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Our professional appraiser, Helaine Fendelman, evaluates your collectibles and antiques.

EXPERT OPINION

My parents bought this tin curiosity at an estate sale in Natchez, Mississippi, for $15 in the early 1970s. They think it's a squirrel cage. True? -- S.M., New York City

What it is: FOLK ART SQUIRREL CAGE

Lightweight and inexpensive, tin became popular in the 18th century as a replacement for heavy iron, expensive copper, and delicate pewter. It was used for cooking tools and other household objects, but the metal's practicality didn't stop at the kitchen sink. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, birds, squirrels, and other small animals were domesticated and often kept in tin enclosures with rotating exercise wheels. Many cages were shaped like houses or barns and decorated with punched geometric shapes. Prices begin at $200, but those with original paint, like this one, are far more valuable. Red or blue examples fetch the most.

[Photograph]: PHOTOGRAPH BY KARL JUENGEL/STUDIO D

What it's worth: $1,500

I purchased this very heavy clock at a flea market 12 years ago for about $75. Did I get a good deal? -- M.W., Houston

What it is: ART DECO CLOCK

This blocky mantel clock of painted slate with gilt highlights is typical of the Art Deco style, which became popular in the mid-1920s and is known for its elegant, refined materials and geometric forms. Your piece, which was probably made in the 1940s by General Electric Telechron of Ashland, Massachusetts, has suffered multiple chips at its base, decreasing its value.

[Photograph]: PHOTOGRAPH BY (SUITCASE) KARL JUENGEL/STUDIO D

What it's worth: $125

My portable plaid table came from a street fair. It looks like a suitcase when closed and has leather straps inside. Is this a real find? -- W.G., Purdys, New York

What it is: 1950S PICNIC BASKET TABLE

In the middle of the 20th century, printed tin picnic baskets began to compete with the traditional wicker versions that preceded them, and this unusual piece -- which converts into a portable table -- comes from that era. Although there is no label or identifying mark, the vibrant Scotch plaid and turned pine legs suggest that it was made in the 1950s, possibly by the Thermos company, which produced color-coordinated beverage and food-storage containers. Its fitted interior would have held serving pieces for six to 12 people, and their absence reduces its value by at least 75 percent.

What it's worth: $25

My dad gave my mom this drawing in the '60s. It measures 27 by 151/2 inches, without the frame, and is signed by James Thurber. Tell me more. -- P.L., Devon, Pennsylvania

What it is: ORIGINAL THURBER DRAWING

James Thurber was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1894 and is one of the most famous cartoonists and humorists of the early 20th century. He is particularly associated with The New Yorker, where many of his drawings and his classic story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" were first published. His best drawings, like this one in charcoal, exhibit a characteristic charm and simplicity of line. Thurber's books and letters are collectibles, and his sketches sell for many thousands.

What it's worth: $10,000

My sun hat has a Pucci label. Does that make it more valuable? (Confession: I paid $200 for it!) -- K.M., Williamstown, Massachusetts

What it is: PUCCI STRAW SUN HAT

Florence-born designer Emilio Pucci found his calling in the 1940s, when a European fashion magazine spotted him on the slopes and commissioned him to create a line of women's skiwear. In the 1960s, he launched the optical fantasy prints that became his signature. Their bold colors and psychedelic patterns, outlined in black, were printed on scarves, bags, blouses, and dresses and became immediately recognizable. His vintage printed garments sell for hundreds more than their original prices, but unfortunately your hat -- because it is not instantly identifiable as the designer's work -- is not as valuable.

[Photograph]: PHOTOGRAPH BY (HAT) KARL JUENGEL/STUDIO D

What it's worth: $75

I purchased this desk in 1980 in Sacramento, California, and was told it was from a Missouri hotel, c. 1840. Is that correct? What is its present value? -- C.J., Pine Grove, California

What it is: 19TH-CENTURY HUTCH

Patterned after a schoolmaster's desk, this two-piece pine hutch is in the Federal-country style and dates to the mid-19th century. The turned gallery at the top is decorative, but the cubbyholes and drawers in the upper section were practical -- used for organizing receipts and bills -- allowing the small writing surface to remain free of clutter. The lower portion has sturdy turned legs, and the whole piece appears to have never been painted or refinished, as it retains a natural, worn look. Prices for simpler desks begin around $175, but ones similar to this can range up to the low thousands.

What it's worth: $1,000

VISIT countryliving.com/whatisit for information on how to submit your finds for appraisal.