Aluminum Art Deco screen shows the style's signatures.

Byline: Leslie Hindman

Q. I have a fire screen depicting Diana the Huntress that measures 35 inches high and 41 inches wide. Even though it's made of some kind of soft metal, it's heavy. I haven't been able to find any information on this, and I can't find any marks or signatures on the piece. I would really appreciate any information you can find.

_Wanda Bjerke, Grand Forks, N.D.

A. This fire screen combines three signature Art Deco motifs: a nude, an allusion to the moon, and motion. As you note in your letter, Diana, Roman goddess of the hunt, is portrayed in rapid pursuit of two deer, and she also serves as a symbol of the moon.

The year 1925 marked a pivotal point for the recognition of the Art Deco movement with L'Exposition International des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. Most European nations took part in the exposition to showcase their streamlined designs, reflecting the innovations inherent to the industrial progress of the early 20th century.

The Art Deco period, which took place between the World Wars, evolved from its predecessor, Art Nouveau, a decorative movement that embraced naturalistic images of, for instance, highly stylized vines and foliage. In contrast, Art Deco sought to embody a futuristic look while still maintaining the elegant style of Art Nouveau. Initially it was the domain of esteemed artisans, but as the style grew in popularity, many objects in the Art Deco manner were manufactured for mass consumption. This accounts for the absence of a mark on your fire screen, because many unknown designers worked in the same style.

The fire screen is made of aluminum, a lightweight metal, and is used to keep embers safely in the fireplace. Due to a great interest in elegant and sophisticated style of Art Deco, your screen is worth about $1,000.

Q. After my father was wounded in World War II, he was a patient at Hines Veterans Hospital near Maywood. The artist Thomas Hart Benton did this drawing of my father while he visited wounded soldiers. Although it is priceless to me, I am interesting in knowing its actual value.

_Kay Johnson, Clarendon Hills, Ill.

A. American Regionalist painter Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975) is famous for the murals he painted in the 1930s and as the teacher of painter Jackson Pollock. Though Benton made propaganda posters during World War II, there is no record of his going to visit war veterans. The signature on your drawing varies from those Benton signatures listed for comparison, so if you were to consign this piece for auction, it would most likely be listed as a work "Attributed to Benton." Since landscapes are generally of greater interest to collectors than portraits, this portrait might fetch $500.

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(Leslie Hindman is the author of the recently published "Adventures at the Auction" and host of two HGTV shows. She welcomes letters but cannot reply to them individually. Send photos of object (sorry we can't return them) with identifying marks visible, a brief history, and your daytime phone number to: Home & Garden, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, Attn: What's It Worth?)

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PHOTO (from KRT Photo Service, 202-383-6099): WHATSITWORTH