RINKER ON COLLECTIBLES — Column #1765

Copyright © Harry Rinker, LLC 2020

Questions and Answers

QUESTION: While cleaning out my mother’s house, I discovered my father’s Daisy Model 25 BB gun. I asked Harry Jr. to restore it. I would like to know more about this model. Once it is restored, what is its value? – MP, Hawley, PA, Email Question

ANSWER: In terms of “full disclosure,” MP is my cousin, his dad was my Uncle Bill (my mother’s youngest brother), and Harry, Jr., is my son. When my family moved back to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania from Dundalk, Maryland in 1946, we lived at my grandparent Prosser’s home at 717 High Street, Bethlehem for slightly over two years. Uncle Bill was finishing high school at the time. 

I previously wrote about Uncle Bill’s match cover collection that was housed on rows of strings that filled two walls of his room. When his wife, my Aunt Lois died, I asked my cousin if Uncle Bill’s match cover collection still existed. It did. My cousin and his siblings agreed to gift it to me. I still am in the process of organizing it. 

I never wrote about Uncle Bill’s BB gun. I assumed it was lost. During my tenure at 717 High Street, I shot that BB gun on numerous occasions. My father, an NRA rifle instructor, taught me rifle safety and how to make paper targets. He would duplicate the process later using his Winchester 22 match rifle with its bull barrel. The BB gun accompanied me to two years of summer day camp (located between Bethlehem and Bath) where I spent a great deal of time on the BB gun range. Several years ago, I purchased a fully restored Daisy Model 25 BB gun for the sole purpose of reliving my youth. While I would love to own Uncle Bill’s BB gun, I am thrilled my cousin has it, cares enough to have it restored, and plans to keep it in his family. Just don’t shoot your eye out, with apologies to Ralphie and his Red Ryder BB gun featured in the 1973 “Christmas Story” movie. Will it really be 50 years old in 2023? 

Charles F. Lefever designed the Model 25. He spent six months in Plymouth, Michigan working on its development. The Daisy Model 25 was a “take down” BB gun. Removing one large screw allowed the barrel and pump lever to be removed to reduce transport space. Three different take-down screws were used during the production of the Model 25. The “penny-size” screw is the earliest. 

The Daisy Model 25 dominated the low price, high-performance BB airgun market for over 50 years (1914-1978). Sale estimates range from a low of 8 million to a suggested high of 20 million by the end of its production. 

The Daisey Model 25 is a pump action BB gun. It has a trombone pump action mechanism. The Daisy Model 25 has a low velocity (350 feet / per second, effective firing range of 195 yards) because of its weak springs, thus making its cocking action easier to work by young children. 

Unlike Ralphie’s Red Ryder Model with its 1000 BBs capacity, the Daisy Model 25 only held 50 BBs. The advantage of the Model 25 with its spring loaded, pump mechanism is that there was no need to shift the gun angle, a requirement of many gravity fed BB guns to reload a BB. 

John Steed in his 2003 booklet about the Daisy Model 25 identified 35 different variations made during its period of production. If the gun has a serial number, its exact year of production can be determined. 

Daisy introduced the Model 25 pistol grip stock between 1928 and 1929. It also remodeled the frame with a stock tang, longer trigger, re-styled rounded trigger guard, new rear screw elevated sight and a six-groove pump handle. In 1935, Daisy added scenes and intricate scrollwork to the frame. This description matches Uncle Bill’s Model 25. Manufacturing of the Daisy Model 25 ceased in 1941 and did not resume until World War II ended. 

Working but unrestored, 1930s Daisy Model 25 BB guns have asking prices ranging from $45.00 to $65.00. An example in fine or better condition lists between $100.00 and $125.00. Restored models bring between $125.00 and $150.00, albeit I have seen asking prices around $200.00.

QUESTION: I have 187 pieces of Autumn Leaf Halls Superior Quality dinnerware (163 pieces) and kitchenware (24 pieces). I do not know what to do with them. I would like to sell them at a reasonable price. What advice can you provide? – RB, Pottsville, PA, Email Question

ANSWER: Hall’s Autumn Leaf pattern ceramics was so frequently sold in the collectibles trade that it achieved status as an independent collecting category in virtually every 1980s and 1990s general antiques and/or collectibles price guide. This is no longer the case. As time passes and memories of using and collecting the Autumn Leaf pattern fade, Autumn Leaf has become an endangered collecting category. Supply exceeds demand for common pieces. 

In the good news category, the National Autumn Leaf Collectors Club (www.nalcc.org) is alive and well. Its 2020 Regional Indiana Show occurred on October 29-31, 2020 in Terre Haute, Indiana. Like most collectors’ clubs, the National Autumn Leaf Collectors Club has an aging and declining membership base. My advice is to pay the $30.00 annual dues and join the club. One of the benefits is a quarterly newsletter that has a “dedication section…for members who would like to buy, sell, or trade items distributed by Hall China, the Jewel Tea Company, manufactured for the Jewel Tea Company, or the NALCC.” Take out an advertisement and offer your collection on a “buy it all basis.” 

The question is what to ask for the 187 pieces. If priced at $1.00 a piece, the answer is $187.00. I suspect your immediate reaction is “way too low.” But, is it? You want to get rid of it. The secondary market is thin at best. 

An asking price, with pickup at your home, of $150.00 should sell the collection quickly. $200.00 is possible but you may have to haggle. Any asking price above $250.00 puts the sale at risk. 

The primary reason for the low numbers is that you own commonly found pieces. These are a glut on the market. Most of the value for the entire collection rests with 10 to 12 of the kitchenware pieces. If for some reason you decide to sell only these, just junk the rest.

QUESTION: Was Wheaton Glass’s James E. Carter bottle part of the Great Americans mini-series that featured bottles for Washington through Ford? It is not the same shape and size as the others which is why I raise the question. – JW, Email Question

ANSWER: In 1969, Wheaton released its first presidential miniature decanter, a 3-inch tall, iridescent blue bottle showing the image of John F. Kennedy. In 1971, Wheaton released a series of presidential miniatures portraying the first 12 presidents. Wheaton manufactured the series in four groups, the last two groups released in the 1980s. 

Based on my research, I could not find any record for a 3-inch Jimmy Carter bottle. Carter’s bottle is 6-inches high as were all subsequent presidential decanter bottles that followed. The 1989 George H.W. Bush bottle was the last presidential decanter bottle. The Nixon mini bottle was apparently the last in the mini-series. 

I also could find no evidence that the mini bottles were marketed as a Great Americans mini-series. The Great American series were larger bottles and did not focus solely on American presidents.

QUESTION: I have my father-in-law’s pocket-style “The City of New York / Official Directory / 1966.” It sold for $1.50 and by mail for $1.60. It contains almost 600 pages. Does it have value? – SD, Lansdale, PA, Email Question

ANSWER: Although I did not find an example of your 1966 pocket-style New York City Official Directory on the internet, I did find a 1982-1983 example that sold through on eBay on December 10, 2018, for $20.00, a “go to church, light a candle, and thank God” price from my viewpoint. 

Your 1966 directory has limited collector appeal. My advice is to accept any offer above $5.00. Do not forget to kiss the hand of the person paying it, albeit perhaps not until after there is a COVID-19 vaccine.

Harry L. Rinker welcomes questions from readers about collectibles, those mass-produced items from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.  Selected letters will be answered in this column.  Harry cannot provide personal answers.  Photos and other material submitted cannot be returned.  Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5955 Mill Point Court SE, Kentwood, MI 49512.  You also can e-mail your questions to harrylrinker@aol.com. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered.