What's it Worth?

Your bird, with its silver body and contrasting details, is certainly Art Deco in feeling. However, I’m not convinced it’s made of mercury glass. Mercury glass is double-walled, and is “silvered” on the inside with silver nitrate solution. Since the solution tends not to discolor, I believe that the sheen on your piece actually comes from a different substance. And hold off on saving a special spot on your Christmas tree, too! As there’s no way to hang it, I’m fairly sure your bird isn’t an ornament. You have what I call a decorative novelty. Assuming it dates from the ’20s or ’30s, its value is about $20.