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anyone know the value of a coffeepot that has The Marion Harland Tea & Coffeepot on the front. I have seen the ads for this pot in antique magazine ads and this is definately the one in the ad. which is nickel plated and is called a star coffeepot. and was made around the 1890's. i have searched the net to no avail. all i can find is the ad. thank you
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Brief History of Bakelite Bakelite, invented in 1907 by chemist Dr. Leo Hendrik Baekeland, was the first entirely manmade plastic. Earlier plastics were a mixture of natural and synthetic ingredients. Bakelite, which was named after its inventor Leo Baekeland, (whose great grandson Tony was convicted of the murder of his mother, Barbara- read about it in Savage Grace by Natalie Robbins and Steven Aronson c 1985 by Dell Publishing) is a phenolic resin or phenol-formaldehyde plastic. From Bakelite to Catalin Bakelite was a vast improvement over earlier plastics, as it was heat, moisture, acid and abrasion resistant. Because of these qualities, it was appropriate for appliance and radio cabinets, handles of clothes irons, and electrical components. Early Bakelite came only in brown, black, and very dark versions of green, blue and burgundy. Later, it was discovered that the plastic could be beautifully and intricately carved, and that ability combined with the next generation of the plastic in the form of Catalin that was available in bright red and green made it the perfect material for an even wider variety of consumer goods, including jewelry and house wares. Bakelite (Catalin) Kitchen Utensils Due to its heat and moisture resistant properties, Bakelite was the perfect material for the handles of utensils used in the kitchen. High quality Bakelite kitchenware is still plentiful, and is still found in the back of utility drawers of homemakers who set up house keeping in the 1940’s and 50’s. After that time, Bakelite got too expensive and was replaced with cheaper plastics. Bakelite Kitchenware Values Bakelite has been a popular collectible for many years, and while the prices for jewelry are high, kitchenware is still affordable. A flatware service for six (in a four piece place setting) can bring $175, especially in ever popular red or yellow. A set eight of diamond shaped corn-on-the-cob holders (in their original box) $65-80. Serving spoons, meat forks, spreaders, spatulas, knives, knife sharpeners and cake breakers are valued between $10-15 each depending on color. These values are for utensils in excellent condition, without chips or cracks in the handles or rust on the utensils. Bakelite should never be placed in the dishwasher which can change the color of the plastic and sometimes causes a cloudy film on the surface of the Bakelite.
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Cookie Jars- A Sentimental Favorite Cookie Jars have been popular collectibles for years. Though prices have recently come down, this has more to do with plentiful supplies rather than a waning of popularity. The appeal to collectors is based on a strong sentimental connection – ask cookie jar collectors why they love them, and you are bound to hear mention of Mom or Grannie's secret recipe toll house cookies, butterscotch bars, oatmeal raisin, or ginger snaps. Every Friday, my Grandmother filled the three pottery cookie trucks that sat on her counter with an endless variety of mandelbrodt for those children and grandchildren who loved nuts, were allergic to nuts or who broke out from chocolate, who preferred chocolate or generally enjoyed the basic chocolate vanilla combo. Cookie Jars & the Great Depression The earliest cookie jars appeared on the scene in the 1930’s, when pottery manufacturers noticed that more homemakers had begun baking homemade treats rather than purchasing them, and needed something to put them in. The earliest cookie jars were simple forms, possibly reworked from existing molds, such as balls, cylinders, or pitchers. Prices for early cookie jars in simple shapes remain as low as $20-$30. Figural Cookie Jars Once it became clear that cookie jars would sell, manufacturers outdid themselves, producing whimsical jars in the shape of fruit, vegetables, animals, vehicles, buildings, furniture, appliances, spaceships, and an unlimited variety of characters from nursery rhymes, children’s books, circuses, television shows, movies, and history. Figural cookie jars are the most popular, and prices can range anywhere from $75 to a few thousand dollars. And, as with most areas of collectibles, examples with crossover appeal fetch the highest prices. How the Cookie (Jar) Crumbles As always, condition plays an important part in value, with top dollar paid for only those cookie jars free of crazing, cracks, chips, and hairlines. However, minor production defects are acceptable, and since collectors understand that cookie jar lids were handled by children, some minor damage was inevitable. The most valuable pieces come from early in a production run, when the mold was still sharp enough to produce strong details, and the best decorators added carefully applied bold colors. Collectors Love These Vintage Cookie Jars. . . . . . McCoy’s first figural-Mammy with Broccoli, Shawnee’s Smiley Pig, American Bisque’s Olive Oyl, Regal China’s Alice in Wonderland, California Originals’ Superman, and Humpty Dumpty, by Brush Pottery. Additional manufacturers to look for include Roseville Pottery, Abingdon, Red Wing, and Doranne.
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Practical and Affordable Glassware Fire-King produced a range of products in the 1940’s that collectors love-and still use! Designed to be inexpensive, attractive, and durable, Fire-King glassware was the result of a merger of the Anchor Cap and Closure Corporation and the Hocking Glass Company. Formed in 1937, Anchor Hocking introduced its popular  line of Fire-King glassware in the early 1940’s. Attractive and durable, a Fire-King casserole could go from oven to table to refrigerator. Fire-King was the name of what was intended to be a single line of multiple offerings, but proved to be so popular that other lines were introduced.
