Antique picture reveals clues to Victorian era
Q. Enclosed you will find an antique picture of some relatives of mine, probably taken in Switzerland around 1870. This picture has been in my family for a long time and has been passed down from my great-grandmother. The last name of one of the persons in the picture is Zwingli. He is a descendant of Ulrich Zwingli, who was known as the "Martin Luther of Switzerland" in the 1500s. He was stoned to death for his beliefs.
Since I'm not sure how old the picture is, I would like to know if it is possible to date a picture by the clothes the people wore. Is the picture of any value, other than sentimental?
A. The clothes, hairstyles, beards and furniture are clues to the time the picture was made. Your estimate of the time frame is accurate. Ulrich Zwingli was a scholar of Renaissance humanism and a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland in the 1500s. He and Martin Luther met at one time to discuss the issues they had with the Catholic Church. Zwingli was killed in the battle of Kappel in Switzerland in 1531. If you can document which person in the picture is a Zwingli descendant and your connection to him, it could make the picture more valuable. Victorian era pictures provide a good view of the times. The Bentwood style chairs and tables were typical of the 1870s to the 1900s.
Your circa 1870 picture would probably be worth $25 to $75 in an antiques shop.
Q. I have enclosed the mark that is on the bottom of a covered tureen that I have. We aren't sure how old it is, but do know it has been in the family for generations. I can remember holiday dinners at my grandmother's, and she always placed it on the middle of the table. The tureen is decorated with multicolored flowers, garlands and trimmed in gold. It is in perfect condition.
I plan to pass it along to my daughter and would like to know more about its history. Also, I'm thinking about having it insured and would like to know what its value is.
A. Maddock's Works, located in Trenton, New Jersey, made your tureen. They were in business from 1893 to 1929. The mark you provided was used on their fine-quality semiporcelain.
Your tureen was made around 1900 and should be insured for $100 to $150.
• 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.
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