This sofa table would command roughly $2,000.

Sofa table wasn't made by Phyfe

Q: This antique library table came to my friend through his parents. His maternal grandmother bought it in Toronto in 1929. His aunt feels it may be a Duncan Phyfe, but we're not sure. We know the black material in the marquetry is ebony and the quality of the carving seems to be very good. The table is about 77 centimetres high (30 inches) and 105 centimetres wide (41 inches) with the leaves down.

Denis, Ottawa

A: This is a nice early table, but it's not a library table; it's a sofa table. Library tables don't generally have drop leaves. It's most likely English, but there's a possibility it could also be American. It definitely dates to around 1840 and it's made of mahogany veneer.

When high-back settles (benches) began to fade out of fashion around 1780, they were replaced by low-back sofas. These tables were placed behind the sofas so people had a place to put a book or a cup and saucer.

This table didn't come from the New York workshop of the Scottish-born master cabinet maker Duncan Phyfe. If it did, it would have much finer features and greater detail.

It does, however, have Duncan Phyfe-ish characteristics, such as the winged paw feet.

Some very elaborate sofa tables can be worth more than $10,000, but this one, as nice as it is, is considered mid-range quality and as such would command roughly $2,000.

Q: The history in our family is that this platter once belonged to Sir Garnet Wolseley, who distinguished himself in Sudan, China, India, South Africa and in Manitoba during the Louis Riel days. The platter eventually ended up with our great-grandparents in Manitoba. It measures 23 by 31 centimetres (nine by 12 inches). It’s now bequeathed to our daughter.

Peter, Toronto

A: This platter is at least 180 years old and has apparently been put into active service over the years. Sir Wolseley, as you probably know, was a distinguished British army officer under whose leadership in 1870 troops were dispatched in Manitoba to make the difficult journey to Fort Garry (now Winnipeg) through geographically challenging, Metis-inhabited land. This mission is what helped to establish Canadian sovereignty over the Northwest Territories.

As for the platter itself, it’s original Mason’s ironstone made by G. and C. Mason at their Patent Ironstone China Manufactory, Staffordshire Potteries, England. You still see pieces made today that say “Mason’s ironstone” but what you have is the original, early ironstone. The decoration on this piece is typically Oriental and something the English had copied since the 1700s. The durability and porcelain-like whiteness of ironstone pottery proved to be so popular that when the patent ran out in 1827 other companies jumped on the bandwagon and started making their own versions of it. This is a nice, early piece of ironstone with interesting provenance (although not provable, I suspect). Value wise, I think it’s worth about $375.

Q: We’re intrigued by this black iron piece we bought about 40 years ago in the Uxbridge area. It’s 68.5 centimetres long (27 inches) with a diameter of 29 centimetres (11 inches) and marked “Rettie’s Patent, Birmingham, England.” Unfortunately, there’s a large piece missing along the lip. What we’re most interested in is what it was used for.

Dorothy, Brantford

A: It’s not a bed warmer, I can tell you that. It’s actually a gridiron, used to cook meat in an open hearth fireplace. Rettie patented it in 1840 and this is the way it worked: you’d place the raw meat in the centre and thrust the whole thing into the fire, where it would be simultaneously baked and fried. The juices would run down the convex channeled ribs to the outside trough, where they could then be poured off via the spout and saved to make gravy or a sauce. This is a rare and early piece of cookware and I suspect it would be sought after by collectors. The damage is a bit of an issue, but in the overall picture it’s not that significant. In this case, I believe rarity and interest outweighs the damage factor. I’m thinking a collector might be willing to pay as much as $350 for it.

John Sewell is an antique 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.