THIS OLD THING
THIS OLD THING
Q.
My aunt was the daughter of a well-known Canadian artist and I inherited what she had from her father. He was in contact with many other prominent artists of his time and this painting is one that might have been a gift to him. The artist’s name on the painting is ‘J.W. Beatty’ with a date after. The actual painting measures around 10 by 15 centimetres (4 by 6 inches). I just wonder what it might be worth. It hangs above my antique sideboard. — Peggy, Toronto
A.
John William Beatty (18691941) painted this little treasure in 1908, right after he returned to Toronto after studying in France and Holland. Typical of his work, the colours are brilliant and the glass and pottery will be familiar to many an eye. Beatty belonged to many art societies, including the Ontario Society of Artists. He also taught at the Ontario College of Art, where he influenced the development of young artists. He was one of the first Toronto artists to paint Ontario’s northern landscape, and was good friends with Tom Thomson and A.Y. Jackson, both later associated with the Group of Seven movement. Beatty’s works are always of interest, and your little gem is worth $800.
Q.
My father received this ‘medal’ in 1969 following a visit to the Laboratoire Mauchant in France.
It seems to be made of bronze and has a good weight to it. The name of the person responsible for its design appears to be ‘R.B. Baron.’ It is 8 cm in diameter (3 in.) and 0.5 cm in depth (0.2 in.).
I don’t recall why my father received it. Is this something of a token presented as a souvenir or is there more to it? Any information in regards to the ‘medal’ and the company would be most welcomed. — Jacques, Ottawa
A.
Your dad’s medallion is beautiful if a little mysterious.
The artist was Roger Bertrand Baron (1907-1994), a French sculptor, professor of anatomy and chair of the sculpting section of the Society of French Artists. His skills are on full display here on both sides of the medallion, which feature many classical symbols. Laboratoire Mauchant is a Paris-based pharmaceutical company that celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1968, presumably the occasion marked by the medallion.
The acronym “SPRET” stands for the Sir Philip Reckitt Educational Trust, a charity established in 1944 by the one-time chairman of Reckitt and Sons Ltd. This was a British manufacturer known for exceptional lab work and for inventing the cleaning product Brasso. The Trust now provides educational grants to residents of Norfolk, Hull, and the former East Riding of Yorkshire in the U.K. How these elements fit together remains a mystery, but I suspect your dad was given or purchased the medallion. It’s now worth about $250.
Q.
My brother and I are going through my parents’ things to get their house ready for sale and came across this ceramic figurine. It’s about 20 cm high (8 in.) and the mark on the bottom is ‘Made in England by Goldscheider with Myott Son & Co. Staffordshire.’ There is a chip on one of the dog’s ears.
They had several fine things and I am wondering if this is one of them. — Mike, Kitchener
A.
The Goldscheider name became well known in the ceramic world during the latter part of the 19th century in Vienna, Austria. However, as the Second World War set in, family members left and started working in England and Trenton, New Jersey. Marcel Goldscheider, responsible for your figurine, landed in the Staffordshire district of England and worked for the Myott company in the 1950s.
This figurine is called ‘New Gloves’ by collectors. Figurines in general have declined in value in the past nine years and I’d suggest a realistic value of about $75. A perfect specimen might yield up to $225.