Examining antiques

“Fakes & Forgeries” was the topic of the lecture given by John Holverson to members of the Antiques Study Group of the Woman’s Literary Union, when they met Sept. 22 at the University of New England.

Holverson was knowledgeable about defining and identifying the antiques brought in by members for display and appraisal.

He had an array of dishes and other objects on a table at the front of the room. He identified them and passed several of the items around for members to study.

First, he chose three handsome rings, with big, bright stones, as pretty as a real stone, but they were not. Colored glass, I presume. I think most of us present would wear them proudly.

Next, we examined two silver forks, both labeled Tiffany. The silver one, 1887, John estimated at $400. The second fork, of silver plate, was dated at 1932.

There were several glass paperweights, one labeled “Italy,” one “Venezuela.” We were to decide if these objects were fake or not. A small white vase was considered to be fake. A lovely blue glass serving dish was considered to be real.

One of the objects we admired was a gold necklace. The owner who submitted it put it proudly back on when it arrived at her table. It was definitely gold.

There were cut-glass articles, a pair of glass cups, all real, as I recall.

So, we all enjoyed the meeting, the items that only looked like real antiques as well as the real ones. An article handed out to us from The Journal of Antique Collectibles, September 2007, told us how to identify old or reproduction chairs, and what to look for.

Another printed article was not on antiques at all, but on “Easy Tick Removal.” That was for us to keep in case we have trouble with ticks. If we walk in the woods in summer, we often are aware of them. The article suggests applying a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15 or 20). The tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away.

This information was written by a school nurse. One woman had a tick stuck to her back and she couldn’t reach it with tweezers. She used this method and it worked immediately.

Complaining jay

We were sitting in our kitchen late Saturday afternoon when the skies just opened and began dumping rain at a fierce clip.

Suddenly one of the neighborhood blue jays, perched in the lilac bushes near our back door, began jeering loudly and kept it up for a while.

It seemed as if he were saying, “Enough rain, already.”

We all agreed with that blue jay, after the intermittent downpours on the weekend.

In our Roger Tory Peterson’s “Field Guide To The Birds,” it says, of the blue jay: “A large bright blue bird, larger than a robin; blue above, whitish below, and crested. Voice: a harsh slurring jeeah or ‘jay,’ also many other notes, some musical.”

It is a handsome bird, and we’re pleased to have him and his friends in our yard.

Praising an editor

Making its way to the top of the heap recently was a July 2007 West End News. We were pleased to receive this newspaper from Jim Cote of Westbrook with Harlan Baker’s article about lawyer and one-time newspaperman Murrough O’Brien, with an excellent photo of Murrough.

Jim’s note to me said that he thought we’d be interested in the paragraph, quoting Murrough’s mention of his editor at the Portland Press Herald: Harry Foote. Of course, we were pleased.

Murrough said: “We had some really excellent editors, Harry Foote was my mentor. If you didn’t get a middle initial right, he’d let you know. He was very clear about his demands. We also had a guy named John Kemp Murphy. And Ernest Chard, who was also first-rate.”

In 1971, O’Brien left the paper to attend the University of Maine Law School, graduating in 1975. He is now an attorney with the firm of Jackson & MacNichol, and lives in Deering Center, Portland.

Cooking dinner

This recipe is from “The Sephardic Cooks,” 1993, compiled and published by Congregation Or Ve Shalom Sisterhood, Atlanta, Ga.

KEFTES DE SALMON

1 (1 pound) can salmon or 2 cans tuna

2 eggs

2 slices of bread, soaked in water and squeezed dry

1 teaspoon parsley

1 small onion, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon cooking sherry (optional)

Drain juice from can(s) and bone; mix all ingredients thoroughly and shape into approximately 10 patties. Fry in vegetable oil on both sides until golden brown.

May be served with spaghetti and cheese and tossed salad.