Over the last six months, weve seen wholesalers offering more and more Art Nouveau and Art Deco plaster sculptures. Previous castings of Nouveau and Deco styles have typically been in synthetic resins (plastics) and have been relatively easy to detect with a careful examination. The new plaster pieces are not so easy to spot. Our recent samples show new plaster to be of quite good detail and quality.

ACRN recently noticed this cast iron figural parrot in a lamp supply catalog. It is the style used for bridge lamps where the shade is held at the end of the arm, or bridge, which extends the light above a seated person for reading. Original bridge lamps were fitted with electric bulbs and made from ca. 1920-1940.

Sample of Titanic props offered in J. Peterman mail order catalog. Items shown are 6 cut glass pitcher, silver plated ashtray and caviar set.

A series of kitchen related advertising pieces are being reproduced with black images. Each piece has the logo of a black man wearing a fez and the word Banania. Banania was a European brand of chocolate powder popular during the 1920s primarily in France and Belgium. The African theme represents the source of early 20th century European cocoa which was Ghana and the Ivory Coast. So far new Banania pieces include a 6 ceramic bowl with logo in relief (raised) and two metal canisters. One canister is marked Farine (flour), 3 x 3 x 7; the other Epices (spices), 3 x 5 x 7. Each new piece sells for about $20 retail. New piece are marked with the modern copyright symbol . Originals unavailable for comparison.

New labels for Globe-Wernicke stacking bookcases are being sold in online auctions. The reproduction labels, which are direct copies of authentic originals, have been sold since at least April, 2002.

In the last few months of 1993, a series of new Art Deco lamps was introduced featuring a chrome plated metal airplane on glass bases. One of the glass bases is a copy of a 1939 New York Worlds Fair commemorative bottle.

A Maryland artist is making lamps from reproduction tin toys. Although perfectly legitimate as decorators items, pieces like these almost always end up causing confusion in the collectibles market when they are resold a second and third time.

Dr. Doodlea wooden duck on wheelswas the first toy offered by FisherPrice(FP) Toys ca.1933. A new Dr. Doodle nearly identical to the original was reproduced in 1995. It is being marketed as the first in a series "limited edition" toys which copy highly sought after FP originals.

by JJ (Jake) DuPre

The recent demand for products in patriotic themes has lead a number of manufacturers to reproduce homefront designs popular in WW II.