Feature stories

Stoneware: The Tupperware of the 19th century

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Stoneware is described in Webster’s dictionary as “an opaque pottery that is fired at a high temperature, non porous, that may be glazed and that is commonly made from a single clay.”

How I got into toasters

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In 1967 I was working for the Washington State Library, transporting books among a score of libraries in five counties in southwest Washington. I would drive the route twice a week and stop for lunch along the route to snoop around thrift shops.

Sew there! Buttons can be a window on history

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It’s not difficult to recognize buttons as miniature works of art. They can be simple, as seen in a faceted black glass button, or they can be elaborate, as in a carved Bethlehem pearl button.

A year after Katrina

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Through extensive media coverage, the public gradually became aware that the area of New Orleans most heavily frequented by visitors survived Hurricane Katrina in far better shape than certain residential neighborhoods.

Questions and Common Sense Answers: Glass has evolved over the years

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Q. I have noticed that the glass in some of my older pieces of furniture and even in some old houses is very wavy and distorted. Is this because the glass is old? Does it deteriorate with time like finishes?

Masters of Mesh: The Dennis and Terri LaMothe Collection is the largest mesh collection to come to auction

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A 30-year odyssey started with a boyfriend trying to impress his girl. It was in the mid-1970s when Dennis LaMothe was walking with his then-girlfriend, Terri, past a Merle Norman window display. Inside was a shimmering gold top, sleek and sexy and fashioned from delicately bound metal mesh.

Historic Property: Federal-style brick Colonial with guest cottage

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Built circa 1825 in Stockbridge, Mass., as a parsonage, this Federal-style brick colonial retains all the charm and character of an earlier era.

Spinning wheels � the classic antique

Thu, 22 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

No artifact of the past symbolizes antiques like the spinning wheel. Once found in virtually every household, these textile tools of the past are now difficult, but not impossible to find.

On Pawn Stars it�s all business

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

LAS VEGAS – Rick Harrison was playing Antiques Roadshow before Antiques Roadshow was cool. For the last 21 years, his father’s Las Vegas pawn shop saw all manner of quirky characters looking for some history and value behind their antiques, fine art and collectibles.

Collector selling Archie #1 as marriage proposal looms

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

RIVERDALE - The world’s longest lasting love triangle is about to end. Or is it? Archie Comics has announced that with issue No. 600 of the 68-year old comic book series, Archie Andrews is going to pop the question; he finally decides to settle down and propose to his longtime pursuit Veronica Lodge, to the heartbreak of hometown favorite Betty Cooper.

Alan Young and the lovable Mister Ed

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Alan Young is most recognized for his role as Wilbur Post in the classic 1960s television series Mister Ed, where his beautiful palomino horse talks and engages him in a series of zany comedic situations.

Hats of yesteryear

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

While hats may not have the fashion status they once did, some of the classic examples from the past still enjoy some popularity today.

Ask Antique Trader: Color of faux mahogany hard to change

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Fred Taylor gives readers tips on antique furniture care and identification.

Imagination takes form: Collectible action figures prove popular through the decades

Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Collecting toys has gone through some dramatic changes, but the premise of collecting remains the same—holding onto something from childhood that brings a smile to your face every time you see it.

Ask Antique Trader: Boss Tweed still pocketing cash

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Antique Detective Anne Gilbert answers reader questions about their antique and collectible items.

Collecting classic cookbooks: Repasts from the past

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What makes a cookbook collectible? It’s a question we are often asked, and one for which the answer depends on who’s collecting and why.

Collecting vintage cameras: See what develops

Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I first spotted vintage cameras while attending auctions as a kid. Old Brownies and other common cameras were often available for a song.

Me and Hot Wheels � How it all began

Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

My dad was an auto body man and sometimes I would get to go with him to the shop. I saw a lot of cars and trucks as I was growing up.

Remembering Ben Chapman, the Creature from the Black Lagoon

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Creature From the Black Lagoon has left an indelible mark on motion picture history. The movie opened a new vista for the future of underwater filmmaking, and the title menace was the last of the great Universal Monster creations, following in the footsteps of Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Mummy, and The Wolf Man.

Ask Antique Trader: Unusual adjustable slag glass lamp a real find

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Antique Trader editor Eric Bradley answers readers' questions about their antiques.

Speaking of Dolls: The up side of a down economy is low prices

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When you listen to the news, watch it on television or read the newspaper, you wonder if there is a “silver lining” anywhere. Well, if you are a collector and have some savings set aside, now is a good time for buying.

Collecting store displays

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Thinking about childhood trips to stores reminds me not only of all of the toys I saw but also of all of the displays and dioramas used to promote the toys.

Henry Ford�s funny flivver inspired a generation

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Whether the form was stories, post cards, joke books and songs, movies, serious literature and poems or just the 15 seconds of fame, the Model T was constantly talked about, pictured or portrayed.

Shear Delight: Scherenschnitte

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Scherenschnitte. Just attempting to pronounce this idiom is guaranteed to challenge the most talented tongue-twister enthusiast. The word, pronounced shair-en-shnit-teh, means scissor cuts or paper snippings in German, and it’s the art of paper cutting designs.

Woodworking tools evoke images of lost era

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Old woodworking tools offer an advantage to collectors by playing a dual role. For some people, collecting old tools because of their usefulness, as well as their craftsmanship, is one reason.

