Ah January — the month of new resolutions made and the promise of a fresh start. For many, that fresh start begins when a look around the house or apartment or room reveals a space cluttered with objects that seem neither useful nor beautiful. If these objects are old, you may be thinking, they could be converted into money. But value in the antique or vintage market is always determined by demand first - age, condition, rarity and original value are also important but not primary.

Our readers this month have sent in a mixed bag of objects, dating from perhaps the Civil War era to the 1960s. The ones most in demand today are the newest. Those which were most expensive when they were made have seen their relative value drop most dramatically over the years. Spend a bit of time to learn about the market for your “clutter” as the new year begins, and you may be happily surprised.

This chair was made by Globe-Wernicke Furniture Company of Ohio.

Globe Wernicke office chairs, circa 1960

Q. My father has had these two office chairs since the early 80s and they were old when he received them. They are marked Globe-Wernicke Made in U.S.A. and have the original tags on the bottom of the metal frames. Any information as to when they were made or what their value might be would be appreciated.

— A.H., Hillsboro

A. Your chairs were made by the Globe-Wernicke Furniture Company of Ohio. The company was formed in 1899 and had factories in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France and Germany. It has since been merged with other companies and now is part of the holdings of Cardinal Brands of Kansas. Globe-Wernicke was most famous for its patented stacking “barrister” bookcases. Your chairs date to around 1960 and their midcentury modern style is popular with today’s collectors. At auction, you might expect a sale of $120-$200 for the pair. A dealer in midcentury modern furniture might ask $400-$600, or even more if they are in especially good condition.

This “Spinet” desk was made by the H.E. Shaw Furniture Co. of Grand Rapids.

Spinet desk, circa 1925

Q. My husband and I inherited this desk from his grandfather who owned an antique store in Madras, Oregon, during the 1950s. He told us the piece came from The Portland Hotel (1890-1951) that stood on the current site of Pioneer Courthouse Square in downtown Portland. I would like to know if there is any way to verify if this desk was owned by the Portland Hotel and how much it would be worth? It measures 45 inches wide, 21 inches deep and 34 inches high.

The number 117 is stenciled on the inside back panel - perhaps a hotel room number?

— S.H., Southeast Portland

A. Your desk is a “Spinet” desk made by the H.E. Shaw Furniture Co. of Grand Rapids, which made desks, secretaries and dining room furniture from 1919 to 1933. Your desk dates from around 1925 and gets its name from the design resemblance to spinet harpsicords and pianos. At auction, you might see an estimate of $200-$300. If your desk is in nice original condition, an antique furniture dealer might give it a price tag of $500-$700. It will take a bit of time and research — beyond the scope of this column — to learn if this desk was indeed in the Portland Hotel. If you want to do some legwork, you could start with the Portland Public Library reference room to see if they have photos of the hotel interiors. You could also make the same inquiries at the Oregon Historical Society, which has a real treasure trove of images. If you do find identical or similar desks, that would increase the likelihood that this particular piece was there, but that would not make it a certainty and would not increase the value of this desk.

These postcards, “Greatest Moments in a Girl’s Life” by Harrison Fisher (1875-1934), date to the early 1900s

Harrison Fisher postcards, early 1900s

Q. This framed collection of illustrations has been in my family for close to a century, passed down from daughter to daughter. It's still in its original wooden frame with the carved wooden flowers around the corners. The frame measures 22 inches wide, about 6 inches high. The paper backing has been on as long as we’ve had it. We are curious about its provenance and worth, although the sentimental value is priceless. Your input would be most appreciated.

—J.S., Tualatin

A. These are the postcards, “Greatest Moments in a Girl’s Life,” by Harrison Fisher (1875-1934), and they date to the early 1900s. Fisher was famous for his work for leading New York publications of the age, such as the humor magazine Puck, Saturday Evening Post, The Ladies’ Home Journal and others. His specialty was beautiful, rosy-cheeked, elegant Caucasian women, and the title and subject matter of this collection certainly illustrates how much society has changed in the last century. At auction, a set like this in a nice period frame might sell for $60-$90. An antique shop might ask $150-$200 for such a set.

