Design of dining table was a key space saver

Houses always seem to need more space — such as room for a large dining table.

More than 200 years ago, furniture designers solved the problem of too little space by creating a table that could be made larger if needed.

Some designers made a “butterfly” or “drop-leaf” extension at the end of the table — an extra leaf held up by a leg that swings out underneath it. Sometimes two small tables with drop leaves were moved together to make a large table.

By the 19 th century, many tables could be pulled apart so that loose leaves could be inserted on a track under the tabletop. Sometimes a complicated mechanism separated the table halves and held leaves.

About 1930, manufacturers began to make tables that could be pulled apart so a leaf stored below would pop into place as part of the dining surface.

All of these ideas are still used today on extension or extending tables.

Q: I have a 6-inch-high “Vapo-Cresolene” lamp passed down from my in-laws. I have the original box, too. Printed on the front of the box are patent dates from 1885 to 1901, and inside the top cover are detailed directions for using the lamp. The lamp’s original price was $1.50. What are my lamp and box worth?

A: Your lamp is a medical antique. It was originally sold by the Vapo-Cresolene Co. of New York from the 1880s through the early 1900s. A fluid marketed as Cresolene (an acid made from petroleum and coal tar) was poured into the upper dish. When the lamp was lit, a vapor was released that supposedly killed germs that cause whooping cough, croup and diphtheria. These lamps are not rare. They sell for prices ranging from $10 to $200, depending on condition. An original box in excellent condition slightly increases the lamp’s value.

Q: More than 60 years ago, my grandmother gave me two 5-inch bisque dolls. I can’t find any marks on them. Each has molded hair with a molded ribbon headband and came with a small stand. My grandmother dressed the dolls in outfits she made from 3-inchwide ribbon. The dolls are dirty, but I’m afraid to wash them. Can I?

A: You can safely wash your dolls. Remove their dresses first. Use a mild liquid soap and water. Clean the crevices with a soft toothbrush.

Q: What is the age and value of my Royal Staffordshire soup tureen? The pattern name is Iris. The crown mark on the bottom includes the word “Burslem.”

A: Royal Staffordshire Pottery was the name of the pottery works operated by Arthur J. Wilkinson Ltd. of Burslem, England, from 1885 into the late 20 th century. Wilkinson used the trade name Royal Staffordshire. There are many Royal Staffordshire dinnerware patterns, including several different colors of the Iris pattern. Iris was produced from about 1890 to 1920. Depending on the condition of your tureen and the color of the pattern, it could sell for $300 to $1,500.

Current prices

Prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States.

• Taco Bell talking Chihuahua advertising toy, 1990s, 6 inches, $15.
• Ironstone toothbrush holder, cobalt thistle on front, flower on back, marked Maddock’s Lamberton, 1904, 5 inches, $35.
• Red Wing Pottery hors d’oeuvres server, Bob White pattern, toothpick holes on back, 1950s, 8 1 /2 inches, $115.
• Fenton Opalescent Cranberry Coin Dot vase, 6 inches, $130.
• Hull Pottery Woodland wall pocket; pink, yellow and green; clematis flower in center; 8 inches by 5 3 /4 inches; $155.
• Obstetrical forceps, ebony wood handles, metal forceps, marked HG Kern No. 12, Civil War era, 13 inches, $250.
• Patchwork quilt, cotton, center sunburst, 25 different colored blocks, circa 1850, 88 inches by 89 inches, $1,135.
• Dagwood Bumstead doll, from Blondie comic strip, composition head, large ears, black suit, Knickerbocker, circa 1935, 14 inches, $3,100.

Ralph and Terry Kovel, authorities on collectibles, write for King Features Syndicate. Write to them in care of The Dispatch, King Features Syndicate, 888 7 th Ave., New York, N.Y. 10019. Or visit the Kovels online at www.kovels.com.

Source: www.columbusdispatch.com