Talking Sports: A hobby is born during the Great Depression

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Spectacular, full-color paintings with vivid backgrounds – plus four Babe Ruths – made up Goudey Gum Co. set

Beth's Treasure Part II

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Beth’s discovery of the discarded postcard collection sparked an interest not just in postcard, but in history as well. Reading the postcards sent home from the war gave Beth a new appreciation for the sacrifices made by both the troops and the families they left behind.

Chocolate � delicious, delectable, soothing and collectible

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Cocoa beans were thought to have mighty and magical powers. Wisdom and strength came from eating the cocoa bean. Priests used the beans in rituals and religious ceremonies. They were used as a treatment for fever, coughs and even discomfort during pregnancy.

Sewing baskets: A stitch in time saves nine

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Granted, sewing is not today the household activity of previous generations. But the accompanying sewing basket is making a comeback. As a decorative item, old sewing baskets still are much to behold.

Once a workaday tool, graniteware is now rustic chic

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio – When we think about graniteware (often referred to as enamelware), many of us may reminisce of our childhood days when the entertainment for the evening was watching black and white television.

In the beginning there was Mickey � the rest is history

Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Former President Jimmy Carter once said, “Mickey Mouse is the symbol of goodwill, surpassing all languages and cultures. When one sees Mickey Mouse, they see happiness.”

Marvelous Milagros

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Collectable religious artifacts capture new attention for both their aesthetic and mystical properties

Ask Antique Trader: Reproduction cabinet found for $20 is worth $200

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Antique Trader editor Eric Bradley answers reader questions about their antique and collectible finds.

Collectible fruit jars preserve the past

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As we begin our journey into the 21st century, there are many things we now take for granted that were of great importance to our forebears. One of them is the home canning jar or fruit jar.

1967 The summer of love

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In 1967 I was twenty years old, in the middle of college, and facing the Vietnam draft. So I have paid nostalgic attention to the 40th anniversary of one of the great cultural events of my generation.

General Guides Open Doors

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In today’s diverse world of antiques and collectibles a good identification and price guide can help you avoid selling something for less than it’s worth, misidentifying a piece, or not knowing a reproduction from the real deal – and paying more than you should.

Ask Antique Trader: Mirror-Mirror, lovely and tall ...

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Once only available for the wealthy, beautiful antique mirrors reflect their value. Barbara Eash provides values and background information.

Take these postcards with a grain of salt

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The history of salt is the history of the earth. More than 500 million years ago many areas of the globe were under the vast oceans. As the sea retreated from the land mighty deposits of salt were left behind, often hundreds of feet thick.

The art of antique hair jewelry

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

From Samson to Medusa to Rapunzel, hair, across many cultures, has often been imbued with mythological powers. Hair often holds sentimental value as well.

Remembering Medal of Honor heroes

Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Antique Trader remembers three World War II and two contemporary Medal of Honor recipients

Antique Detective: Ugly vase is example of beauty in the eye of the beholder

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Q. I bought this vase at a yard sale for $3. I was attracted by its ugliness. Another customer took me aside and said I’d got a deal on this pottery. Can you tell me what I bought? – B.A., Wolliston, Mass.

More than pastels � Hull Pottery

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Classic Hull Pottery has such a strong collector base that bargains are hard to find. Go to any auction, antique show, or flea market and you’ll find yourself competing with serious Hull collectors.

The jewel of Texas Hill Country � Fredericksburg

Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Christmas at Graceland

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Situated on 14 acres just ten minutes away from downtown Memphis, the white-columned estate that once belonged to Elvis Presley is the second most visited home in America, after the White House.

Antique Detective: Collectible kachina dolls have a history

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

You have probably seen kachina dolls if you have visited crafts shows and museums in the Southwest. You may have seen the colorful figures offered at auctions around the country.

Postcards tell of disaster in Texas City

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Images from disasters and other major events are sent around the world so quickly today that it’s easy to forget the limitations of news coverage before the information highway was built.

Postcard Album Update: Other baseball cards

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

For those who love baseball collectibles but find the traditional “bubblegum” cards too pricey or too commercial, there’s a pleasant alternative: BASEBALL POSTCARDS.

Vintage Leap Year Postcards

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Bachelors have long been the butt of much humor – some of it burlesque, some of it dark. To help alleviate their condition and allow them to escape the fate traditionally assigned to lonely, single men, legend and folklore give maidens the right to pop the question themselves once every four years.

The candlestick telephone

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Alexander Graham Bell had no idea what his communication device would turn into—or the effect it would have on civilization.

Postcards help preserve an Old World folk art: fan-carving

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Postcards are being used to help preserve an almost lost folk art, that of fan-carving. The most culturally significant fan-carved item is the fan bird.

The Aztec World � A Unique View of a Mighty Empire in exclusive exhibition at Field Museum

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Field Museum’s newest exhibition, The Aztec World, gives visitors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the otherworldly grandeur and sophistication of one of history’s great civilizations.

Mechanical banks, Disneyana, eBay charity records fall

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As the political world and the U.S. dollar continue to inspire uncertainty, pop culture collectibles continue to offer solid performance, historical insights and simple enjoyment. Whether one is a player in the marketplace, an casual observer or simply a history buff, these are interesting times.

Chair tourist attraction opening in Stone Mountain Village

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. – Barbara Hartsfield has opened The Collectible & Antique Chair Gallery on Main Street. The facility features a unique three-room museum with a gift shop housed in a building constructed in the early 1900s.

Art DuckO exhibit celebrates North Carolina waterfowl

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Traditions of duck hunting and decoy making are brought to life at the Museum of the Albemarle in a new exhibit entitled, “Art DuckO: Waterfowl Culture in North Carolina.”

