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Antiques & Collecting: Decorating trend favors business, factory pieces

Decorating has once again become informal, like the “country furniture” era in the 1980s that led to rooms with “non-furniture furniture.” An old cobbler’s bench became a coffee table, a cranberry scoop was a magazine rack, stacked orange crates were shelving and tin Grape Nuts signs were hung as art.

A new “technology” style began about five years ago. A refinished workbench with a polished vice or gears is a dining table, and a church bench replaces three or four chairs. Refinished oak filing cabinets from an office or library provide storage for jewelry or folded shirts, and wall-to-wall carpeting is “out,” replaced by polished wood floors.

The result is unique and child-proof since the pieces have already survived bumps and spills. And the clever buyer can find solid wooden pieces for bargain prices.

An Ohmer’s Sons office filing cabinet with 48 drawers and the original brass hardware was auctioned recently in Maine for $1,331. It was made in Ohio before 1898, when Edwin Seibels tried to patent a way to file a flat letter in a lateral file folder instead of stacking mail inside its envelope in a drawer.

Reworked factory and office furniture of the past has become more popular for the living room, and it is going up in price. There are even reproductions available.

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Q: I heard a story that the first “Star Wars” toys were offered for sale before they were made, so the company sold an IOU letter for the first toy characters and more. Is that true? How long was it after the movie was shown before the toys were for sale?

A: The first “Star Wars” movie was released May 25, 1977. Kenner Products, a Cincinnati toy company, had bought the rights to make toys based on the film. But there was not enough time to make small plastic figures, just board games. The popularity of the movie signaled that the toys would be bestsellers, so they sold an IOU for $11.99 that could be redeemed at Christmas for an early-bird box of puzzles, stickers, membership in the Star Wars Club, Luke Skywalker’s autograph and future delivery of the four figures. The toys were delivered in March 1978. Of course, the early-bird box, the contents and the first toys are the Star Wars collectors “holy grails.” It is said that a package in great condition would sell for $7,500 or more.

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Q: I have a pair of vases that are about 6 inches tall. The mark on the bottom looks like overlapping letters “UCG” and “Ucagco China Occupied Japan.” They have been in the family for more than 65 years. Should I keep them?”

A: This mark was used by the United China & Glass Co., an American importer, beginning in the 1930s. The company was founded in 1850 and had offices in New York and New Orleans. It was the first company allowed to import goods from Japan after the end of World War II. Items marked “Made in Occupied Japan” were made between February 1947 and April 1952. United China & Glass was later sold to Sammons Enterprises. There are collectors of Occupied Japan items. Most Ucagco pieces sell for $20 or less. They may be valuable to you for sentimental reasons.

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