H6

Larry Cox

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Q: My late father left me his secretary desk. It was originally purchased during the early 1940s and was crafted by the People's Furniture Company of Manchester, N.H.

I recently read a collectible column that states "a secretary bookcase made in the 1940s is now worth $15,000 to $20,000." Can this be right and will this value hold up during our current recession?

-- Kathryn, Derry, N.H.

A: The column you found is from the December 2002 issue of Bottom Line, a consumer newsletter. It references reproduction furniture manufactured by the Kittinger Company, which acquired the exclusive rights to craft copies of authentic antiques owned by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. I contacted several furniture experts, who claim the People's Furniture Company of Manchester was a smaller company that had a limited output but was fairly well-known throughout New England for its superb craftsmanship.

Even though I hesitate to guess how much your secretary desk is worth, I think it might be valued somewhere in the $2,000 to $4,000 range. Maybe. I base my guess on similar ones I found listed for sale on eBay. To be certain, you should contact an expert. You can locate a certified appraiser in your area at www.appraisers.org and www.appraisersaccod.org. I also would suggest you contact the Manchester Historical Society to see if it can tell you more about this company.

* Write to Larry Cox in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to antiquequestions@aol.com. Due to the large volume of mail he receives, Mr. Cox is unable to personally answer all reader questions. Do not send any materials requiring return mail.