Lamp table lights up family
Q. I inherited a table from my grandparents, who built a home in 1922. I assume the table was purchased at that time. It is 30 inches high, 27 inches wide and is in mint condition. I love the hardware, the detail work on the wood and especially the glass ball feet. Marked underneath the top are the words "Louis F. Enonnast 500 - Chicago - Ill."
Thank you for any information you can give me on the history, age and value of my family treasure.
A. Your lamp or parlor table was made in the late Victorian Era. The ball and claw feet, turned legs with reed, metal brackets on the shelf and beading on the apron are typical of furniture made in the 1890s and early 1900s. Based on your photo, the wood is mahogany. Louis Frederick Enonnast immigrated to the United States from Germany, in 1865 when he was 17. He became a cabinetmaker and in 1889, he founded his furniture factory. The firm specialized in making library tables, dining tables and parlor tables. By 1900, his factory was employing 150 people. In 1914, the name became Louis F. Enonnast and Sons.
Your circa-1900 lamp table can be seen selling in the range of $450 to $550 on the internet.
Q. The enclosed mark is on the bottom of a Mary Poppins head vase. The vase is 5 1/2 inches tall and is in flawless condition. Mary is wearing a pink scarf, a black hat with white flowers, and is holding the parrot handle of her umbrella. Marked on the bottom are the words: "Walt Disney Productions - MCMLXIV." I took my children to see the movie when it first came out. Knowing how much we liked the movie, my sister gave me the head vase as a surprise.
One of my children would like to have it, and I hope you can give me some information. Is it collectible, who made it and does it have any value today?
A. Lady head vases, especially the Mary Poppins vases, are collectible. Most were made after World War II and quickly grasped the fancy of consumers. Some included earrings, thick eyelashes and pearls. They portrayed the mid-20th century ideal of beauty, glamour and sophistication. Head vases were popular with florists, who filled them with flower arrangements. They were made by a batch of manufacturers and distributors including Enesco, Inarco and Lefton. Enesco was a leading distributor and importer of giftware. The Roman numbers stand for the date it was made, 1964.
Your Mary Poppins head vase would probably be worth $125 to $225.
• Address your questions to Anne McCollam, P.O. Box 247, Notre Dame, IN 46556. Items of a general interest will be answered in this column. Due to the volume of inquiries, she cannot answer individual letters.
© 2017, Creators Syndicate