Old soap boxes may contain treasures

Look in the basement. Sometimes the old boxes of soap near the laundry tubs can be valuable. This summer, a 1950s full, sealed box of Rinso Blue soap powder that originally cost less than 50 cents, sold online at Mastro Auctions of Illinois for $1,955. It was because the box front showed a picture of Paladin, the star of the TV Western "Have Gun, Will Travel." And inside the box was not only soap, but also a very rare Paladin trading card.

The TV show was popular from its beginning in 1957 to the last of the 225 episodes in 1963. Paladin, played by Richard Boone, was a gunslinger who was available for jobs for $1,000. He enjoyed the good life in San Francisco, with the best of wine, food and clothes. But on the job he dressed all in black and chased the bad men. His memorabilia has become very popular with collectors, and because it is rare, it is expensive.

Q: I have a kidney-shaped mahogany desk with a leather top. It's in excellent condition and was made by the Maddox Table Co. of Jamestown, N.Y. Can you give me some information about it?

A: William Maddox, the son of an English immigrant, founded the Maddox Table Co. in 1898. He experimented with new advertising techniques by sending a showman around the world to promote his furniture and was one of the first Jamestown furniture makers to trademark his products. The company made tables, desks and other case furniture. William Maddox invented all sorts of furnituremaking machines, including a polisher for tabletops, and later founded a company to manufacture the machinery. His table company was sold to the Shearman Brothers Lounge Co. of Jamestown in 1919, and the Maddox name continued to be used until 1985.

Q: How much is Kay Finch's "Mr. Tom" figurine worth these days? Mine is marked "Kay Finch."

A: In 1939, Kay Finch (1903-1994) and her husband, Braden, built a small ceramics studio next to their house in Corona del Mar, Calif. The business was thriving within a couple of years and operated until 1962, the year Braden died. Kay Finch animal figurines are enormously popular today. "Mr. Tom" dates from 1960 and only a few were made. They're big, seated tomcats, 18 inches high, and were decorated in different glazes. A "Mr. Tom" in excellent condition sells for more than $2,000.