34 APRIL 2021 E ggs, rabbits, baskets, candy containers and small porcelain figures make Easter collectibles a signal that springtime is just around the corner. For those of you who enjoy a little bit of comprehensive knowledge, the word “Easter” comes from “Eostre,” a goddess of spring whose festival was celebrated in April long before the birth of Christ. It wasn’t until 325 A.D. that the Council of Nice set the first Sunday after the full moon appearing on or after March 21 as the date to celebrate Easter. This year it is late – on April 4. European immigrants brought their traditions to the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries, including the concept of an egg-laying rabbit. By the late 1800s, the practice of children hunting for hidden Easter eggs had taken root. President Rutherford B. Hayes hosted the first official White House egg roll in 1878, and American companies made all kinds of Easter keepsakes to profit from the holiday. Items like Easter postcards, vases, plates, candy containers, toys, baskets, puzzles, and decorative eggs typically featured children, rabbits, chicks, flowers, and other springtime themes. The objects often depicted animals celebrating the holiday as any middle-class American might – shopping for eggs, eating a hearty meal, or sending packages to their loved ones. Most of the popular Easter items are from Germany and made during the Victorian period through the 1950s. Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom have also produced several collectible items dating before 1960 that many collectors search out. You might have a treasure or two hidden away that could spark some interest. Toy rabbits or “hares,” celluloid candy containers and small porcelain figurines featuring Easter themes that are well-marked with the country of origin are popular. Most value-conscious collectors are looking for items produced after 1930 that are cute and affordable. The early German pieces dating from the turn of the last century are expensive and difficult to find. If you have a paper mâché rabbit container with a removable head, it could easily sell for $100; or if your rabbit happens to be standing on four legs pulling a cart filled with vintage eggs, you could triple that figure. Realistically, most people have some plastic rabbit or bunny or a tin egg left over from their childhood stashed away in a collectible memory box. Others might have those mid-century glass rabbit candy dishes, eggs, postcards, or even a special pamphlet from Sunday school that might be worth a few dollars. However, the most popular and plentiful item on a collector’s shelf is the egg, the symbol of fertility and new life. There are thousands of dyed, etched, painted, carved, wax, glass, metal, jeweled and crystal eggs for the collector. The egg wins as the most popular item on a collector’s shelf. I bet you have at least one lying around that is unique to you. The egg is the winner at Easter time Ask the Appraisers Contact Tom Helms at The123@cox.net or A-Z Appraisal & Estate Consultants; 5525 N. 12th St., Phoenix, AZ. BY TOM HELMS & JEFF PEARSON containers and small porcelain figures make Easter collectibles a signal that springtime is just around the corner. For those of you who enjoy a little bit of comprehensive knowledge, the word “Easter” comes from “Eostre,” a goddess full moon appearing on or after March 21 as the date to celebrate Easter. This year it is European immigrants brought Most of the popular Easter items are from Germany and made during the Victorian period through the 1950s. Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom have also produced several collectible items dating before 1960 that many collectors search out. You might have a treasure or two hidden away that could spark some interest. celluloid candy containers and small porcelain figurines featuring Easter themes that are well-marked with the country of origin are popular. Most value-conscious collectors TUNE IN! Visit our podcast website: arcadiapodcast.com APPLE SPOTIFY YOUTUBE Hosted by: AWA R D W I N N I N G N E I G H BO R H O O D N E W S SI N C E 19 93 TUNE IN! TUNE IN! TUNE IN! TUNE IN! With special guest Marshall Shore, AZ’s Hip Historian. 4600 E Shea Blvd | Suite 100 | Phoenix, AZ 85028 NW corner Tatum and Shea | West of Trader Joes 602.955.8700 • FPSAZ.com IN PRACTICE CELEBRATING EXPERT DOCTORS AND PRACTITIONERS. CONVENIENT SERVICES. EXTENDED HOURS. OUR FAMILY CARING FOR YOURS