In the late 19th century, interior decorator Louis Comfort Tiffany was in search of new colors to use in his leaded glass windows. He hired glassmaker Arthur J. Nash to make iridescent glass. The company was producing iridescent vases and accessories by 1894. It is said that Tiffany was inspired by glass he saw in Europe; possibly ancient glass from 19th-century archaeological digs.

Glass has been made for thousands of years, with the earliest known blown glass made in Jerusalem about 50 B.C., and evidence that glassblowing was practiced in Italy about the same time. As bottle diggers know, glass slowly corrodes from exposure to the moisture and chemicals present in soil. This corrosion causes the surface to refract light in different ways, creating a shimmering, multicolor effect.

Tiffany imitated this effect by coating the glass they made with metallic salts. Buyers liked the look; many other glassmakers made their own versions of iridescent glass. Today’s collectors love it, too. Tiffany iridescent glass, which Louis Comfort Tiffany called Favrile, often sells for high prices. This Tiffany Favrile compote with iridescent hues of gold and blue sold for $1,071 at Forsythe’s Auctions, more than doubling its presale high estimate of $400.

* * *

Q: I have five Annette Himstedt Barefoot Dolls that my mother purchased in the 1980s. They all have their original clothing and have not been played with, but I no longer have the original boxes. I do have certificates of authenticity, three large full-color booklets, a smaller one and two postcards depicting some of her dolls. Looking online, I see prices for these dolls all over the place from $150 to $3,000 depending on the specific doll and its condition. It is time to find new homes for them. Can you suggest how to go about that and a value range?

A: Annette Himstedt began making Barefoot Children dolls in 1986, modeling them after real-life children. She started with neighborhood children and later traveled internationally to find models, combining traditional dollmaking quality with a distinctly modern perspective. For collectors, dolls are easy to sell, but hard to price. Condition is extremely important, as you have seen. Original clothing, certificates, booklets and any other papers that come with a doll add to its value. If you are looking up prices online, be sure you are looking at sold items, not asking prices, and that you are looking at recent sales. Barefoot Children dolls usually sell for about $100 – $200. Doll collectors’ clubs and shows are excellent sources of information about buying and selling dolls. The United Federation of Doll Clubs (www.ufdc.org) may be able to help you. So could some of the auction houses dedicated entirely to dolls, like Theriault’s (www.theriaults.com) or Frasher’s (www.frashersdollauction.com).

* * *

Q: I have three to four old iron standing ashtrays which I have been using as plant stands. Are they worth anything?

A: Using old standing ashtrays as plant stands is a fantastic way to repurpose antiques! Iron standing ashtrays can sell for anywhere from about $50 to $300. The value of yours depends on their condition, age and maker. Art deco designs of the 1920s – 1930s, when standing ashtrays were at their most popular, tend to sell for higher prices. If you can identify a maker, the value will be higher; especially if they were made by any of the famous ironsmiths active in the art deco period.

* * *

TIP: Forged glass signatures, including Steuben, Quezal and Tiffany, are being faked. Do not trust a signature. Be sure the glass is the proper shape to have been made by the original factory or artist. Fake marks are written with a diamond-tipped drill or are acid-stamped. All look real.

* * *

CURRENT PRICES

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.

Coin-operated, gum, Select-O-Matic, Package Gum, 5 cents, yellow ground, multicolor graphics, nickel plate base, 20 inches, $70.

Royal Doulton, vase, shaded brown, abstract flowers around shoulder, flared lip, horizontal ridges around base, slightly flared foot, stoneware, marked, 11 1/2 inches, $75.

Stoneware, bottle, dark brown glaze, impressed lettering, “P” in diamond, Pfannenbecker, Paterson, N.J., 10 1/2 inches, $100.

Capo-di-monte, urn, dome cover, figural side handles, fauns seated on animal mask, grapevines, multicolor, gilt trim, square base, 17 inches, $120.

Rug, penny, three dots on each disc, multicolor, six-sided, fringe border, table, 19th century, 30 x 52 inches, $125.

Glass-contemporary, vase, iridescent, purple, blue swirl, shoulders, flared lip, signed, dated, Charles Lotton, 1973, 6 1/2 inches, $315.

Furniture, chair, Chippendale, walnut, crest rail, pierced splat, scallop shells, acanthus front legs, ball-and-claw feet, Philadelphia, late 1700s, 40 inches, $560.

Toy, dollhouse furniture, bed, Sheraton, bird’s-eye maple, figured headboard and footboard, turned posts, brass casters, four parts, mid 1800s, 23 x 18 x 26 inches, $750.

Copper, box, hinged lid, latch closure, repousse, patinated, enamel, multicolor glass cabochons, green velvet lining, marked, Alfred Daguet, 1907, 8 x 4 inches, $895.

Furniture, chaise longue, LC4, Le Corbusier, steel frame, hide upholstery, black leather bolster, Charlotte Perriand, Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina, 27 x 22 x 64 inches, $1,875.