PEZ: 92 years and counting

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Invented in 1948, the PEZ dispenser has been around for 60 years. The candy itself has an even longer history dating back some 20 years prior to this event.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

...and in a small Colorado town, a young collector is amassing volumes of Star Wars memorabilia

You go girl! At 50, Barbie still shines brightest

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Little could Ruth Handler have realized her first attempt at doll making would help create not only a fabulous doll, but also a touchstone of cultural politics and one of the most amazing success stories in the history of children’s toys. Not bad for a woman who was simply trying to give her daughter something fun to play with.

A primer on furniture styles

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Learn about the sometimes subtle differences in various styles of furniture, and some history about them too!

When the hero was a horse

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In the 1920s and 1930s animal actors were often big stars featured in lengthy movie fan magazine articles. They “sent” photographs of themselves (signed, of course, by their owners or their press secretaries) to their fans who wrote in to request them.

Stan and Ollie: Laurel and Hardy make popular collectibles

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Combine a thin, likeable British-born comedian with a rotund, happy-go-lucky American-born entertainer, add the element of silent films in the 1920s and the result is the comedy team of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.

French flea markets hit hard

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The French trade in antiques and collectibles (and other second hand goods) is strictly regulated. All French resident dealers must be licensed by their local town council and maintain strictly controlled records of stock. There’s no escape. Not now.

Feeling good in Philadelphia

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Antiques Week in Philadelphia brings the finest examples of Americana to one of the most historically significant cities in our country.

Bewitching stitching: Historic needlework samplers

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Girls’ handiwork of centuries past is now prized as historical records.

Postcard Album Update: Real photos make fun postcards

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What does a photographer do when times are tough and competition is stiff? Those who survive use their imaginations and offer a little something extra. This is certainly what professionals did during the postcard craze of the early 1900s.

Furniture details: Did You Know?

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Furniture detail education on dovetailing and cabochons.

Ask Antique Trader: Pretty pickle caster

Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Ask Antique Trader: Anne Gilbert answers reader questions about their antiques. This week: Want a pickle? Take a look at this blue cut glass relish stand

The Antique Detective: Revival furniture styles pose problems

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It may look like a chair made in the 17th century Baroque style but in actuality it can be one of the many furniture style revivals made over the years and in many countries. Would you know the difference?

Man turns childhood home into classy antiques shop

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. – The adage goes that you can’t go home again. But if you’ve got a savvy business plan, you can probably make it turn a profit.

French doll shatters world auction record

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

ATLANTA –A rare French doll sculpted by artist Albert Marque sold for $263,000 and set a new world record July 12 at a Theriault’s Auctions during the United Federation of Doll Clubs’ national convention.

Risqu� bisque: Mermaids, sea nymphs, and bathing beauties

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

German bathing beauties and sea-maidens are part of the category of antique dolls referred to as “naughties.”

Get on board with Lionel trains

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Remember the old adage, “Necessity is the mother of invention”? Those words certainly ring true when you’re speaking of Joshua Lionel Cowen (a.k.a. Joshua Lionel Cohen). In 1901, he developed the first Lionel train

Historic Property: Molly Smith Thompson House can be saved for $19,000 (plus restoration)

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Located on North Virginia Street in Goldsboro’s Historic District, the Molly Smith Thompson House is one of five properties, all adjacent to one another, that Preservation North Carolina has recently purchased.

Rare beauty under glass: A look at fine antique paperweights

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Collectors of antique glass paperweights rightly consider their pursuit to be the one of the world’s best-kept secrets. Most antique paperweights were made by one of three French factories, as a sideline, for just 10-15 years in the mid-1800s, and most collectors agree that only about 30,000-50,000 remain today.

Robots an all-time classic of early postwar toys

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In the years following World War II, particularly the late ’40s, ’50s and early ’60s, toys in America realized the same resurgence of energy as the country they occupied.

Collecting local milk bottles

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The image of the milkman delivering bottles of milk and cream to the door is forever etched on the mind of most – even those of us too young to remember such deliveries.

From Sweet 16 to 40+ - Die-Cast Dreams Are Forever

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The paint jobs are radical and righteous, the designs are straight from the playbook of the cruisers of the time, and the wheels – oh those wheels. Hot Wheels™ are much more than toy cars; they are pocket-sized automotive art, designed for beauty and built for great speed, especially on that classic orange track. At the same time, their affordability makes these iconic racers a perfect way for new collectors to get their start.

Leave your boots at the door, Jack

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The boot jack is a utilitarian device used to remove boots. The many designs patented during the last half of the 19th century show a pride in how items looked as well as how they worked. Thus we have an American art form that has survived to the present day.

Venetian masks

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Throughout the ages, masks have starred in Greek drama, sent men roaring down the warpath, summoned otherworldly spirits, and figured in initiation, healing, and funereal rites. Masks have also masked a multiplicity of duplicity.

What�s cooking? Nostalgia and memories drive popularity of kitchen collectibles

Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The kitchen is the heart of the home and many people have fond memories of sitting in granny’s kitchen, watching her use a variety of utensils to handle the cooking and baking chores at hand.

The rocky road to color photography

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Before a way was finally found to achieve affordable, reproducible color photos, attempts were made that – while ultimately futile – produced beautiful and collectible results.

Wildlife art: Finally getting respect

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Since the earliest known paintings are the remarkably lifelike figures of animals discovered deep inside the prehistoric caverns of France, wildlife art can claim a pedigree considerably longer than portraiture, the still life or any other subject matter available to artists.

