First came the church-tower clock to help everyone in town know the time. Then in the 1500s, a watch on a chain or a ribbon was used by the very rich. By 1700, women could have a watch pinned to a dress as part of a chatelaine that held keys, scissors and other household tools. Later came the traveling clock, then the pocket watch. In the early 1900s, the first watches with a matching pin were made to wear on a lady’s lapel. In 1915 the lapel watch was improved — the watch face was upside down so the wearer could read it more easily. During World War I, the wristwatch was created for soldiers, and by the 1920s the wristwatch was the most popular timepiece to wear. Today, many have given up the wristwatch and rely on a cell phone to tell time. But attractive lapel watches, especially those with enamel finish and matching fleur-de-lis or bow pins, and wristwatches that look like gold or jeweled bracelets sell well. The very best of the brand name watches, like Rolex or Patek Philippe, and those with features that tell more than time sell for extremely high prices.

Q: Could you please tell me what the three-piece oak bedroom suite I bought in 1970 is worth? The pieces have pressed trim, wooden casters and beautiful hardware. Two marks are stenciled on the back. One says, “Fitted with Watson’s Improved Case Construction, Patented Dec. (illegible).” The other says, “Pioneer Furniture Company, Chamber Suits, Wardrobes, Chiffoniers, Eau Claire, Wisconsin.”

A: The Pioneer Furniture Co. once stood in what is now Phoenix Park in Eau Claire. The company made reproductions of old styles of bedroom suites. It was in business from at least the late 1800s until 1930, when a tornado destroyed much of the factory. The mark about Watson’s case construction relates to an 1896 patent granted to William H. Watson, also of Eau Claire. The patent was for a method of constructing case furniture that prevented damage by pests and dust. So, your bedroom set dates from after 1896. The value of the set depends on its quality, style and condition. It could be worth a few hundred dollars or more than $1,000.

Q: I have a tea set made by Camark Pottery. I’m trying to find some information about the company. Can you help?

A: Camark started out in 1926 as Camden Art Tile and Pottery Co. It was established on land donated by the Camden Chamber of Commerce in Camden, Ark. By the end of the year, the company name had been changed to “Camark,” a contraction of “Camden” and “Arkansas.” Production of hand-thrown pottery began in 1927. Vases, planters, figurines and other decorative objects were made. Cast and molded pottery was mass-produced beginning in 1933. The company was bought by Mary Daniel in the early 1960s. Production ended in 1983.

Q: I was involved in planning the 1998 centennial celebration for my hometown, Titonka, Iowa. One of the century-old souvenirs that turned up was a 6-inch glass hatchet with a clear handle and ruby blade. The glass is inscribed “Souvenir of Titonka.” We think the hatchet was made sometime during the first 10 years of Titonka’s founding. When we displayed the hatchet at our centennial antique exhibit, area residents started bringing in similar pieces that were souvenirs of other Midwestern towns. Can you tell us who made it, why it was used as a souvenir by various towns and what it’s worth?

A: Pressed-glass hatchets, a symbol of “taming” the West, were made as souvenirs for several American towns and celebrations around the turn of the 20th century. Some were made as souvenirs for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Although other glassmakers may have been involved in manufacturing these hatchets, the majority of them were produced by the Libbey Glass Co., which moved from Cambridge, Mass., to Toledo, Ohio, in 1888. Souvenir glass hatchets like your city’s sell for about $20. Those from the World’s Fairs sell for more.

Tip: Cover the nose of your hammer with a piece of felt to protect the wall when you are putting up picture hooks. If the wall is smooth, some of the new stick-on hooks might work.