Photo captures remarkable history of a celebrity

Q. I have what seems to be an original photo of Lady Randolph Churchill — Winston Churchill’s mother. The photo is pasted on a card that measures 35.5 x 25 cm (14 x 10 inches). On the bottom of the card are studio addresses of “Barraud.” I bought it at a rummage sale for a few dollars 20 years ago and recently had it framed. It is in excellent condition. I could not find any sales of this item. I’m hoping you can tell me how much it is worth. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Regards,

John, Gatineau, Que.

A. You have a wonderful original example of a cabinet card photograph taken by photographer, Herbert Rose Barraud of London and Liverpool. It was published in 1888 by W. & S. Ltd. The colourful life of a truly remarkable woman is reflected in great detail by her garb, jewelry and her photogenic poise — a historical treasure. The Japanese folding screen backdrop reflects the Aesthetic Movement. Cabinet cards first became the portrait photograph of choice in Britain circa 1867 — geared to public celebrities and mass production. Various processes were used which is narrowed down by the word ‘Permanent’ on the mounting card. It is being discoloured by the brown matt and needs acidfree matting. Examples of American-born ‘Jennie’ are uncommon in good condition and she is well worth $225.

Q. My husband and I inherited an ornate silver sugar bowl from the estate of his paternal grandparents who had received it as an engagement gift in Winnipeg at the beginning of the 20th century. It stands 26 cm high (10 inches) and is encircled by greenery and flowers. It is rather unique with the 12 spoons marked with “Eastern Silver Co. A1” or an

‘E’ in a lozenge. The base underside is marked “Manufactured and guaranteed by Toronto’s Company, 153.” We would appreciate learning more about this lovely and rather unusual sugar bowl.

Rosemary, Ottawa

A. You have a fabulous ‘Combination Sugar and Spoon Holder’ quoting the illustration caption of item code ‘153’ in The Toronto Silver Plate Company catalogue of 1888. It was $6.50 wholesale — a considerable expense at the time. This was a large firm but takeovers were common with silver plate manufacturers which might explain the suitable spoons with a different company name. The foliage reflects the Aesthetic Movement naturalistic motifs. ‘A1’ is code for ‘Britannia Metal.’ The hummingbird figural nicely tops off this spectacular piece. Silver plate is not easily sold at present but an asking price for this one could be $250.

Q. About 30 years ago, an elderly friend of my mother’s said, “Give this to your daughter. I know she likes old things.” Unfortunately, that friend passed away before I could thank her or ask about this vase. I know she travelled in Europe in the 1940s and 50s. I love the vase for its colour patterns and unique shape. It stands 19 cm high (7.5 inches) and is in excellent condition. It is printed with “Italy” and numbers on the bottom. I would appreciate anything you can tell me about this beautiful piece.

Colleen, Kitchener

A. You were an insightful child when the Mid-Century Modern collecting tastes were just developing. The typical ‘magic marker’ design number and ‘Italy’ were used by many companies. The fantastic hand-painted design might be unique and distinctive of an artist. The tiered architectural body form is seen infrequently and might originate from the inspiration of Gio Ponti (1891-1979) — an architect considered to be ‘the father of modern Italian design’ who was noted for glass, ceramics, furniture and skyscraper designs. Artists were inventing designs for affordable mass-produced art wares maintaining an individual character. Your provenance supports the age of this attractive vase made at the height of the modern design of the 20th century. A maker to investigate further might be the Fratelli Fanciullacci family of potters. Confirmation of a designer will escalate its present value of $175.

John Sewell is an antiques and fine art appraiser. To submit an item to his column, go to the ‘Contact John’ page at www.johnsewellantiques.ca. Please measure your piece, say when and how you got it, what you paid and list any identifying marks. A high-resolution jpeg photo must also be included. (Only email submissions accepted.) *Appraisal values are estimates only.*