Royal gift serves high tea
Q I inherited this unique piece of cabinetry from my great-grandfather. It was given to him in 1927 by the Prince of Wales at the official opening of the Princes' Gates at the CNE in Toronto. He was alderman at that time and owned the Prince of Wales Theatre on the Danforth. The porcelain demitasse cups are stamped. My mom thinks there was an exhibition of pieces for the opening of the Princes' Gates in 1927. Thanks for your interest.
Orianna, St. Marys, Ont.
A This is a fantastic tea wagon or trolley. The Princes' Gates, standing at the Canadian National Exhibition entrance on 11 Princes' Blvd., Toronto, was a landmark construction to commemorate 60 years of the Confederation of Canada. The silver or nickel insets is tasteful Art Deco of the 1920s. The porcelain age aligns and is that of the Bayreuth, Bavaria company of Siegmund Paul Meyer, who operated from 1899 to 1947. It might have been a local commission of a prominent Toronto-based furniture company. Tea trolleys have remained popular on all levels and this, before considering its provenance, with all the accoutrements would be at least $1,500. With this solid story it could easily double at auction for $3,000.
Q I purchased this tool for $15 years ago at an auction. Nobody knew what it was. The only marks on it are L and R (for left and right) and `28.' It is cast iron and weighs 3.6 kg (eight pounds). It is 25 by 35 cm (10 x 14 inches). Tool collectors and dealers have looked at this over the years but I have never been told exactly what it is for — wire twisting for some purpose or putting barbs on a barbed wire fence? Thanks for your time. Bill, Sackville, N.B.
A After two years, I must come clean — I don't know either! Experts speculate about braiding wire or even splicing two pieces. Barbed wire was suggested and related fencing repair. The gearing and materials are similar to those made in North America from circa 1860 to 1900. It is a professionally manufactured piece of equipment and handling its weight for any length of time invokes thought as to its use. It will be of great interest to tool collectors and knowing with certainty will increase its value. It has great intrigue and I'm suggesting a value of $250 for this challenging puzzle.
Q My husband bought this painting for me at auction for $400. I have not been able to find anything on the artist signature and date of `D. Laroche, Paris 32' or the partial framer's label of the company founded in 1905. I wonder if the painting may have been of a model who then sold the painting. She is lovely and I find something quite demure in her pose. The frame measures 107 x 91 cm (42 x 36 inches). Any information you have would be great! Thank you!
Danielle, Ottawa A This wonderful gift speaks volumes. I can only speculate that the artist might be Miss Dorette Roche of London, England, who painted this under a pseudonym in 1932. She exhibited primarily from 1908 to 1910. A student of the Lambeth School of Art, she did award-winning oil and watercolour portraits. The technique of painting the nude portrait has been debated, in print at least, from the early 1400s where Leon Battista Alberti in his Treatise on Painting suggested maintaining grace `with drapery, foliage or the hand.' French artists, particularly the Impressionists, were more comfortable painting nudes in the early 20th century and the frenetic times surrounding 1930 drew many artists to Paris. I suspect this was a commissioned work and not for the sitter (model). The artist will come to light in time, which will increase its present value of $1,500.
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.