What’s It Worth?

Q:I believe my painted lamp is made of cast iron. The shade, which matches the base, is lined with fabric. What can you tell me? -- F.B.

Answer: This polychrome metal boudoir lamp was manufactured during the late 1930s. It probably is made of cast iron or spelter. It originally may have had glass or some other material rather than fabric inside the shade.

I cannot identify the manufacturer without a label or mark. Many factories produced similar lamps. It would retail for $50.

Flammability standards for fabrics have changed over the years. For this reason, use a low-wattage light bulb and keep an eye on it. Q:I would like to know more about my mother's old radio. It is marked "Motorola Model #85K21, made by Galvin, Mfg. Corp., Chicago, Ill." Does it have any value? -- S.K.

Answer: Your Motorola Model 85K21 console radio was manufactured around 1946. This model was one of the most popular Motorola consoles and for this reason, they are extremely common.

Galvin was founded in 1928 and at first made battery eliminators, which allowed radios to run on household current. It began making radios in 1937. In 1947, it was renamed Motorola.

In 1939, Motorola began making two-way radios and mostly catered to government agencies. It is still a major vendor of commercial and consumer communications devices.

This radio is in very rough condition; it is missing veneer from the front panel. If it works, it would retail for about $45, if it does not, around $25.

Have a question about an antique or collectible? Send e-mail to with a digital image, or send a complete description with a clear photograph to Jay Moore, Flair Department, Richmond Times-Dispatch, P.O. Box 85333, Richmond, VA 23293. Photographs will not be returned. The large volume of mail may mean a delay in publishing answers.