Popeye Still Packs Muskle

Popeye was a cartoon figure who first appeared in 1929 and remains one of the most popular images ever. He originally appeared in a comic strip called “Thimble Theater” and was Olive Oyl’s boyfriend.

In 1932, the cartoon strip was run in newspapers, and in the 1950s the cartoon “Popeye” appeared on television. Robin Williams starred in the first live-action Popeye movie in 1980.

Most of the toys and dolls picturing Popeye were made in the 1930s and ‘40s. A wristwatch was made in 1935. Many of the tin toys were made by the American company J. Chein or by Japanese companies. They are often marked “copyright King Features Syndicate,” the name of the company that still owns the Popeye rights.

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Question: We found a bronze belt buckle inside the wall of a house that is more than 100 years old. The antiques dealers I’ve talked to say they have never seen one like it. The buckle is about 2 by 3 inches. The front has an eye in the center and is surrounded by the words “Committee of Vigilance of San Francisco, Reorganized 15th May 1856.” The back says “King! Fort Gunnybags, 1856, Tiffany, New York.” We are interested in its history and value.

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Answer: The house may be 100 years old, but the buckle is a mid-20th century fake. It wasn’t even made by Tiffany. Buckles marked “Tiffany” started flooding the antiques market in the late 1960s. They fooled many collectors.

However, there was a real Committee of Vigilance in San Francisco. It was formed during the Gold Rush to help keep law and order. The group later acted as vigilantes and hanged the man who murdered a newspaper owner named William King.

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Q We recently found a child’s desk with a bentwood chair back and desk base. The desk and its chair are connected, like a school desk. The label on the bottom of the seat reads “Thonet, Beware of Imitations.” There’s also a New York City address. Can you give us any information?

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A In 1830, a German cabinetmaker named Michael Thonet started experimenting with wood by steaming it, then bending it into curved furniture shapes. He and his five sons founded a company called Thonet Brothers in 1853. They developed a process to mass-produce bentwood furniture.

The company expanded quickly, and they opened sales offices in many countries, including the United States. Your child’s desk is pictured in a 1904 Thonet catalog. Thonet is still in business, producing chairs and other furniture made of wood and metal.