The Kachina Painter
1917 oil on canvas by E.I. Couse

'The Kachina Painter,' a 1917 oil on canvas by E.I. Couse, sold for $753,000 in a recent Coeur D'Alene art auction

Q: My great-grandparents brought this Haviland set over from Germany. What was it used for, and how can I sell it? Value?

A: Images sent show a large footed porcelain bowl and nine footed cups without handles.

Thinking it is a punch set minus at least one cup, we asked the experts at www.replacements.com to identify the shape and pattern.

Old Haviland has a Schleiger number, an identifier to differentiate between the many patterns produced by the maker. Developed by Arlene Schleiger of Omaha, Neb., and continued by her son, the system of pen and ink drawings was developed in the 1940s and '50s. It is a helpful visual reference showing details of each pattern.

Unfortunately, the pattern of roses and borders on the set does not have a Schleiger number. But curator Debbie Reeves did peg the bowl as a "Ranson blank with gold trim 17." Translation: The factory or inventory name for the 17-inch diameter blank or shape is Ranson.

Haviland marks can also confuse. For example, this punch bowl has two company stamps. A green "Haviland France" bottom mark was stamped onto the fired undecorated blank. A red "Haviland & Co. Limoges" stamp was added after Haviland decorated the set in its factory.

Reeves dates the set around 1900. It's the cups that make the set rare and unusual. Eggshell thin and delicate, the footed cups were prone to break. That nine survive is a near miracle.

The company does not appraise, but we were told that it has sold similar punch sets for about $300. Similar cups in other patterns have sold for $40 to $149 each.

To sell, try a good auction that specializes in decorative arts. Send images to several and see what they say. China replacement services and china dealers usually buy for less than half of retail value.

Q: Is this a salesman's sample or doll furniture? It is 6 inches high and almost 6 inches wide. To me, it looks Oriental. Could it be from the mid-1800s when the U.S. explored Japan? How do I clean it, and is it valuable?

A: Whoa! The chest seen in images is a lovely piece of doll or play furniture, but Oriental is a stretch.

The towel bar at top and double doors with a brass latch in front are typical of regular size bedroom furniture from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Imagine a ceramic basin and ewer set on top.

It's hard to make out how the floral patterns (too westernized to be Oriental) were fixed onto the wood, but the black pattern could be a heat transfer or wood burning technique. It needs to be seen.

My guess is that this is a better shop or factory made piece of doll furniture. Perhaps even handmade. Too big to be a miniature, it would appeal to a doll collector.

Don't clean it. Original patina is important, and a gentle dusting is all it needs.

Q: This unusual hand bell has a face on the handle and bell. I hope it does not scare you. A relative suggested I bury it far from my house! Any info?

A: The gargoyle face or "grotesque" on the figural handle and body of the bell probably gave your kin the willies. The grotesque goes in and out of fashion, and was popular when your metal bell was cast, sometime between 1880 and 1900. Renaissance Revival motifs were in style at the time.

Images sent do not show what kind of metal was used, but I suspect it's iron. Test it with a magnet: If it attracts, it is positive for iron.

There are legions of bell collectors. Tell your relative that the grotesque is a good thing because it will "speak" to collectors.

AUCTION ACTION: Known for his paintings of Native Americans, early 20th-century artist E.I. Couse grew up in Michigan. His 1917 painting "Kachina Painter," measuring 35 by 46 inches, brought $753,000 in a recent Coeur D'Alene Art Auction in Reno. The annual auction, organized by three Idaho, Montana and Nevada sellers that specialize in cowboy and Western art, features good 19th- and 20th-century genre art and bronzes.

COLLECTOR QUIZ

Question: Levi Strauss was not the only pioneer in denim work pants. Can you match early makers with their innovations?

1. Greenebaum Brothers

2. Neustadter Brothers

3. S.R. Krouse

4. A.B. Elfelt & Co.

5. Yung Chow

a. An extended backstrap

b. Piping to reinforce pockets

c. Small watch pockets

d. Leather at points of stress

e. Reinforced at top of pockets

Answers: 1-d, 2-e, 3-a, 4-c, 5-b.

Source: "Jeans of the Old West: A History" by Michael Harris (Schiffer, $34.99). An excellent social history and guide to dating very early jeans. No prices.

 

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(c) 2010 Danielle Arnet