Detective Beat: Mystery Antique Items, Need Information!
March 6th, 2008 — Dave
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Editor’s note: We’ve received the following requests over the past few days to identify several unknown antique and collectible items. If you have any relevant information, please leave a comment at the bottom of this article… thanks!
- Hello! I need help, please and thanks!! I have a lovely clear glass cake pedestal with a starburst-like diamond pattern radiating from the center. Within the bigger diamond shape are 4 smaller diamond shapes. Can you tell me what pattern this is? Much appreciated, Renee’
- I have been unsuccessful finding anything about a ReedBarton tray I have marked reedbarton 1291 24. Do you know anything about this tray or if this if is worth anything? Belinda
- I was looking over your site and could not find a radio I have a majestic on the tag in the back it has model 370 and on the inside left it has model 371. I also have a atwater kent radio which i could not find.Can you help with any information? Rich
- Can you tell me or tell me where I can get information on a New Haven Bee Hive Mantel Clock?
- I found a small perfume bottle on a barrier island in Georgia that was known to have a viberant history back in the 1800’s and was wondering how to find information about it. The printing on it says:
F. HOYT & CO, PHILADA, PERFUMERS. Please let me know where to look up information about it. Thanks, Tim - Wanting some information on a pocket am radio, red in color sinclaire named after the gas station. Nancy
- I inherited an old General Electric console radio / 78 player from my Grandmother. It’s actually in really good shape for its age. I am not looking to sell it, but rather to get a roundabout age of the piece, and maybe a value, just so I know. Kevin
- I am not a collector but, I have a Victorian Table Lamp made in France and I am trying to find the value of the lamp. my mother was 65yrs. of age at her passing and this lamp was to have been her grandmothers I am basically looking for guidance on how to identify it. The lamp does have some wear but still beautiful. Marvin
- Could you give me some information on a model 11 aladdin lamp made in chicago ill it is metal of some sort it was owned by my great grandma? Linda
- I have an old wine bottle.blownglass-green-wine still in bottle-interested in history of the bottle. please help. thank you, Donna
- I have a globe, filled with water. It has a red rose that looks black now, when you hold it to the sunlight it looks deep red. It has a brass base and a regular screw lid on the bottom where it can be opened. On that lid it is numbered. I don’t know if it is a snow globe, what floats around in there is like black snow. It looks victorian. Any Ideas? Thanks, Art.
- I have a Zenith Radio Corp model 11 serial No. 315962 I haven’t seen it on any website so just wondering about it. Linda
- I have an F&S neon beer sign and also a Piels neon beer sign. Where could I get information on those? Bob
- I have something I think Thomas Edison invented. It’s called an Ediphone. Can you give me any information on this item? Thank you in advance. Terry
- I have in my collection, a Dated Events World War 2 Map, copyright 1942. Because of its age, where it has been folded all these yrs, it has come apart into 4 sections. Is there any way to repair this as I would like to put it in a frame to protect it from ripping anymore. LInda
- I have a coke machine in working order but don’t know the history on it. Model#H110F – #70828600 Bottle machine / 10 cent. Lori
- Hello, I am wondering if you could help me date a sign I have recently found in the loft of my grandfather’s farm, It is a shell aviation Gasoline sign, it measures approx 30″ in diameter, the half shell is gray in color, while the rest of the sign is mostly yellow with some red. Jeff
- Can you help me find anything about this item I recently aquired? I am a serious Zippo collector among other items and cannot find a lot on it? It is an old 1930s lighter fluid dispenser, One cent machine and this particular one has the Van-Lansing Co. name Elwood PA. Patent applied for. I know that George Blaisdell was supposed to have commisioned to have many made but the zippo historian said no company name was available? Michael
- I have an early 1920 6 1/2 ounce amber international coke bottle with a paper label. they are in A-1 condition. I got this from my fathers estate. Don’t know where or when my parents got it–yard sale or goodwill store. They had kept it wrapped in a towel and placed in a paper sack for years. Jerry
- I have two menus, one from Smalls Paradise Cabaret and the other from the Savoy Ballroom, both in NY City. These were in with a few programs “Biggest show of 51″ and 53 , 51 autographed by Ellington, Cole, Vaughan, Ect. I am trying to research the value/history of these items, but unsure where or how to proceed.They were once owned by the first black radio DJ in Cleveland Ohio ” Walkin Talkin Bill Hawkins”. Any help would be appreciated. Mick
- I am looking for any info regarding a silver, 4 color mechanical pencil. it is inscribed in german “gift bought on board the airship hindenburg”. It was manufacture by NORMA . it also bears a patent # 900.if you have or any info or the whereabouts of anyone still living who may be able to help me it would be greatly appreciated. Allan
- I have a very large Grundig 3D Klang short wave radio with European cities all over the dial. It lights up and appears everything is present. Can you tell me anything about this 5 speaker radio? Terry
- I have an old EXIDE tin sign. Oval, am interested in dating sign? Wolf
If you have any information about the above, leave a comment below and we’ll try to alert the questioner to your answer! Thanks…
I have a Motorola pre 1940’s aerowave international short wave radio with emerson record player in my garage. The mfg is Galvin from chicago the model #101F21, this radio was disconnected in Sept 14,1942 can not find any info about on the internet. It is a console style,could you help me I need to find out about it so I can sell it for a good price.
