This Old Thing: French Artist's Painting Valued at $2,000

Richard, Toronto A. You have a nice painting by Pierre Jacques Pelletier.

He was born, in 1869, at Clermont-Ferrand in France and died in Paris in 1931. His pictures often included village life, canals, rivers and the French coastline. These pleasant scenes were popular, in the 19th century and many artists, including Pelletier, painted them to satisfy customer demand. Pelletier studied in Paris and by 1902 he was accomplished enough to be accepted into the Societe des Artistes Francais.

The quality of this artist's work varies noticeably. (Pelletier's pictures do not realize high prices, so fledging collectors could take advantage of the low prices while there is a supply.) However, your painting is of a higher quality than usual.

As such it has a value of $2,000.

Q. Could you tell me something about this chandelier?

It was given to me, 40 years ago, by a friend who dismantled an old house in Mooney's Bay, near Ottawa. He also removed several Tiffany fixtures, but I chose this chandelier.

It has four tiers with a "ball" crystal finishing it off. I believe the crystals are lead and the mounting, wires and parts are brass. It's about 46 cm in length (18 inches). Two crystals were broken, but I found replacements at a flea market. I never looked for markings.

I would like to know about its history and the worth of this chandelier. Thanks for your assistance.

- Donna, Stittsville, Ont.

A. Who made your vintage chandelier is a good question. In the manufacturing world, component parts were (and are) often made by different factories and then assembled by another company who puts its name on the finished product.

Chances are the two-piece crystals (prisms) that make up your fixture were made in Europe. The Bohemians (Bohemia is now the Czech Republic.) were prolific producers of glass who sold their output worldwide. Daniel Swarovski, the namesake of today's famous cut crystal company, developed an electric glass-cutting machine that increased prism production and his huge output allowed decorative lighting industries abroad to flourish.

Probably the metal parts, suspending these imported prisms, were made, in North America, where the fixture would have been assembled. (When parts were imported separately, companies were able to avoid stiff tariffs on a product.) Regardless of where your chandelier was assembled, crystal chandeliers are valued for their elaborateness and opulent showiness. The more arms, tiers, swags and other embellishments a chandelier has the more valuable it is.

Today, your small decorative, chandelier would fetch about $450.

Q. This old table belonged to my great-grandmother. Its diameter is 74 cm (29 inches) and it is 71 cm (28 inches) tall. I don't think it has been refinished. The table has been in my family for years and I'm wondered where it was made.

Mike, LaSalle, Ont.

A. Your great Granny's tea table was copied from the design book of one of the most famous English cabinetmakers, Thomas Chippendale (1718-1779). The features associated with Chippendale furniture include table tops with carved, elevated edges (often called a pie crust edge), cabriole legs, with "knees" embellished with acanthus leaves, and padded snake feet with claws or bird talons.

The word, Chippendale, is still a household name because factories are still making Chippendale-style furniture. Your table is a reproduction from the 1930s or '40s, probably made in southwestern Ontario or neighbouring Michigan. A table made in the 1700s to 1900 will be darker in colour and the depth of the carving will be richer and more defined.

Your 20th century table is an attractive piece of used furniture worth about $175.

John Sewell is an antiques and fine art appraiser. To submit an item to his column, go to the 'Contact John' page at www.johnsewellantiques.ca . Please measure your piece, say when and how you got it, what you paid and list any identifying marks. A high-resolution jpeg photo must also be included. (Only email submissions accepted.) Appraisal values are estimates only.