Swan Pedestal Table Is A Lovely Victorian Piece

Q: Hi Dr. Cavo. I bought this swan side table with a marble top more than 20 years ago from an antique dealer who was packing up after a weekend show in central Wisconsin. I bought the table and a Queen Anne mahogany full-length swivel floor mirror for $200. To be honest, I think the […]

Reader Discovers Valuable Superman #1 Comic Book

Q: I was wondering if someone could tell me something about this Superman comic and possibly give me an idea of its value. If not, could you possibly point me in the right direction? The front and back cover of a reader’s Superman #1 (DC, 1939) comic book shows damage, but the rare book remains […]

Kovels Antique Trader Vol. 67 No. 10 – August 2023

Fruit Salad Jewelry … Thrift Shop Royalty… John Dillinger Collectibles … Archival Fashion … Lamps & Lighting … Catalin Radios … ’70s & ’80s Toys … Magic Memorabilia … Collector’s Gallery … Prices

Father’s Classic Catalin

Q: My father was an engineer, but his real passion was old radios. He loved to tinker with them in his basement workshop. Hundreds of radios came and went, but this one he held onto. It was his favorite. When he passed away, most of what could be salvaged went to his radio buddies, but […]

Does This Reader Have a Belter Bedroom Set?

Left to right: chest of drawers, marble top dressing table, and bedside commode. Q: I am the owner of an antique bedroom set that I would like to know more about. It looks like a Belter and may be original (see pictures). The three pieces are a vanity with a mirror, a dresser with a […]

Kovels Antique Trader Vol. 67 No. 10 – August 2023

Marilyn Monroe…Archival Fashion…Lighting…Catalin Radios…’70s and ’80s Toys…Magic Memorabilia…John Dillinger Memorabilia…Fruit Salad Jewelry…Thrift Shop Tips…Collector’s Gallery…Dictionary of Marks…Events Calendar

Silver Overlay or Silver Deposit?

Q: I am wondering if you can identify this vase and possibly its value. The design is in silver leaf inlay and probably about 100 years old. I would appreciate your help. A: Your compote is what is known as silver deposit or silver electroplated glass, although most people refer to it as silver overlay. […]

Collector’s Gallery: French Vase Discovered

  Q: I received this glass vase as a gift from a friend, who is now deceased, over 20 years ago. They said they purchased it from a shop that had many antiques and odd things. They said it was marked on the bottom but offered no other information. I put it away and didn’t […]

This 65-Year-Old Four Pack of Guinness Won’t Quench Reader’s Beer Thirst

Question: I have an original four-pack of Guinness Stout from 1969, unopened and in perfect condition, brewed in Dublin. Can you tell me the value of my Guinness? Answer: The year 1969 was a landmark year for Guinness Stout and a year that resulted in a great deal of criticism from Guinness aficionados in Ireland; it was the […]

Mystery Tea Set Identified

Q: I have several pieces that all belong to the same set: a coffee pot, a small plate, a regular cup and saucer, and a demitasse cup and saucer, but at the moment, I’m particularly interested in the coffee pot.  Regarding provenance, these items belonged to the family of my wife’s former in-laws, who immigrated […]