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Some people might not consider Christmas over just yet. According to some traditions and a certain famous song, it lasts for 12 days. And, at least in the song, with each day comes extravagant gifts; the first of which is repeated every verse: a partridge in a pear tree.
It's clearly the inspiration for this glass pear figurine with a tiny 18k gold partridge perching in a tree inside, which sold for $2,520, passing its high estimate, at Rago Arts & Auction Center. The figure was made for Steuben Glass Works of Corning, New York.
While their early iridescent and colored glass is sought by collectors, they were making mostly colorless crystal by the 1930s. Designer Lloyd Atkins joined the staff in 1948.
He is known for his figurines, often animals; like this pear and partridge, which was first made in 1968.
Steuben, now owned by the Corning Museum of Glass, still makes and sells pieces based on designs by Atkins, as well as some holiday-themed figures, but this is not one of them.
Q: We have certificates of shares of capital stock of Eimoda Oil & Gas Developing Co. issued May 10, 1915. I don't know if there is any worth to the stock, or if there would be any worth to the certificate itself. I don't find Eimoda Oil listed anywhere at all. I just can't find where to start looking.
A: The only reference we have been able to find to Emoida Oil is the Emoida Oil and Gas Development Co. listed in a 1915 report by the Texas Secretary of State. Don't be discouraged, though; old stocks may still have value. Your local library may have copies of print sources or subscriptions to online sources that can help.
The Directory of Obsolete Securities or the Capital Changes database (formerly Capital Changes Reporter) may be useful. Standard & Poor's (www.spglobal.com/ratings/en) or Moody's directories (www.moodys.com) have information on mergers.
And yes, the certificate itself may have value, too. Collecting stock certificates is called scripophily.
Your stock may also interest collectors of general paper ephemera. You can get more information about scripophily from sites like oldstocks.com, scripophily.net, the American Stock & Bond Collectors Association (scripophilyusa.org) or the International Bond & Share Society (scripophily.org).
Q: I've been trying for months to find information on a particular bottle with a paper label for Arpad Haraszthy & Co. We don't seem to have any local appraisers (Fort Wayne, Indiana) who can advise. I don't know which online sources or appraisers are trustworthy. I think this bottle is historically unique because Haraszthy was a pioneer in the California winemaking business. Could you advise me where to inquire?
A: Arpad Haraszthy was born in 1840 in Hungary and came to the United States with his family in 1842. His father, Agoston, established vineyards in California. Arpad joined his father's business in 1862. He later formed his own winemaking firm, which operated as Arpad Haraszthy & Co. from 1880 to 1894.
He is credited with producing the first commercially successful sparkling wine made in California. Nineteenth-century commercial bottles can sell for high prices, and an intact paper label always increases the value.
Bottle collecting is a specialized field, and collectors tend to be very knowledgeable. We recommend contacting a bottle collector's club or specialty bottle auction. Look into The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (www.fohbc.org) Antique Bottle & Glass Collector magazine (www.americanglassgallery.com/abgc), American Bottle Auctions (www.americanbottle.com), Antique Bottle Collector's Haven (www.antiquebottles.com), or the National Bottle Museum (nationalbottlemuseum.org).
EDITOR'S NOTE: Terry Kovel and Kim Kovel answer readers' questions sent to the column. Send a letter with one question describing the size, material (glass, pottery) and what you know about the item. Include only two pictures, the object and a closeup of any marks or damage. Be sure your name and return address are included. By sending a question, you give full permission for use in any Kovel product. Names, addresses or email addresses will not be published. We do not guarantee the return of photographs, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. Questions that are answered will appear in Kovels Publications. Write to Kovels, (Name of this newspaper), King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803 or email us at collectorsgallery@kovels.com.