, whose c. 1960 S-K side chair is pictured far left.

• ADVICE Appraiser tips (“Myth vs. Reality, Part 1”) 7/13, p. 1Appraiser tips (“Myth vs. Reality, Part 2”) 8/13, p. 5

• AMERICANA & FOLK ART Antiques Roadshow finds (“The Stuff of Heroes”) 7/13, p. 10Decoys, at auction (“Duck, Duck, Hen...”) 6/13, p. 3Williams, Andy, folk art collection (“Collecting at Its Best”) 5/13, p. 13• CARE & MAINTENANCE Antiques preservation (“The Guardian Angel’s Antiques Guide”) 5/13, p. 5 • COLLECTIBLESBatman (“The Throwback Hero”) 5/13, p. 2Beatles collectibles (“Blast From the Past”) 11/13, p. 2Bonnie & Clyde guns, auction (“Bonnie & Clyde”) 3/13, p. 4Comic book rack, vintage (“Blast From the Past”) 3/13, p. 2Get Smart TV memorabilia (“Blast From the Past”) 10/13, p. 2Gumball machines (“Serious Coin”) 11/13, p. 9Kennedy, John F., memorabilia (“That Dark Day”) 11/13, p. 1Lone Ranger, collectibles (“Blast From the Past”) 8/13, p. 2National Parks collecting (“Lure of Our National Parks”) 7/13, p. 12Pens, fountain (“Blast From the Past”) 7/13, p. 16 • DECORATIVE ARTSBertoia, Harry, designs (“Resolute and Industrious”) 6/13, p. 10Inuit sculpture (“Getting Into Inuit”) 8/13, p. 13Tiffany Studios auction (“Tiffany Treasure”) 2/13, p. 1

• FURNITUREAntiques Roadshow finds (“Tour Talk”)` 12/13, p. 13 Escherick, Wharton (“The Beauty of an Adventurous and Daring Man”) 4/13, p. 10Modern design (“Modernism: Names to Know”) 5/13, p. 3Sani, Paolo, and Gambi, Gaetano, carved chair at Antiques Roadshow (“Sitting Pretty: Odyssey of an Antique”) 3/13, p. 720th Century furniture at auction (“Hot Seats”) 11/13, p. 3

• GLASS, PORCELAIN, & POTTERYBarware, mid-century (“Glass with Class”) 9/13, p. 13Cliff, Clarice, pottery (“Wonderfully Bizarre”) 11/13, p. 13Market report, glassware (“The Glass Ceiling?”) 8/13, p. 11Rhead, Frederick H., pottery (“Peerless Potter, Part 1”) 3/13, p. 10Rhead, Frederick H., pottery (“Peerless Potter, Part 2”) 4/13, p. 13Rie, Lucie, pottery (“Minimal and Uncluttered”) 5/13, p. 10Ruby-stained glass (“Flash From the Past”) 12/13, p. 11Wildenhain, Frans, pottery (“Master of Surprise”) 12/13, p. 8

• ON THE ROAD: ANTIQUES ROADSHOW REPORTSAnaheim, Part 1 (“20th Century Unlimited”) 9/13, p. 8

Anhaeim, Part 2 (“Best in the West”) 10/13, p. 11Anaheim, Part 3 (“Memorable Medallions”) 11/13, p. 7Detroit, Part 1 (“Editor’s Notebook”) 7/13, p. 15Detroit, Part 2 (“One Good Turn...”) 8/13, p. 1Detroit, Part 3 (“Got Milk [Glass]?) 10/13, p. 7Ghost stories on the road (“Antiques RoadGhostshow”) 10/13, p. 13Knoxville Part 1 (“Antiquing in Downtown K-Town”) 9/13, p. 5Knoxville Part 2 (“Suffragists, Studebaker, Samples, and Such”) 10/13, p. 8Richmond Part 1 (“Virginia Callin‘”) 10/13, p. 4 Richmond Part 2 (“A Military Question”) 11/13, p. 8Tour finds, 2012 (“Digging Deeper”) 6/13, p. 14

• PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGSButtersworth, James (“Smooth Sailing”) 3/13, p. 3Children’s book art (“Big Draws”) 3/13, p. 6Comic book art (“Pen, Ink, Paper... Shazam!”) 1/13, p. 11Hobcaw Barony art theft/Antiques Roadshow “Missing Masterpieces report (“Looking for Clues”) 1/13, p. 1Morriseau, Norval, Antiques Roadshow find (“One Good Turn...”) 8/13, p. 1Nautical art (“Wet and Wild”) 1/13, p. 5Street art at auction (“Tomorrow’s Art Today”) 6/13, p. 6

