Collectors will Bond with this toy
Q I have this “OO7” shooting attache case toy in its original box, with its complete contents. It was my older brother’s set and it brings back a lot of memories. It was played with a bit, but it’s in mint condition, and even has the passport with my brother’s name. The box is about 81 by 91 cm (32 x 36 inches).
I’m curious as to what it might be worth today. Lorenzo, Prince Edward County.
A Your brother’s James Bond toy set will likely cause quite a stir among toy collectors. This particular set is based on the 1963 movie From Russia With Love, and was made by Multiple Products Corporation, N.Y. in 1965. Finding a complete set with the intact box is extremely rare. The dagger, usually missing, is shown on the box concealed in the top edge of the case, and your set also includes a codebook, decoding machine, wallet and even a few calling cards. It’s very desirable within the collecting category called Character Guns, and will be worth about $2,500.
Q This piece, purchased for about $10, came from a Long Island estate sale in the late 1960s. It measures about 15 cm tall and wide (six inches). The interior of the bowl is brass, while the underside of the cover is enamelled. There is a mark on the bottom which looks to be the name “Carl,” followed by a wornaway surname possibly beginning with the letter S. Any clues would be greatly appreciated.
Tobias, Cornwall, Ont.
A This is a wonderfully untouched bronze Art Deco covered bowl, made around 1920 by American bronze artist Carl Sorensen. Most importantly, it boasts the original mottled green patina, known as verdigris. Sorensen worked in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and later as a designer for New York’s famed Tiffany Studios. You can clean this piece with a mild dish detergent, which won’t damage the patina. It’s worth about $250.
Q This stained glass window came from an early 1900s Ottawa home, and was acquired by an elderly friend of mine in the mid-1970s when that home was torn down. I purchased it from my friend for $200, including the shadow box and lighting. All the glass is hand-painted except, for the sky and white lilies. The window measures 66 x 135 cm (26 x 53 inches), but has no identifying marks on it. It’s very clean, so it must have hung in an interior wall. I’m interested in knowing its approximate value. Mary, Nepean, Ont.
A Many colourful windows were made for homes between 1890 and 1920 — most famously executed by the great Louis Comfort Tiffany, whose stained-glass windows are now extremely rare. You have a very fine example, and some diligent research may turn up an artist or manufacturer. The artist had an affinity for the outdoors with the exquisite detail of the foliage and the blackbird in cattails. Such windows are rare by any maker. In the present lively market, yours will find a buyer at $2,500.
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