Send your answers to the What Is It contest, postmarked by July 20, to the Mountain States Collector, P.O. Box 1003,  Bailey, CO 80421. At least three winners will be drawn. Winners will receive a one year electronic subscription to the Mountain States Collector. Be sure to include your email address to your guess.

This beautiful 2-piece, hand wrought aluminum object is a “crumb catcher.” It is marked “Continental” Chrysanthemum pattern. Aluminum items of every sort from tableware to jewelry were made by dozens of companies from the early 20th century into the 1940s. A decade ago aluminum became a popular collectible and prices were high for quality pieces. They were used in refined […]

Wow! Nothing like having the previous owner of this device send in his guess. Mark Schlesinger of Middletown, New Jersey wrote us, “In response to your May’s What Is It” I not only know what the antique is, I was the second owner of this exact penny arcade machine. I bought it in the early 1970s from the Casino Arcade […]

We had several correct answers for last month’s What Is It. Susan Thode of Broomfield, Colorado; Terry Cook of Fort Morgan, Colorado; Jacque Rutledge of Northglenn, Colorado and Jean Helzer of Arvada, Colorado all identified the objects as sewing needle containers. Thank you for your guesses. You have all won a year’s electronic subscription to the Mountain States Collector.

It is so interesting to know that so many readers know what these items are. Yes, they are ocarinas. These pictured include a bass (top), a tenor (right), a red alto and a soprano. The rare bass, probably russian-made, is valuable. Ceramic ocarinas have been around morethan 12,000 years. Ancient examples have been cited —small whistles shaped like birds or […]