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top trunk packs a punch
A: When Louis Vuitton introduced his line of flattop trunks a departure from the dome tops that couldn't be stacked on voyages they were instantly popular. It wasn't long after the launch of these trunks that the Vuitton label became one of the (first) and best known names in the world of high fashion. The repeating LV monogram on Vuitton bags and luggage is officially called the "LV" pattern.
Your trunk was made sometime between 1895 and 1910. Vuitton made many different styles and sizes and the more elaborate they are (some are freestanding wardrobes), the more expensive they become. Some of the most extravagant pieces of vintage Vuitton luggage sell for as much as $25,000. Yours, as is, will easily realize $5,000.
Q: A great aunt gave this lion to my father in 1915. It has no markings, but I think it is Staffordshire. It measures 15 by 15 centimetres (6 by 6 inches). I've heard these animals usually came in pairs. I only have the one. Please tell me about it.
A: Your lion was made in England at a Staffordshire pottery shop between 1815 and 1830. These mantle ornaments were often in pairs usually dogs. But having even one of these performing lions is a prize as they are very rare.
Your lion was fashioned after a famous bronze lion made in the 1400s, which now resides in the Bargello Museum in Florence, Italy.
There were many different variations of this Staffordshire pottery lion due to the fact they were handpainted. This resulted in no two exactly alike. Often they were entirely different colours. As well, these lions can be found on different shaped bases although they all came from the same mould. The threedimensional bodies were difficult to do and the open mouth and prominent teeth required extra care, so the production of these lions was very low.
Because the molding and colouration of these earthenware ornaments tend to be unrefined, they are considered rustic pieces, suitable for casual,[url=http://www.floware.fr]michael kors femmes[/url], country settings (much like folk art). There are also many serious collectors who adore these charming nave figurines in formal decors. With luck, your heirloom lion will realize a roaring $1,200.
Hopkinson painting should appreciate in value
Q: I've attached photos of an oil painting passed down to me, from family. It is titled "Boats Low Tide, St. John New Brunswick," and signed W. J. Hopkinson. The picture is 41 by 51 centimetres (16 by 20 inches) without the frame. I'd appreciate any information you can provide.
A: It's quite interesting that your painting is tied closely to two aspects of the artist's life. The painting now resides with you in Aurora, where William John Hopkinson lived for much of his life, and the scene was likely painted when Hopkinson taught at the St. Croix School of Art in New Brunswick.
Hopkinson was born in 1887 in London, and arrived in Aurora in 1912 and died there in 1970. Although selftaught, he gained a fine reputation for his oil paintings of barns and marinescapes.
The fact you have a signed piece with the location of the scene identified gives solid credibility and provenance to this work.