Chairs valued for mid-century modern designers

Q. I recently acquired this vintage table and chair set. The four chairs fit around a four-legged circular table made of the same wood. They’re marked Medea (from Italy) underneath and were sold in Canada by Albert White and Company

A. Your striking set falls into the desirable umbrella of Mid-Century Modern — in furniture, it includes teak and, as in your case, the even more desirable rosewood veneer. This particular highquality set is the Medea line designed in 1955 by Vittorio Nobili of Italy, for Fatelli Tagliabue. It was a combination of accelerated industrial production and design experimentation, mainly during the middle 40 years of the 20th century, that resulted in hundreds of new and interesting styles of furniture.

These “modern” sets are highly prized — especially when the designer is identified. This set is worth $4,500, and don’t be surprised to see retailers in major cities asking prices twice that much.

Q. Twentyfive years ago, my family and I spent a few hours on the grounds of one of the many castles in Copenhagen. My youngest discovered this tiny mosaic of a dog, encrusted with soil by poking in the grass with her fingers. It measures 3 cm by 2.2 cm (1 inch by 0.86 inches). The metal around the picture seems to be brass or bronze. Any ideas what it is?

Sibylle, Kitchener

A. Mosaics have actually been around since B.C. times and are still being made today — the mosaic walls in the Disney World castle. The Italians and Greeks have made the bulk of the world’s mosaics. Using either rectangular glass or pottery pieces, called tesserae, designs or images of varying sizes are created by fastening them onto a backing with an adhesive. Finer micro-mosaics have as many as 1,000 pieces per six square centimetres (one square inch). I think your tiny treasure was likely made around 1860. It may have once had a tiny folding case much like early picture frames. This micromosaic is quite finely done. The finer examples were often framed in gold. At auction, it could surprise and start at $1,000 with the gavel ending in a space where “no bids have gone before.”

Q. I’ve been wondering what this family item’s story might be and its age. It appears to be a monk with a monkey on his back. It’s a pouring jug and stands 13 cm tall (5 1/2 inches). The bottom is marked with the number 6822 and a very faint crown with a star beneath it. I would very much like to hear your thoughts on this piece.

Fred, St. Catharines

A. I think any suitable use will work, such as milk, syrup or a sweet sauce. The crown above a nine-pointed star containing the letter R is the mark of the Schafer & Vater Porcelain Factory, of Rudolstadt, Germany. This company operated from 1890 to 1962, making all kinds of decorative porcelain, figurines and dolls. The four-digit number on the bottom is simply a code for the mould. This piece was made in the 1920s as part of a line of bizarre figural tableware the company was known for. Schafer & Vater was collected avidly in the past but much less so today. It is worth $65 today.

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.*