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My question is in the volume 2 on the first page which is blank there is a inscription that says
"Those selections in this book which are from my own works, were made by my two assistant,not by me. This is why there are not more" Then it has the signature Mark Twain.
Is this in all copies or should I have this book checked out.
Tracy
Answer:Hi Tracy!,
Sorry, it's in all the volumes and it is the source of confusion for many so your not the only one.
There is at least one other compilation set that has a similar "inscription" and "signature" as well.
Given that the wording is as you have presented it then it is a mass produced mechanical signature. Having said that and just to be careful for those that don't read too carefully, there are certainly signed Twain books out there so if you have any doubts then by all means take it to a book expert and don't make.
Thanks,
Elle
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Subject: Evel Knievel's female twin? I don't know her name. She is made by Ideal in 1974. Kay Remember, it was the 1970's and women's lib. was in full swing so a role model for girls was called for. She originally came with her motorcycle and there were at least two different outfits available for her that I've seen. Probably not a whole lot more accessories, she didn't really take off. Mystery solved!, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: Mystery Machine tin I would like some more information on it if you have any. Tisha If memory serves (and that's questionable!) this tin came filled with cookies or candy and it is a very recent item, within the last 2 years. There were other similar tins released in the form of the Mystery Machine during the same time period. Original cost was well under $5. You can still by these by the case from a few close-out sellers. That's about all there is to tell, hope it helped, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: Elvis Gold and Platinum Decanters, a good investment? They are asking $300.00 each for these items. Is this a good investment for us? Thank you, There are a number of "Gold" decanters so it is a little tricky to answer your question. However, in terms of investment in this case I would say that you would be lucky to break even in the near future with such a high price. This price would be the absolute high for any Gold version that I'm aware of and that is top "book" price which is probably where they derived their price from (a bad habit). $200 would be fine for some but here too you will have to wait some time to make money and this is never a sure thing. By the way, this is obviously a personal taste issue but that along with my experience tells me that the better decanters to buy for investment or future sale are actually the colored ones (with musical bases). Decanter buyers rarely pay top dollar for Elvis decanters. Elvis and Pop Culture buyers are more likely to be interested and displayability is key here. In my opinion the colored ones look much better than the shiny solid color versions. You can pick up most of the taller colored versions for $75-125 depending on the particular decanter and condition. Thanks, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: Lyrics from unidentified song Rob Choruses are mixed but always include the line "I'll send it along with love from me to you ". Probably the most well known chorus is: May seem like an obvious one but you never know so I gave it a shot. Thanks, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: E.T. Pillow case I have a Universal Studios inc. pillow case dated 1982. The ink is in mint green. This is what it exactly reads on the very right lower hand corner of the case. mint green circle than 1982 Universal Studios, inc. All rights reserved. above is the children flying on bikes in a pea green color (4) kids and above them a boy flying over the moon with E.T. to the very left large E.T. with his monkey and bear friends. The entire background is in white pale blue and gold I gather the background is the forest with mushrooms surrounding the lower portion of the case. The other side is the kids saying good-bye to E.T. with E.T. holding a flower pot pink and green flowers vase is light beige. To the far left is a pea green and white space ship with white lights beaming out. Tree in the middle of kids and ship. I have had this pillow case since the movie came out and my pillow case is in one hundred percent mint condition. No stains or rips all threading is still strong. Thank you Elle for your time, looking to hear from you real soon. Your friend, Sheets, pillow cases, bed spreads, curtains and the like are still items that can be bargains for the savvy buyer out there. Values for these items has been slowly creeping up and I've always held they are good investments for future sale. The reasons is simple, they can be used today! Who doesn't want to go to sleep with their collecting buddy (no cracks here please!). Again, prices are still very reasonable and your Mint case usually sells for $12-15. Sleep well!, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: Toys from the 1960's and 1970's, are there buyers? Are their really "buyers" out there for any of this stuff? I have a "Crissy" doll with the original outfit in like new condition. I also have the very retire furniture from the "Imagination Dollhouse" that is still like new. I cannot locate the actual structure (it was all open very modern multilevel plastic structure). Thanks! Everything from the 60's and 70's is hot and getting hotter. Toys are generally one of the most sought after categories simply because they represent some of the earliest pleasant memories for everyone. There is a certain emotional comfort that comes from surrounding ourselves with things that remind us of our past. Using your example, a near mint Crissy with uncut hair can sell for $45 to $80 depending on skin and hair color. As for your doll furniture, you mention the word "modern". If the pieces are truly modern style pieces (like pieces from what we call the "Eames era") with designer looks you can get some good money for individual pieces. Your