Messages

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Advertising Posters

« on: September 25, 2010, 04:08:24 am »

I have two advertising posters that I would like to know the value of.  One is an Anheuser Busch Victioran Woman riding on the back of an eage.  It doesn't say anywhere on it that it is a reproduction and it appears to be old with some flaws.  It is framed.  The other poster is in a wide, plain oak frame.  It is Ivory Soap with the picture of puritanical woman.  The caption beneath her picture says "Purity".  Any idea as to what they may or may not be worth?

Is it like this: thumbs1.ebaystatic.com/m/ml6TMXBddJG8esJuxHOC-wg/140.jpg
I just saw it on a website for $30

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Unusual Papier Mache Table w/Carved Animals

« on: September 25, 2010, 12:06:13 am »

Whoa! I wasn't expecting that when I hit the link! What a COOL table! It reminds me of old European tapestries, like the "Hunt of the Unicorn" aka the "Unicorn Tapestries":

It's funny you should mention the unicorn tapestry.  I was trying to think what those animals around the tabletop reminded me of and then it hit me.  They look like animals seen in Medieval illuminations.  The leaves look are trefoils too which were used in Medieval art.  Maybe the table's creator was inspired after a trip to a museum?  

ETA:  Wow!  I think I stumbled upon something...I don't think my table is papier mache at all; it is carved wood.  I finally found some similar tables which in part solves the mystery but I would like to see if anyone on here comes to the same conclusion...

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Unusual Papier Mache Table w/Carved Animals

« on: September 24, 2010, 07:25:21 pm »

I've seen pics of trays and other papier mache items.  This table is so strange.  The design of the animals looks non-European/American.  I can't place where I've seen images of animals like that.  Unless of course the animal styles were copied from another culture.  The pupiless eyes and very squared head and jaws of the cats kind of remind me of Chinese Fu Lions.  I've never seen a white table like this.  I think a repair was done underneath.  It may have been a tilt top at one time or possibly over the decades the top became wobbly so it was stabilized with a circle of plywood attached between the top and base.  My mom said an antiques dealer told her he didn't know what it was but he thought it was unusual and offered her $250 for it back in the early 80s.  

ETA:  I was curious if there was any fascination during the Victorian period in Britain with Japanese or Chinese culture.  Turns out there was and a lot of items were imported during that time.   Also British designers copied Japanese styles into their art.  Maybe that's why the cats look Asian?

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Antique Questions Forum / Unusual Papier Mache Table w/Carved Animals

« on: September 24, 2010, 05:28:58 pm »

My parents obtained this table sometime in the early 80s. The story is this table came from a bordello in Pittsburgh. I always just called it the "cat table". I don't know if it's papier mache or not. In some small areas you can see down to the bare 'wood' and it appears to be made out of a material resembling compressed grocery store paper bags.

I've tried Googling papier mache tables but they are always black with a painted scene in the middle. This table is white and has 'carvings' around the tabletop. The carvings resemble a rainforest canopy with birds and animals. The animals look like fantasy creatures and don't quite resemble anything familiar. The table base has 3 carved cat-like beasts on it. They kind of look like jaguars.

I have pics in a Google doc slideshow.
Here's the Doc: https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=ddcbw6q_62fqb39qtj

Sorry I can't get better pics right now...the table is crammed in a small room with a bunch of stuff around it plus my camera flash isn't working.