Tuesday Treasures - June 13, 2023

Goodwill has been good to me lately!  I went one day before grocery shopping, then again the next day because I had to wait to pick someone up at that end of town, and didn't need more groceries.

The first day I found an interesting item.  Or, 1/6 of an interesting item. Professionally framed, but not well framed, and not recently framed.  The thin mat does nothing to hold the lithographs off the glass, and one side of it is water stained.   

What is it, and why is it only 1/6 of an item if it's a fully framed piece?  Interesting you should ask!  It's an AD!  It's part of Shrimpton's Series of the Costumes of Members of the University of Oxford, and was originally part of hardcover "book" with a foldout ad depicting the different "costumes" of the different members at Oxford.  The inside of the cover (which I do not have, more's the pity) gives the information for the robe makers where you could get these items.  The "book" itself (which I do not have, more's the pity) is only 4" x 6 1/4", but it folds o a large 18" x 30".   This would explain why someone took one (hopefully a damaged copy, as they are rare) and divided it into six 4-print sections.  Mine framed is 11" x 20", so it wouldn't be reasonable to frame the entire foldout ad.  You can see they are not four separate prints, but one piece with fold lines.

Mine are:

Bachelor of Music

Proctor 

Pro Proctor

Clergyman

The colors are nicer than it looks here.  Under glass is hard to photograph, at least for me.

Oh, to think there are five others (I am assuming)!  I would have bought them all.  And I could have, if they were all the cost of this one, just $2.06.  Since it's an ad, and not meant to be kept, there is no date, however the intact ones are sold as being c.1885.  Here's a link to one that sold, showing the whole thing.  https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/c1885-shrimptons-series-costumes-1891313129

The second day I found a treasure, and this time I mean an actual treasure!  This is a pipe holder shaped like a pelican.  No, I didn't know it was a pipe holder when I saw it, I just knew it was old pottery.  I love the matte finish of old pottery, it has a distinctive feel.  You can see in the third photo how a pipe would rest on it.

It was made by Rookwood Pottery (Ohio of course, where so many early potteries were located) in 1938.  Rookwood was founded in 1880, and in 1886 adopted the RP logo stamped on the bottom.  They also added a flame (the lines you see) around the logo each year to mark the date.  That lasted until 1901, when they incised Roman Numerals.  Mine is XXXVIII or 38, for 1938.  The 6329 is the style number.  I wish all potters had such a great system!

Why is it a true treasure?  One, it's rare.  Two, it's quite valuable, considering I paid $2.06!  Recent listings for sale, and sales in the past couple of years, are a few hundred dollars.  I don't know if the year produced makes some more valuable than others, the ones online have been 1933 and 1932.  They also came in colors. 

I was asked if I will sell it.  I'm still deciding!