THE KOVELS \ Antiques and collecting Razor-blade bank prices reflect rarity and humor

Age and rarity are not the only reasons collectibles bring high prices. Emotion, memories of childhood and even humor can add value.
Crossover collectibles -- those wanted by two different groups of collectors -- also tend to be higher-priced.
Getting rid of a used, dull disposable razor blade has been a problem since King Gillette invented the blade in 1903. He was searching for a product to sell that was used once or twice and then discarded. That way, there would always be a demand for more.
From about 1920 to the 1970s, medicine cabinets were made with a small razor-blade slit in the back. A used blade could be dropped into the slot and would fall between the studs to a safe, hidden storage spot on the ground below; no fingers were cut on old blades.
But razor blades also were used at barber shops and even as tools in workshops.
So, "razor blade banks" were also needed for disposal of used blades. These banks were small, slotted containers about the size of tomato-paste cans that were decorated either with ads for products like shaving cream or with humorous drawings.
Well-known and easily found today are: the 1936 Listerine bank shaped like a frog with an open mouth, which sells for $12 to $30; the tin Colgate box, $42; and the humorous man's-head pottery bank by Cleminson of California, $30 to $70.
Rarer blade banks were made with added heads, feet and baskets to hold blades or other features.
A very unusual razor-blade bank is being offered for sale at $350. It is made of tin and wood and looks like a Gay Nineties man with a mustache. The blades fell into cups that stand where the man's arms should be. The price reflects the rarity and the humor of this 9-inch-high bank.
Q. I inherited a grandfather clock that has been in my family for at least three generations. The only information I can find is a paper label tacked on the inside of the case that reads "William Hislop & amp; Son, Biggar, Established 1840." What can you tell me about this clockmaker?
A. William Hislop is listed in a British encyclopedia of clockmakers. By 1860 -- 20 years after his business was established -- he was still a clockmaker in Biggar, England. Hire an expert to take a look at your clock. One as old as yours and made by an obscure maker has to be seen in person to judge its age, quality and value.
Q. In 1936, I was given an American Indian doll dressed as a girl. She has a composition head with eyes that face to her right, and she's wearing a wool blanket over a cotton skirt. Her boots are suede. The doll has been stored in its original box in a desk drawer all this time. It's in mint condition, and I wonder what it's worth today. The brown, lightweight cardboard box says "Skookum (Bully Good), The Great Indian Character Doll."
A. Skookum dolls were designed about 1913 by Mary McAboy, who lived in Missoula, Mont. She was granted a patent in 1914, and by 1920, the dolls were being sold coast to coast. The first dolls had apple heads with pin eyes. When composition heads were introduced, the distinct right-facing eyes became standard. Plastic heads were used starting in the 1940s. Production during the early years was handled at a Denver factory. Later, the dolls were made or distributed by several companies. A 14-inch doll is in the midsize range and, in excellent condition, sells today for $200 to $250. Add $20 to $30 for the box.
Q. When we moved into our house, we found an old, pewter coffeepot that the previous owner had left behind. Stamped into the pewter on the bottom is this mark: "W.W. Lyman, Pat'd. Oct. 15, 1867." If the coffeepot has any value, I want to return it.
A. William W. Lyman worked in Meriden and Wallingford, Conn., in the middle of the 19th century. Depending on the condition of the coffeepot, it could sell for $200 to $400. It certainly would be nice of you to contact the person who sold you your house to make sure the coffeepot belonged to him.
Q. My grandparents left me a set of dishes that they bought in 1915 at the May Co. department store in Cleveland. The set includes a large, rectangular serving platter and six small, square, matching plates. Each plate is decorated with a painted landscape scene with a tall tree in the right foreground. The plates' edges are slightly wavy and are covered with little beads of gold paint. Each plate is marked "Nippon" on the bottom.
A. Any dish imported to the United States that's marked with only the word "Nippon" (the Japanese word for Japan) was made in Japan between 1891 and 1921. This information jibes with the date your parents purchased the set. After 1921, U.S. law required that the name of the exporting country be identified in English. Your set of dishes was called an "ice cream set." A block of ice cream was placed on the large platter, and slices of ice cream were served on the plates. Sets like yours sell for $175 and up.
Tip
Outdoor lights help prevent crimes, but install them high enough so that they are difficult to unscrew.
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