Venetian glass has been prized since the 13th century, but it has never been stuck in the past. The Venini glass factory in Murano has been at the forefront of modern design since it was founded in 1921. It also brought in talent from other parts of Europe.

In 1936, Paolo Venini hired the company’s first freelance designer, Tyra Lundgren. She was also the first woman to design for the company. Like many modern designers, Lundgren worked in several media, including ceramics and textiles.

By the time Paolo Venini met her, she had years of experience designing glassware for major companies. She worked at the famous Moser factory in Karlsbad, known for its heavily enameled pieces and later experimental glass, in the 1920s. She was also a freelance designer for the Finnish factory Riihimaki and, in the 1930s, worked for Kosta in Sweden.

Her designs for Venini rendered forms from the natural world, like birds, fish, leaves and flowers, in the clean, abstract lines of modernism. They are some of her most enduring works. This leaf-shaped dish by Venini, which sold for $756 at a Wright auction, was made in 1995 from a design Lundgren created in 1938.

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Q: I have a pair of Queen Anne receiving chairs from 1870 to 1880. They are lady’s and gent’s chairs. Can you confirm that or give me the correct information for these chairs? Do they have any possible value?

A: It sounds like your chairs come from the Centennial period. About 1876, as the U.S. celebrated its centennial, furniture design experienced a revival of styles from the Colonial and Federal periods. This included Queen Anne furniture, which was popular in America from about 1720 to 1750. It is characterized by blocky shapes with the addition of a few curves; most notably cabriole legs. Chairs typically have curved tops and a solid back splat that whose base touches the seat. Some Centennial furniture pieces were exact copies of Colonial or Federal furniture, some of which were convincing enough to fool museums, but many are clearly made with 19th-century sensibilities in mind.

Lady’s and gent’s chairs were creations of the 19th century. A lady’s chair is slightly smaller, lower and has low or no arms. The back is sometimes sloped. This accommodated 19th-century women’s dress. Today, pairs of lady’s and gent’s chairs typically sell for low prices; about $150 to $250. If you can identify your chairs’ maker, their value will be higher.

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Q: My brass spyglass has been in my family for years, and I was wondering if there was anything you might be able to tell me about it. If there is a way you might tell me what it would be worth, I would appreciate it. There is a small dent on the end cap.

A: Brass spyglasses were made throughout the 19th century and used for surveying, for nautical purposes and by hobbyists. Most follow similar designs, with three or four draws and a wood or leather grip. Some are marked with the maker’s name on the end cap or eyepiece. It is extremely difficult to identify the maker of an unmarked spyglass. There were many makers throughout England, France and the U.S. Brass spyglasses sell for about $150 to $300 at auctions.

The dent on yours will probably not affect the value unless it affects its function. Large, conspicuous dents on the body or damage that keeps the spyglass from working would lower its value. Most antique spyglasses and telescopes show signs of wear and age. In fact, pristine condition is considered a sign of a modern reproduction. There are fakes on the market, and forgers may deliberately damage a reproduction, add a fake patina or add a maker’s name, sometimes for a nonexistent maker.

For more information, you may want to contact a collector’s club like the Antique Telescope Society (antiquetelescopesociety.org) or a science museum in your area. Your library may have books on the history of telescopes or collecting scientific instruments.

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TIP: Look through the wrong end of a telescope you plan to buy. If it can be focused, all the parts are there.

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CURRENT PRICES

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.

Pottery, midcentury, bowl, cabbage, fluted sides, textured exterior, red to mottled green, bright yellow interior, signed, dated, RAK, 1970, 5 x 13 inches, $75.

World’s Fair, banner, 1876, Philadelphia International Exhibition, Centennial, George Washington portrait, multicolor, jacquard, blue fringe, silk, 10 1/2 x 7 inches, $160.

Cambridge Glass, Pristine Table Architecture, candleholder, one light, three steps, Wilbur Orme, c. 1938, 5 x 5 inches, $195.

Sports, snooker, scoreboard, mahogany, walnut, shaped top, gilt urn finial, three mirrors, sliding markers, Victorian, 27 1/2 x 38 inches, $255.

Sevres, box, jewelry, dome lid, bud finial, round, blue enamel, allover tonal pattern, gilt fleurs-de-lis, bronze mounted base, four-footed, mark, c. 1780, 7 inches, $320.

Teddy bear, Shuco, panda, mohair, black and white, yes/no, glass eyes, stitched nose, 13 inches, $595.

Furniture, linen press, mahogany, split scrolled crest, scallop finial, twist pilasters, two doors over two short over two long drawers, England, 1800s 85 1/2 inches, $900.

Silver-Asian, tureen, dome lid, elephant finial, raised trunk, rupee coin, relief figures, handles, footed, ladle, leafy handle, Southeast Asia, 11 x 12 inches, $975.

Advertising, cabinet, Dr. B.J. Kendall’s, patent medicines, veterinary, wood, glass door, two interior shelves, 38 x 18 inches, $1,030.

Furniture, chest, painted, blanket, painted, sailor on shore, mermaids, on stand, green paint, door, shaped base, signed, Martha Cahoon, 13 1/2 x 29 1/2 x 18 inches, $1,455.

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