Dear readers,

You may recall that we featured an antique viewmaster a few months ago.  This week’s item is the predecessor of the viewmaster – an antique, wooden Monarch stereoscopic slide viewer from 1904!  In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, stereoscopes were all the rage – it offered people a chance to see pictures of local and faraway places in 3-D.  It also helped boost tourism in many areas, particularly New England.

This sterescope also comes with its original stand and original photos of the Lewiston/Auburn area around the turn of the twentieth century – opening bid is $24.99 – please visit our eBay site for more information.

This week we are featuring a pretty amazing piece – an antique reed organ in working condition! We believe it was made at some point in the late nineteenth or early twentieth centuries.  The manufacturer is the Smith American Organ Company (Boston).

The organ measures 24″ deep, 30″ tall” and 42.5″ wide.

Please note that we are selling the piece “as is.”  While it seems to work, there are some scratches and dings – the keys need some work.  This is a great piece – because of its large size, we are only offering local pickup (Portland, Maine).  Please view the complete listing on our eBay site and please feel free to email the Goodwill eBay team if you have questions.

The starting bid on this piece is only $50!

Dear readers,

Happy Winter Solstice!  A great way to celebrate the impending light is to have candles lit in our homes – especially around the holidays.  And what better way to trim the wicks and snuff the candles than with an antique candle snuffer! Now you can get positively Dickensian in your holiday rituals with this one of a kind implement, evoking the nineteenth-century aura of London streets and the ghosts of Christmas past…

Bidding is now open on this item…place your bid before it goes!

One of Goodwill’s greatest offerings is the eclectic collection of dinnerware and kitchen goods. But how do you know which plates are china and which are not? Whether you are hunting for an antique china set or simply looking for durable kitchenware, Goodwill’s Special Events Coordinator and Antiques Appraiser, Bob Parker, gives us some tips on how to better identify china and everyday dinnerware.

Why China and not France or England?

The Chinese were the first to make the type of dinnerware we call “china” today (though technically it is porcelain). Up until the fifteenth century, Europeans were eating off of wooden trenchers and large slabs of bread. It was not until the early 1700’s that they started to manufacture china in Europe.

In addition to china, there is also “bone china.” While regular china is just made with clay, bone china is made with clay and bone ash to strengthen the porcelain. Most of the bone ash is made from cattle bones. True fine china is hard and will produce a ringing sound when tapped.

What is the difference between china and everyday dinnerware?

Because of daily use, everyday dinnerware is usually made of stronger materials such as stoneware, earthen ware, and iron stone. One of the more valuable types of everyday dinnerware is transfer ware (Blue Willow is a popular and valuable pattern). Transfer ware is made by inking a metal plate with a design and then transferring that design to paper. The paper is then applied to the dish and when the ink is set the paper is removed. Blue and white are the most common colors, but many other colors are used, including black and brown.

These dishes can be quite valuable. Look for plates marked Staffordshire, Spod, and Wedgewood. One of my favorite types of transfer ware is “Flow Blue” (see image to the left) which originated around 1830 in England. Manufacturers discovered that by letting the blue ink spread (flow), they could cover defects in the printing and seams. It also added a sort of Romantic element and became very popular in its day.

Every Day Dinnerware Patterns

1. England, Antique Pieces: Pieces from England are made from either ironstone or stoneware. Common manufacturers include Davenport, Hicks, Johnson Brothers, Masons, Meight, Spode. Many pieces are marked “Staffordshire,” which is a part of England, but not a manufacturer.

2. England, Contemporary Pieces: Manufacturers include Denby and Port Merion.

3. France produces Quimper, which is a very high end brand of pottery favored by collectors.

4. United States: There are many American companies that specialize in casual dinnerware. Some of the older pieces are from Homer Laughlin, Blue Ridge, Franciscan, Iroquois, Syracuse, Russell Wright, and Hall and California Pottery.

Common China Patterns

1. England: Look for Coalport, Minton, Royal Dolton, Royal Worcester, Spode, and Wedgewood.

2. France: Look for older china marked “Limoges.” This is not a pattern name, but a region in France. Different companies manufactured “Limoges” china, such as Havilland, Sevres, and Vincennes.

3. Ireland: Belleek is Ireland’s great porcelain maker and though they are most famous for their ornaments, figurines, and decorative dishes, they also made dinnerware.

4. Germany: Germany is famous for Meissen and Dresden china, as well as Konnigsvelt Bayer (KB) and Rosenthal.

5. Japan: Look for Noritake, Mikasa, and Blue Danube. You will often receive pieces marked “Nippon,” which is not a china manufacturer, but “Japan” in Japanese. The “Nippon” stamp had been used to mark the country of origin, but this practice ended in 1921.

6. United States: The U.S. makes some great china. Lenox is a favorite of First Ladies and new brides. Other manufacturers of dinnerware tend to fall into the casual/ everyday category.

One of my favorite activities in thrift stores and antique shops is hunting through the home goods for items like picture frames, wooden bowls, and glassware (I’m a huge Pyrex fan!). But when I find glass pieces I like, I often have no idea the type of glass, its history, or value. In an effort to make us all experts on the colorful glasses, bowls, pitchers, and vases we encounter, Goodwill’s Special Events Coordinator and Antiques Appraiser, Bob Parker, gives us some tips on how to differentiate between Brilliant Cut and Depression Glass. I also encourage you check out this great post on how to identify Carnival Glass and its history.

Brilliant Cut and Depression Glass

American cut glass is often referred to as “Brilliant Cut.” Craftsmen in the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries developed techniques that resulted in the creation of wonderful cuts and bevels. Like a diamond cut, cut glass was designed to capture and reflect light.

How is Brilliant Cut Glass Made?

The glass was cut using a wheel and a great deal of skill. It was not unusual for a craftsman to work for days on an item only to have a missed cut render the entire piece useless. The blanks of glass came from Germany and contained a high quantity of lead. The lead content creates rainbow reflections and the “pinging” sound when the glass is tapped. World War I adversely affected the cut glass industry, as Germany diverted its lead-heavy glass blanks for the production of bullets. American glass cutters developed methods to cut thinner glass, but the Great Depression essentially ended the industry in the U.S.

How can I identify Brilliant Glass?

Look closely to see that there are no mold lines. Notice that the glass is brighter than pressed glass. Look at the depth of the cuts; there is often damage to the points of some of the cuts. Cut glass is generally heavier than pressed glass. Sometimes you can locate a signature or logo etched into bottom of the piece.

What is Pressed Glass?

Pressed glass was manufactured for everyday use and came in different colors, patterns, and sizes. It was cheap and easily produced using molds. You will find that pressed glass always has mold lines or seams that are easily visible. Most of what we see today is pressed glass. Pressed glass was popular until the 1920’s when it was replaced by crystal. It resurfaced during the 1930’s; pieces produced during this period became known as “Depression Glass.” Manufacturers and local movie theaters would often give away pressed glass as an incentive for people to purchase their products. Depression glassware is highly sought after today by collectors. Candy dishes and serving dishes are most valuable along with dinnerware and drinking glasses. Dinnerware and glasses are most valuable when there are several pieces.