  This buffet is Colonial Revival with a Jacobean influence, a hint of French 18th century and a pinch of 20th century modern. It was made around 1930 and would probably be worth $800 to $1,200. |
Collectors will find a smorgasbord of styles, value in antique buffet
Copley News Service
Q:This buffet has been in my son-in-law's family since the early 1950s. It had been left in a house his grandmother purchased. Except for some minor damage to the feet, it is in good condition. We are curious as to when it was made and if it has any value.
A:The style of your buffet was inspired by several earlier periods of design. Furniture of the 1920s and 1930s can sometimes be described as eclectic. Manufacturers often included one or more design elements from the 17th and 18th centuries. The style of your buffet can be defined as being Colonial Revival with a Jacobean influence, a hint of French 18th century and a pinch of 20th century Modern thrown in for good measure.
Your buffet with a smorgasbord of styles is circa 1930 and would probably be worth $800 to $1,200.
Q:My grandmother had a porcelain cream pitcher and matching sugar bowl with a lid that always sat on her sideboard. She told me it had belonged to her mother and she passed away in the early 1900s. It is decorated with peaches and green leaves against a pale pink background. I have enclosed a drawing of the mark that can be seen on the bottom of both pieces.
I would like to know anything you can tell me about my creamer and sugar bowl.
A:C & E, Carstens Porcelain Factory made your cream pitcher and covered sugar bowl around 1918. They have produced porcelain since 1918 in Blankenhain, Thuringia, Germany.
The value of your set would probably be $75 to $100.
Q:I still have a bottle of cologne that my husband gave me in 1959. There is a silver label on the front with the words "Evening in Paris Cologne -- Bourjois -- New York -- 2 Fl. Ozs." The bottle is cobalt blue glass and in perfect condition.
Is it worth anything?
A:Although Evening in Paris was a favorite with women in the early 1900s, few who were born after the 1960s have ever heard of the once-popular perfume.
Bourjois of France launched their Evening in Paris perfume line in the United States in 1929. Its floral scent with a woodsy base quickly captured the spirit of sophistication and romance in the 1930s and 1940s. The sleek Art Deco designs of their cobalt blue bottles became a classic. Boxed sets that included perfume, cologne, and dusting powder were favorite gifts for wives and mothers. The fragrance was affordable and sold in dime stores and department stores. Evening in Paris has recently been reformulated, reissued and repackaged for the 21st century.
There is lively collector interest in vintage Evening in Paris. A two-ounce bottle like yours would fetch $25 to $50 in an antique shop.