probably even more likely to sell such designer look miniatures to collectors of period furniture than to dollhouse/furniture collectors. It is not unheard of to get as much as $50 for some classic wooden pieces and $15 is not unheard of for nice examples in plastic. Of course, if you really don't want any of your "junk" you can just box it up and send it my way.....I'll pay the postage! Thanks, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: Hopalong Cassidy (Hoppy) Plate On the frame is Genuine Wood..DO NOT REMOVE sticker. Printed is Nov. 1982,also the # 495 in ink or pencil done by hand. Regards, Hoppy plates in NM condition sell for $75-80. Elle Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: Penny-Dime combination coin Is it worth anything? Vega I can't say with certainty what the value of your item might be though I expect it is not much. I would suggest that you consult your local magic shop or you might ask one of the two Magic sites linked at Funk & Junk® though I don't believe either offers such a service per. se.. Again, I don't believe this is any kind of minted coin mistake but you might also ask a coin dealer just to make sure. Elle Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: Snoopy's Girlfriend? The only discernible difference was the long eyelashes on Belle. Thanks, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: President Kennedy (JFK) Profile in Courage record My sister suggested that it might be worth something being that it is the 40th anniversary of his death. So we went on e-bay to see if we could find any thing like it and we did in Canada. This item was the same exact item as ours except it was unopened and ours is open. It was listed at $10,000.00. We would like to know if there is any truth to that value and what would ours be worth in mint condition but open. We would also like to know how many volume 1's were made of this LP. Please I hope you can help! Happy Holidays! Regards, However, questions that are not submitted on one of my forms or are, incorrectly, sent with the picture E-mail are now generally deleted before they are opened. In order to have even a chance for your question to be addressed it must be sent on one of the question forms. If you have a picture (which I highly recommend) you must follow the simple rules; you may send it in a standard E-mail but the subject MUST BE "Elle Picture" (no quotes) and the picture must be less than 120K. If any part of your submission isn't sent correctly it is immediately deleted. This is true also for questions sent in all capital or all small letters. Hi Misty, Hopefully my response is better late than never although I fear it will be unhappy news to you. Ebay like any other piece of reference information must be digested properly. Without going into all of the rules for using price guides and other sales information you must realize that people posting on auction sites, or sales site for that matter, can ASK anything they want. What is only important (and this too must be taken with a grain of salt) is what the item SELLS for. JFK was, arguably, one of our most beloved Presidents and upon his death the market was flooded with tributes in all forms. One of the most easily found of these tributes are the various records containing his speeches and details of his life. Though I can't locate any exact pressing numbers for your record I would guess that it was not limited by anything other than demand. To back up this assertion, my first, random, search online yielded a dozen or more copies in VG++ to NM condition for $10 to $45 list prices. Based on my real market experiences I would say these prices are reasonable and I would put a fair retail price for your Mint album in the $25 range. Albeit a year later, Happy Holidays!, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: JR (Ewing) Beer from Dalas television show How much are they worth please. This week is the Ewing reunion, and I think today, Elly, the older woman's husband on the show, he died in real life. Thank you, But I digress (as usual!). The value of JR Beer, though low, is best realized by selling individual cans or 6-packs since most people do not want a full case due to the display limitations. A can, however, is easily displayed in any collection and NM cans which sell in the $8-10 range. Discounts are usually given with a 6-pack sale so it is even more of a reason to sell individual cans. It will likely take you quite a while so you may opt to try and find a dealer willing to buy your full case but then you'll get a fraction of retail. Thanks, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: Levi cut-offs "LEVI STRAUSS & CO San Francisco Cal then a picture of a horse facing to left and one to right with a pair of pants in middle and two figures holding horses - with Trade Mark on each end of this illustration Since 1950 Made in U.S.A." Any idea of the value? Also, believe it or not I don't have enough information to give you a proper age. Other information is used to date Levis including the grommet type and other markings and material identifiers. It's tricky until you know what to look for. But, again, these will have little value save for some hipster with a 24" waist who might like the particular wash/color (another value determiner) of the now shorts. Sorry, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: Lunch boxes galore! and a thermos for good measure. Question:What is the value of a 1974 Thermos Kung Fu Lunch Box ? The Thermos Bottle is missing, but in all it is in good condition. Pinkie Question:Hello! I managed to pick up an Inspector Gadget lunch box from a man from my church a few years back as he was cleaning out his old store. It is light blue in color, copyrighted 1983 DIC. The image is a snow scene with Gadget clinging to two mountain cliffs, arms outstretched. Brain is sitting on his left arm (my right, looking at the box) and Penny is skiing down the other. The words "Inspector Gadget" appear in the bottom left corner. RelientKitten Question:I have just acquired a collectable 1974 Evel Knievel metal lunch box that has slight rim wear and some rust starting on the bottom. But in overall great