There are few things in nature more majestic than a moose, but that doesn’t mean you would want one visiting your garden! A typical adult bull moose is about 6 feet tall and weighs over 1,000 pounds, making the species the largest member of the deer family. Most of us with gardens have seen the devastation a deer can wreak on flowerbeds.
Now imagine what an even bigger version could do.
Moose are herbivores and can eat about 50 pounds of plant matter a day, and they aren’t picky about which plants they eat. Gardeners in the northernmost U.S., especially Alaska, know that not much can get between a 1,000pound animal and the trees, shrubs and vegetables it sees as a snack. Even a six-foot fence, the most reliable deterrent, doesn’t always work. But there are no such worries with this zinc garden figure of a moose, which sold for $3,328 at New Orleans Auction Galleries. At 61 inches tall, it’s about the size of a real moose, antlers and all, but this one will accent your garden plants instead of eating them.
Q: I have two newspapers that I found in a relative’s historical storage box containing research paperwork tracing their lineage. One is “The Rebel,” dated August 9, 1862. The other is “The Daily Citizen” (first edition?) dated July 2, 1863. It is printed on a green floral designed wallpaper. How do I tell if they are authentic?
A: Both of your newspapers have famously been copied and reprinted since the 19th century. The earliest copies were made as souvenirs for G.A.R. reunions.
Later ones were made to observe the 50th and 100th anniversaries of the Civil War. “The Daily Citizen” was published by J.M. Swords in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
During the Civil War, many publishers in the South ran out of newsprint, so Swords printed issues of “The Daily Citizen” on wallpaper. The July 2, 1863, edition has a note from the Union forces that captured Vicksburg, declaring “This is the last wall-paper edition” and “It will be valuable hereafter as a curiosity.” It is extremely unlikely that your copies are originals. The LIBRAry of Congress has online guides to antique newspapers (https://guides.loc.gov/noteworthy-newspaper-issues), including these issues. They list ways to recognize originals (there are certain clues in the size, proportions and certain spellings) and additional resources.
TIP: Some types of stone and metal remain free of organic stains if they’re left in partial sunlight and heat, but not if in deep shade.
CURRENT PRICES
Bicycle, high wheel, Rideable Bicycle Replicas, 60 spoke front wheel, sun metal rear wheel, c. 1975, 48 inches, $235.
Textile, pillow, Gettysburg 50th Anniversary, eagle carrying flag, crossed cannons, dated, 1913, 17 x 17 inches, $300.
Game, chess, Directoire style, abstract turned pieces, light and dark wood, France, c. 1800, largest piece 1 inch, $955.
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