Q: My husband and I came to your store several years ago to inquire about some items my late mother left me, and they were extremely helpful. I have two more items that I have tried to get information on with any luck. The first is a rug by Luis Monteil (1914-98). My mother bought it in Venezuela in the late 1960s and then put it away and never used it. I learned that he is a famous Venezuelan artist with a shop in Mai Mali, Venezuela. That is all I have found out about it, but I would like to know the value of it since I am thinking of giving it to one of my children.
The second is five paintings by a Flemish artist named Kermorver. He painted many scenes of Paris and illustrated some children’s books. The images are all 5.5 inches by 7.5 inches and are scenes from Paris. The most unusual thing about these paintings is that they seem to be painted on a tin support. They were brought to my mother after WWII by a close friend. She also kept them, so they are in very good condition. I love these photos as they are so unusual and pretty. Thanks for your help. I’m looking forward to what you can discover. —MC, Internet
A: I appreciate the good photos. I am glad to know that you plan to pass your Luis Montiel rug on to the family. His mid-century and Op Art designs will become increasingly desirable in years to come. The one he has is probably selling in the $500 range currently, but much higher in the future if it ever sells.
There is not much biographical information about the artist Kermorver. Examples of his work can be found for sale at very affordable prices. I think the examples you have are done in the gouache technique, an opaque watercolor. They are certainly Art Deco in style, and have a good look and colour. I suspect that more information will be available in the future about Kermorver. I hope you plan to keep them for the next generation.
Q: I have over 1,000 new baseball cards, in zip lock bags, that were manufactured and issued by the following companies: Pinnacle Trading Co., Fleer Corporation, The Topps Company, The Upper Deck Company, Leaf Inc., Score Inc., and Donruss Cia. Could you tell me a place where I can take them for an evaluation of value and/or sale? These were donated to a fundraiser at our American Legion Post No. 0230, in Hawthorne, by a WWII veteran. The funds raised from the sale of these cards will benefit our current and former military veterans. Any help and advice you can give us will be greatly appreciated. —KK, Internet
A: I hope some of your baseball cards are home run winners for the fundraiser. I suggest you contact Leland Sports Auctions. They are one of the big boys on the block in the baseball memorabilia category. The website is lelands.com. Good luck, and let us know how things work out.
— John Sikorski, with more than 35 years of experience, is an Ocala-based antiques advisor, consultant and broker. He sends his questions to Sikorski’s Attic, c/o The Ocala Star-Banner, 2121 SW 19th Ave. Road, Ocala, FL 34471-7752, or email [email protected]