• PHOTOGRAPHS, PRINTS, & POSTERSHand-related photographs at auction (“All Hands”) 2/13, p. 3Horror movie posters (“A Frighteningly Good Find”) 9/13, p. 3 Sweet, Ozzie, photography (“Sweet View of the Past”) 4/13, p. 7War-time posters (“Classic Calls to Action”) 9/13, p. 4

• SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTSFans, electric (“Dedicated Fans”) 1/13, p. 8Phone booths, vintage (“Blast From the Past”) 2/13, p. 2Radios, antique Catalin (“Rainbow Radios”) 2/13, p.

• SILVERPerry, Charles O., scuplture (“Time for a Find”) 1/13, p. 2R&S Garrad centerpiece (“Time Again for a Find”) 2/13, p. 16

• SPORTS MEMORABILIAAli, Muhammad, memorabilia (“The Greatest”) 3/13, p. 1First baseball card (“Take Me Out to the Yard Sale”) 3/13, p. 16 Jones, Deacon (“Farewell to a Football Legend”) 7/13, p. 2Ruth, Babe, jersey auction (“Great Catches”) 1/13, p. 4Snead, Sam, memorabilia (“Legend of the Links”) 10/13, p. 3

• TOYS & DOLLSCorgi toys (“Catching Up with Corgi”) 12/13, p. 5Dinky toys, Part 1(“Name-Dropper”) 5/13, p. 7Dinky toys, Part 2 (“The Real Deal”) 5/13, p. 7 Robot toys (“Toy Time”) 2/13, p. 5Soldiers, toy (“An Enduring Passion”) 9/13, p. 11

• TEXTILESFashions, vintage (“Retro Rags”) 2/13, p. 7Sanders, Col., Kentucky Fried Chicken suit (“The Clothes Off the Colonel’s Back”) 4/13, p. 16Zoot suit, auction (“Suit Up!”) 2/13, p. 8

• TRIBAL ARTSSan Francisco Textile & Tribal Arts Show (“We Are the World”) 4/13, p. 4

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Above: Our October cover captured Leila Dunbar appraising a game-worn Sam Huff jersey at $15,000–$20,000. Below: Our November issue showcased a Yousuf Karsh portrait of JFK (auction value: $10,000–$15,000).

EXQUISITE ESCRITOIRE

Even in our mod-minded world, some styles always look great. Consider the

William & Mary walnut and walnut veneer escritoire (fall-front desk) above. Dating to 1705–1710 Philadephia, this 66-inch-tall model of early American craftsmanship opens to a complex interior of secret drawers and compartments. A bidder at Skinner Inc. spent $270,00 for this beauty in August.

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’

The work shown above, created by impressionist artist Guy Rose (1867–

1925) paced a Bonhams auction of California and Western Paintings & Sculpture when it fetched $374,500. The oil on canvas, 15 x 18 inches in size, is titled Wind Swept Pines.

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Antiques Roadshow wound up its biggest tour in some 10 years on Aug. 17 in Richmond. The show’s

producers, experts, and crew, plus, of course, host Mark L. Wahlberg, traveled to eight cities over a two-and-a-half-month span. Along the way, the appraisers examined roughly 80,000 items. Highlights from the eight events begin appear-ing on PBS starting in January.

Meanwhile, we’ve been sharing all kinds of finds exclu-sive to Insider, beginning in our July 2013 issue. We carry on this month with reports from Richmond, Knoxville, Anaheim, and Detroit.

But first, take look at what appraiser Leila Dunbar called “the world’s big-

gest onesie.” Actually, it’s a Washington Redskins football jersey worn by Sam

Huff (pictured at left) in the 1960s. Dunbar told the jersey’s owner that it could bring $15,000–$25,000 at auction. Insurance value: $30,000.

Huff was a star linebacker who played for the Redskins from 1964–69 after eight standout years with the New York Giants. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982.

Dunbar’s appraisal of Huff’s No. 70 jersey was taped for TV. But on pp. 4–5 this month, you’ll find a host of Insider-exclusive Richmond highlights. �

VOLUME 13NUMBER 10

OCTOBER 2013

ON THE INSIDE

ON THE LOOKOUT WRAPPED IN RICHMONDAntiques Roadshow’s summer tour winds up in Virginia with a slew of prizes and surprises.


The “world’s biggest onesie,” as appraiser Leila Dunbar (right) called Sam Huff’s jersey, would bring a five-figure auction price.

