World’s fair, military souvenirs remain popular collectibles

Q. My dad, who served in the Navy in World War II, brought this chess/checkerboard back home from his travels. The interior portion measures 13 inches square and seems to be made of intricately applied butterfly wings. They are mostly blue, yellow and black. We have always been fascinated by this. Can you tell us where it may have come from? — Anna in Vashon Island

A. Your father did, indeed, achieve what those old recruiting posters promised — “Join the Navy and See the World!” He sailed to Hawaii, Bermuda, the east and west coasts of the United States, Newfoundland, Chile and Brazil.

At one point, on the way to the Galapagos Islands, he crossed the International Dateline and was inducted into the “Ancient Order of the Deep” and became a “shellback.” The ceremony is an old, international naval tradition.

Of all his travels, the country that bears directly on this beautiful game board is Brazil.

Butterfly wing art was a popular tourist souvenir in the years before, during and just after World War II. The craft started as early 1890.

Objects embellished with butterfly wings — often Morpho butterflies were used for their iridescent quality — include frames, pictures, jewelry and mirrors. Trays seem to be the most common items. These big butterflies have wingspans up to 8 inches.

According to the nature group Rainforest Alliance, blue Morpho butterflies are threatened by deforestation of tropical forests. They also say, “Humans provide a direct threat to this spectacular creature because their beauty attracts artists and collectors from all over the globe who wish to capture and display them,” according to Alliance’s website.

We see butterfly art come to market from time to time. There is a large wood serving tray decorated with butterfly wings being sold today at an auction in Oakland, Calif. The pre-sale estimate is $300 to $500.

This game board is in excellent condition and, at retail, should be priced between $150 and $200 at a shop. We’d suggest an insurance value of $300.

Q. This small pendantlike item has been in our family as long as any of us can remember. I’ve been told it is actually a watch fob souvenir from the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. It certainly isn’t a watch! What can you tell us and is there any collector value here? — Sherry in Richland

A. It is easy to forget the number of innovations that have been introduced at world’s fairs during the past several centuries.

In Chicago in 1893, fairgoers first rode a Ferris Wheel, ate Cream of Wheat and chewed Juicy Fruit gum. They also gawked at early prototypes of the automatic dishwasher for the home, neon and fluorescent lights, moving sidewalks (think modern airports) and what eventually would become the fax machine.

It is estimated that one in four Americans attended the fair; about 25 million people.

Nothing was small about “The White City,” as it was called in the newspapers of the day. Built on 630 acres, it was the second international exposition ever staged in the United States.

Books were written about the fair — from a simple guide to the grounds to photo depictions of the art of the fair and its buildings.

Souvenirs — millions of them — came out of the World’s Columbian Exposition, the official name of the fair. And many survive today. We see them for sale at auctions and shows all the time.

This watch fob — which measures a little more than an inch across — is one we have not seen before and will be sought after by collectors of fair memorabilia. Retail value is in the $50 to $75 range.

This story was originally published October 17, 2015 at 3:18 PM with the headline "World’s fair, military souvenirs remain popular collectibles."