Old inkwells can draw big prices from interested fans

Writing a letter? You’re probably using a ballpoint pen or a computer. But our ancestors used other writing instruments.

If you wanted to write a letter in the 17th century, you were probably wealthy and had a scribe do the writing for you. By the 18th century, educated men and women wrote their own letters. Ink was made from powder and water until a ready-mix was invented in 1836.

At first, ink had to be kept in an airtight container made of pottery, not glass, because ink lost color in sunlight. An inkwell with a tight cap was one solution. An inkwell, pen, pounce (used to dry ink) and wafers used to seal letters were kept on the desk. Sometimes they were all inside a large box.

Some inkwells were made in fanciful shapes, and some inkstands included decorative figurines. The fountain pen and ballpoint pen made the inkwell obsolete. But inkwells and inkstands are popular collectibles. You can find glass, pottery, silver, pewter and even horn or wooden inkwells at prices ranging from $50 to $5,000.

Q. I purchased a buffet some time ago from an antiques dealer in Maine. I was told it came from Maine’s Governor’s Mansion and that a former governor, Gov. Cross, had used it. Inside the drawer it says, “Paine Furniture Co., Boston, Mass.” I plan to sell this piece and would like to know its value.

A. Paine Furniture Co. dates back to 1835, but it’s now called Paine’s Patio and is based in Cape Cod, Mass. During the past decade or so, it has specialized in outdoor furniture. Burton M. Cross lived in Blaine House, the Governor’s Mansion in Augusta, during his term as governor, 1952 to 1955. But Maine’s state historian has never heard of Blaine House’s furniture being deaccessioned or sold. And most of the furniture in the downstairs museum has remained the same for a long time. Stories of ownership (provenance) are often fables. So your buffet would not sell for any more than a buffet that was never used by a governor.

Q. I have some very old Tupperware that I bought in 1952 when I got married. Is it collected today? I still use mine.

A. Tupperware, the plastic bowls with the “burping lids,” was first sold in stores in 1946. In 1951 the famous Tupperware parties were started. Housewives sold the plastic items from home. Sales went up, and women were able to earn a living selling a product from home. The company was sold in 1958. Other companies made similar items after 1984, when Tupperware’s patent expired. Some of the early patented pieces are so well designed they are in museum collections. A few collectors search for old Tupperware, but prices are still low.

Q. Can you tell me the difference between cut glass and crystal? I hear the words used to describe glass candy dishes and vases, and I don’t know the difference.

A. Most Americans use the term “crystal” when they’re describing any fine, colorless, transparent glassware used at the table, especially if the glass is faceted (cut). So, in common usage, the two terms are interchangeable — although a lot of people use the word “crystal” for any fine glassware, cut or not. Technically, however, crystal is usually associated with glass that contains a certain percentage of lead oxide. Lead oxide makes glass stronger and more brilliant, which makes it easier to cut and more attractive. It also gives it that ability to “ping” when you flick your finger on it.

Q. I have a pressed-steel toy telephone repair truck. I think it was made by Lincoln Line of Chicago. The word “Telephone” is on the truck and there are pictures of repairmen in the truck’s windows. My father-in-law, Robert Cristofferson Sr., started Lincoln Line with two partners after World War II. Is the toy collectible?

A. In the first half of the 20th century, Chicago was home to several successful toy manufacturers because of the city’s large labor supply and good shipping facilities. Many of the toys were designed to be miniature versions of adult-world machinery, including cars, trains and tractors. But your telephone service truck was made by Lincoln Toys (also called Lincoln Specialties) of Walkerville, Ontario, Canada, not by Lincoln Line. Lincoln Toys was in business from 1946 to 1958. Lincoln Line may have been a subsidiary of or a successor to Lincoln Toys or it may be unrelated to the Ontario firm. Perhaps someone in your husband’s family could fill in the history for you. According to Dana Johnson of the Toy Car Collectors Association, your toy truck could sell for $800 if it’s in “new” condition and in its original box. If it’s in less-than-perfect condition and if you don’t have the box, it would sell for less than half that.

Tip

Rub silverware lengthwise when cleaning. Use your silver often, and it will tarnish less.

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