condition. It also has a matching thermos with cap that has some rub off but again in good condition. I am interested in knowing how much my recent find is really worth. Kristopher Question:Hi, I have a Gomer Pyle USMC lunch box in fair condition. It has some rust on edges but the pictures are not scratched off and the handle has cracked and some broken off. It was made in Nashville, TN., by the Aladdin Industries. Thanks, P.S. I saw you on T.V. and found your web site. Question:Somewhere in my mother's house I have a Mystery Date lunch box from the late 60's or early 70's - no thermos, but I believe it still has the game spinner that came with the lunch box so you could play the game on the back. There is some wear to the paint, especially at the corners, a few small dents and some light rust, but otherwise it was in pretty good condition the last time I saw it. Is it worth my trying to dig it out? Linda Though all lunch box values have generally increased, it is the older, classic, boxes such as yours that have really made some significant increases. With their induction into the Smithsonian museum this year it's clear that they are indeed a thread in our popular culture that will likely only grow stronger. Fortunately values for lunch boxes are only effected positively when the thermos is included but each piece holds a value unto itself so your box value is unaffected. A little bit vague on the condition but I will note that a mint condition version can sell for over $200. In "good" condition your box would probably still sell for around $100. Answer Inspector Gadget plastic lunch box:Hi RelientKitten!, Answer Evel Knievel lunch box:Hi Kristopher!, Answer Gomer Pyle lunch box:Hi Jill, Though in less than good condition you box still has a value close to $100. Answer Mystery Date lunch box:Hi Linda, I invite you to dig it out and provide me with some better details from the box itself such as date, manufacturer and a detailed description of the box itself. Simply resubmit your request and note that I've already addressed it and I will be happy to take another look. Thanks to all of your for your submissions and, in some cases, patience while I got around to picking your question, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: Davy Crockett Pocket Knife with Hatchet Front of the knife is Yellow and one end is a can opener in the shape of a hatchet. Item is in decent condition, not mint, but nothing is faded and you can read everything. Is it rare or junk? Tino There are actually at least three different varieties of your knife, differentiated by the number of blades. Yours is the nicest as it included the hatchet which would make your 2 1/4" knife's true measurement the 3" you have quoted. Condition leaves a little to the imagination but I'll call it VG-- for a little less than normal play wear. Given that condition, your knife would sell for around $45. Thanks, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: Little Black Sambo Dish I am moving and wonder if it is worth saving. Thanks, Black memorabilia is hotter than ever right now despite the ongoing wave of political correctness in ever aspect of our lives. Your plate also has a folksy appeal to it given the way the images are drawn so you would probably get another group interested in it. Follow that by Children's dish collectors and you have a hot seller. I always need a condition statement (I am currently deleting all/most which do not include one) which you haven't provided but suffice to say that in excellent to near mint condition you plate would retail in the $50 range. Thanks, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: Michael Jackson Sticker It is still in good condition with the exception of being stuck down on an sticker album book I had as a kid. It is about 5 inches tall and 4 inches wide. Just curious if it is worth anything! Thanks a lot, Still nice as a childhood reminder however! Thanks, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: Levi Big E Blanket lined jacket It is in good condition apart from a small amount of fading around the collar. The lining seems to be stitched wool. All buttons are on the jacket and its a very dark blue. Cheers, Many people appear shocked when you tell them one of these jackets in "Deep Indigo" and with little or no damage can easily fetch $100-125 but that always surprises me. The reason it surprises me is simple, when was the last time you went into a Levi store and priced a jacket? I just bought a couple recently and paid $85-90 for each one. So, as is the case with most vintage clothing, when compared to new retail clothing (the only really fair comparison these days with the dwindling supply of "cheap" vintage) it is always the better buy. I believe that old Levi, like other brands, is of a superior quality in many aspects to the newer items. I gave you a value for a near perfect jacket and buyers are pretty picky so I will leave it to you to determine the exact value of your jacket as I have no way of gauging the fading on the collar, If it is extremely different from the base of the jacket, value will be effected significantly. Color should be uniform on the entire jacket whether it is Indigo, slightly faded, faded, etc.. Currently the blanket lining does not add or subtract any significant value, just a matter of taste and need. Thanks, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: Peanuts Skediddlers Different characters (ex. Charlie Brown group) were attached to a stem with wheels that you pushed. Thanks for your time, With the popularity not only of Liddle Kiddles but also with the Skediddlers themselves, Mattel produced a Peanuts line of figures with similar action. These Peanuts figures are highly sought after by a number of different collecting groups and finding them with their wheels is difficult. Thanks, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Subject: What is Buenilum? Billy K Thanks, Choose another question by subject Choose another question by Date Posted Shop at Funk & Junk Collectibles and Vintage Clothing
Question:I have a female stunt/motor cycle doll. She is in her original Pink & White Jumpsuit, white boots & white gloves.
