The smart collector: Folding bed has value as a curiosity, but no collector market really exists

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The smart collector: Folding bed has value as a curiosity, but no collector market really exists

Q: My mother bought this folding bed in the 1970s. It's marked "Bednet," but I can't find any info online. Is it a Murphy bed?

The smart collector: Antique and early fire memorabilia is a white-hot collecting category

The first carved ruby scale model of a dragster ever featured at public auction sold for $146,500 recently in a sale of gems and lapidary art at Bonhams Los Angeles. Called the Greer-Black-Prudhomme Dragster model, it is fashioned after a fabled dragster raced by Don Prudhomme. Carved from T…

The smart collector: Antique and early fire memorabilia is a white-hot collecting category

Q: I got this fireman's trumpet, badge and bell at an estate sale and would like to know what they're worth. I was told the bell was used going to a fire.

The smart collector: Mug has 3 hound-shaped handles

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The smart collector: Mug has 3 hound-shaped handles

Q: I was given this three-handled cider jug by friends in England long ago. I was told that it's very old. There are no marks, but I think it's unique because it is flawless. Any info?

The smart collector: Lamp collectors covet fine pieces from the golden age of cut glass

A Chinese yellow glazed porcelain vase with the Jiajing six-character mark estimated at $3,000 to $5,000 brought a whopping $362,500 at Doyle New York recently. Sold to a Hong Kong buyer bidding by phone, the 5-inch-tall vase has a rare shouldered form. The yellow glaze is also considered ra…

The smart collector: Lamp collectors covet fine pieces from the golden age of cut glass

Q: Any info on this antique lamp I bought at an estate sale? There was no information furnished with it. I thought it was pretty. It's 27 inches tall, not including the chimney.

The smart collector: Do as pros do - get the best, most current price information available

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The smart collector: Do as pros do - get the best, most current price information available

Q: I found three vintage sports pennants from the 1940s, but I can't find value for them. There's a reference book on pennant prices, but who wants to spend $18.95 for something you use once?

The smart collector: Potato-chip cans prove popular collectibles

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The smart collector: Potato-chip cans prove popular collectibles

Q: Many years ago, we bought a Japp's potato-chip can at a flea market. Does it have any value?

The smart collector: Internet sales shed some light on price range for vintage lamp

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The smart collector: Internet sales shed some light on price range for vintage lamp

Q: I saw a small Pairpoint "puffy" lamp with lilacs, flowers and butterflies on the 8-inch shade. The base is tree-shaped brass. What is the price range for this fine specimen?

The smart collector: Founding Fathers', early presidents' signatures vary enormously in value

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The smart collector: Founding Fathers', early presidents' signatures vary enormously in value

Q: Your column carried a photo of a Ben Franklin-signed deed that sold for $13,200. We have a document signed 1811 that grants land in Ohio to a family member. It's signed in two places by President James Madison and once by Secretary of State James Monroe. Is this of similar value? Should w…

The smart collector: Calendar clock's condition is a vital concern

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The smart collector: Calendar clock's condition is a vital concern

By Danielle Arnet

The smart collector: 1839 print showing Mt. Sinai could be worth a tidy amount

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The smart collector: 1839 print showing Mt. Sinai could be worth a tidy amount

Q: My aunt was a high-ranking officer in the Salvation Army. As such, she received many gifts from visiting dignitaries. One is a lithograph, "Approach to Mount Sinai," by Wady Barah 2/17/1839. My family had it framed in the 1950s. Any info?