Treasure hunt
DEAR HELAINE AND JOE: My mother left my sister these figurines. She loved them dearly. I have no idea where they came from or if they are worth anything. Can you tell me something about them?
Thank you,
— T.J., Arden Hills, Minn.
DEAR T.J.: We have two photographs of these two porcelain figures — a male and female pair. One picture suggested that these were made turn-of-the20th century from bisque porcelain and their origins were probably Continental European (i.e., Germany or France). We also thought that for their genre, they were an exceptionally nice pair.
Unfortunately, the second photo showed us the egregious error of our first impression. The mark in this second image consists of the letters “A.A.” under a stylized representation of a rising sun — in this case, a sort of half-orb with five rays that terminate in ball-shaped forms.
It is our opinion that this is one of the marks used by A. A Importing, which was founded in 1934 in St. Louis by A.A. Gralnick. Initially they were distributors of kerosene lamps and accessories, but
over time they became heavily involved with the importation of European porcelain and glass items — many of which resemble objects made at an earlier date.
Checking their online catalog — they are still very much in business — the casual shopper will find reproductions of everything from dolls, motion toys and pedal cars to trade signs, cut overlay glass, Christmas items, scrimshaw, canes and so forth. The list is long, and while A.A. Importing absolutely does not misrepresent their products as being “old” or “antique” in any way, some of their secondary customers do.
It is not unusual to walk into an antiques mall and see items out of the A.A. Importing catalog scattered among the older items. Often, there is no claim of age, just a price and maybe a generic description. Buyers need to beware — ask questions and do your proverbial homework before you buy.
These figures are postWorld War II, probably circa 1970, probably made in Japan or possibly in Germany. Still, they are very attractive pieces and should be prized more for their beauty than age. The woman in her frilly hat carrying a tasseled purse and the man wearing a Napoleonic hat both have birds at their feet. Together they make a romantic pair.
Many if not most serious collectors view A.A. Importing items the same way vampires regard sunlight. And while this pair of porcelain figures is decorative and appears to be well made, it will always carry the taint of being a reproduction. Even 50 years from now when they are truly antique, they will carry this stigma.
We do not know the size of the figures so we cannot really suggest a value, but if they are around 8 inches tall, the monetary valuation should be in the $100 to $125 range.
Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson have written books on antiques. Do you have an item you’d like to know more about? Contact them at Joe Rosson, 2504 Seymour Ave., Knoxville, TN 37917, or email them at treasures@knology.net. If you’d like your question to be considered for their column, please include a focused, high-resolution photo of the subject with your inquiry.