Ask the Antiques Expert
By Jeff Hembel, Antiques Appraiser
Our Antiques Expert is here to help uncover the history behind CW readers’ favorite country antiques and family heirlooms.
Hand-Knit Doll
Q. For as long as I can remember, this doll (below) has been in the antique bookcase I inherited from my father. He believes that it was my great-grandmother’s first doll. Can you provide any details about its origin and worth? —M.K., Casey, Illinois
A. Before the fancy china and bisque dolls of the 19th century, there were wooden and cloth rag dolls. In fact, rag dolls continued to be made and loved well into the 20th century. Muslin was often used to make the body and head, with sewn-on yarn for hair and embroidered facial features.
Your doll is an offshoot of this idea. Directions for crafting it might have been published in a magazine of the day, or the yarn and materials offered in kit form. Its natty knickers, popular between 1920 and 1930, help date the piece.
The face, hands, feet and clothing appear to be hand-knit, with the hat crocheted and the facial features embroidered. About 20-24 inches in length, your doll was likely craft-ed by a family member as a child’s birthday or Christmas present. Being noncommercial, it was less expensive than a factory-produced doll of that time.
When new, the kit or materials to stitch your doll probably cost about $2.50-$3.50, but all the hours spent making it were a labor of love. Today, a collector might consider your handmade doll a piece of folk art and pay $225-$325 for it.
1930s Cobalt Lemonade Set
Q. I believe my parents received this cobalt-blue ribbed pitcher with six glasses (below) as a wedding gift, which would make the set approximately 68 years old. The pitcher has a clear handle but no identifying marks. As kids, we ate ice cream sodas out of the glasses, but I believe it was meant to be used as a water pitcher set. It’s in excellent condition, with no chips. I’m interested in knowing its value. —M.G. Kewaskum, Wisconsin
A. Your seven-piece beverage set is made of high-quality Depression glass molded in a wave-type pattern. Cobalt blue was a popular and very desirable color, especially during the 1930s. Pitchers with ice lips also were popular during this period, since refrigeration meant most people could now make their own ice cubes.
It’s difficult to pinpoint who actually made your set. Duncan & Miller made a similar pattern, called Caribbean, but only in a light-blue color. Other possible companies include Fostoria, Heisey or Cambridge. Sometimes, glassmakers would copy their competitors when a certain design proved to be a particularly good seller.
When your parents received this lovely thirst-quencher set as a wedding gift, it cost about $10-$12. Today, in perfect condition, it’s worth a cool $225-$275!
1920s Compact with Carrying Chain
Q. My father gave this pretty evening purse (below photos) to my mother just prior to their marriage in 1929. It has places for change, perfume, rouge, loose powder and lipstick inside. What can you tell me about it. —G.H., Lizella, Georgia
A. With the Flapper era and more women in the workplace, wearing makeup was no longer regarded unfavorably. Fancy beaded and mesh metal handbags, as well as decorative compacts with carrying chains such as yours became fashionable for the well-appointed women of the day.
Your compact with carrying chain (often referred to as a vanity case) was presented to your mother in the late 1920s. The body of the case appears to be brass with a stamped grapevine motif and a silvered or foil-type finish. You do not mention any maker stampings, but they could have included Evans, Hudnut, Volupte or Whiting & Davis. By the late 1950s, compacts fell out of fashion and favor.
Your grandfather likely paid the princely sum of $2-$3 for this little case your grandmother could carry to dances with small change for a soda or phone call. Today, its value has increased to $125- $175.