More August 2002 Hotlines

A “socially conscious” company is selling giftwares, like baskets and tables, made in the Philippines of recycled materials. This is nothing new to antiques buffs. Purses of folded cigarette packs, chains made from folded bubble-gum wrappers, and all sorts of pieces made of old paper mixed into papier-mâché have been made since the 18th century.

Don’t be confused by pieces marked “Southern Blue Ridge Co.” It is a new firm making piggybanks decorated in designs used by the original Southern Potteries Inc. (“Blue Ridge” was the mark Southern Potteries used from 1917 to 1957.) New dinnerware may also be produced.

The original marionettes used on television’s Howdy Doody Show sold for big money at a Lelands.com auction. The original Flub-A-Dub marionette sold for $58,685; the Canadian show’s Howdy Doody was $39,700; the emergency double for the American Howdy went for $29,060; Dilly Dally was $47,315; and the Indian Princess sold for $10,300.

The “Wedgwood England” mark in all capital letters used to mean that a piece was made between 1892 and 1896. After that, the famous pottery marked its wares “Wedgwood Made in England.” But some Wedgwood produced today is not made in England, so the famous pottery is using “Wedgwood England” to mark these pieces.

A Herschell-Spillman merry-go-round made in 1915 auctioned recently for $161,500. It had 34 horses, two zebras, two chariots, and the frame. The new owner plans to put the merry-go-round in a specially built room in his house.

Ginny (Vogue, 1950s), Drowsy (Mattel, 1964), Betsy Wetsy (Mattel, 1934), Cissy (Madame Alexander, 1950s), Mrs. Beasley (Mattel, 1960s), and Mary Hoyer dolls (1940s) are all being made again.