Answer:Hi Kay!,
Remember Evel Knievel? Well what you have is a Derry Daring doll from the Evel Knievel line.
Elle
Question:I have a Scooby-Doo lunch box. Its distributed by Houston Harvest Gift Products S.C. The lunch box is small with the lunch box in the form of The Mystery Machine van. There's wheels that move if you set the box up.
Answer:Hi Tisha!,
What you have is not really a lunch box in the true sense, I would call it a tin.
Elle
Question:We have come across two 1980's Gold and Platinum Elvis Decanters made by McCormick. These are limited editions, I know one has a lot number of 1022(which is the gold one).
Dor-Ray
Answer:Hi Dor-Ray!,
The McCormick Elvis line of decanters is definitely collectible. In fact they are collected as decanters and as Elvis memorabilia as well making them a cross over collectible.
Elle
Question:Do you know a song with these words in the chorus:
"Sending my love from me to you?"
Answer:Hi Rob,
Best thing I can recall would be the Beatles tune "From Me to You". Not quite the wording you noted but lyrics can get muddled over the years.
"If there's anything that you want
If there's anything I can do
Just call on me and I'll send it along
With love from me to you"
Elle
Question:Dear Elle,
I'm so glad to know that you may be of assistance.
Rhonda
Answer:Hi Rhonda,
Not only a very pleasant note but your details are amazing. If you can do that kind of detail for a pillow case you would think others could do more than "I have XX, what's it worth?".
Elle
Question:I have some of my toys from the 1960's and 1970's that are in pretty good shape.
Jen
Answer:Hi Jen,
Are there ever!
Elle
Question:I Have a Hopalong Cassidy dinner plate in a circular wooden frame. He is sitting on his horse w/gun drawn. On the back is a boot /W.S. George.
Kerry
Answer:Hi Kerry,
The markings on the frame relate to the frame itself, your plate is from the 1950's.
Question:I have an 11 cent dime. It's a penny on one side (tails side up) and a dime on the other side (also tails side up). I have no idea how old it is since the date never appears on tails, but it appears to have been made that way.
Answer:Hi Vega,
I have a suspicion that your penny-dime is an item used by a close up magician. There are lots of possibilities but basically it would be used for a transformation of the coin(s).
Question:Dear Elle,
Did Snoopy (from Peanuts) have a girlfriend who looked like him named Daisy??? Thx, zmiz
Answer:Hi zmiz,
Snoopy did indeed have a girlfriend who looked very similar to Snoopy but here name was Belle.
Elle
Question:Hi Elle,
My sister and myself were going through some of my fathers things he had given us and came across an LP record. This record was an LP recording titled JFK/A Profile of Courage. It is a long play 33rmp vinyl recording in its original jacket wrapped in original plastic but not in unopened condition, it was opened but everything was intact record is in perfect condition The Full title is JFK :A Profile of Courage. Presented by Documentaries Unlimited INC. N.Y.C Volume 1. Narrated by Barry Gray.
Misty
Answer:First a public service message. As I note in my introduction I simply cannot guarantee that I will answer every question and the ones that I do answer are not necessarily answered right away. I keep, and often answer, all submissions.
Elle
Question:I have a case in original good excellent condition in the plastic rings of J.R. Ewing beer, they say on each can, "If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it."
