Made for TV collectibles hid lights and speakers

In the early days of television, a ceramic black panther was really a lamp lighting the room and the TV set.

Almost forgotten are the loudspeakers made for early radios that looked like statues of birds or kings, instead of the large horns usually used. Most famous were the Andia loudspeakers, their radio parts inside a metal base with a glazed pottery top.

One that was auctioned recently looked like a bright red, blue and yellow 14-inch-tall parrot. It was made by Royal Doulton & Co. of England for Artandia Ltd. in 1927.

The parrot sold at Auction Team Breker, a German auction of radios, music machines and other technical collectibles, for $906.

Other designs include Miss Muffet, a Persian king, a Chinese scribe and other figures that would attract buyers.

Q: I inherited two art prints from my grandfather, who was the manager of the Rialto movie theater in Louisville, Ky., in the 1950s and '60s. Both prints are by Reynold Brown. One is "The Dragon Fight" from the movie "The Wonderful World of Brothers Grimm" and the other is "The Stampede" from the movie "How the West Was Won." The prints hung in the theater lobby during the showing of the films in 1962. Both are signed. Can you tell me their approximate value?

A: William Reynold Brown (1917-1991) was an American artist whose work included posters for over 275 movies, covers for books and magazines, drawings for a comic strip, and oil paintings. Prices for movie posters depend on subject, condition, size and rarity. The standard movie poster is a "one sheet," 27 by 41 inches.

Most movie posters sell for under $100. Your posters won't bring high prices, but the signature, if authentic and not part of the print, may add value. Contact an auction house that has sold movie posters to see what they might bring. It will help to have the provenance mentioning the movie theater.

Q: I was invited to a 1969 costume party, so I searched my closet for something I wore 50 years ago. I found a lumber jacket that was decorated with tiny toy cars that looked a lot like Match Box or Hot Wheels cars but a little smaller. Are they salable today? About 30 are stitched onto an embroidered "road."

A: The jacket sounds like the perfect thing to wear to a costume party, but don't tell anyone your tiny cars are too new for the party. Micro Machines, the bestselling toy car, were introduced in 1987 by Galoob, and new ones were made every year until 2008. They made all sorts of model cars, trucks, planes, tanks, even helicopters and motorcycles. The line was sold to Hasbro, and the cars were discontinued until a revival in 2015-2016. The cars should say Micro Machines or Galoob on the bottom. They sell today for about $5 each, although some sets, like "Aliens," are priced at $50, and "Star Trek" and "Star Wars" also sell for more.

Write to: The Kovels, c/o King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019. The website is kovels.com.

Prices are from shows nationwide.

Folk art wood carving, eagle, wings tucked in, remnants of gilding, American, early 19th century, 14 by 8 inches, $340.

Sterling silver stuffing spoon, Hester Bateman, Elk monogram, England, 11 3/4 inches, $355.

Tall case clock, grandmother, lacquered wood, japanned, arched bonnet, metal face, Kienzle works, bracket feet, 69 inches, $370.

Writing desk, Rococo style, fruitwood, serpentine top, five drawers, kneehole configuration, flared cabriole legs, Italy, 31 by 48 inches, $510.

Wooden box, pine, sliding lid, painted stylized tulips on all sides, 3 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 7 inches, $585.