Q: I found the pictured item in my 100-year-old aunt's belongings when she passed away. I have no idea what it is. I have asked several people, but no one knows. Made of metal, it is 5 inches long, red and has a small wheel on one end. The words "Red Devil" are embossed next to the teeth.
I hope you will be able to tell me what this item was used for. I would also like to know if it has any value.
A: Your Red Devil is a glass cutting tool. In 1872, Landon Smith and John Francis Hemenway founded Red Devil Tools in New Hampshire. After hearing a blacksmith refer to a fire's flames as "Red Devils," Smith liked the phrase so well that he used it as the name for his tool company. Today, it is a family business located in the Oklahoma cities of Pryor and Tulsa.
Vintage tools are collectible. Your glass cutter was made in the early 1900s and would probably be worth $20 to $25.
Q: I recently purchased this small bowl at a resale shop for $1. I have sent a copy of the mark on the back of the bowl. The bowl is about 6 inches in diameter and decorated with branches of cherries and green leaves. Still in perfect condition, it is also decorated with gold.
What can you tell me about its history and value?
A: Beyer and Bock Porcelain Factory made your bowl. They were located in Thuringia, Germany, from 1853 to 1960.
Similar bowls can be seen selling on eBay around $15.
Q: My mother had some "Jewel Tea" dishes that I now have. Could you please give me any information on these dishes? The dishes are not marked with the name of the pattern, but my mother always said it was "Bittersweet."
A: Not everyone remembers the Jewel Tea Co. They sold staples and household items to homemakers. The Jewel Tea man drove a truck and stopped at homes weekly. Homemakers would purchase items and then order products that would be delivered the next week. Dishes made by Hall China Co. were offered as premiums. The design is evocative of the flowers of the bittersweet bush; nonetheless, the name of the pattern is actually Autumn Leaf. It was introduced in 1933, and there was a plethora of dishes and accessories in production until the 1970s.
Autumn Leaf dishes are very collectible, and prices can run the gamut from a few dollars to several hundred.
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. To find out more about Anne McCollam and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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