Q: These 1893 calendars belonged to my grandmother and were passed down to me. There are calendars for three months on the back of each card. At the bottom of the first card are the words: "To secure a screen like this, use Dilworth's Coffee and cut the trade-mark (Coffee Urn) from each wrapper. When you have accumulated 25 trade-marks, send them to Dilworth Brothers, Pittsburg, Pa., with your address, and the screen will be mailed to you free of charge." What is this worth?
A: Dilworth Brothers was established in 1871. It was a successor to a wholesale grocery business started by John Scott Dilworth before 1841. It was incorporated as Dilworth Brothers Co. in 1902. (If you're wondering why the ad spells Pittsburgh without the "h" at the end—it was spelled that way from 1891 to 1911.) Advertising items picturing pretty young women were popular premiums in the late 19th century and are collectible today. Calendars, greeting cards, trade cards, bills of sale, advertisements, and other paper collectibles are wanted by collectors of "ephemera." Ephemera includes paper items and other things that were meant to be temporarily useful and then thrown away. Value is determined by the beauty of the illustration or design, typography, age, rarity, and condition. Your "calendar screen" was offered as a Dilworth premium. Individual cards are worth $10-$15. The complete set, with all 12 months, is worth $75-$100.
[i]Note: 1st send may have failed.[/i]
I have a Mickey Mouse miniature tea set that my mother received in the 1930s. The center of each piece is a tan/copper color, and the rims are a silver shade of blue. The kettle is 3″ high showing Mickey and Minnie at a dining table. The bottom says “Mickey Mouse Copr by Walt E. Disney, Made in Japan.” The other pieces say “Made in Japan” on the bottom and have Mickey or Minnie playing with a toy plane, balloons, hockey stick and other items. Other pieces are 6 saucers 3.7″ wide, 4 smaller saucers 3.5″ wide, 1 larger saucer 4.2″ wide, 6 mini teacups 2.2″ wide, and a mini sugar and cream container each 1.7″ high. What are these items worth? Thank you.