Hierarchy of Hip Kitsch

Insight on the News, Feb 5, 2001 by Jennifer Harper

Yes, there are these who will pay $875 for an old plastic candy container. Kovols' collectibles guide estimates prices for a dizzying array of stuff, from Pez dispensers to political buttons.

In chaos, seek Pez -- Pez dispensers, that is. When the world seems awry, the price of these tidy little candy holders seems as absolute as E=[MC.sup.2].

In this small pocket of the universe, Bullwinkle the Moose -- "with brown stem" -- is $535, while something called Silver Astronaut I is $875. The Tinker Bell edition at $295 outranks the Uncle Sam version at $235, which in turn beats Foghorn Leghorn at $95.

The prices are all here in black and white, along with 50,000 other vintage gewgaws and goodies, in the 2001 edition of Kovels' Antiques and Collectibles Price List (Three Rivers Press, $15.95, 878 pp). "Yes, we do establish order where there is none," says Terry Kovel, who has compiled the guidebook for the last 33 years with her husband, Bill. At almost 900 pages, this longtime bible of the rummage-sale set lists current prices for baseballs, salad forks, license plates, ashtrays, transistor radios, bedspreads, old uniforms and hundreds of other beloved, quirky or otherwise fascinating items. The Kovels have sold nearly 3 million guides touting information gleaned from flea markets, junk stores, church fund-raisers and roadside stands.

The Kovels are quite at home in this melange: They have written 23 books, author two syndicated columns, maintain an Internet site (www.kovels.com), make constant TV and radio appearances and next year will host a show called Flea Market Finds.

There is serious business going on here, though. Fans of the Kovels or PBS' popular Road Show series hope they have treasure in their trash -- that one of Grandpa's old tools or perhaps some rummage-sale gadget will one day yield heady profits.

Collectibles themselves are considered "durables" in the investment world, and prices among kitchen graters, old photos or vintage tools are tracked like sugar or pork bellies among diehards, particularly on the Internet. How much does America spend on such finds? While there are no bottom-line figures available, there are a few gauges. For example, Americans spend $1 billion a year on baseball cards alone.

"There's collecting fever out there," says Terry Kovel, who emphasizes the softer side of the field. "People collect out of a sense of history, or they relive their childhoods through these things. They make a distinct emotional connection. It's like a romance, even if you are collecting dumb things."

Folks pay some astonishing prices for that precious jolt of nostalgia. According to the new guide, a single ticket for a 1966 Beatles concert at Shea Stadium, for example, is worth $465. A 1958 Nichols cap gun fetches $325, while a Gilcrest No. 34 ice-cream scoop gets $675 and an Evening in Paris ladies' compact $170. The state trooper GI Joe doll fetches $1,495, followed by the Frogman "with sea sled" at $995 and the Marine Jungle Fighter at $850. Then again, $3 will get one a vintage Buster Brown Shoes postcard, a variety of shot glasses or a 1982 Circus World pen.

"Collecting is a way to establish a values system, and to bring some of that personal chaos into line" says Terry Kovel. "There's research involved, and Organization -- it gives a psychological boost when you find some prized little item somewhere."

There's some satisfying intrigue, too: esoteric identifying marks, historic references, color gradations. Old stuff requires babying as well, such as persnickety cleaning or handling protocols. One can clean off ancient wicker furniture with a gas station air hose, store old dolls in cotton pillowcases and take the stink out of an old wooden bowl with baking soda and vinegar. And there are scores of insider advisories to mull over. "The most valuable autographed baseballs are signed by one player on the `sweet spot' the narrow space without printing between the stitches," the Kovels' guide notes. "There's a sweet spot for autographs on bats, too."

Political memorabilia, meanwhile, remains a perennial favorite in the guide, which includes everything from a Barry Goldwater rain cap ($12) to a Richard Nixon pingpong paddle ($50) and a dueling donkey and elephant ashtray ($18). There is nothing from the Clinton administration -- yet.

"We've already had word from some of our dealer sources out there that Clinton stuff is already selling," says Terry Kovel. "And this year's election ought to make the market pretty interesting."

And for Republicans, there's always the BPIC -- the Bush Political Items Collectors Club. Organizer Ron Wade buys, sells and admires the keepsakes of several Bush campaigns, including George W.'s and his father's. For information, write to Wade at 2100 Lafayette Drive, Longview, Texas 75601.

What's This Stuff Worth?

Got a significant find in the closet? A few prices:

1990 Cincinnati Reds Wheaties cereal box                    $25
1912 Coca-Cola glass                                       $770
Jungle liquid tin squirt gun                               $303
1942 Underwood typewriter                                  $145
Marlin Firearm Co. handcuffs with nickel finish            $380
Autographed 8-by-10-inch color photo of Ronald Reagan      $225
Emerson Model BT-245 radio                               $6,600
Civil War-era flute in case                                $215
Hopalong Cassidy wristwatch by Timex                       $100
Heddon Black Sucker Minnow fishing lure, No. 1300        $3,300
Little Red Riding Hood cookie jar by Regal               $1,200
Farberware chrome cocktail shaker                           $40
Bowman 1951 Mickey Mantle baseball card, No. 253         $5,200