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Dr. Lori on CBS KYW-TV 3's Trash or Treasure? Date aired: August 11, 2001 Knowledge of the time period When considering the issues of collectibles, value, and historical perspective, it is wise to remember that no matter the time period, art and collectibles that have staying power will in some way reflect the time period and social notions of the era in which they were made. For today's show, we concentrated on collectibles and the art history of the 1950s and 1960s in America.
Fisher Price Little Snoopy Valued between $225-$250 (April 2002) This little pull along pal demonstrates the use of various mass produced items in the consumer society of America. In the 1960s, we see the rise of the mechanized work environment and America's interest and desire for the mass production of items. This is evident in the art of the period as Andy Warhol makes a splash with the repetitious and famous serigraphs of the Campbell Soup can. Everything from plastic toys to car parts are the items of the factory production line. This toy shows that mass production is the wave of the 1960s as American consumerism is on the rise and that, children too are just younger consumers. Fisher Price's Little Snoopy is made of wood, with a printed paper (commercial lithography process) face and body, and plastic wheels -- all of which show the relationship of the toy to what is happening in the society in which he was made. For more information about some of the art of the 1960s, consider a museum exhibition trip to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. The PAFA is hosting a fine collection of American artwork from the Smith College Museum of Art featuring works by many of the masters of the Pop Art movement through September 30, 2001.
Lucy wristwatch Popular characters of a period are good examples of time period as well as interesting collectible objects. They too speak to the art historical elements of a particular part of history. In post-war America, Lucy, Charlie Brown, Linus, and Snoopy all provided the experiences for a war weary society to enjoy and even find luxury in a bit of comic strip laughter. Charles Schultz's character is shown here in wristwatch form which follows the popularity of the Mickey Mouse wristwatch craze. The graphic design of the numbers on the face of the watch tells much about the time period of the item and the condition and popularity of Lucy herself makes for a good 1950s collectible. Of course, a set of these watches from the same year featuring the whole Peanuts Gang would increase the value.
Put the object within a context
Glidden pottery The post war period saw an interest in biomorphic and organic forms, like those found in nature and the human figure. These vessels made by the Glidden pottery company of Alfred, NY are highly desirable today -- about 50 years from their date of production. History repeats itself and usually repeats itself in terms of popularity within 50 or 100 year cycles. These two pieces are reminiscent of the issues of the day: the atomic molecule, the rebirth and renewal associated with the seed or pod form as we rebuild following World War II, and the interest in the planets of the universe and their rounded form. The idea of such prominently natural forms comes into the decorative arts (those items or objects that we use to decorate our homes) as they do in the fine arts (painting and sculpture).
Mickey Mantle Some of our most beloved heroes provided for our most treasured objects. Baseball cards are wonderful remembrances of our youth and while sports memorabilia is notorious for being non-authentic and very pricey, many collectors were born over the discussion of a baseball card trade. Condition is the most important aspect of this collectible and while the baseball card was once cheap, it has increased in value to a good extent. Gaining information about your collections, knowing for example what year Mickey Mantle hit his first home run or won a batting title, would help the collector begin his search for the most valuable or most interesting of the cards. Information is vital to the history of art, objects, collectibles, and antiques.
Frank Sinatra Record albums of the 1960s Rat Pack, particularly by Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, remain low priced, yet desirable. These songs are characteristic of the period and priceless to capturing a 1960s moment in time. They too are worthy of a collector's eye even though they won't fill a collector's pocket.
Dr. Lori
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