Oklahoma: The land they belong to is grand

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

When the state’s first oil well was drilled here in 1897, a huge oil boom followed. The city’s largest employer remains Conoco-Phillips, founded in 1917 as Phillips Petroleum.

Playing for keeps

Thu, 22 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Those growing up in the mid-1900s probably recall springs when marble bags came out of hibernation. “Knuckling down” wasn’t getting busy with homework, but getting your knuckles on the ground, ready to shoot.

Thimbles, American style

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A rainbow of thread, scissors, needles, stray buttons, and somewhere near the bottom, a solitary thimble … sewing basket recollections. By happenstance, some of those lonely thimbles managed to roll their way from one generation’s basket to the next.

Collecting Feature: Family traditions

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Every Sunday was a treasure hunt as my parents and I explored flea markets and antique stores high and low in search of Royal Doulton Flambé and Nippon porcelain.

Collecting Little Orphan Annie

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Collectors enchanted by early comic characters struggle, oftentimes, to find items featuring their favorites. To find toys based on "Polly and Her Pals" or "Little Jimmy," however popular those strips were in their day, must take some dedicated digging ...

Speaking of Dolls: Metal in their bodies shows invention and innovation in the world of dolls

Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The doll world is not only a world of fantasy and fun but also a hotbed of invention and innovation. Doll makers and manufacturers are constantly searching for something that is cheaper, more moldable, more realistic or just unique.

Coke collector doesn�t believe in �restoration�

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Orlando, Fla., collection spans more than 100 years of Coca-Cola’s impact

Pie Birds

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye, begins a well known 18th century nursery rhyme, four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie. But is this just a rhyme?

The old shell game: Pysanky eggs

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Simply put, Pysanky is a batik style of art on eggshells otherwise known as Ukrainian egg decoration – a custom focused around the Easter season.

Speaking of Dolls: Recession? What recession?

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

My husband and I attend or participate in doll shows, auctions and appraisal clinics throughout the United States and these past four months have been interesting.

Step right up!

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The most important collection of circus memorabilia to hit the market in a decade available during the auction of the William Brinley Collection of Circus Memorabilia.

A cut above: Exquisite, brilliant Heisey

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Exquisite, finest, brilliant … words you come across repeatedly in reference to Heisey glassware. Whether browsing through the company’s formative years or reading current descriptions, those adjectives continuously jump off the page.

Collecting North American Indian artifacts

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Unlike many other material cultural items from European and American societies with which collectors are familiar, Native American artifacts are much more difficult to locate for a variety of reasons including the following:

Northeast's weather vanes are �older now and still runnin� against the wind�

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Life on the farm in the 18th and 19th centuries was often harsh as a northeast wind in late November. A farmer could suddenly have his prize cow go dry, his best horse pull up lame or his beloved dog die. Barnyard animals came and went, but one constant high above the milieu was the weather vane.

Ask Antique Trader: No signature on lampshade makes difference in value

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Anne Gilbert, The Antiques Detective, answers Antique Trader readers' questions about their antiques.

The Lalique mystique still captivates collectors

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

To say that René Lalique was a gifted artist is something of an understatement. Lalique was that rare combination of design genius and prolific innovator, whose creations brought him acclaim during his lifetime, and whose legacy is still the focus of collector fascination today.

Still Smokin�: Firefighting toys

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Fire-fighting toys have been around almost as long as fire fighting itself

Life down on the farm�Farm collectibles

Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Collecting farm memorabilia can take you on a long trip down Memory Lane. It is often the gathering of the memories and the search for the items that is more fun than the items themselves. Yes, value is important, but so is history. Farming’s long history provides many collecting avenues and categories.

Cameos: Treat yourself like royalty

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I recently discovered I have something in common with Napoleon … and it’s not the urge to control countries. It is the appreciation of cameos.

Quebec Winter Carnival: Where cold has created a climate of fun since 1894

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Québec Winter Carnival claims title to the world’s largest such event, one that attracts some million visitors willing to brave freezing temperatures. This Canadian pre-Lent festival is ranked as the world’s third largest carnival, just behind the Mardi Gras celebrations

Home sweet mail-order home

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Internet has caused many mail order catalogs to take second place to a mouse-click buying experience. But in the early part of the 20th century, buying by mail order was the equivalent of buying on the Internet today.

Vintage knives: More blades mean more fun

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Few knives in the world are as instantly recognizable as the red-handle, multi-blade Swiss Army Knife (SAK). Manufactured for over a century, it has shown up in the most unlikely of places, and is carried not only by soldiers but also students, handymen, professionals, travelers and knife enthusiasts across the planet.

Hey buddy, got a light?

Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

At one time, when smoking cigarettes was much more popular than today, nearly every other person carried either matches or a cigarette lighter.

Ask Antique Trader: Renaissance Revival server great for storage

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Author and appraiser Mark F. Moran answers Antique Trader reader questions about their antiques.

Light My Fire! Zippo the first name in lighters

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

George Grant Blaisdell was born on June 5, 1895, in Bradford, Pa. In 1931, at the Bradford Country Club, Mr. Blaisdell met a gentleman who was using a lighter made in Austria. The lighter worked exceptionally well, especially in the wind; however, it required the use of both hands.

NY State malls helping shoppers justify purchases

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

PENFIELD, N.Y. – Consumers continue to buy the vintage kitchen items – some dating to the Great Depression of the 1930s – that Mary Merz has on display in her booth at the All That Jazz Antique Co-op in Penfield.

