FOLLOWING THE FLAGS
Schoolhouse history
Q I’m curious as to the worth of this folding flag used for teaching purposes. It was my mother-in-law’s. She taught school in rural Glengarry near Alexandria, Ont., during the late 1930s and 1940s. I remember paper ones while in school in the 1950s. It is made of metal and measures 15 by 29 cm (6 x 11.5 inches). There is also a copyright 1812, MAP PUG
Co., Toronto. Any information would be appreciated.
Rhonda, Ottawa
A ‘Ephemera’ is the word for this item, because I was not able to turn up another one. The finish is nicely aged with crazing and the paints are reasonably intact. It’s interesting that this item — with three flags all relating to Britain — was made in Canada. The blue and white flag of Scotland, one of the oldest in the world, is symbolic of Saint Andrew being martyred on a white saltire set on a sky-blue background. The red Saint George’s Cross set on a white background is the flag of England. The third flag — the Union Jack — represents the United Kingdom. The history of the manufacturer also escaped me and I can only say it is a rare and interesting item worth $75.
Q I have a vessel in which I display a ficus in the sunroom. As far as I know it was made at the Canadian Porcelain Co. in Hamilton, where my grandfather worked for more that 25 years. I have a 25th anniversary photo taken on Feb. 22, 1949 of the 40 men who worked there with him. The pot is glazed inside and out. There is no mark. Weighing 18 kg
(39.5 pounds) the outside top diameter is 33 cm (13 inches). The colour of the lid is brown, unlike the pot. It has a very narrow crack in the pot but it is only partway through. I would be very interested to learn if these were made for a specific reason or if there were many produced.
Carol, Ottawa
A The Canadian Porcelain Company Ltd. was founded circa 1912 by Walter Goddard and John Alden from the New England states. The company made electric fixtures and insulators for the boon of electricity. The Emery (Ecanada) Pottery of Hamilton got its start at Canadian Porcelain Co. in the 1920s. George Emery acted as a superintendent of Canadian Porcelain while using facilities there to get the Emery Pottery underway. Your crock could have been used for many things, including sauerkraut. It is high-quality stoneware that is very dense and the tight shiny glaze is typical of their wares. There is little information about the life of the company that operated into the 1940s. In perfect condition this pot might be worth $125. As it is it is still a worthwhile sample probably worth about $50. A marked example would be worth more as would your historic photo.
Q This Mickey Mouse watch is one from my childhood days. On the face it says Ingersoll and at the bottom is a circle with a small c in it with the markings ‘WDP.’ The watch measures 3 cm in length (1.25 inches). The back of the watch is marked ‘US TIME.’ On the web this exact one stood out as a 1934 Ingersoll rare variation. My watch is in perfect working condition, clean and the original wristband is in excellent condition. May I ask your thoughts on the value of the watch today? Thanks.
Larry, Guelph
A Mickey Mouse was not the first comic character watch but the cartoon icon did bring them to light more than any other. Robert H. Ingersoll & Bros. began business in New York City by ordering watches, in collaboration with Walt Disney Productions (WDP copyright) in the 1930s — one of the greatest marketing ideas ever. Waterbury Clock Co. had bought out Ingersoll in 1922 but continued the name as did the U.S. Time Corp. when it acquired Waterbury in 1944. This, along with the case style, dates your watch to the 1940s at the earliest. It is still of interest at $75 but there is more action with Star Wars and similar these days.
John Sewell is an antiques and fine art appraiser. To submit an item to his column, go to the ‘Contact John’ page at www.johnsewellantiques.ca. Please measure your piece, say when and how you got it, what you paid and list any identifying marks. A high-resolution jpeg photo must also be included. (Only email submissions accepted.)
* Appraisal values are estimates only.*