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Watching TVs With No Pictures by Chuck N. Baker plosions are all extremely rare, but they can
happen. However plugging in such sets can
sometimes be beside the point. Collecting those
antique TVs in many cases is not because one
wants to tune in to see how the pictures look,
it’s because of the designs, the different colors,
the brand names and the nostalgic value. Older
folks can relate to the good old days sitting in
front of the old TV and watching “Howdy Doo-
dy” or “Andy Griffith” or “Gunsmoke.” Younger
folks can just admire the way TV’s used to look,
when viewers had to get up and twist buttons
to change the channels in order to see different
shows. Depending what part of the country one
lived in, there might be anywhere from one to
three networks, and a couple of local channels!
And of course color programs were out of the
question. It was B&W and jt looked great!
But back to size. Once someone really gets
into collecting, TVs can take up a lot of space.
Someone might require a spare bedroom or
Collecting things such as vintage coins, Things like old television sets, for example. even a basement or attic in which to keep those
postage stamps, photographs and other small Real old sets that use tubes can be a real prob- past electronic treasures. Start with one or two,
items can take up a certain amount of space, to lem. since the tubes are very difficult to obtain. and while combing flea markets and swap meets
be sure. On the other hand collecting old auto- And mid-century sets have their own individu- and antique shops, not to mention yard sales,
mobiles, pinball machines and even airplanes al problems, since they require an over-the-air the collection can add up.
require super-garage sized buildings to keep antenna to bring in shows, and not all current And while the sets themselves can be beau-
those things in. shows are available through that method. tiful, don’t get carried away thinking you’ll be
Then there are the in-between items that are And it might even dangerous to plug in an able to tune in Walter Cronkite or even Johnny
not exactly small, but that take up a lot of space. old TV set. Short circuits, electrical fires, ex- Carson. Them shows (and days) is gone forever!

profile by a student at Bates College in Lewiston,
Maine, where Heroux taught at the time, quotes
him as saying he wants his work to be both dec-
orative and useful; that he “would love it” if his
ceramics were used as tableware. In this case,
the question “Is it a teapot or a work of art?”
could be answered with “Yes.”

* * *
Artists, critics and admirers alike have long TIP: Always test an art pottery vase before
wondered: What is art? Collectors of ceramics you put it on a table. Fill it with water for 24
face a slightly more specific question: What is hours and check for seepage.
art pottery? To a collector, the term “art pottery”
usually refers to a kind of pottery made in the * * *
U.S. from about 1870 to 1930. This kind of pot- Q: I need identification and approximate PHOTO CREDIT: Thomaston Place Auction Gal-
tery usually consists of hand-thrown, hand-dec- pricing on a small silver nutmeg grinder shaped leries - Would you put a teapot like this on a display
orated vessels with innovative glazes. like a Classical urn. shelf or on the table? Many modern studio ceramics
could go either way.
The best-known pieces are often items like A: Nutmeg was used in Europe since the
vases or jardinieres; in other words, decorative Middle Ages, when it was believed to have me- like Kovels.com or the Online Encyclopedia of
pieces. That is often the defining quality of art: It dicinal properties. By the 17th century, it was Silver Marks at www.925-1000.com. Books on
is meant to be decorative rather than functional. used as a flavoring. This is when nutmeg grat-
But many artists, especially the studio potters of ers or grinders first became popular. The silver antique silver or Victorian silver pieces may
the mid-20th century onward, believe the two nutmeg graters that are collected today are usu- help you identify your nutmeg grinder. There
options aren’t mutually exclusive. ally from the late 18th to 19th centuries. They is a website, nutmeggraters.com, that may have
Take this teapot by contemporary ceram- were a popular accessory, made by many silver- additional resources.
icist Paul Heroux, which sold at Thomaston smiths in various decorative shapes. Depending
Place Auction Galleries for $250. It’s an inter- on their condition, maker, age and rarity of the
esting-looking teapot with its organic shape and shape, they can sell anywhere from about $400 For more collecting news, tips and resourc-
striking yellow and brown glaze, but it is exactly to over $1,000. Check yours for the maker’s hall- es, visit www.Kovels.com
that: a teapot, not a sculpture of a teapot. A 2010 marks. You can look up silver hallmarks on sites (c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.