One always has to keep an eye on Trade Me to see what the online antique market is doing . I have noticed that currently sterling silver animal form pin cushions are selling well above market rates. They have always been desirable in the auction houses as they are a small, reasonably priced, and a great looking thing to display in your cabinet of curiosities. The key things to look for is; condition, make sure they are not dented or cracked, look at the dates - the older the better, and then of course the form - rarer ones such as hedgehogs and elephants tend to get more money than the more common shoe form cushions (not that a shoe is an animal). They should certainly retain their value in the coming years.
Pictures:
The hedgehog (Birmingham, 1907) sold on Trade Me sold for $639.
The duck (same city and year) needed restoration to the cushion sold for $458.
The group shot is from an Art & Object Catalogue from May 2007. These sold for between $300 for the elephant and $450 for the hare. They were all Brummy and from around the same period.
