Malcolm Katt
Malcolm Katt, owner of Millwood Gallery in Millwood, New York. He specializes in vintage collectibles, primarily militaria, and has been a PowerSeller on eBay since 1998.
Rekindle childhood memories by collecting items that gave you hours of enjoyment then. Most of the following collectibles can be found at modest prices in antique malls, garage sales and on eBay.
Originally sold for 25 cents, these books, aimed at a very young audience (about age two to age seven), were published by Simon & Schuster beginning in September 1942. The first 12 titles, each with 42 pages, included such classics as Three Little Kittens, Mother Goose and The Little Red Hen.
In 1951, Doctor Dan, The Bandage Man was released with Band-Aids glued to the right side of the title page. This marked the first venture in book-and-product joint packaging. In 1954, Little Lulu and Her Magic Tricks was released with a small package of Kleenex tissues attached to its front cover and directions for how to make toys from the tissues.
In the early 1960s, a large number of Little Golden Books focused on popular Saturday morning TV shows, such as The Huckleberry Hound Show, The Bullwinkle Show, The Yogi Bear Show and The Flintstones. In 1986, the one billionth Little Golden Book — a copy of The Pokey Little Puppy — was printed.
As collectibles, Little Golden Books have a lot going for them. Many are beautifully illustrated and feature charming stories with a moral or other educational purpose. Since titles are plentiful, you can specialize in categories, such as fairy tales or nursery rhymes.
Values: Publishing date and edition (initial and subsequent printings — for instance, the first printing of a book is the first edition) determine value. To date a Little Golden Book, refer to the guidebook listed on the next page, where numbering systems and editions are detailed. Edition and copyright information are found inside each Little Golden Book. First editions are generally the most sought after. Rarity also determines value.
Another way to determine age is by the spine and back cover. The earliest Little Golden Books (1942 to 1947) sported dust jackets (a book is worth more if it has its original dust jacket) and blue spines. Starting in 1947, the books had gold spines and no dust jackets.
Also, a book in mint condition, looking like it did when originally purchased, has the highest value. Sample prices…
Resources: Warman’s Little Golden Books Identification Guide by Steve Santini (Krause)… Little Golden Book Collector (www.goldenbook.com)… Random House Children’s Books (www.randomhouse.com/golden/lgb).
The word “kaleidoscope” (based on the Greek for “beautiful,” “shape” and “watcher”) was coined by Scottish scientist Sir David Brewster, who invented the device in 1816. During the Victorian period (1837 to 1901), kaleidoscopes reached their zenith in England, and in the 1870s, found their way to the US. In Providence, Prussian immigrant Charles Bush, a rope maker with no scientific training, patented and manufactured a popular variety of pedestal kaleidoscope.
Mass-produced kaleidoscopes remained popular as children’s toys. Made by American, European and Japanese manufacturers, most originally cost from five cents to twenty-five cents.
Today, vintage examples from the 1950s can be found from $5 to $25. Many kaleidoscopes were used as advertising gimmicks, and some kaleidoscopes were made to resemble household items, such as soup cans or soda cans.
Values: You can find the less valuable varieties at flea markets and on eBay. More expensive types are likely to be found at antique dealers and on kaleidoscope Web sites, such as The Gemmary (www.gemmary.com). Sample prices…
Resources: Kaleidoscopes: Wonders of Wonder by Cozy Baker (C&T Publishing)… The Brewster Kaleidoscope Society (www.brewstersociety.com)… Kaleidoscopecollector.com (www.kaleidoscopecollector.com).
Collecting very early playing cards from the 14th century to the early 19th century is beyond most people’s means due to their rarity. However, playing cards from the late 1890s and later are affordable for many collectors. Hobbyists collect cards by theme (depicted by the picture on the back of the card), era or manufacturer. Some collect complete decks and others single cards (especially jokers). Decks with backs used to advertise businesses, products or services are extremely collectible, as well as souvenir decks commemorating world’s fairs and expositions. Age, design, condition and rarity all determine value.
The dating of a deck or card can be difficult. Decks made before 1965 have a federal tax stamp on the box. See a guidebook for help in dating. Condition is somewhat subjective, but try to collect decks and cards in mint condition, although a rare deck or card is collectible in poorer condition. Having the original box for a deck increases its value. Sample prices…
Resources: Collecting Playing Cards: Identification and Value Guide by Mark Pickvet (Collector Books)… International Playing-Card Society (http://i-p-c-s.org)… Chicago Playing Card Collectors, Inc. (www.cpccinc.org).
