In October 2008, Pook & Pook Auctioneers of Downingtown, Pa., sold this carved dog by Schimmel for 40,000.

In the 1950s, America’s best-known folk-art wood-carver was Wilhelm Schimmel of Cumberland Valley, Pa. A carved eagle by this man was the dream of many a collector. His pieces, even then, went for thousands of dollars, and of course each was one of a kind. Schimmel (1817-1890) was born in Germany and immigrated to Pennsylvania after the Civil War. Most of the animals he carved were made from pieces of pine taken from local woodworking shops and sawmills. He carved the wood, covered the carving with plaster, then painted or varnished it. His carvings now sell not just for thousands of dollars, but into the tens and hundreds of thousands.

Q: A friend gave me an old four-poster bed with a paper manufacturer’s label on it that says “Van Stee Corp.” I was told the bed is from the 1920s. It’s in fair to good condition and appears to be made of cherry.

A: Van Stee Corp. is still in business in Jamestown, N.Y. Although it traces its history back to 1906, its name didn’t become Van Stee Corp. until 1930. So your bed wasn’t made in the 1920s. By the 1950s, the company was the largest manufacturer of beds and headboards in the country.

Q: I’m curious about a metal top hat I found that appears to be quite old. It’s 10 inches high with a built-in 3-inch hook at the top. The hat is painted black with “Hat for Sale” painted on the front in white and red letters. Does it have value to a collector?

A: It could have value to a hat collector — and to someone who buys store antiques. Your metal hat probably hung outside the door of a haberdashery or men’s millinery store. A hat similar to yours sold a few years ago for close to $1,300.