Antiques, What is it?

  Today I am posted the second question and answer since I opened this forum about antiques. In case you are just now joining in, I am offering advice and answers about antiques. Please send questions and pictures via my email, as they are easier for me to download. I will then feature your items and questions on the next blog post. Please pass the word along, if you know any one who might need some help.

   I have two bloggers that have sent me pictures and questions. The first one is Trish, and she has a question about her clock. Here are the pictures she sent me. The questions were, age, value and any other information I could give her. Trish, your clock is from the 21 century, easy to tell, because it is electric. The maker was trying to copy an older version. The original china mantle clocks came around toward the middle to the end of the 1800's. A few were made in the early 1900's as well. They were designed to set on a mantle in a formal parlor or ladies bed room. Hand painted china was very much in vogue during this time, and home owners wanted a lot of it. So the clock makers did there version of this. Most of them were transfered and not hand painted. The porcelain was what is called, "soft paste," and what we might call pottery. It was not a fine, thin china. The original clocks were made in many countries and often shipped to America where the clock was installed. it was very rare that one company made both the case and the clock works.Your clock is from the 50's and is a molded ceramic. It is hand decorated, like the marble looking columns and gold trim were hand applied. The gold was real gold powder that was mixed with oil to make a paint. It can not be removed and sold as gold as there is such a small amount to start with and the firing process takes away it's gold value. There were lots of companies that made these clocks. They were a side line and sold to gift shops, dime stores, furniture stores and jewelry stories. The did not make millions and not that many are left out there. In today's world, which is much less cluttered, they are not real desirable. Some shops might ask around $126-$150 for these clocks. I would say a better price , of $95 to $75, would be more realistic.
Hope this helps. As far as the company, I could not see the name that well, so could not research. If you send me a better picture of there sticker, I will see what I can do. Thanks!!!!

   The next Blogger is Cindy Fraer and her question is about a coo coo clock that she got from a family estate. Cindy did not send a picture of her clock, she sent a picture of her kitchen. Her question is, did the Victorian Home owners have and use coo coo clocks? And if they did, would it be all right to use it in her kitchen. Cindy's house in new but it is in the style and taste of the 1800's. If the rest of her house is as divine as the kitchen, I can see it is very lovely. My advice is: yes they had and decorated with these clocks. Most were made in Germany and well to do Victorian families often took the grand tour of Europe and sent home things from every where they stopped. Proved they had been there and made for great conversation were people asked about the items. My advice to Cindy is, yes they used them and yes, it would look OK in your kitchen, but it seems to be very full already, maybe you could find a space in a hall way or bed room, either one the clock would look great and be a place they might have placed it. Again, I hope this helps and thanks for the email and the lovely picture of your kitchen. Richard
    Please send me your questions, pictures and  I will do my best to give you my best  answer, I have lots of research books along with many, many, years in the business.  Stop by soon. Richard and Sissy Dog!