Antique Detective: Table�s value is iffy

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

My mom gave me this table 18 years ago. I don’t know the history, only that it appears to be a hutch table and is put together mainly by a dowel system.

Soda pop shop: Soda and malt shops conjure up images of the past

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Do you remember that first vanilla malted you ever had down at the local soda fountain? How about a cherry Coke or a root beer float?

Toys of the �80s highlight latest edition of Toys & Prices

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

By the time this issue reaches newsstands, “Toys & Prices 2010, 17th Edition” will have been gobbled up by toy enthusiasts either at bookstores or online for nearly a month. (But plenty of copies are still available!) In addition to new toys and updated prices, one of the features that has people talking is the 16-page color section that focuses on toys from the 1980s.

AntiqueSpider.com welcomes trade in legal antique ivory

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

NEW YORK – AntiqueSpider.com, a Web site devoted to art and antiques, debuted Feb. 1. Though the site is immediately directed at buyers and sellers of antique ivory, its founder, Marcus Antebi, says AntiqueSpider.com won’t be an ivory tower.

Gadgets, gizmos and thingums

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Old, odd and unique. That could be an antique shop, the collection of postcards with this article, or the owner of a business. Actually, it describes all three.

What's new with antique bottle collecting

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Quite often I’m asked, “What’s new in the world of bottle collecting?” In one word, everything!

A Spin on Dreydls

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

What child hasn’t spun around like a top, arms extended, then fallen to the ground in delightful dizziness? Who hasn’t watched, mesmerized, as a pebble spins down a riverbank, or an acorn tumbles to the ground, spinning on its axis before rolling to a stop?

Thousands swarm to Grand Rapids for Antiques Roadshow television taping event

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

More than 27,000 requests were made to attend the anticipated big television event of the year in Grand Rapids, Mich., but when the dust settled only 3,400 pairs of tickets were granted, all by random drawing.

Portable Pricing for Hot Wheels and McCoy

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Affordably priced, hundreds of color photos, up-to-date secondary pricing, all in a book you can easily tote to shows, shops, or rummage sales. What’s not to love? That’s what you get, and so much more, with Hot Wheels and McCoy Pottery, the newest additions to Krause Publications’ Warman’s® Companion series.

Paper treasures of the home front

Thu, 22 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

While the term home front traces its origins to the early 1900s, it is most commonly associated with World War II. Its historical context defines the life and times of Americans who endured the grim years of the early 1940s.

World War II collectibles: Medals lead in popularity

Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Medals are, by far, the most common military souvenir from World War II. All the participant nations minted and awarded medals in one form or another.

The Russian connection: Faberg� silver at M.S. Rau Antiques

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

NEW ORLEANS – M.S. Rau Antiques announces its recent discovery and acquisition of an extremely rare sterling silver flatware service by the legendary Fabergé.

Spooky delights: Halloween collectibles

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

One of my most vivid boyhood memories is of walking up to Winslow Elementary School for the Fall Festival. The festival always coincided with Halloween.

Vintage baby and stork postcard history

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Why were storks picked by artists to bring new babies to waiting parents? Knowing stork behavior and cultural history regarding storks, makes the answer clear.

Speaking of Dolls: Do you know Billi?

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In Missouri in 1908, art teacher and illustrator Florence Pretz had a dream. In this dream, she imagined magical creatures in mystical forms.

Economy may boost vintage Halloween collectibles

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A sluggish economy and rolling unemployment have failed to spook avid collectors of nostalgic Halloween memorabilia as 16.4 percent of Americans prepare to craft their own costumes this season.

Collectible tools and farm memorabilia

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

When I think of antiques, tools aren’t the first thing to come to mind. Stoneware, country furniture, Victorian porcelain and old quilts yes, but tools? No. Then, I think back ...

Antique stoves: Where the hearth is

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Californian Jack Santoro can play 11 instruments and sing, but almost 40 years ago, the professional musician’s tune changed a bit. He gave up the heat and passion of a Hollywood music career for the heat and passion found in antique stoves.

Burning stones: Mining history tells a dark tale

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Despair settled in the grimy creases of a face made old through wear. His lungs sucked heavy dust with every breath, his bones deformed from repetitive labor. His hands are cut, and often bleed from handling thousands of stone shards. The boy is 8 years old and for whatever reason he has been sold to the “company store” to live and probably die in a coal mine.

Fill up the tank, check the oil: Antique gas pumps

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

While some will credit Sylvanus F. Bowser with the invention of the gas pump, the gas pump was never invented – it evolved. Its evolution was influenced by two factors: the size of the pump and the meter.

Collecting the World�s First Typewriters

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Collecting antique typewriters from the 1880s and 1890s has been a wonderful experience for me over the years. My collection is really just the tip of the iceberg though, as literally hundreds of distinct collectible typewriters were manufactured during this time.

Ask Antique Trader: Cheers! Robj liquor decanters worth $900

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Antique Detective Anne Gilbert answers reader questions about their antique and collectible items.

Warman�s features perfume containers

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The earliest known perfume containers date back more than 4,000 years.

All in the family

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Colin Waye has a collection of century-old postcards that his grandfather, a sea captain, sent back from his travels before he was lost at sea in 1917.

Ask Antique Trader: These mugs have come a long way

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Linda Roberts of White Orchid Appraisals answers reader questions about their antique treasures.

Scents and sensibility: Collecting perfume bottles

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

People collect two kinds of perfume bottles – decorative and commercial.