Susan
Answer:Hi Susan,
Well I have to admit you already know more about the up to date Dallas information. I must confess that despite the recent reunion show my interest in Dallas in general remains low. In fact most reunion show serve only to depress me and paint a different picture of the show than the good one I usually have.
Elle
Question:In a box among fabric remnants, I found a child's (boy, I think) pair of Levi jeans (approx. 24" waist) which had been cut off to make shorts. Levi button on fly along with zipper, black and gold Levi cloth tab sewn into waist band on back, and an oval metal tab secured on the back waist band with grommets that says:
Nancy
Answer:Hi Nancy,
First, thanks for the nice details. Unfortunately, with the legs cutoff, your Levis are below even the lowest acceptable condition for truly valuable Levis of any age.
Elle
Question:A lot has been going on here at Funk & Junk®. Some things have been good, some bad, but all of it has kept many of us away from the normal day to day operations. So, I thought I would jump in head first and take most of my requests in a random category. Lunch boxes and thermoses won so here goes...
I managed to stumble upon your archived questions, and I hope that perhaps you can answer one of my own questions.
Jill
Answer:Kung Fu lunch box: Hi Pinkie!
I don't normally answer questions that I have already addressed but lunch box values have seen some significant increases since I first answered this question in 1999 so it is worth taking another look.
You don't specifically tell me about the condition of your plastic lunch box but if I read between the lines I believe it is old, unused, store stock. In unused condition and without thermos, your box would sell for around $25.
Yet another classic metal box and certainly a great find. In very good condition your box would sell for around $175 and you can add another $35 or so for the matching thermos.
It is the television show metal boxes that are really hot along with all of the other related classic television show items. Unfortunately your box value will suffer somewhat from its condition but at least the display value (pictures) still appears to be pretty good. You might want to search for a lesser metal box of the time (your box was made in 1966) by Aladdin since switching the handles is relatively painless and will be well worth doing in terms of the total value of your box.
Though I am aware of boxes with spinning games made by King Seeley during that time period you speak of such as "Play Ball" (1969) and "Auto Race" (1967), I must confess that you have me stumped on this one. I have never seen a vintage Mystery Date lunch box nor have I heard anyone else mention it.
Elle
Question:I have a Davy Crockett jack knife. It is approximately 3in. long and has a picture of Fess Parker as Davy along with the Disney name.
Answer:Hi Tino!,
Junk!, perish the thought.
Elle
Question:I have an 8" dish from the FMF company from schramberg Germany. It has little black Sambo with a green umbrella and shorts in the center. Around the outer rim are three black elephants and three yellow tigers. It is shaped like a soup or salad bowl.
Mary
Answer:Hi Mary!,
You better believe that it is!
Elle
Question:I have a sticker(yes I stuck it when I was younger) of Michael Jackson. It is from 1983 and he is in the all white with yellow over sweater and bow yellow bow tie! On the bottom of the sticker it says 1983 Michael Jackson Productions, Inc. Bi-Rite Enterprises, Inc. Chgo # 254.
Jenelle
Answer:Hi Jenelle!,
Unfortunately with the label stuck down it is virtually worthless. Good news is that loose and mint it is not of significant value either. Fact is that full packs of Jackson cards can be found in the $5-7 range and include 3 cards, 3 stickers and a nice graphic wrapper.
Elle
Question:Hi,
I have a big e Levi denim jacket. It's a size 40 and is single stitched.
Dan
Answer:Hi Dan!,
Levi values rise and fall and are greatly influenced by buyers outside the US. At one point the Japanese just couldn't get enough Levi stuff and your jacket would have brought a small fortune. They still want them but prices have levelized slightly. Europeans, too, are starting to get interested so there is hope for future increases. It is primarily the US market that is maintaining value right now.
Elle
Question:I am just wondering if you can tell me the name of I toy I remember from late 60's early 70's.
Meg
Answer:Hi Meg,
The toys your thinking of started in the Liddle Kiddles doll line with the name "Skediddle Kiddles " with a number of individual character names. In addition to having "walking" dolls with the stem and wheels they also had a tricycle helicopter and tractor (maybe more but that's all I can remember right now) to push the doll and she would move like she was pedaling the bike.
Elle
Question:What is buenilum and how is it used with aluminum in artware?
Answer:Hi Billy!,
Buenilum is a company name that used to manufacture Aluminum (such as Everlast, Rodney Kent, Kensington, etc.) and it is not an aluminum additive/substitute.
Elle
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