One can still buy a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives – an actual wooden chair used at meetings of Congress. At least three House chairs used in the mid-19th century have sold since 2003. Most of the others that are known are in museums and private collections. The House of Representatives in the U.S. Capitol was remodeled in 1873, and all of the furnishings made in 1857 by the famous New York City firm of Bembe and Kimbel were sold to the public. The oak chairs were designed by Thomas Ustick Walter, the architect who designed the Capitol extensions constructed in the 1850s. The top of the chair back has a carved crest with a Federal shield and oak leaves, which represent strength. The back, arms and legs were carved with oak leaves, bellflowers and scrolls. These chairs have sold for $16,100 to $18,800.

Q:I have had an old pottery teapot for years and was going to put it in my garage sale the other day. But my husband looked at it and said we should check with you before we get rid of it. It’s decorated with a biblical scene showing Rebekah at the Well and is covered in a dark brown glaze. The mark is “Rockingham Harker, Rebekah at the Well, 1840.”

A: Harker Pottery Co. was incorporated in East Liverpool, Ohio, in 1890, but the Harker family had been making pottery in the area since the 1840s. Your teapot, however, is part of Harker’s Rockingham line, which wasn’t introduced until the 1960s. The line revived the shapes and glazes of original Rockingham ware first made in Rockingham, England, in the 1830s and ’40s, then copied by American factories later in the 19th century. Your Rebekah at the Well teapot was copied from an original said to have been made in East Liverpool by James Bennett, one of the Bennett brothers famous for their 19th-century American pottery. Your teapot would sell today for about $30.

Q: About 25 years ago my aunt, who was from Germany, gave us a graniteware kitchen container with a wooden, hinged top. The back of the container is flat and has a hole so it can be hung on the wall. The stenciled color decorations on the container include the word “Mehl.” What was this container for?

A: We checked our German dictionary and discovered “mehl” means “flour.” Your container, a flour canister, was designed to be hung over a kitchen counter.

Q: I recently acquired a set of Paragon china in the Golden Glade pattern. I’ve attempted to research the company, but have had no luck. Can you help?

Oak leaves and a shield are carved on this House of Representatives armchair used from 1857 to 1873. It sold recently at Neal Auction Co. in New Orleans for 8,800.

A: The history of the Paragon China Co. dates back to 1900, when the Star China Co. opened in Longton, Staffordshire, England. Star used the trade name Paragon in its marks and became Paragon China Co. Ltd. in 1920. It was taken over by T.C. Wild & Sons Ltd. in 1960 and later by the large British company, Royal Doulton Ltd. Paragon china was made in hundreds of patterns. Most of them can be found today at china-replacement services.

Q: I have an old tin windup toy called Jackee the Hornpipe Dancer. Jackee is a sailor who dances on his boat as the boat moves forward. I see on your Web site that the toy was appraised at $1,750 in 2005. Mine is in great condition, and I have the original box, too, although it’s not in very good shape. How would I get the best price for it?

A: The prices on our Web site, www.Kovels.com, are not appraised values. They are actual retail prices from auctions or sales. Jackee the Hornpipe Dancer, made by Ferdinand J. Strauss Co. of East Rutherford, N.J., dates from the 1920s and was made in different versions. The value of your toy depends on which version you have, its condition and the condition of the original box. Our Web site lists five different prices for the Jackee toy, ranging from $485 in 2002 to $1,760 in 2005. You could consider selling it through an auction house that specializes in toys. You’ll find auction houses listed on the Yellow Pages of www.Kovels.com.

Q: I have a violin that I insisted for years was more than 250 years old because it’s marked “1721.” My grandfather got it from his grandfather, who was German royalty. But it’s also marked “Sears Stradivarius.” Can you explain?

A: Family stories about the history of heirlooms are not always credible. Sears, the national retailer founded in 1893 as Sears, Roebuck and Co., offered a “Stradivarius” violin in its 1910 catalog. The violin was made “in the style of” an original Stradivarius – a marketing gimmick that has been used by many other violin manufacturers and retailers. Still, your violin might sell for $100 or more. The only way to learn its value is to have a reputable appraiser of violins look at it.

Tip

Cigarette burns on wooden furniture are difficult to conceal. Rub the burn with scratch-cover polish. If that doesn’t help, rub the burn with a paste of rottenstone (found in most hardware stores) and linseed oil.

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The Kovels answer as many questions as possible through the column. By sending a letter with a question, you give full permission for use in the column or any other Kovel forum. Names and addresses will not be published. We cannot guarantee the return of any photograph, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. The volume of mail makes personal answers or appraisals impossible. Write to Kovels, (Lawrence Journal-World), King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., 15th Floor, New York, NY 10019.

Current prices

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.

¢ Dwight Eisenhower metal license plate, “I Like Ike,” image of Eisenhower, white-and-red ground, 4 1/2-by-9 1/2 inches, $115.

¢ Chuck E. Cheese 20th anniversary cookie jar, marked K&L Enterprises, 1997, 15 1/2 inches, $150.

¢ Willie Wirehand wood display, black and white, National Rural Electric Cooperative Assoc., screw eye, 1950s, 28 inches, $200.

¢ Sterling silver flatware tea strainer, over-cup style, Hepplewhite pattern, Reed & Barton, 1920s, 8 inches, $250.

¢ “Gunsmoke” Matt Dillon U.S. Marshal lunchbox, metal, with thermos, 1959, Aladdin Industries, $305.

¢ Flip the Frog doll, velveteen stuffed, wire for posing, Dean’s Rag Book Co., 1930s, 8 1/2 inches, $335.

¢ Dedham Pottery day and night pitcher, handle, rooster on one side, owl on other, rabbit mark, 4 3/4 inches, $440.

¢ Majestic entertainment cabinet, Model 7260, top fitted with phonograph for 45 rpm records and 17-inch TV, mirrors in side cabinets, mid-20th century, 42-by-44-by-27 inches, $765.

¢ William IV library table, rosewood, leather-lined round top, plain frieze, triangular pedestal with scrolled feet, c. 1830, 28 1/2-by-47 1/2 inches, $2,350.

¢ Tiffany glass compote, blue favrile, etched floral garland, raised on ribbed circular base, c. 1900, signed, 4 3/4 inches, 2,935.