H5

Larry Cox

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Q: I have a picture of Elvis and Priscilla Presley taken in Hawaii in 1969. I would like to know its value so I can sell it for the right price.

-- Sonia, Geneseo, N.Y.

A: There are pictures ... and there are pictures. Is your Presley picture an original, or was it issued commercially by a movie studio? Without key information, I can't help you. Put another way, it's like asking, "How much is my old car worth?" If it's a 1932 Packard Roadster, quite a bit, but if it's a 1987 Zastava Koral (Yugo), not so much.

Q: I have a Seth Thomas clock that was given to me by my dad. Can you tell me how much it is worth?

-- Jean, Marion, N.Y.

A: Your question is impossible to answer since I have no idea of either the style or model of your clock. I found several Seth Thomas clocks featured in one of my favourite references, Antique Trade Clocks: Price Guide 17th Century Through 20th Century, edited by Kyle Husfloen (Krause, $17.95). If your clock is a Seth Thomas calendar clock made for the Southern Clock Company, Husfloen lists it at $2,363. On the other hand, if it is an Art Nouveau mantel clock, not so much, perhaps $315. The value depends on condition, rarity and demand.

Q: I have a set of china made by Pope-Gosser sometime during the 1940s. What can you tell me about this company?

-- Anne, Pittsford, N.Y.

A: The Pope-Gosser China Company was founded in 1902 in Coshocton, Ohio, by Charles F. Gosser and Bentley Pope. During the early years of the past century, the company produced a high-grade translucent china body for vases, but I have never found a single piece, either in a shop or private collection. In 1929, Pope-Gosser merged with eight other companies to form The American China Corporation. Despite the merger, the Pope-Gosser mark remained on china sets throughout the 1940s and '50s. The value of your set depends on the pattern and condition.

* 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.