Antique Trader Favorite Finds Contest Wraps

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Lost jewels! Found treasure! Cookie jar collectors! Readers share their memories in Antique Trader’s Favorite Yard Sale Finds Contest

Deck the halls at Gurnee Antique Center

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

GURNEE, Ill. – The Gurnee Antique Center is having its annual Holiday Sale Dec 6-12. The week-long event will offer Special Discounts and Holiday Treats. Grandpa Dave, the woodcarver, will make a special appearance, and many of the dealers will have seasonal displays.

Duck decoys fly beyond utility: they�re art

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The origin of the decoy in America as we know it today lies in early American history, but not with the early settlers as might be reasonably assumed.

In European antiques trade, timing is everything

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Victor Werner is the kind of antique dealer that collectors from America hope they’ll encounter on a visit to Europe: Gregarious and enthusiastic about his trade, he is eager to provide the stories for his pieces, which range from classical to quirky.

Bite into Halloween postcards

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

No, this is not an article about vampires although, the new myth-expanding HBO series True Blood has generated curiosity. Instead, focus your attention on apples – commonplace apples – which appear frequently on antique Halloween postcards.

Kentucky Derby is queen of horse racing

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Run on the first Saturday in May, the Kentucky Derby tests the mettle and stamina of three year old thoroughbreds at Churchill Downs, the fabled track in Lexington, Ky.

[The Postcard Life] Dr. John Brinkley: Quite the quack

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

One of the great personalities of American medical quackery is a fascinating, ne’er-do-well egomaniacal character named John Brinkley.

Home Again Antiques makes friends of its customers

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

“There is something about people who love antiques and antiquing that creates friendships out of customers,” said Jan Peel, owner with husband Dick of Home Again Antiques in Aurora, Ore.

The Dionne Quints: Their survival odds were one in 57 million

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The word “millions” pops up frequently with any mention of the Dionne Quintuplets who riveted the attention of millions of people the world over once it became evident they would survive the astonishing circumstances of their birth, May 24, 1934.

Modern art movements relegated the queen�s paintings to the attic

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Britain’s long reigning and beloved Queen Victoria had barely been laid to rest before the backlash began. With her randy son Edward VII on the throne and setting an example on both sides of the Atlantic, mores began to loosen, and by the end of World War I the Western world was in full revolt against the Victorian Age.

Bronze and ivory: Figures from the Ballet Russes dance to top prices

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Eager Russian collectors paid top prices at Sotheby’s April 16 sale of bronze and ivory sculptures in New York this month. These figures from the 1920s and ’30s are once again in vogue among a younger generation of collectors.

It�s turkey season

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Who’s a turkey? I’m not sure when the term came into use, indicating that the receiver of the slur was as goofy as a turkey … but guess what? It isn’t a fair assessment of the American wild turkey who can be quite wily, especially when pursued by hunters.

How about a little history? The Quad Cities� quirks

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Quad Cities region is nestled on the only section of the Mississippi River that runs East to West. This may cause confusion for visitors who think they are still heading North or South - the natural flow of the River.

Lyndon Johnson Postcards

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Collecting postcards of American Presidents, First Ladies and their homes offers an opportunity to relive or reflect upon major events in American history. It’s an affordable and fun way to learn about how our nation’s first families lived.

Growing Passion for Pulp Fiction

Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Alluring and scandalous, sometimes tawdry, and most definitely innovative, the world of pulp fiction literature is rich with eye-catching artistry and tempting and trying tales involving rough and tumble leading men, vexing vixens and masked heroes. Once, a relatively inexpensive and popular form of literary entertainment in the 1920s, today pulp fiction is a popular topic drawing interest from collectors, historians, writers, and artists. Learn how you can save 30% or more on books about pulp fiction at the collect.com shop!

Remembering Helen Keller

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Helen Keller was born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Ala. Her parents were Captain Arthur Keller, a former Confederate Army officer, and his wife, Kate, who was a cousin to Robert E. Lee.

Hawaiian postcards say "Aloha"

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hawaii became a unique tourist attraction early in the 20th century just as postcards were becoming firmly established as a means of colorful promotion and communication.

Fishing collectibles � Reel them in

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Charlotte, N.C. Memories stirred by antique tackle are often larger and more lingering than tales of fish that got away

Banking on Books

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The city of Baltimore is honoring one of its own literary legends, Edgar Allan Poe not with the mere naming of a street, a library or a school, but by hosting a year long celebration called “Nevermore 2009.” The name references the famous line from Poe’s classic “The Raven,” a highly-sought after and rarely seen selection among collectors.

New value found in old publications

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

No antique furniture enthusiast, whether, dealer, collector or just interested observer, ever has enough resource material on the subject at hand.

Scenes of the Mother Country

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

America’s mother country is England and England has a long history that has been the topic of thousands of learned tomes, general histories and other research. And postcards.

Drink up � Coca-Cola collectors have good taste

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

People enjoy collecting Coca-Cola memorabilia for many reasons. One of the greatest attractions is the wide range of collectibles available. There are many different areas of collecting, but most collectors will collect anything with the famous Coca-Cola logo.

Antique Detective: Vintage paper doll collections still come to market

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Surprisingly collections of uncut vintage paper dolls are not only around but can be reasonably priced, depending where you find them.

What's Old Is Always New Again

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Be it antique brooches, vintage rings, or costume jewelry necklaces and watches, there's a multitude of it up for sale, set for auction, and the features at shows and auctions as summer winds down. Among auction houses, sales of famed designs by the likes of Cartier and Buccellati, and late Victorian and Edwardian pieces are generating top-dollar interest. While online powerhouse bidding board, eBay, presently lists more than 110 costume jewelry pieces.

