Under the Lingo: An Open and Shut Case

Specialists sometimes use different terms than the rest of us. A doctor or anthropologist refers to a “mandible,” not a “jawbone.” A chemist says “sodium chloride,” not “salt.”

Antiques dealers and collectors also have a special vocabulary. There’s a whole jargon devoted just to cupboards.

Cupboards first were used in the United States in the 1700s. The first type had boards that held cups and other dishes.

A jelly cupboard had doors that concealed shelves. It was used to store food, and the doors kept out rodents.

A kas cupboard was a large piece with doors concealing the shelves. It was made in the 18th century by Dutch settlers in New England. It usually held clothing.

Pewter cupboards were made in the 18th and early 19th centuries. They had open shelves above a cabinet. The shelves were used to display pewter pieces or dishes.

A wardrobe is a tall cupboard made to hold hanging clothing.

A stepback cupboard had shelves above a section with doors. The top shelves were made of narrow boards. That left a lower section topped by a wide-open shelf that could be used for display or food preparation.

The cupboard evolved into the china cabinet, a glass-fronted cabinet with shelves to hold dishes.

The next time you hear about a stepback pewter cupboard or a carved kas, you can visualize the piece.

Q: I collect enameled copper signed by Nekrassoff. Did he also make hammered aluminum?

A: Serge Nekrassoff made pewter and copper pieces with or without an enamel decoration. He worked in Buenos Aires, in the early 1920s, then moved to New York in 1925.

In 1931, he opened a workshop in Darien, Conn. His son worked with him, and in 1952 they moved to Stuart, Fla. That shop, called Serge S. Nekrassoff & Son, was open until 1979.

The Nekrassoffs made enameled metal giftware. Some pieces were made from aluminum, others from copper or pewter.

Q: I have an off-white piece of fabric that measures 16 inches by 36 inches. It is woven with a slightly darker thread. The central design is a bust of George Washington and the words, “The Independence of the United States of America. Declared 4th July 1776. Elected President of the Federal Union, March 1789.” Scattered around the fabric are shields, stars, flags, branches, an eagle and an “e pluribus unum” banner. There’s a red border and fringe on each end. How old is it?

A: You have a commercially manufactured “show towel.” It was a souvenir of the U.S. Centennial Exhibition of 1876.

The exhibition, held in Philadelphia, was a world’s fair celebrating the founding of the United States. Thousands of souvenirs were sold at the fair.

Hand-stitched show towels were a tradition of the Pennsylvania German community. Most date from 1830 to 1850. Show towels were used for decoration.

Your souvenir towel sells for $100 or so today.

Q: My silver-plated tray measures 8 inches by 14 inches. It is engraved with fancy cutouts and flowers. The bottom is marked “Meriden Silver Plate Co.” and “1706 U.S.A.” I realize the number isn’t a year, but what is it? When was my tray made?

A: The Meriden Silver Plate Co. was founded in 1869 in Meriden, Conn. It was one of many that merged in 1898 to form the International Silver Co.

Your tray was made between 1869 and 1898. The number 1706 is a design or catalog number.

Q: My sister owns a Japanese ceramic vase that dates from the 19th century. It’s 8 1/2 inches tall. It has two handles, a fluted throat and a design of a hand-painted rural scene with a thatched-roof house, trees and a path. The mark on the bottom says “Nishiki” and “Royal Japan.” Can you tell me anything more?

A: Your sister’s vase was made between 1921 and World War II. The mark is “Royal Nishiki” and “Japan.” It was used by a well-known factory.

Q: What is Bristol glass?

A: The name “Bristol glass” refers to a lightweight glass that may have been made in Bristol, England. The opaque glass was usually colored or decorated.

If you’d like a listing of helpful books and publications on antiques, send a self-addressed, stamped (55 cents) envelope to the Kovels, The Los Angeles Times, King Features Syndicate, 235 E. 45th St., New York, NY 10017.

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Current Prices

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary because of local economic conditions.

* University of Notre Dame commemorative plate by Vernon Kilns, 10 1/2 inches: $25.

* Playboy swizzle sticks, 1970s, 22-piece set: $40.

* Buster Brown advertising pocket mirror, pictures of Buster and Tige, 1946: $80.

* Mae Starr composition shoulder-head doll, sleeping blue metal eyes, open mouth, blond wig, cloth body, 1928, 29 inches: $125.

* Westinghouse electric fan, No. 149575, brass cage and blades, original paint and tag: $210.

* Victorian bedstead, oak, American, rectangular panel headboard, applied scroll carving, raised ogee panels, circa 1885, not quite 6 feet: $280.

* Anne Fogarty black wool dress, long sleeves, full skirt, 1950s: $425.

* Animation art cel, Wendy and Peter Pan telling the children a story, 1953, 7 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches: $870.

* Amish patchwork quilt, lone-star pattern, multicolored on navy blue ground, 1931, 84 x 83 inches: $1,455.

* Tiffany glass decanter set, pinched-in sides, four-sided decanter, original stopper, brilliant iridescent gold, signed, 10 1/4 inches: $2,950.