� On the Road: Richmond Antiques Roadshow report 4� On the Road: Detroit and... milk glass? 7� On the Road: Knoxville knockouts 8� On the Road: Best of the West—Anaheim 11� SPECIAL REPORT: BOO! Tour ghosts and ghouls 13

SPECIAL: GHOSTS ON THE ROAD!

p. 13

COLOR MY WORLD

Above and below are examples of two colorful collecting niches you’ll read

about in this issue: Clarice Cliff pottery (p. 13) and vintage gumball machines (p. 11).

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This iconic photograph of John F. Kennedy by Yousuf Karsh (1908–2002) entered a Swann Auction Galleries sale with an estimate of $10,000–$15,000.

VOLUME 13NUMBER 11

NOVEMBER 2013

ON THE INSIDE

ON THE LOOKOUT THAT DARK DAY......50 years ago stays in our memory: Nov. 22, 1963. Yet the short span prior to that pivotal point—and the promise of Camelot—also remains alive, thanks in part to a healthy supply of JFK memorabilia. See p. 5.


� Collectibles: JFK’s enduring popularity 5� On the Road: Furniture finds 7� On the Road: Richmond tales worth telling 8� Collectibles: Chewy chewy—gumball machines 11� Pottery: Name to know: the colorful Clarice Cliff 13

Visit pbs.org/antiques

THE LAST WORD

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW INSIDERInsider on the Internet: AntiquesRoadshowInsider.com

M A I L I N G L A B E L

Antiques Roadshow’s new episodes begin in January (see p. 2), and as the TV

season progresses, we’ll bring you still more exclusive highlights our editors rounded up during the 2013 tour. Among them: long-promised coverage of everything from

airline memorabilia (pictured: 1960s stewardess jacket) to Howdy Doody to cameos. In the works for coming issues: stories on collectible walking canes; Beatles memorabilia; and “silver-soldered” antiques, plus a special feature on how to get your treasures appraised.

FUTURE FEATURES

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A painting by Chinese-American artist Yun Gee (1906–1963) land-ed at New York-based Leigh Keno

Auctions in plenty of time for its Fall Auction in October. Company owner

Leigh Keno originally “had the painting as Fauvist School” (see below) and gave it an estimate of $200–$400.

Before finalizing the sale, however, Keno decided to dig deeper into the painting’s his-

tory, seeking “the help of a friend who knows the artist’s work,” he said. Armed with new infor-mation, Keno adjusted the estimate to $10,000–$20,000.

And once the paint-ing was “attributed correctly,” he said, “it garnered a great deal of attention” —so much so that it sold for $42,500.

“It would have been a great Antiques Roadshow moment,” Keno told Insider. “The owner had no idea of its value.”

She had received the painting in the 1960s as a wedding gift from her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Morris Fish, passionate collectors of art since the 1930s, and kept it for some five decades before consigning it.

Gee’s striking Double Self Portrait, an oil on board measuring 11 x 16½ inch-es, bears the artist’s signature (lower left) and is dated “12/8/26.” The verso includes Chinese script that translates to “Self Portrait Heads”—plus an early price tag reading $40.

timeleSS tip: dig deepWhen appraisers say “Do your homework,” they mean it. And they practice what they preach, as illustrated by this story.

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analeKEEP ‘EM COMIN’

Next month in this space we’ll present the funniest reader captions for the photograph at right. Meanwhile, keep those submissions coming.

The photo captures Sean Quinn, head of security at Antiques Roadshow events, livening up a long line of treasure-toting “early birds” in Richmond, Va., last August as they waited for the doors to open. Despite being on crutches at the time, Quinn primed the crowd with his early-morning jokes, then led the gang in a rousing “Welcome to Richmond!” greeting for Antiques Roadshow’s film crew. Send your captions for the scene to AR Insider, Just for Fun, P.O. Box 550, Clinton, MA 01510 (e-mail: [email protected]). As always, thank you!

JUST FOR FUN

FAUVIST SCHOOL refers to art in the sytle of les Fauves (French for “the wild beasts”). The movement evolved in the early 20th century from a group of French artists, among them Henri Matisse (1869–1954), Maurice de Vlaminck (1876–1958), and Andre Derain (1880–1954). Fauvism (pronounced “foe-vism”) is characterized by bold and vivid colors and simple but dis-torted forms. Fauvism was a relatively short-lived movement (its peak years were between 1905 and 1910) but it had an international influence and helped push the evolution of 20th-century art.

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