Welcome to the New AntiqueTrader.com

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the brand new AntiqueTrader.com! From this hub, you can view hundreds of articles, photo galleries and videos from Antique Trader magazine. You will also find breaking news and feature articles directly related to the antiques marketplace.

Mel's Musings: Strings attached

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

If, while browsing in a flea market, antique shop or junk store, you may happen upon a small figural item with a hollow back and a tiny hole somewhere in the front. It might have the face of a human or animal.

The game is afoot! Who is Arthur Conan Doyle?

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

“Elementary, my dear Watson.” While it’s commonly believed that Sherlock Holmes uttered those words, you won’t find that quote in any of the published stories that Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about the famous English consulting detective.

Transferware china: Blue Willow is just the beginning

Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Transferware china is among the most beautiful china ever produced. It’s highly collectible and often highly valuable, but affordable pieces can still be found.

Kyle on Antiques: Reader has the identical (almost) lamps

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Another installment of Kyle on Antiques

Charlie Chan, international man of mystery

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Discover the colorful history of one character behind his movie posters

Antique tractors still going full throttle

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A sputtering economy has failed to throttle back a collecting boom in antique tractor sales as more investors seek safer bets with old farm equipment.

Eye on Art Nouveau Jewelry

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Art Nouveau jewelry brings with it a radical representation of emotions, natural elements and ideas. An innovation in art when the movement began at the turn of the 20th century, its appeal is unquestionable and timeless.

Willett Furniture: Once a regional favorite, its popularity is spreading

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

About nine years ago, college professor David Debertin moved to Lexington, Ky., from North Dakota, and discovered the work of Consider H. Willett, a Louisville furniture company defunct since 1962.

Mel's Musings: The iceman cometh!

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

During the latter part of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, iceboxes were regarded as an item of furniture.

Privy to history

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Digging 19th century outhouses for historic glass

It�s play time: How my hobby became my passion

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I am one of those kids that never grew up. Like most children, I had wonderful memories of unwrapping toys that unlocked my imagination and opened up new worlds to me.

On the Toy Trail: Uncle Wiggily Longears!

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Of all the old-time storybook characters, this dapper gentleman rabbit, with his top hat, coattails and button-up vest, remains one of the most familiar to us, here in the 2000s.

Depression glass collecting continues to evolve

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This exclusive excerpt on the evolving nature of Depression glass collecting is from the new book Warman’s Depression Glass, 5th Edition (Krause Publications) by Ellen Schroy.

Collecting pieces of the past � quilts

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A quilt is a very specific being. Technically, a quilt is made up of three layers: a top, which can be a solid piece of fabric, appliquéd, pieced or a combination;

Golden days of movie magazines

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As early as the 1890s, Americans began reading about the new “moving pictures” in general interest publications. A few short-lived periodicals devoted exclusively to “the flickers” appeared and disappeared in the opening years of the 20th century.

Common Sense Antiques: Cleaning wood furniture

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Well, you bought it, got it home, lubed the drawers, leveled the doors and it looks great doesn’t it? Doesn’t it? Maybe it needs something to brighten it up. Maybe it needs refinishing – and maybe it doesn’t.

1930-�40s vintage Hollywood movie star sewing patterns

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Rare vintage sewing patterns from 1930s-’40s by the Hollywood Pattern Company features famous movie stars. These vintage patterns are a treasure trove for the designer or collector.

Interview with Fred Shay: Movie archivist and historian

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The people who made the movies you love to collect get a lot of attention in books and articles. You can find information on just about anyone who ever worked in motion pictures.

Don�t be a Duncan Pfool: Remember to use furniture's correct vocabulary

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Every area of special interest has its own vocabulary and words of common usage. The area of antiques certainly falls in this category with some of its more obscure terms like recamier and bergere. But there are also a number of terms that are quite common in the industry and among these common terms are a significant number that are commonly misused, misspelled or misunderstood.

Botero, �smart, quirky and just outside the norm,� won acclaim for being whimsical

Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Botero is probably the first answer most critics, collectors or curators will give when asked to name a contemporary Latin American artist.

Original King Kong Posters Worth Quarter of a Million Dollars

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The big ape is back on the big screen thanks to Peter Jackson’s remake of the classic 1933 movie, but did he really ever go away?

Shave and a haircut � barbershop collectibles

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A lot of folks remember the old catchy phrase, “shave and a haircut, two bits.” (Two bits is 25 cents, in case you were unaware.)

Pixie-flair: Holt-Howard�s Pixieware �fad� survives 50 years

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to a world of novelty ceramic collectibles from yesteryear. The time was the late 1950s through the early 1960s when so many collectibles were being manufactured in and imported from Japan.

Celebrating 1950s costume jewelry

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Popular costume jewelry of the 1950s reflected a positive outlook and increased economic prosperity.y.

The �young� world of NASCAR collectibles

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The wonderful world of NASCAR collectibles for all of its dimensions and dynamic is a relatively young one. Unlike baseball or football collectibles, which can be traced well back to the 19th century, the National Association of Stock Car Racing (NASCAR)

Celluloid Wonders

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Ask most people what they consider the most significant invention in history and their answers may range from automobile to computer. Ask Julie Robinson, however, and you’ll get a different, and somewhat arguable and curious, response — celluloid.

Research on 15th-century Spanish altarpiece unlocks 500 years of secrets

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

For the first time in the United States, researchers have undertaken an extensive study of a 15th-century Spanish cathedral altarpiece, and in the process, have unlocked 500 years of secrets involving art, literature, history and religion.

