Shortly produced doll line highly coveted by collectors

We answer questions about two very common, yet, in ways, extraordinary items in today's What's It Worth?

Our first reader's query is about a doll from her childhood. Dolls have been popular for centuries -- and not just with children.

And we'll look at a pair of remarkable items whose sole purpose is to prop up books and look good doing it. Bookends of one kind or another can be found in just about every home. These, however, would make the monthly payment on an average home.

Q. Attending antique shows and shopping at stores, I see lots of dolls, but never seem to find my dolly -- Terri Lee. She was my favorite as a child. My mom made her dress, so she's not "all original." Are Terri Lee dolls uncommon, or am I just not seeing them? Is she collectible? And will lack of original clothing detract from her value? -- Kathy in Pasco.

A. Your doll has her roots in America's heartland. The Terri Lee Doll Company was started in Lincoln, Nebraska by a woman named Violet Gradwohl in 1946.

She wanted to produce a doll that was not only easy to love, but one that would stand up to all that loving. Gradwohl's daughter, Terri Lee, helped design the wide range of costumes that were available for the doll.

Terri Lee was the first in a line of dolls that included Jerri Lee, Bonnie Lou, Patti Jo and others. All the dolls were made using the same basic mold, the differences were wig types and facial painting.

The company was successful, but there were some problems. Fire destroyed the Lincoln facility and Terri Lee moved to California. It stayed in business there until 1959. With only 12 years of production, it's not surprising you don't see many Terri Lee dolls while out shopping.

Dawn Herlocher, in her book 200 years of Dolls, 4th Edition (Krause Publications, 2009) notes Terri Lee dolls were copied. "Many (of the copies) were made in the 1950s at the peak of Terri Lee's popularity. They often have holes in their feet. Other differences include variations in measurements," Herlocher says.

Your doll is 16 inches long, the copies are generally 151/2 inches.

A Terri Lee in excellent condition, with original clothes and perhaps a second and third outfit, will range in price up to about $900.

This doll's dress, while pretty and from the time in which the doll was made, is not original and that does have a direct impact on value. Even in excellent condition, without original clothes, she is more likely to bring $300 to $450, depending on who's buying and who's selling.

Q. This pair of bookends has been in our family for quite a long time. Do people collect these? Are they particularly valuable? -- Pattie in West Richland.

A. Until as recently as 10 years ago, bookends were hardly considered to be a collectible in their own right. If you were a dog figurine collector, you might buy a pair of dog bookends. But almost no one collected bookends per se.

That's changed. Several books have been published on the subject and a collectors society has formed. Today, a number of people seek out decorative bookends in a variety of styles. We see them at shops and shows all the time.

The great majority of bookends in the market date from the 1920s and 1930s forward. The pair you have is clearly dated 1926.

They were made of solid bronze by a company called The Gift House, which was in business in New York City from 1921-34. The Gift House made a number of high quality bookends which are sought after by today's collectors.

Most Gift House bookends were produced in iron, so this pair in bronze is somewhat unusual.

Titled Buffalo Hunt, the scene is of two hounds harassing a bull buffalo. The bookends measure 53/4 inches high. This Western depiction will be especially popular and we've noted in previous What's It Worth answers that just about anything Western is hot these days.

We recently saw a pair of the exact bookends featured by a Western art dealer in Jackson Hole, Wyo. The price was a hefty $1,500. Nice things to have!

w Terry Maurer, a Tri-Cities personal property appraiser and antique dealer, is a member of the Certified Appraisers Guild of America. You may submit your antiques and collectible questions to What's It Worth by e-mail to whatsitworth@clearwire.net.