House seats fetch good prices
Want to buy a House of Representatives seat? You could have in November at a Sloans & Kenyon auction in Chevy Chase, Md. But it was an old seat -- or more correctly, a desk.
The Doe Hazelton Co. of Boston made 262 desks for the U.S. House of Representatives as part of a remodeling project in 1857. Each was an individual desk in the Victorian style with a lift-lid, drawer, cast-iron inkwell and appropriate carving of stars and stripes, latticework and trim. The desk, 343/4 inches high at the back of the slanted top, was made to hold an open book or papers at the best angle for reading and for writing notes with a pen. Each had a matching carved and upholstered armchair.
When the House of Representatives was redecorated again, the old desks and chairs were given to representatives or sold. The desk that sold recently brought more than $10,000. A chair from the same era, made by Bembe & Kimbel, auctioned last year for $19,600.
Q: I found some Batman Cola bottles in the basement of a friend's house. The labels say "Cott Quality Batman Sparkling Cola." When were these made?
A: Batman first appeared in Detective Comics in 1939. Batman appears on a wide range of collectibles, including cereal boxes, clocks, cookie jars, lunch boxes, mugs, Pez dispensers, rings, toothbrushes, toys, tumblers, wristwatches and yo-yos.
Cott Batman Cola was introduced in 1966 by Cott Beverage Corp. The company was founded by Solomon and Harry Cott in Port Chester, N.Y., in 1923. Cott Cola is currently being made by Cott Corp. of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Cott Batman Cola was sold in bottles and cans. They are rarely found today.
Terry Kovel's column is syndicated by King Features. Write to: Kovels, (Las Vegas Review-Journal), King Features Syndicate, 888 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10019.