Souvenir and Advertising Fire-King is mass produced glassware that came in a variety of fired-on, painted on, or solid colors. The majority of offerings were in cookware, dishware and tableware, but they also made baby bottles, vases, ash trays and souvenir pieces. These souvenirs are mostly found in the form of mugs, bowls, plates and ashtrays. A line produced for Esso Gasoline included tumblers, pitchers, and trays and featured Esso’s smiling “Put a tiger in your tank” mascot. More recent advertisers include Bazooka, Burger King, A & W Root Beer, Stuckey’s and McDonald’s.
Jade-ite, Jadeite or Jade Green are all names for Popular! Jeannette Glass of Pennsylvania may have been the first to produce the soft milky green color they named Jadeite, but Fire-King made it huge. The color became so popular that all manufacturers of consumer glassware such as McKee Glass, Fenton, New Martinsville, and Akro Agate had their own versions. Thanks almost single handedly to Martha Stewart, vintage Jade-ite made by Fire-King and others has seen a huge upsurge in popularity in recent years. Martha Stewart offers a line of her own “jadeite” pieces, and these and reproductions, fakes and fantasies frequently show up on eBay as vintage Fire-King. The market is still strong for unusual and verifiable Fire-King jade-ite, but weak for common items as well as those pieces known to have been reproduced. In 2000, Fire-King reissued some of their old pieces, and the bottoms are clearly marked with the date. These have back stamps as well as foil labels, and the handled bowl could be purchased at Meijer Stores for $14.99. Collectors should be aware that there are unmarked reproductions passing as vintage pieces, especially of the most popular and/or valuable pieces such as the batter bowl (handled bowl) and the ball jug (authentic ball jugs have no back stamp). New pieces have sharper edges and seams than ones that have been in use for fifty or sixty years. For more information about Fire-King, go to FireKing.net. or the Anchor Hocking Museum.
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How much to restore and who do I talk to. Help please.............
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by: Stephanie Foster
There are some basic steps you need to take when you decide to remodel your kitchen. Here I will present to you a quick overview of what you need to do when remodeling your kitchen; you will find more details throughout this website.
The first step is, of course, deciding on your goals for the kitchen. What do you want your remodel to accomplish for you?
You'll want to do some research even at this early stage. What kinds of materials will you want to use for countertops? Granite is hugely popular, as is Silestone, which is made from natural quartz and comes in a huge range of colors. What kind of wood do you want for your cabinets, and how light or dark should they be? What about flooring? Then you have to consider which appliances will need to be replaced, how you want the room painted, lighting and any major changes in the layout of your kitchen.
Of course, there's one more very important goal for you to consider - your budget! How much will you want to spend? Will you want to get a home equity loan for your remodel or have you saved money up for this project?
Now you will want to start sketching out your ideas. You don't need to be a great artist; just get some graph paper, pen or pencil and a ruler and start mapping things out. Of course, if you are more technologically inclined, you can do this on the computer as well if you have the right software.
Generally speaking, you will want your refrigerator, stove and sink to form a triangle in your kitchen. Include plenty of walking space and room for eating. Will you want an island in your kitchen or will that just be in the way? How will the table fit? You'll also want to look at where outlets are, keeping in mind where you plan on placing your appliances. You may have to move outlets or plumbing if you're rearranging your layout. Don't forget to consider installing extra outlets.
Make sure your sketches include dimensions. Whether you're doing it yourself or hiring professionals, accurate dimensions will help you plan well and give the best feel a paper sketch can give for how your kitchen will look.
Many home improvement stores will have kitchen designers on their staffs, and this is a resource you should take advantage of. They'll go over your plans with you and possibly have ideas you haven't considered.
When the time comes to place your order, make sure your measurements are very, very accurate or you will have a terrible time with your kitchen remodel. You can have professionals come out and do the measurements for you. In fact, if you are having your cabinets and countertops professionally installed, you WILL have professionals out taking measurements. If your measurements are accepted by the store without question and without sending out their own people, you will probably want to shop elsewhere. You're spending too much money on remodeling your kitchen to take that kind of chance.
Your cabinets will, of course, be installed before your new countertops. In fact, until your cabinets are installed, they can't even start work on your countertops if you have chosen granite or Silestone (or other stone) countertops because they need to make a template. Ask for temporary countertops and a sink to be installed so that you aren't eating out the entire time you're waiting for your countertops to be cut. It might take weeks.
Appliances such as stoves and refrigerators can be installed whenever convenient. As most dishwashers are installed beneath the countertops, you'll want to ask about the best time to replace your dishwasher.
Perhaps the most important aspect of planning your kitchen remodel. This is one of the most inconvenient rooms to remodel, so you'll want to do it at a time when you will have the time and patience to deal with it. Your kitchen will be marginally useable for weeks during the remodel. However, the beauty of your new kitchen should more than make up for the inconvenience.
This article was obtained from ArticleCity.com
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