Whether you buy them for their aesthetic value or to keep your accumulation of National
Geographics from toppling, bookends are fast becoming a popular collectible.
After years of living with boxes and boxes of books stacked to the rafters in the basement, I could
hardly wait to arrange them in the new built-in, floor-to-ceiling bookcases we installed in our home. However, the space turned
out to be deceivingly large and after we unpacked every edition, the books didn’t fill half of the shelves. Suddenly,
we needed bookends.
That night, I did a quick search on eBay. Right away I found a lovely metal pair of vintage metal
bookends depicting a nymph like woman dancing with a scarf. The auction closed in five minutes, and I easily won the set for
$23. A little research revealed that the pair, if authentic, was produced in 1929, considered Art Deco, and highly collectible. In excellent condition – mine were probably “good” –
they were valued at about $175.
Flush with possible success, I searched the listings again. I spotted a pair of handsome bronze bookends
with a starting price of $9.95 and no reserve. The brief listing said they were marked Tiffany, and I incredulously thought,
“The Tiffany?” I entered a more generous top bid of $75 and watched
over the next week as the bids exceeded $900. I quickly learned that antique bookends, while inherently practical, are becoming
a popular and sometimes highly-priced collectible, especially if they’re crafted from metal.
“A lot of old bookend designs are
being reproduced now,” says antiques dealer and interior designer Sally Austen. Her shop Sagebrush, in Edwards, Colorado offers
fine antiques and an impeccably chosen selection of home furnishings. “You need to make a decision about whether you’re
buying a decorative item, or an antique that has some history.” Native American images are in particularly high demand
right now with the shop’s high country clientele, especially those depicting chiefs. Great images of cowboys are always
popular, but tough to find, Sally adds. Bookends depicting horses and all varieties of dogs are perennial favorites. When
it comes to antique bookends, Sally generally considers those produced between 1890 and 1940 to be the best.
She also advises that many of the same quality considerations hold true whether you’re looking
at prints and other antiques. First, she suggests carefully examining the aesthetic quality of the image. Is it pleasing,
artistic, and well executed? Is the subject proportional and realistic? Another quality indicator is the crispness of the
image. Similar to the plates used in etchings or engravings, a cast metal mold tends to wear down with use. “One of
my favorites bookend designs is an Indian chief is in full headdress,” Sally says. “In the early editions, you
can see the smallest details of the feathers on the headdress, and even the image on the presidential medallion he is wearing.
In later editions those details are missing.”
Lois Kuritzky, author of Collector’s
Guide to Bookends, adds that one of the challenges of evaluating metal bookends
is determining the actual metal content. Bronze and brass are slightly more desirable than other metals, but can be tough
for the untrained eye to identify. Very often several editions of a design are produced and they may not always be marked
well. For example, the first edition may have been made of bronze. But in a later edition, the piece may have been mass produced
as a cast iron piece. A magnet will be attracted to iron, so you can carry a small one with you for testing. Fortunately,
the metal composition isn’t always as important in determining value as the overall quality and rarity. If the piece
was not originally painted, then look for a nice patina and for the original finish to remain intact. However, if the piece
was painted than you will want to be sure that only the original paint remains, with no tampering. Your best bet, as with
all fine antiques, is to buy from a reputable dealer.
Interesting and sometimes collectible bookends
can also be found in glass, ceramic, and pottery. In most cases, detailed information can be found from a dealer or guidebook
specializing in the particular brand, i.e. McCoy or Frankoma. For purely decorative bookends, all sorts of weighty objects
can be utilized even though their original purpose may have been something entirely different. We once acquired an interesting
handcrafted set made from a pair of old spurs, and we also have two antique sailboat pulleys that do a fine job of containing
books. Old flat irons are often used for bookends, and door stops sometimes make their way to the bookshelf.
Since making my first purchase of the dancing nymphs,
I’ve accumulated a nice assortment of bookends, some that are simply decorative and a few valuable pairs. Now that I’ve
declared myself a Bookend Collector, I’m also starting to receive them as gifts. It’s probably only a matter of
time until the bookends begin to overwhelm the book collection. I suppose when that happens we’ll have to get some more
books…and build some more bookshelves.
[Sidebar]
Tips for Collecting Bookends
- Contact an expert prior to attempting to clean or polish any metal finishes. (This advice applies to most metal antiques.)
Some finishes are lacquered and the value can be seriously compromised if the finish is damaged.
- If you find a single bookend, it can still be useful in the bookshelf. Singles can also be used as doorstops. Expect
to pay about one-third of the price that a matched set would command.
- The following books are useful for determining values and learning more about collectible bookends:
Bookend Review,
by Robert L. Seecof, Donna L. Seecof, and Louis Kuritzky;, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1996.
A Collector's
Guide to Cast Metal Bookends, by Gerald P. McBride; Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1997.
Collector's Guide
to Bookends, Identification and Values, Louis Kuritzky, Schroeder Publishing Co. Ins., 1998.
- If you get serious about the bookend business, you might want to consider joining the American Antique Bookend's Sellers
Association. The club, led by author and bookend expert Louis Kuritzky, publishes a quarterly newsletter for all the members
containing useful information about bookends.
