FIELD GUIDE
HUNTéPLUS
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////ƀƅ COUNTRYLIVING.COM / NOVEMBER 2019
Meet Our Collecting Panel
MARSHA BEMKO
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
Executive producer
for the Emmy
Award–nominated
TV programBENE RAIA
RAIA AUCTIONEERS, INC.
Owner of the Auction
Marketplace; a generalist
auctioneer and expert
in dolls and toysMARSHA DIXEY
HERITAGE AUCTIONS
Manager of the world’s
largest online auction
house; expert in
Americana collectiblesHELAINE FENDELMAN
Certifi ed member of the
Appraisers Association
of America, Inc.; specialist
in fi ne and decorative artsHave something you’re
convinced is valuable?
Send a photo and
description to wiiw@
countryliving.com.did you know...
During the 1920s,
Transcontinental Oil’s Marathon
gas was known for its
“Best in the Long Run” slogan.OBJECT:
Metal SignSUBMITTED BY: M.B., Powell, WYPROVENANCE: one of many in her late
husband’s collectionWHAT IT IS: Appraiser Leila Dunbar
tells Antiques Roadshow’s producer
Marsha Bemko that The Ohio
Oil Company was founded in 1887 by
Henry M. Ernst. In 1930, Ohio Oil
purchased Transcontinental Oil, a
refi ner who marketed gasoline under
the Marathon name and its Greek
Pheidippides runner trademark, both
shown on this 28-by-20-inch sign,
indicating that your Ohio Oil
Company sign is likely from the
1940 s to 1950 s, after the merger.
“Because of its reference to accidents
and lost time, this also appears to be
a company sign as opposed to a
gas station sign, which would have
more desirability, as Marathon gas
signs with the Greek runner have sold
in the mid-thousands,” says Leila.WHAT IT’S WORTH:
$300 to $500OBJECT:
Pinball MachineSUBMITTED BY: R.M.,
Lunenburg, MAPROVENANCE: played with as a child at her
grandmother’sWHAT IT IS: Appraiser Bene Raia tells
us your fun childhood treasure is a vintage
1930 s–1940s Star- Light marble shooting
pinball game. This tin litho game—known
as a bagatelle, or game played with
marbles—was made by the New York
City–based Durable Toy & Novelty Corp.,
which started manufacturing tabletop
games such as yours in the 1930 s as a
source of entertainment.WHAT IT’S WORTH:
$200OBJECT:
TelephoneSUBMITTED BY:
K.C., Hemet, CAPROVENANCE: belonged to her
husband’s grandparentsWHAT IT IS: Antiques Roadshow’s
producer, Marsha Bemko, shared your
family piece with appraiser Gary
Piattoni of Gary Piattoni, Inc., and
reports that it is a 1930 s Danish
telephone. “This is the typical form of
European phones from the early 20 th
century,” says Gary. “The crank on the
side was to power a magneto, which
would generate a current that would
alert an operator that you wanted
to make a call. Later, when all phones
received this power from a remote
source, these phones became
obsolete.” He adds that yours has the
insignia of the Danish postal service,
indicating it was likely used in a
post offi ce.WHAT IT’S WORTH:
$75 to $100