Michael,The van-lite you have sounds like the earliest model made by the name Van-Lansing I can tell better if I knew if it has a brass ring around the top of the base where it meets the glass? If so it should also have a 16 sided glass tube? There are very very few known to exist of this early model, You have a real treasure there, Can I ask is it for sale?
Hello,
With regards to the van lite lighter fluid filler. I have recently obtained one myself. It has a 16 sided glass tube as well, burgundy in colour, one cent coin operated Van-Lansing pocket lighter fluid filler.
I am curious to know the year this antique is from and how much this antique is potentially worth.
Thank you so much for your help.
Jenn
Hey, I have a full wood case of 6.5 oz, unopened coke bottles, 1960’s. how can I find their value or even someone to buy them?
HEY WE FOUND A SAME KIND OF BOTTLE IN THR GULF SHORES BAY THE WAY YOU DECRIBED IT WAS THE SAME KIND OF BOTTLE IF RECIEVED THIS MESSAGE ABOUT THE MYSTERY OF f hoyt
There is at least one web site devoted to the NORMA mechanical pencils:
http://www.roger-russell.com/normapg.htm
my son found a bottle from f.hoyt perfumers in new york. does anyone know the date this company was in business? we live in ne georgia.
Hello Bill and Michael. I as well have one of the Van-Lansing lighter fluid dispensers. It has the brass ring that meets the 16 sided glass cylinder. There is also a 1 cent etc… decal on the glass. Any idea on the value of these? I would rate the condition a 9 out of 10 retaining about 95% of the original red paint, near perfect decals. Thank you in advance!
I found a HOYT CO INC PERFUMERS LOWELL NEW YORK MEMPHIS bottle. Any information would be nice. Looks very old.
I also have a Motorola model 101f21. and mine also had the shortwave disconnected on Sept. 14 1942. I read the above article from Tony and was shocked. Could this be a coincidence? I was wondering anything anyone could tell me about this Floor Model Motorola
Ediphone:
Just came across one myself. Its a dictation machine. Mine is a 1930s model and has a steel case with a cupboard underneath to hold the rolls.
It works like this: You talk into a long, horn-like microphone (though, that’s not what it was called I dont think) which transferred the vibration of your voice to a needle. A roll of wax, not unlike a longer, thinner toilet paper tube basically that fits over the thick silver spindle on the machine (the wax rolls were the cassettes of the day) a needle carves the acoustic pattern of your voice into the wax. Later, on either a different machine or a later model, you could listen to the voice recording using head phones (they looked like stethoscopes). A different yet machine would later scrape off the thin layer of wax that was carved on leaving a brand new surface to record on. The rolls could be used up to 100 times I’m told.
I have inherited a Piels beer neon sign. It is not working and needs to have the neon tubes refilled. It came from my grandfather in Philadelphia. My grandfather purchased it from the bar he attended in the 50’s. What would something like this be worth? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Lisa
Help I have an old general electric radio that is 41 inches tall 24 inches wide and 11 inches deep it looks like cherry wood console ,not sure, it has short wave , amateur air craft, and, broadcast bands. I need to know what year it is . It has a retangular dial not round and a lot of buttons plus knobs (6) on it it is a tube radio and in very good shape but some one cut the coard any info would help me out thanks Phil
I decided to restore my electric water cooled Coke machine
(Circa 1930s/1940s) and need a service manual but all I have is a
Ser. # J.E. 13 but don’t have a model #.
Is it possible to obtain information through a serial number..?