Date: Fri 01-May-1998

By CURT CLARK

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Ant

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

Opfer

Full Text:

Opfers Postsale

W/CUTS

TIMONIUM, MD. -- Certainly among the mid-Atlantic's most popular auction

houses specializing in toys and dolls, Opfer's once again presented a

crowd-pleasing sale on April 13.

The Monday evening sale was well attended by Opfer's regular crowd of toy

enthusiasts and was accented by a host of dedicated doll collectors, many of

whom bid either by absentee or through the telephones. The serious money was

in the auction hall, however, as local collectors took home the lion's share

of the sale.

While dolls dominated the auction by sheer volume, the top lot of the evening

was a salesman's sample box of marbles. The extremely rare case filled with

Akro agate marbles was actively bid by several in the gallery. With

competition from the telephones, it was pushed to a selling price of $6,270.

The top lot among the dolls was a black cloth doll, 20 inches, with peanut

shell filled and molded stocking net head and molded wig. Bidding on this lot

was also termed active by the auction gallery. The sold at $3,520. Other dolls

included an early papier mache doll with painted face, early hair and cloth

body measuring 26 inches. It was knocked down at $935. A black male house

servant doll with bisque head took $522.50, a bisque head Kestner child doll

with ball joint body sold for $715, a Dressel bisque head baby doll garnered

$577.50, and a set of Madame Alexander Dionne quintuplets realized $625.

A Steiff gold mohair teddy bear with blank button, 13 inches, in overall good

condition, sold at $1,210, while a papier mache rabbit candy container went

for $852.50.

A two frogs mechanical bank listed in good to very good condition brought

$950, and a Columbia bank with repaint brought $209.

Toys included a Marx Astronaut toy selling for $1,265, a mechanical walking

space man, $687.50, and a Linemar battery-operated robot, $797.50.

All prices include the ten percent buyer's premium. The next auction at

Opfer's will feature the toy, train and doll collection of Dorsey T. "Woody"

Woodlief on May 18 and will be followed by a June 1 advertising sale. For

information, Richard Opfer Auctioneering, 1919 Greenspan Drive, Timonium, Md.

21093, or call 410/252-5035.

David S. Smith

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Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

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Date: Fri 01-May-1998

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