Think of wooden furniture, and most of us picture defined shapes, even lines, and symmetry. Of course, that isn’t always the case. Historically, wood was left with uneven live edges when furniture was made quickly out of necessity, not as a design choice.
While raw edges, twig construction, and irregular shapes gained favor among fans of rustic looks in the 19th century onward, live-edge furniture truly became an art form in the mid-20th century, thanks largely to George Nakashima (1905-1990), furniture maker and founder of Nakashima Woodworkers. He recognized the natural beauty of wood and made innovative use of its live edges and natural grain in his designs.
Nakashima furniture is considered some of the best of the 20th century, but, like most popular designers, his style had many imitators, too. While they may not quite reach the same artistic heights, other makers’ designs can provide similarly striking looks at comparative bargain prices. Nakashima furniture can easily cost thousands of dollars, but this 41-inch mid-century freeform bench by an unidentified maker, for example, sold for $375 at Copake Auctions.
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Q: I have a large collection of cut glass, including some pieces by Tiffany, and would like to know the value.
A: The value of cut glass will depend on its maker, age, pattern, and the type of piece. Do not confuse cut glass marked for Tiffany & Co. with the leaded glass lamps or iridescent glass made by Tiffany Studios or signed for Louis Comfort Tiffany. Tiffany & Co is the store founded by his father, Charles Lewis Tiffany, that sells silver, jewelry, and decorative arts made by other manufacturers.
If you do not know the maker of a piece of glass, look for a signature. That will also increase the value of a piece. Signatures on cut glass can be tricky to find, since they are usually acid-etched and very faint. Look at a smooth surface on the glass and turn it to catch the light. Not all cut glass is signed, however. You may still be able to identify the patterns and find the value that way.
Look for books on cut glass at your library, like “Identifying American Brilliant Cut Glass” by Bill and Louise Boggess or “20th Century Factory Glass” by Lesley Jackson. A cut glass collector’s club, like the American Cut Glass Association (cutglass.org), may have further information to help you identify and value your pieces.
Once you know the maker or pattern of your glass, you can look up prices in price guides, pattern-matching sites, or auction results. If your glass has flaws such as nicks, cracks, or a cloudiness that does not wash clean, it will lower its value. Some features, like an unusual type of foot or the use of both colored and clear glass, will raise the value.
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Q: I have a porcelain figure of a woman in a medieval dress with braided hair. There is a blue mark on the underside that looks like two crossed arrows with a number above them. The number is partly worn away, so I can’t read it. I haven’t been able to identify the mark. Can you tell me about it?
A: The most famous porcelain maker that used a mark with two crossed arrows is the Kalk factory that operated in Eisenberg, Thuringia, Germany, in the 20th century. It was founded in about 1900 with the merger of two porcelain companies and closed in the 1970s.
Kalk is known for hand-painted porcelain figurines, dishes, and trinket boxes. However, the mark with two crossed arrows has been copied by other companies; most notably by Arnart Creations, an importer located in New York that opened in the 1950s. Most of their porcelain products were made in Japan, but they used marks that resembled those of famous European porcelain factories, including the Kalk crossed arrows mark.
If you can see how many digits are in the number in your mark, that may be a clue to whether it is an authentic Kalk or an Arnart imitation. When Kalk marks include a number, it usually has only one or two digits. Arnart marks usually have four. Arnart figurines generally have lower values than Kalk’s, but neither company’s figurines sell for exceptionally high prices today. Kalk figurines often sell for about $25 to $50; Arnart, about $15 to $25.
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TIP: Treat your furniture the same way you treat your face. Wash it to remove the dirt. You do not want to remove the skin. Don’t sand too much or use a “dip strip.”
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Kovels answers readers’ questions sent to the column. Send a letter with one question describing the size, material (glass, pottery) and what you know about the item. Include only two pictures: the object and a close-up of any marks or damage. Be sure your name and return address are included. By sending a question, you give full permission for use in any Kovel product. Names, addresses or email addresses will not be published. We do not guarantee the return of photographs, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. Questions that are answered will appear in Kovels Publications. Write to Kovels, (Name of this newspaper), King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th Street, 41st Floor, New York, NY 10019, or email us at collectorsgallery@kovels.com.
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CURRENT PRICES
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.
Satin glass, ewer, shaded pink, gilt leafy branches, frosted handle, ruffled rim, pontil, 9 inches, $35.
Cloisonne, bowl, green, scrolling leafy vines, flowering branches, blue blossoms, flared scalloped rim, ring foot, wood stand, Japan, 10 inches, $95.
Rug, Navajo, storm pattern, gray, beige, cream, black border, wool, 56 x 38 inches, $150.
Nautical, telegraph, ship’s orders, round, dial, brass frame, marked, Henry Robb Ltd., Leith, Scotland, mid-1900s, 15 1/2 x 12 1/2 inches, $210.
Kitchen, butter stamp, lollipop shape, carved, bird, sun, crimped edge, tiger maple, 8 inches, $260.
Rug, Tekke, red field, repeating geometric medallions, burgundy border, alternating black and gold medallions, wool, hand knotted, Turkmen, 20th century, 10 feet 1 inch x 6 feet 7 inches, $350.
Lamp, electric, hanging, Murano glass, grape cluster, multicolor, gold tone metal frame, flower garlands, pierced bows, flared leafy finial, early 20th century, 16 x 11 1/2 inches, $405.
Furniture, cabinet, corner, Chippendale, walnut, heart pine, two tall over two short paneled doors, six interior shelves, shaped bracket feet, North Carolina, early 1800s, 81 x 48 inches, $510.
Silver-American, platter, oval, wide scalloped rim, repousse flowers and leaves, scrolled trim, marked, S. Kirk & Son Co., 15 inches, $1,125.
Rookwood, vase, standard glaze, shaded brown, dark to light, squat base, flowers, flared rim, signed, A.V.B., Artus Van Briggle, c. 1891, 19 inches, $1,790.
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