Jan 16, 2016 5 min read

Trying to be politically correct in the antiques and collectibles world is becoming more and more difficult. Watch out for endangered species discussions and laws. Are we protecting living elephants by making it illegal to sell any ivory, even carvings or teapot handles, made over 100 years ago?

Watch out for stereotypes. Is it trying to change history to delete vocabulary and cartoonish figurines from 100 years ago? Unflattering depictions of suffragettes or Shylock are tolerated, but a Confederate flag, a Chinese man with a queue or a black child with an alligator or non-PC word embossed on a bank must be omitted in a “for sale” ad. And which firearms can be legally sold at antiques auctions without special permits? Is a cannon OK?

Recently, a life-size iron figure of a woman wearing a painted late-19th-century carnival costume was sold at auction. She is a shooting-gallery target, part of the history of a past lifestyle. She sold for over $43,000, even though she had marks from shots and some repairs. Times have changed – no shooting gallery would have a human target, but one from the past is an historic artifact.

Q. I have two lions from Bennington Vermont ceramics from the year 1849. I’d like to sell them. One of them was damaged, but I can get it fixed and restored. Is it worth it?

A. A lot of fake Bennington has been made. The lions should be seen by an expert to determine if they are the original old Bennington or more recent reproductions. Contact a good auction house or antiques shop. Prices for Bennington have dropped in the past 5 years. It might pay to fix the damaged lion so you can sell them as a pair. A pair is worth more than two singles.

Q. I found a Speedball Linoleum Cutter made by Hunt Manufacturing Co. It’s in its original box. The blades are in their own little box. It says there are supposed to be five blades, but there are nine. What can you tell me about it, and how much is it worth?

A. The company began when C. Howard Hunt started a pen manufacturing company in Camden, New Jersey, in 1899. The company became well-known when it introduced the Speedball nib, which made lettering faster, in 1913. It began making linoleum cutters and other accessories for block printing in 1936. The company name was changed to Hunt Manufacturing Co. in 1962. It was restructured in 1997 and now makes linoleum cutters and other art products under the name Speedball in Statesville, N.C. New and used linoleum cutters sell online for under $10.

Q. I have a bunch of old movie posters that were used outside of theaters. They include “Singing in the Rain,” “Hunt for Red October” and several others. Are they worth anything? How would I sell them?

A. Movie posters are easy to sell. Some sell for about $25 and many sell for several hundred dollars or more. Contact auction houses or dealers who sell movie memorabilia may want to sell them for you.

Q. I have a brass plaque embossed with the dates “1801” and “1915” above a temple, the words “To commemorate the dedication of the House of the Temple Supreme Council A. and A.S.R. of Free Masonry for the Southern Jurisdiction U.S.A., Oct. 18, 1915,” and portraits of four men. An eagle and other symbols are also embossed on it. The back of the plaque is embossed with the names of the officers of the Supreme Council. We would like to know the approximate value and any history behind it.

A. The initials “A. and A.S.R.” stand for Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, a Masonic organization founded in 1801. The House of the Temple, the headquarters of the Supreme Council, is located in Washington, DC, and was dedicated in 1915. Your bronze plaque probably was made in quantity so that members could purchase them when the building was dedicated. Information on the actual number made may be available at the headquarters or at the Grand Lodge Scottish Rite Museum in Minneapolis. We haven’t seen a commemorative plaque like yours sell. It doesn’t have wide appeal, but it does have historic value for Masons or people who are interested in the building. Bronze plaque prices are determined by size and the fame of the artist. Most sell for $30 to $100.

Tip: A drawer that is stuck can be helped by heat. Remove any nearby drawers, then aim a blow dryer set on medium at the wood. Once the drawer is opened, rub the runners with paraffin or a candle.

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.

• Snuff bottle, ivory, carved, scholar under tree, two women, round, shouldered, c. 1890, 3 inches, $75.

• Firescreen, leather, hunt scene, horses, riders, black painted frame, c. 1960, 35 x 39 inches, $120.

• Advertising display, Hoover vacuum, green dust figure, rubber, 1960s, 6 inches, $180.

• Doorstop, elephant, trunk turned up, under coconut tree, cast iron, 1922, 10 1/4 inches, $360.

• Chinese Export urn, porcelain, Mandarin design, diapered ground, 2 pierced handles, 1700s, 14 1/4 inches, $650.

• Coin-operated slot machine, Tic-Tac-Toe, 5 cent, Jennings Chief, escalator bell, c. 1946, 15 1/2 x 28 inches, $840.

• Toy, Noah’s Ark, boat, hinged roof, animal figures, carved, painted, Germany, c. 1900, 10 1/2 x 21 1/2 inches, $1,060.

• Altar table, scroll ends, pierced apron, dragons, chasing flaming pearl, 1800s, 33 x 49 inches, $2,730.

• Sweetmeat dish, Charles I, silver, scalloped, lobed, shell handles, flowers, England, 1634, 8 inches, $3,250.

• Venetian glass vase, Fulvio Bianconi, Fasce Orizzontali-style stripe design, 3-line acid etched, paper label, 1950s, 8 1/2 x 7 inches, $7,500.

Write to Kovels, Observer-Reporter, King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019.