Empty crate full of value
THIS OLD THING
Q.I purchased this Waterloo Distillery Old Times Whiskey crate for $200, and wonder if I paid a fair price. We think it dates from sometime between 1857, when the Waterloo Distillery opened, and 1869, when Seagram changed the name to George Randall and Co. Two sides feature the Waterloo Distillery logo, the third side has initials on it, and the fourth describes the original contents. It measures 20 centimetres high by 47 cm long and 43 cm wide (8 by 18.5 by 17 inches). Part of the lid is missing, but one of the leather hinge straps is still attached. Can you help identify what the initials mean, how old the crate is, how many similar crates might still be around, what sort of bottles it might originally have held and the current value? •Carrie, Elmira
A. As you discovered, the Granite Mills and Waterloo Distillery was founded in 1857 with the distillery being the subsidiary under the joint ownership of William Hespeler, George Randall and William Roos. Joseph E. Seagram, married to Hespeler’s niece, entered the business in 1869, and by 1883 had acquired the company outright and began building it into the Seagram distilling empire. The use of the words “Ontario, Canada,” came into use only after Confederation, which means it’s not older than 1867. These graphics and crate style would have been used for some time after that, unchanged possibly as late as 1900. A trip to the City of Waterloo Museum might provide answers to the initials and bottle type used. It’s in wonderful condition and with crates and advertising being in great demand, your rare example is easily worth $250.
Q. I unearthed this cute nutcracker while going through my parents’ belongings in Port Stanley, Ont. It’s a wood-carved begging bear with glass eyes. He stands about 19 cm high (7.5 in.) and you pull the tail loop out, which opens his mouth to place the nut in (tail and mouth are the same single wood piece). He’s holding a hat. I don’t have any information on this and wondered what his story might be. •Carol, Canmore, Alta A.
The bear was a popular subject for Swiss wood carvers, many schooled in the town of Brienz, and yours is high quality and quite rare. Called a lever nutcracker, the entire piece is made of just two pieces of wood; in this case the wood is likely beech, and retains a fantastic untouched patina. These were made from 1880 to about 1900, after which quality decreased with increases in popularity and production. Figural nutcrackers are extremely hard to find. Yours will beg $350.
Q. I have this Giuseppe Bessi white alabaster sculpture of a woman with a basket of grapes. I purchased it about 10 years ago, for $300, while in the antiques section of Mexico City. The artist did a sculpture of Joan of Arc, which has similarities to mine. It is 66 cm tall (26 in.) and in good condition, apart from some dust and grit in the crevices. At the base of the sculpture is “Studio Prof. G. Bessi.” I would like an evaluation and would consider selling it. •Marolyn, New Hamburg A.
Giuseppe Bessi (1857-1922) was an Italian sculptor who produced alabaster, marble, onyx and some bronze figures after many famous artists, in his workshop in Volterra, Italy. He also served as director of the Art School of Volterra for 20 years, circa 1900. Unfortunately your figurine is made of a type of bonded marble, which is a material made using a high percentage of marble powder along with resins and binding agents. It may have had some hand-finishing, but the piece is primarily cast in a mould, not hand-carved. The signatures, especially with “Studio” added, are not usually found on original Bessi works, and the actual signature of his name is slightly different than that on yours. The piece also lacks the “depth” or translucence of a true stone carving. It still makes a fine statement in any room, but I fear you have paid full retail price for a piece dating some years after his production era.