Fishing packet doubles as ‘time capsule’

Q. My parents moved to Lake Clear near Eganville, Ont., about 40 years ago. My father found this leather folder in the very old and primitive cottage on the property. It holds fishing hooks and the owner used it as a fishing diary. There are five hooks remaining and it is stamped The South Side, Abbey & Imbrie New York. The owner’s name and place of New Haven, Connecticut, is written with his notations from the 1880s and 1890s. One mentions Lake Temiskaming. Thanks again for what you can tell us. Bruce, Kanata

A. Abbey & Imbrie, founded in 1875, was a fishing tackle supply company in Brooklyn, N.Y. They specialized in manufacturing hand-tied fishing flies — an art in itself with much of the work was done by young women. In the 19th century, the company was reputed to be the largest in the world. You have a ‘time capsule’ in this packet. The various cards each have 18 metal strips to hold flies and the fisherman’s notes are written on the card backs and part of the leather. Many other locations are in the Adirondacks of New York state. One account mentions ‘a very good day catching 250 fish by fly.’ Sportfishing history is of great interest to buyers — as proved by single lures bringing more than $10,000. This unique and ephemeral record will find a cast rewarded with a catch of $125.

Q. This is a Meerschaum pipe and case that I received from my uncle 10 years ago. The bowl appears to be intricately hand-carved but the stem is in need of restoration and the mouthpiece is missing. The pipe measures 18 cm long (7 inches) as it sits. The bowl is quite ornately carved. The only mark is “Guaranteed Real Meerschaum” on the case interior. I’m hoping you can assign a value and anything you can tell me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Paul, Waterloo

A. Meerschaum is a mineral that is primarily mined in Turkey. It is soft, naturally quite white and lends itself to carving. It polishes to a smooth finish. What collectors prize are well-used pipes that have developed a beautiful ‘glowing’ dark cherry patina around the upper edge of the bowl and often along the bottom of the stem and bowl from the material absorbing the tobacco oils. The value is based on the artistic quality of the workmanship and Meerschaum pipes can be extremely fine works of art. Your 20th-century pipe has some age but the colouration and the poor carving quality are unlike valuable examples. It has the look of a mass-produced item — one carved in a hurry. An end could be found from another pipe. As a study piece, it’s worth $40. A real example would be many times that.

Q. This intriguing dish came from my husband’s family. We have no idea how old it is or what it could be worth. The handle on the lid is a lion scratching on a fallen tree, and there are three sitting lions on the base of the dish. It’s in perfect condition and measures 33 cm high (13 inches). We’re interested in knowing the history of this piece. Thank you.

Ann, Waterloo

A. You have a compote in the ‘Lion’ pressed glass pattern which has been one of the 10 most collected of American glass. It exists with three frosted finial forms — a head, a sitting pose and your rampant lion. The cable edge of the lid and foot is distinctive. Its popularity with collectors spawned reproductions. Yours is an original, made by Gillinder & Sons of Philadelphia, Pa., in the 1870s. The designer was a man named ‘Jacobus.’ Except for extreme rarities pressed glass is not selling well at present. It is most spectacular and will still see a retail price of $125.

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.*