Deck prism a source of light on old ships

DTerry & Kim Kovel

uring a recent house sale, a 4½-inchhigh heavy glass pyramid was for sale.

The item was inexpensive, but no one knew what it was used for. It was almost too heavy to lift, so it wouldn’t be a practical paperweight.

We bought it, however, to display on a table with our obelisks.

A long search of pictures online revealed that it is a “deck prism” — something that was used to give extra light to parts of an antique sailing ship that were below the waterline.

The first deck prisms were used about 1840. Fire was the best source of light, but it also was dangerous on a wooden ship, so oil and kerosene lamps and candles were avoided.

My prism was inserted upside down into a hole on the main deck. The glass pyramid point hung down and shed some light into the room below. The base of the prism, now at the top, was set flush into the wooden deck.

After a while, the caulking that held the glass would leak, and the glass could chip, so the prism was carefully remounted and caulked. In 1861, a patented threaded light that could be screwed into a metal frame was invented, so prisms lost favor. But reproductions in colored glass still are made and used, and old ones are collected. They usually sell for less than $50.

Q: I found a box of old printed tablecloths from my parents’ travels in the 1950s to 1970s. Every time they drove to a new vacation spot, they bought a printed holiday or souvenir tablecloth with a map or pictures of landmarks or other sights in the state.

The 50-by-52-inch cardtable-size cloths are in good shape. Some have never been Glass prisms were used to add light to below-waterline areas of old sailing ships. taken out of the package. Do they have value?

A: Yes. There is even a group, Vintage Tablecloth Lovers Club, for printedtablecloth collectors.

These souvenirs were popular from the 1930s to the 1970s. Their retail price is about $10 or less.

Collectors today want tablecloths in mint condition — that is, never used, with original paper label and a sewn-in tag. A price tag is a plus.

Q: To commemorate a longtime friendship, a friend gave us a Tiffany & Company crystal regulator mantel clock. It is solid brass and measures 15 by 9 inches. It works well. Our friend said it was from the 1820s, but he was unable to find written information.

Do you have any information about this wonderful clock and a possible value?

A: Tiffany & Company was established in 1837 as Tiffany & Young. The name “Tiffany & Co.” didn’t become official until 1853. And although your clock says Tiffany & Co. on the dial, Tiffany did not make it, contracting instead with several makers, mostly in Europe.

Crystal regulator clocks were popular at the end of the 19th century. Tiffany’s sell from about $150 up to about $1,000.

Current prices

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.

• Delft plate: blue, white, women and children standing on river bank, windmills and trees, small boat, circa 1841; 9 inches; $72

• Jewelry box: mahogany and mixed woods, elaborate inlay, cross on lid, lined with green velvet, miror and lift tray, circa 1905; 5 by 11 inches; $240

• Sewing stand: drop leaf, mahogany flame veneer and pine, three drawers, dovetailed, original pulls, carved leaves, circa 1835; 18 inches; $300

• Coca-Cola sign: fountain service, “Drink Coca-Cola, Delicious & Refreshing,” red, green, porcelain, circa 1933; 42 by 60 inches; $3,444

• Cloisonne bowl: gilt, blue, fish, flowers, leaves, vines, center medallion, yellow;

3 by 6½ inches; $7,735