[Resources]
Sagebrush
P. O. Box 409
Edwards,
CO 81632
866-600-VAIL
(970) 926-4663
Whether you buy them for their aesthetic value or to keep your accumulation of National
Geographics from toppling, bookends are fast becoming a popular collectible.
After years of living with boxes and boxes of books stacked to the rafters in the basement, I could
hardly wait to arrange them in the new built-in, floor-to-ceiling bookcases we installed in our home. However, the space turned
out to be deceivingly large and after we unpacked every edition, the books didn’t fill half of the shelves. Suddenly,
we needed bookends.
That night, I did a quick search on eBay. Right away I found a lovely metal pair of vintage metal
bookends depicting a nymph like woman dancing with a scarf. The auction closed in five minutes, and I easily won the set for
$23. A little research revealed that the pair, if authentic, was produced in 1929, considered Art Deco, and highly collectible. In excellent condition – mine were probably “good” –
they were valued at about $175.
Flush with possible success, I searched the listings again. I spotted a pair of handsome bronze bookends
with a starting price of $9.95 and no reserve. The brief listing said they were marked Tiffany, and I incredulously thought,
“The Tiffany?” I entered a more generous top bid of $75 and watched
over the next week as the bids exceeded $900. I quickly learned that antique bookends, while inherently practical, are becoming
a popular and sometimes highly-priced collectible, especially if they’re crafted from metal.
“A lot of old bookend designs are
being reproduced now,” says antiques dealer and interior designer Sally Austen. Her shop Sagebrush, in Edwards, Colorado
offers fine antiques and an impeccably chosen selection of home furnishings. “You need to make a decision about whether
you’re buying a decorative item, or an antique that has some history.” Native American images are in particularly
high demand right now with the shop’s high country clientele, especially those depicting chiefs. Great images of cowboys
are always popular, but tough to find, Sally adds. Bookends depicting horses and all varieties of dogs are perennial favorites.
When it comes to antique bookends, Sally generally considers those produced between 1890 and 1940 to be the best.
She also advises that many of the same quality considerations hold true whether you’re looking
at prints and other antiques. First, she suggests carefully examining the aesthetic quality of the image. Is it pleasing,
artistic, and well executed? Is the subject proportional and realistic? Another quality indicator is the crispness of the
image. Similar to the plates used in etchings or engravings, a cast metal mold tends to wear down with use. “One of
my favorites bookend designs is an Indian chief is in full headdress,” Sally says. “In the early editions, you
can see the smallest details of the feathers on the headdress, and even the image on the presidential medallion he is wearing.
In later editions those details are missing.”
Lois Kuritzky, author of Collector’s
Guide to Bookends, adds that one of the challenges of evaluating metal bookends
is determining the actual metal content. Bronze and brass are slightly more desirable than other metals, but can be tough
for the untrained eye to identify. Very often several editions of a design are produced and they may not always be marked
well. For example, the first edition may have been made of bronze. But in a later edition, the piece may have been mass produced
as a cast iron piece. A magnet will be attracted to iron, so you can carry a small one with you for testing. Fortunately,
the metal composition isn’t always as important in determining value as the overall quality and rarity. If the piece
was not originally painted, then look for a nice patina and for the original finish to remain intact. However, if the piece
was painted than you will want to be sure that only the original paint remains, with no tampering. Your best bet, as with
all fine antiques, is to buy from a reputable dealer.
Interesting and sometimes collectible bookends
can also be found in glass, ceramic, and pottery. In most cases, detailed information can be found from a dealer or guidebook
specializing in the particular brand, i.e. McCoy or Frankoma. For purely decorative bookends, all sorts of weighty objects
can be utilized even though their original purpose may have been something entirely different. We once acquired an interesting
handcrafted set made from a pair of old spurs, and we also have two antique sailboat pulleys that do a fine job of containing
books. Old flat irons are often used for bookends, and door stops sometimes make their way to the bookshelf.
Since making my first purchase of the dancing nymphs,
I’ve accumulated a nice assortment of bookends, some that are simply decorative and a few valuable pairs. Now that I’ve
declared myself a Bookend Collector, I’m also starting to receive them as gifts. It’s probably only a matter of
time until the bookends begin to overwhelm the book collection. I suppose when that happens we’ll have to get some more
books…and build some more bookshelves.
[Sidebar]
Tips for Collecting Bookends
- Contact an expert prior to attempting to clean or polish any metal finishes. (This advice applies to most metal antiques.)
Some finishes are lacquered and the value can be seriously compromised if the finish is damaged.
- If you find a single bookend, it can still be useful in the bookshelf. Singles can also be used as doorstops. Expect
to pay about one-third of the price that a matched set would command.
- The following books are useful for determining values and learning more about collectible bookends:
Bookend Review,
by Robert L. Seecof, Donna L. Seecof, and Louis Kuritzky;, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1996.
A Collector's
Guide to Cast Metal Bookends, by Gerald P. McBride; Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1997.
Collector's Guide
to Bookends, Identification and Values, Louis Kuritzky, Schroeder Publishing Co. Ins., 1998.
- If you get serious about the bookend business, you might want to consider joining the American Antique Bookend's Sellers
Association. The club, led by author and bookend expert Louis Kuritzky, publishes a quarterly newsletter for all the members
containing useful information about bookends.
[Resources]
Sagebrush
P. O. Box 409
Edwards,
CO 81632
866-600-VAIL
(970) 926-4663
