Nautical antiques are popular decorations. Their appeal has many aspects: a call back to another time; a sense of seafaring adventure; even the durability and practicality of something made to survive the high seas. This pair of copper anchor lights from the early 20th century sold for $384 at an auction by Eldred’s.
Anchor lights, an important safety feature, were made to hang from the top of the highest mast, casting light when the ship was at anchor. Like most models, the lamps shown here have Fresnel lenses, invented in 1822 as a lightweight, efficient way to increase the distance and visibility of the beam cast by a lighthouse.
Many companies manufactured anchor lights, but some, like these, are only marked with the word “Anchor.” Lamps like these are still made today and still made to burn oil or kerosene. Ships carry them in case they lose electricity. The pair pictured here, however, are electrified and mounted to wooden bases. With their seafaring careers long over, they make an attractive and useful pair of table lamps.
Q: I would like to know the price of some old wooden toys. I have a box of alphabet blocks and a box of Lincoln Logs.
A: Alphabet blocks with carved, molded or painted letters sell for about $15 to $30. Wooden blocks with lithographed paper designs sell for higher prices, especially if they are in their original boxes. Vintage Lincoln Logs sell for similar prices. Like most toys, they are worth more with the original packaging. If you have the packaging for your Lincoln Logs, it may help you determine how old they are.
Alphabet blocks and Lincoln Logs are not only classic construction toys; they both have connections to a famous family of architects. According to the Strong National Museum of Play in New York, which inducted alphabet blocks into its Toy Hall of Fame in 2003, Frank Lloyd Wright claimed that playing with blocks as a child was what sparked his interest in architecture. His son John, also an architect, invented Lincoln Logs in 1916 and trademarked the name in 1923. He was inspired by the earthquake-resistant construction used in the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, Japan, which his father had designed.
Initially, Lincoln Logs were made by John Lloyd Wright’s company, the Red Square Toy Company, and sold through the Montgomery Ward catalog. Playskool bought the company in 1943. The rights to Lincoln Logs went to Milton Bradley in 1968 and Hasbro in 1984. Some sets of plastic logs were made in the 1970s and 1980s, but, other than that, they are always wood.
TIP:
When rewiring an old lamp, put a dimmer on the cord to turn the lamp on and off. This will protect the original switch and pull chains.
CURRENT PRICES:
Railroad, oil can, Great Northern, cone top, pouring spout, top bail handle, square side handle, marked, the Johnson Mfg. Co., 9 x 8 inches, $50.
Meissen, figurine, bird, lark, crested, perching, grasses, round base, Blanc de Chine, crossed swords mark, 19th century, 6 x 4 inches, $65.
Pewabic, vase, blue and gold iridescent glaze, shoulders, slightly flared lip, tapered base, 7 3/4 inches, $1,185.
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