When its HOT in Texas it’s time to give your car a little extra TLC.   Houston auto repair tips include checking your cooling system; door and window seals; electrical connections; fuse panels; and relays.  Both the heat and humidity can cause damage to your car.

To extend your engine life, make sure to get an oil change every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Engine oil lubricates and keeps  internal engine components cool. The oil filter keeps the oil clean, preventing dirty oil from ruining the engine.  Just remember to follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for the weight, grade, and type of oil to use. Using an incorrect type or weight may invalidate your manufacturer’s warranty.

Finally, get a tune up to replace and service worn items in the ignition and fuel system. Items that typically need to be replaced include: air filter, fuel filters and spark plug electrodes. The tune up will also typically include cleaning and de-carbonizing the throttle body and fuel system.

Shawnee pottery gold cloverbud smiley pig cookie jar sold for $1,750 in April 2010.

This Porsgrund traditional Ale Bowl sold for $6200 in March 2010. This bowl was produced sometime between 1911-1937 in the traditional Wedding Bowl style as it would have been done in the Old Country ca. 1784. The center of the inside depicts Norway’s coat of arms: a golden lion holding an axe or halberd.

There is a toast encircling the rim’s exterior. It is all written in Norwegian, but the translation (roughly) is: “Taste what I have inside, Drink it all, to the last drop. Then see if you the door can find when out of the house you go.” The inside of the rim is totally covered with depictions of the wedding party in various stages of falling off their horses or holding by the tail, in one case.
The bowl is 11 1/2″ (29cm) in diameter and stands 5 1/2″ (14cm) high. The exterior of the bowl has a rich brick-red color beneath all the Norwegian script printed in black on a cream background.

Johan Jeremiassen established PORSGRUNDS Porselaensfabrik AS in 1885. The factory took two years to build, and on February 10th 1887, the first firing operation took place. This well-known factory is idyllically located on the west bank of the Porsgrunn River and looks the same today as it did over 100 years ago. PORSGRUND is Norway’s only producer of feldspar porcelain. The factory has enjoyed continuous production since 1887 and in fact still uses the same original “recipes” for all of its products, using a wide assortment of porcelain products ranging from fireproof goods destined for professional kitchens, to exquisite, fine porcelain for the home. PORSGRUND is the main producer of porcelain flatware and products for the Royal family, and has been so for three generations.

Paul Stankard Botanical Bouquet and Insect Orb Paperweight sells for $3810 in January 2010. This paperweight measures 3 5/16″ and was made by the master lampworker Paul Stankard in 2005. The weight encases three bundles of purple allium flowers with two bumble bees hovering overhead. A “Paul Stankard” signature cane is located in the base of the main green sprig, another “SEED” cane is located at the top of the main green sprig. the lampwoek sets above an opaque white ground.

Boch Freres Keramis Signed Catteau Art Deco Vase sells for $7500 in December 2009.

This is a Keramis - Boch Frères - La Louvière Belgique - Art Deco stoneware vase, made in 1927. It is made in the Art Deco period in the special art department ‘L’Atelier de Fantasie’ of the Boch Freres manufacture. In this department only male artist used to work while the woman side was specialized in tableware.

Stoneware animalier vases of Charles Catteau are very rare, and the larger models are extremely hard to find.

SIGNATURES:

Signed: Ch.Catteau (for Charles Catteau) and D1082 (for the decor number).
Stamped: Keramis - Made in Belgium.
Inscribed: Grès Keramis.
Impressed: 1142 (for the model number) and C.

SIZE:

Hight: 34 cm / 13.4 inches.
Diameter: 24 cm / 9.4 inches.

This 5” blue vase from the School of Mines in North Dakota has the School of Mines stamp; M. Cable (Margaret Cable) and J.M (Julia Mattson) on the bottom with the numbers 514. The vase advertises Devils Lake No. Dak with two indian chefs heads on each side. The vase sold for $1006 in October 2009.

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