posted 12-18-2008 11:39 PM            

Hey All,

I'm cleaning out an estate and have found this teapot. It is marked Standard Watch Co. - Quadruple - 4.

Also, where should I go to appraiser it since I can't have that question answered here?

Thanks!

posted 12-19-2008 02:19 AM            

Welcome to the Silver Forums. As you noted, appraisals can't be done through the Forums. However, in the notes you gain access to when reading the big yellow "Please read before you post" bit at the top with the flashing wording, there is a link to information about contacting an appraiser.

posted 12-19-2008 09:26 AM            

I've found a "Standard Watch o", incorporated in 1885. The first location of the factory was in Jersey City, New Jersey.

First production 1885-1929. The company was sold in 1903 to the Keystone Case Company.

Production until 1929. Seven million watches were made and only 1 teapot?, so I hope it's a unique piece made by this company. Perhaps the teapot has been used at the company for the board? Can someone explain the meaning of quadruple 4?

Perhaps the teapot is made before 1885 and is made by the firm which started corporation with Standard Watch & Co.

And what did Keystone Case produced.

posted 12-19-2008 02:13 PM            

The best places to find an appraiser would be to look in the telephone directory of your city for prefessional appraisers - most cities have several listed. Another place to do your preliminary research would be to go on one or more of the big internet auction sites and look up similar objects that have actually sold. Starting bids or items that did not sell at the opening bid are of no value in this exercise - only look at similar objects after the auctions have ended and where the object actually sold.

posted 12-22-2008 02:51 AM            

Marks on silverplate are frequently about how an item was sold. Most likely this was a premium item, given to dealers and representative of SWC as an incentive or prize.

What I find intrigueing about the pot is the decoration, which looks like brite cutting. It is very crude and amateurish, and apparently done at a later date.

There are three things to look for in a teapot:

Does it leak? Leaking is not a good thing.

Does it pour gracefully in an arc or dribble all over the place?

posted 12-22-2008 02:27 PM            

It looks to my eye that the spout stops abruptly in a squared off fashion. Most spouts tend to have a more graceful termination. Perhaps someone has filed it flat. Any alteration would be a detriment to the desirability to a collector.

posted 12-23-2008 12:34 PM            

You mention only 'cleaning out an estate' and I do not recall your asking for a dollar value appraisal but rather where to get an appraisal.

I myself have cleaned out a few estates (of relatives). Dorothy Rainwater has a good marks book that would probably answer the 'who' question. I just checked her book and there is no entry so you might try the internet.

May I suggest you nose around antiques malls and or shops which might give a general idea of value but remember dealers have to make a profit which means their asking price is more than the items 'real value'. Or you could go the professional appraisal route and spend more than the item is probably worth. A point I try to remember is, if the appraiser charges a percentage of their appraised value I would run like crazy. I trust, more or less, the one who charges a set fee.

You know right away that it is plated from the word 'quadruple'.