A visitor to G. West “Westy” Saltonstall’s office could be forgiven for thinking he had mistakenly stumbled into a small gallery of maritime Americana. While marine-oriented, Westy’s esoteric nautical collection ranges from old cigar boxes to paintings to clocks and reflects his love of country, Old Ironsides and his Boston family heritage. Read More +
Resurrection’s a feat fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli would appreciate after dying nearly 40 years ago in 1973. Talk about a revival. Elsa Schiaparelli’s come back to life. It’s positively Surreal. Read More +
Enter your favorite antiques collecting story in the 4th annual Antique Trader Favorite Finds contest for a chance to win a $500 auction credit from Heritage Auctions! This year’s runner-up entry will win a 10-volume reference library courtesy of Krause Publications. It’s free to enter and every participant receives a free copy of the Nov. 14, 2012, cover-dated magazine in which the stories are shared! Read More +
Santo Domingo pottery doesn’t yet rank with San Ildefonso or Santa Clara among Pueblo art collectors but its relative rarity among American art pottery makes finding an early piece satisfying. Learn why now is a great time to buy early examples: Pueblo pottery is selling for about 50 percent less than it was selling for 10 years ago. Read More +
Whether we live in a tract house or a country estate, a trailer or a condo with a patio, we can use antiques and collectibles outside to mold our outdoor world into a thing of beauty. Here are some of the popular antique garden trends as seen by retailers this year. Read More +
A reader wonders how to identify a Japanese Sumida Gawa bowl and another gets a free appraisal of an odd steel lock box with built-in alarm. Read More +
One of the most talented (and imitated) artists working in California in the 1940s and 1950s was Hedwig “Hedi” Schoop (1906-1996). She designed and modeled almost every piece in her line. Though her ceramic creations include vases, plates, bowls, ashtrays and other forms, Schoop’s figurines of men and women are the most popular with collectors. Read More +
In this exclusive interview with Antique Trader, Harpo Marx’s son shares intimate details on life with dad and The Marx Bros. Vintage Marx Bros. memorabilia remains some of the most-prized collectors’ items from that era, with Harpo Marx’s iconic hat and wig selling for $45,000 last year. Read More +
The U.S. Postal Service today issued the 45-cent weathervanes first-class mail stamps in five designs featuring a photograph of eye-catching 19th century weathervanes made in the United States. All the weathervanes featured are part of Shelburne Museum’s collection: a cow, an eagle, two roosters and a centaur. Read More +
A selection of top lots of antique glass and contemporary paperweights sold by James D. Julia Auctioneers, Dec. 1-2, 2011 in Fairfield, Maine. Read More +