More September 2005 Hotlines

In 1925, heart-shaped ice cream dishes were made to serve a heart-shaped scoop of ice cream formed with the now-expensive heart-shaped ice cream dipper made the same year. A set of four of the Grapevine-design glass dishes-signed by John Manos, inventor of the dipper-sold at a Rich Penn auction for $3,985. (Only 500 dippers were produced; since 1997 single dippers have sold for prices ranging from $7,425 to $15,400.)

Mickey and Minnie Mouse are still tops. A rare Tipp & Company tin motorcycle toy ridden by the famous pair auctioned for $55,000 at Bertoia’s in Vineland, New Jersey.

Historical societies and some collectors realize that fairly recent things are going to be hard to find in years to come. A set of Melmac dishes made for a restaurant in the 1960s was accepted at the Ohio Historical Society, the first plastic dishes in its collection. We see plastic at flea markets and malls. It sells for low prices now.

Corn holders are the newest collectible of interest, thanks to an article in Martha Stewart Living (July 2005). Twenty-five different corn holders made of Bakelite, bamboo, plastic, wood, silver, chrome, or other metals were pictured. The earliest corn holders, usually silver, were made in the late 1800s. There were also corn sets of dishes, usually shaped like an ear of corn, and matching sets of holders. Prices range from a few dollars for a set of corn holders at garage sales to $100 for a dish set.

A dealer in vintage costume jewelry is making pseudo 1960s eyeglasses. She glues old glittery earrings to new drugstore eyeglasses to make old-looking sunglasses or reading glasses. They’re selling well at $40 a pair.