This lamp, commonly called a “banquet lamp” or “parlor lamp,” was made by the Bradley & Hubbard Co.

Bradley & Hubbard lamp, circa 1885

Q. This lamp belonged to a great-aunt who lived in New Brunswick, Canada. It originally was kerosene but was wired for electricity. It is 29 inches tall, in working order and very good condition.

— K.G., Forest Grove

A. Your lamp is commonly called a “banquet lamp” or “parlor lamp” and was made by the Bradley & Hubbard Co. of Meriden, Connecticut. The company was founded in 1852 and was famous for its art brass home decor objects. The Smithsonian has a large collection of B&H objects and they are featured in numerous North American museums. In 1940 the company was sold to the Charles Parker Company, which took over its operations and designs. Your lamp dates to the Victorian period, probably around 1885. Although this is a nice example of that style, the market for Victorian era antiques has been very lackluster for the past 20 years. At auction, your lamp might sell for $300-$500. A retail antiques shop might ask $800-$1,000.

This fife is very similar to those seen documented to the Civil War era.

Fife — undated; possibly around 1860s

Q. This fife is 15 inches long and shows no damage — only wear. I’ve examined the fife carefully and can find no initials or stamped insignia. This has been in my family as long as I can remember — going back to the 1950s. My father said it was from the Civil War. He never bought antiques, so it might have come from his father. I was a flute player and my dad was a piccolo player, and we could both play simple tunes on it. I’d love to know if this is the kind of woodwind that was carried in the Civil War. Many thanks for any information you can share with me.

—P.B., Southeast Portland

A. Your fife is very similar to those seen documented to the Civil War era. It appears to be of ebony, with brass fittings. The Dillon Music company in Woodbridge, New Jersey, has an online Fife Museum with a lot of great information on military fifes, including those from the Civil War; and also has a good discussion on how difficult it is to date unmarked fifes. For an unmarked fife like yours, an auction sale might return $100-$150. A dealer might ask $200-$300 — significantly more if research could provide provenance to a specific Civil War veteran.

About Today’s Collectibles

The values discussed for items featured in this column were researched by Portland appraiser Jerry l. Dobesh, ASA, an Accredited Senior Appraiser with the American Society of Appraisers, with a specialty designation in Antiques & Decorative Arts. His services include providing appraisals for estate tax, charitable contribution, insurance scheduling and loss, and equitable distribution needs.

To find an appraiser, contact the American Society of Appraisers, the International Society of Appraisers, or the Appraisers Association of America. Estimates suggested in this Collectibles column are for general information purposes only and cannot be used as a basis for sale, insurance, or IRS purposes.

To have items considered for inclusion in future columns, please send us your high-quality images, preferably at least 300 dpi, 1Mb in size and in jpeg format. Photos must show each object in its entirety and must be clearly focused and well lighted to show detail. If there are any maker's marks, please include an image of those. Include measurements and information about the condition of the piece.

Send to: carolynpatten@gmail.com

or to: Today’s Collectibles/Homes & Gardens The Oregonian 1500 SW First Ave., Suite 400

Portland, OR 97201

Please include your name and town, along with contact information; phone number or email address. Contact information will not be published.

— Carolyn Patten

A German-made "Angel Orchestra."

More Today’s Collectibles

Hungry Goose and Angel Orchestra loaded with nostalgia, but what are they worth?

Despite controversy, Edward Curtis photos of Native Americans remain highly sought

Japanese porcelain, trench art, cranberry glass: How much are these antiques worth?

Tastes may change, but banjos endure: Today’s Collectibles

Vintage guitars, silver and glass: What’s hot (and what’s not) in today’s collectibles