Emotions run high during wartime. The public creates and consumes symbols and objects that express the extreme sentiments connected with risking life for country. Such authenticity has allowed war memorabilia to become extremely collectible.
War-related collectibles can be divided into two groups: the mementos of life on the home front and the relics and trophies of war saved by those who fought.
Those interested in the history of the 1940s are buying all types of war-related pieces, including ration tokens and books, costume jewelry, GI Joe figures and other toys. Demand is increasing also for posters encouraging Americans to save scrap metal and buy savings bonds. Also being collected are fabrics and prints decorated with flags, soldiers and slogans.
Some collectibles are a mystery to those who did not live through the war. A banner with a gold star, for example, was hung in a window to inform neighbors and passersby that a family member had been killed in service. Rhinestone brooches were fashioned in the shape of three dots and a dash, creating a Morse code V for victory.
All wars have produced collectibles. A few people already are saving pieces from the Vietnam and Persian Gulf Wars. Currently, prices are low but are bound to advance in the years to come.
Q–I am trying to find an antique set of brass andirons. The ones I have seen are too tall for my fireplace. Any suggestions?
A–Don’t give up. If you keep looking, you probably will find what you need.
Classically designed brass andirons were made in the United States in the 18th Century, when fireplaces were large and open. Fireplaces became smaller in the late 1700s to save heat and wood, so the long shafts or finials of old andirons were cut down. New andirons were stubbier with ball-and-steeple tops.
You should be able to find a short pair from the 1800s for $1,000 to $5,000.
There are many reproductions on the market, so be careful. Some of the reproductions are quite handsome, but they should not be as expensive as old ones.
Q–My Flow Blue dinner plate is marked on the back with a crown and the words, “Lusitania, Royal Semi-Porcelain, Alfred Colley Ltd., Tunstall, England.” Was it used on the ship that sank?
A–No. It was made before the famous British ocean liner was torpedoed by a German submarine in 1915. The word “Lusitania” on your plate is the china pattern, named for an ancient Roman province on the Iberian Peninsula.
Alfred Colley Ltd., a pottery company in Staffordshire, England, worked from 1909 to 1914. Other factories also made dishes using the pattern name Lusitania.
Q–My mother saved everything, so I have dozens of dolls and toys from my childhood. Can I store them in plastic containers in my garage?
A–Never store dolls or toys–regardless of the materials from which they are made–in either plastic containers or your garage.
Plastic containers hold humidity. Similarly, a garage can get too hot and humid.
Store your childhood treasures in paper or cardboard containers in rooms or closets in your house. Wrap the dolls in old white bedsheets. A good storage place is under a bed.
It is always best to avoid attics or basements, unless the temperature and humidity are controlled.
Q–I have a 9-inch-high amber American Life Bitters bottle shaped like a log cabin, with “Tiffin, Ohio” embossed on it. I understand there is another American Life Bitters bottle with the name of a different city on it. What is the value of these bottles?
A–Bitters bottles date from 1862 to 1906. They held an alcoholic concoction of herbs and gin that was marketed as medicine.
Both the Tiffin and Omaha, Neb., bottles were made in amber. The Tiffin bottle also was made in green.
American Life Bitters bottles are rare and valuable. An amber Tiffin bottle is worth more than $3,000. A green Tiffin bottle or an amber Omaha bottle would sell for even more.
Q–I have two pairs of unused Mickey Mouse roller skates in their original boxes. There is a metal Mouseketeers Safety Skater Badge inside each box. What are my skates worth?
A–Your skates were made by Globe-Union Inc. of Milwaukee from 1957 to 1959. In mint condition, including the pin-back badge, each pair of your skates is worth about $20.
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The Kovels welcome letters. They cannot reply individually but will answer those of general interest in this column. You may write to the Kovels in care of the Chicago Tribune, Home section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611. Or send e-mail to TribHome@aol.com. For appraisals, contact an auction house or antiques dealer.
