Most wash sets were made by regional potters and were relatively inexpensive. This one might have been made in Trenton. There could have been many more matching pieces, a drinking tumbler or mug,

The dinner party was a major part of Victorian entertaining, and the castor set played its part. They were for passing around condiments – salt, pepper, mustard, oil and vinegar

The bow front cabinet was all the rage in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. They were usually made of stained, fumed or golden oak, and came in a variety of sizes, qualities and degrees of ornateness.

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In this week’s mailbag we have questions about a few distinctly Victorian items: a wash set, a couple of castor sets, and a bow front cabinet. Unfortunately most things Victorian have been experiencing a bit of a down market lately.

A more truthful statement would be that Victorian was so insanely hot in the 1980s and ‘90s, that it has finally found its comfortable niche and consequently prices have stabilized.

This is good news for buyers who still admire this 19th Century Anglo/American style. But it’s bad news if you’re trying to sell, especially if you purchased your Victorian items during the heyday.

Wash sets include the wash bowl and large pitcher, soap dish (with drain), small water pitcher with mug or tumbler, brush pot, potty with lid, and, sometimes, a large spill vase for emptying the potty. Really swank sets might even have had a footbath. They really make you thankful for indoor plumbing.

Castor sets don’t get used much except for decoration somewhere in the dining room.

Of our three items, it’s the bow front cabinet that most finds itself still in demand. These came late in the Victorian Era and some refer to them as Edwardian bow fronts. There were many of these made, and value will be determined by how large and elaborately carved.
Enjoy the photos and appraisals of these items. And keep your questions and photos coming.
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Our holiday tip for this week is the antique “go-with,” something antique to go with a gift of something new. If you are giving a bottle of wine, for instance, you can include a couple of classy stem glasses, a wine salver (coaster for the wine bottle), carafe, a novelty bottle stopper or pourer cap. At this time of year, liquor stores sell gift boxes that include appropriate glasses. Try adding a couple of vintage glasses, or a shaker to your gift of a potent potable.

The possibilities are endless: A collection of teas, coffees or cocoa with an appropriate pot or couple of cups and saucers; with jams, a jam jar or jelly spoon; bookmark with a book, cufflinks with a shirt; certain sweaters might benefit from an old sweater clip.

So many things you buy at the mall can be made more special with the addition of an antique go-with. Just giving money? There are neat, vintage bags, purses, billfolds, wallets, banks, money clips . . . Get the idea?

Arthur Schwerdt, a certified appraiser, is the author of “The Antique Story Book: Finding the Real Value of Old Things,” and co-owner of The August Farmhouse Antiques on Route 9 in Swainton. Send your comments, questions and appraisal requests to aschwerdt@cmcherald.com.