More June 2006 Hotlines

Look at your damaged silver. Prices are at a 23-year high and you might want to sell unusable pieces for meltdown value.

Elvis Presley’s hometown amusement park, Libertyland, has closed, and rides and equipment will be sold at auction on June 21. One item to be sold is the “Zippen Pippen” wooden roller coaster that was a favorite of Elvis. The auction will be handled by Norton Auctioneers of Coldwater, Michigan.

We are often asked how to sell a houseful of furnishings left in an estate. If there are antiques, it is a good idea to call in an expert, probably a local auctioneer. Blyth’s Auction Service of Schoharie, New York, was making a house call when he noticed a stoneware bank on top of a dresser. The owner thought it was worth a few hundred dollars. Dan Blyth thought the bank, decorated with a blue bird and a floral design, would sell for about $4,000 to $6,000 at his auction. Everyone was pleased when it sold for $33,000. National ads, phone bids, and modern technology created more bidders and higher prices.

Highest priced pottery and glass items sold last month on eBay include a Roseville Juvenile “Santa Presents” roll-edge dish, $1,384, and a Red Wing salt-glazed 4-gallon leaf and beehive jug for $8,989.

The very collectible 1967 bonnet-wearing old-fashioned Holly Hobbie seen on greeting cards, clothes, and books has a new relative. A new Holly Hobbie, the great granddaughter of the original, has been introduced by American Greetings. She has a face-the original hid hers behind her bonnet-flared jeans, and a patched cap. The new Holly is featured in downloads, online cards, DVDs, and more. A true 21st-century girl sure to be a collectible.