We are not appraisers. We recommend that you take your lamp to a high quality reputable antique shop and ask them to either appraise your heirloom or send you to someone who can. On a positive note. While in that antique shop look around. Find one that is close in both style and size to yours. You will probably be pleasantly surprised at what these old lamps are going for.

Due to the number of emails I get each week, I regret that I can't offer individual research and/or appraisals at this time. I'll be adding information to this web site as time permits. I am also working on a Collectors Guide Book to Safety Razors which will include more detailed information than the web site plus razor value guidelines. If you would like to receive additional information about the book when it becomes available just drop me an email.

Unfortunately, if its one of the mass produced Vinyl Don Post licensed helmets then probably not very much unless it's a "Deluxe" (i.e. made from Fiberglass) Vader, Tie Pilot, Stormtrooper, Boba Fett or Biker or to a lesser extent one of the "Classic Action" 1:1 copies of the above. Check out the Don Post section for more info. More recent Rubie's helmets are worth even less. Search through the site and see if you can find your helmet on it. If not then mail me a picture!

To find the value of old books, contact your local bookseller or check the prices for comparable rare and used books on ebay.com, amazon.com, abebooks.com, www.bookfinder.com, or other such sites. You can also contact the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America for information about finding the value of a book.

Please check this FAQ to see if we've already considered the idea, such as automatic detection of banner ads and replacing ads with something else such as a transparent GIF. We currently have a long wish list of things that we may or may not do in the near future, including a version for your favorite computer and a plug-in version. If you don't want to wait you're welcome to improve on our code, publish your version on the Web, and tell us where to find it.

The short answer: It doesn't matter. Open it and drink it! Many people are saving a special wine for that special occasion or are just saving it because they think it will get better and better. Often this is a mistake and the wine is shot (well past its peak) by the time it is opened or it ends up getting left to the children. This is especially true if the special wine is a Champagne! Most Champagnes are ready to drink when released and do not improve significantly. They will last a few years.

It would be considered unethical for a staff member to appraise your books, but we can recommend sources of information: The brochure Your Old Books, is a helpful starting point. It is available electronically from the website of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association. The website also provides information about purchasing paper copies of the brochure. Commercial websites such as www.abebooks.

Answer: If you find the contents valuable, and the book is in the public domain, it can enrich the lives of millions of Net readers if you put it online. So by that measure, it can be very valuable indeed. But you probably also want to know what your copy would be worth to sell or insure. I can't tell you what the book will fetch, not being qualified to appraise books here. (And even an expert would have to see the book to give a reliable estimate of its value.

Special Collections cannot provide appraisals of any materials. We can provide reference books for you to determine how much similar items have been offered for as well as names of area book dealers and manuscript appraisers who may be able to assist you for a fee.

Sorry, no. Many of our customers have acquired vintage Japanese items from family or travel and ask us for more information or value. As much as we might like to assist, we are not certified appraisers. Our prices here are based on availability, condition and decorative appeal of each item.

If the lamp is not operating you will see a yellow brown deposit inside the lamp in addition to a bead of mercury for Gallium lamps. For iron additives you need to look very closely but metal like "filings" are visible on the inside of the lamp. You can also tell lamp type by looking at the color of the light when operational. NOTE you should never look directly or indirectly at reflected lamp light, as it is DANGEROUS.

There are a lot of knowledgable airgunners and collectors reading these forums and should be able to tell you all about your airgun.

Check "The Beatles Price Guide for American Records", by Cox & Lindsay. If you don't have access to this, you can post your request, but keep in mind the fact that most original Beatles albums and singles are judged very strictly in terms of quality. If your LP has had the normal amount of use, it's probably worth more to you as a sentimental token than it is to collectors.

The value of an antique firearm, like any commodity, is a function of supply and demand. The more scarce the item and greater collector interest, the greater the value. The first step in determining the value is to properly identify the model and any significant variations or features. Once the firearm is properly identified, it is necessary to access the overall condition of the firearm. While this may seem somewhat subjective, definitive guidelines for grading antique firearms are available.

We are sorry, but we are not able to put a dollar value on your old MAHA. There are just too many variables for us to appraise your old ski. Old Maherajah skis do appreciate if they are taken care of. A ski built in the mid 1970's that cost approximately $150 might bring $300-400 on eBay. The best way to find out is to give it a try, or to search eBay's completed and current auctions.

Yes, the age of the photo is irrelevent, the edible reproduction will look exactly like the image you send.

Probably so. There are several books published every year that keep track of the growing value of old toys. Check at your local book store or library. Naturally, the better shape your toys are in (still in original packaging is the best), the more they are worth. I still have my Apes trash can, but, unfortunately, my action figures and treehouse are long gone. Check the Books page to order a book on Planet of the Apes collectibles.

The Society is not a commercial organisation and cannot undertake valuations. A reputable antique dealer who specialises in antique metalware may be able to assist or point you in the right direction. Alternatively, some of the larger auction houses have appraisers with good knowledge of the subject.

A : Probably not without a lot of information and detailed pictures of the sword and tang with any signatures, etc. What style of sword? Katana, wakizashi, tanto, tachi? What kind of mounts? Buke-zukuri, shingunto, etc? What condition is it in? Any rust or chips or blade flaws? Without detailed information, it is impossible to determine anything about a sword; even then, it is difficult to give specific information without actually seeing and handling the sword.

You can send it in, and it may be posted as a separate effect, but it is not eligible for the challenge prize unless it is received before the deadline.