Question?: Read your article, "Marietta was once home to two stove Manufacturers." Thank you for sharing your knowledge with your readers. My husband and I purchased a home in Marietta in 2006 that housed a Nye stove that we donated to The Castle in Marietta. We felt it would be better appreciated by the community being on public display. As we researched the stove, we were told the Nye family once lived in The Castle, so we decided the Nye stove deserved to live at The Castle, rather than in our basement/rec room. I believe the gentleman, Mr. Hausser, you mentioned in your article would have been the man who came to dismantle the stove to remove it from our home. Again I appreciate your column and am not trying to be difficult, but Mr. Hausser was not the person who actually donated the stove, we did. Sincerely, Mark Ruff Family, Marietta.
Answer: After receiving your e-mail, I contacted George Hausser. He tells me he donated a Nye stove that belonged to him to The Castle, which he states today is on display in The Castle's carriage house. He states he also orchestrated The Castle's acquisition of your stove you donated to The Castle, which you were given a deeded gift certificate and a charitable gift receipt based on actual appraisal of your stove. I think it was very nice of you and your family to make such a fine donation to The Castle and the history of Washington County and sorry I didn't mention your donation.
Q.: My son has a Liberty $2.50 gold coin dated 1847 and in good condition. Where can he sell it and get the best price? - (no name or address)
A.: First of all, you need to get it appraised. I do not appraise coins. To find out what it may be worth, contact Heritage Coin Auctions at 1-800-872-6467 or email Heritage at bid@ha.com.
Q.: I'm sending a four-page list of old 78 rpm records that I rescued from going into a dump. They are from the Blue Door Antique shop that once was located on Scammel Street. I acquired them about 1962. They were to be trashed with a truck load of other things. Can you tell me they're worth and who would be interested in them? Some have dates of 1903.
A.: Value depends on the condition the records are in, and if they are rare and other factors. Send your four-page list to Nauck's Vintage Records Purchasing Department, 22004 Sherrod Lane, Spring, Texas, or email Nauck@78rpm.com. You may also want to contact Joe Lauro Historic Music at (631) 466-2768 or email joe@old78s.com.
Correction: Thanks to Ted Bauer for emailing me on where the Marietta Commercial College was once located. The college occupied the entire top floor of the former First National Bank building at the southeast corner of Second and Putnam streets.
Readers, always happy to hear from you, but when emailing me, please give me your name or initials, and where you are writing from. Also please write clearly.
Larry Koon is the author of several price guide books on antiques and collectibles. His column appears every Monday on Life. Send letters to Treasure in the Attic, c/o The Marietta Times, 700 Channel Lane, Marietta 45750; or e-mail him at koonantiques@yahoo.com. When writing, send a complete description of the item, along with size, color, any markings on the item along with condition the item is in, and how the item was obtained, and any other information. If possible, send a photograph. Letters will be answered through this column.