Christmas postcards

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The tradition of sending cards dates back a hundred years, perhaps it’s even older. Postcards have long been a way to send holiday cheer to those far away.

Company proves mint-condition toys, action figures a hit with kids of all ages

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Entertainment Earth proves to be entrepreneurial “action figure” as “Bring Hollywood Home™” theme draws collectors in record numbers

Light up the dark with collectible flashlights

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I began collecting flashlights about 1980 when I came across a table with half a dozen unusual old flashlights. They were $3 each and I bought them all.

Collecting political memorabilia - Part II

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Terminology, in the world of political Americana, is very important, as it is in most specialty collecting worlds.

Ask Antique Trader: Art Deco style supports bookends� value

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Barbara Eash answers Antique Trader reader questions about their antiques.

Golf 101 �fore� the non-golfer

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Even if you are not into this pastoral game, golf offers some great collectibles ... and they’re free!

Collectors prop up growing bookend hobby

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Familiar illustrations show medieval monks laboring over one-of-a-kind manuscripts, distant forbearers of modern books. Their painstaking works stayed chained to slanting reading stands or lecterns, accessible only to a privileged few.

Family�s brewing heritage strengthens collecting resolve

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In the 19th century there were thousands of breweries in operation all across America. Brewing was a booming business with stiff regional competition. How did companies get the word out about their brand where there was so much to choose from in the marketplace? By putting their company name on as many promotional products as possible.

Beth's Treasure: Part V

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Beth's discovery of the discarded postcard collection sparked an interest not just in postcard, but in history as well. Reading the postcards sent home from the war gave Beth a new appreciation for the sacrifices made by both the troops and the families they left behind.

Regional Round Up: �Circus capital� also offers antiques

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Antique Trader finds out what's going on in the antiques business in the North.

Brass can be beautiful if you determine basic types

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Most traditional furniture hardware is brass or brass looking but that covers a multitude of sins. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc and is a non-ferrous (no iron or steel) metal.

Blackbeard and the Golden Age of Piracy

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

During the Golden Age of Piracy (1689-1718), rogues pursued their lawless and murderous trade throughout the New World. Restrictive laws passed by the British Parliament had made smuggling acceptable and even desirable in the colonies.

Shall Confederate bonds rise again?

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

When the Civil War erupted in April 1861, the South immediately faced huge financial problems.

Ask Antique Trader: Pullman couch worth a comfy $300-$500

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Fred Taylor, the Furniture Detective, answers questions about antique values.

Bubble gum cards brought big fun in their day

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In the middle of the 20th century they were called bubble gum cards, but they could also be found in a box of cereal or a loaf of bread. The product really wasn’t that important to youngsters, but the colorful cardboard collector cards that came with it were.

Musical postcard records put new spin on collecting

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Pursuing the Marvelous: Spring is coming, and so is baseball

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I have always been attracted to the comic baseball postcards that take the baseball terminology and apply it to other things such as lovers. A Base Hit for example.

Bunnies, buns and bouquets

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Holidays are not all that simple. Many have religious roots that have been converted to secular events and secular events converted to religious ones. Springtide, or Easter seems to be one of the oldest rites celebrating the rebirth of the earth – or resurrection.

The collecting conundrum

Thu, 22 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Have you ever wondered why collectors collect? The mystery has been studied by scholars through the years trying to answer this conundrum. Why collectors collect what they do is another fascinating topic.

King of Toys: Donald Kaufman reflects on a lifetime of collecting

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

VINELAND, N.J. – Donald Kaufman is the man people are talking about when they ask the question: “Who has the money to pay $30,000 for an antique toy car?”

Questions and Common Sense Answers: Elastic storage � stacking bookcases

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Almost every antiques auction sooner or later has one. And almost every mall has at least one filled with “dustables” and breakables.

Boston�s Artifaktori brings an eclectic mix of antiques and vintage clothing to Davis Square

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

BOSTON — Although fashion is known to take more risks in cosmopolitan cities like Paris and New York, vintage shops have slowly been making their way to Boston over the last couple of years.

Top 10 New Year�s resolutions

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It is that time of the year when people make New Year’s resolutions and publications make all sorts of lists: best, worst, favorites and so on, usually consisting of ten items. Why not combine the two and explore the postcard possibilities of illustrating them?

The Dr. Richard Eells House

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Dr. Richard Eells, a Quincy, Ill., abolitionist, lived on the borderline between slavery and freedom during the antebellum period. His house, only blocks away from the Mississippi River, was a stop on the Underground Railroad.

Real Photo Postcards: The beauty of imperfection

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Collectors of real photo postcards are concerned with condition. The term “mint” is applied to a perfect card, a card that is just like it was when it was produced.

When room runs out for the collection, the collection gets another room

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What collector at one time or another hasn’t dreamed of having a separate building or structure for the collection? Just imagine owning a place big and roomy enough for displaying and storing all of your antiques and rarities and where you can play and work with them or just sit back and enjoy the view, history, scarcity, value and memories.

Leave it to Karen: Paper Toys

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Greeting cards, stamps, paper money, post cards, correspondence and stock certificates aren’t the only paper products appealing to collectors in today’s antiques market.

Common Sense Antiques - Depression legacy: enduring terms

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Most Americans alive today did not live through the Great Depression of the 1920s and 1930s and for that we can be glad – just ask anyone who did live through it.

Animal wonderland on postcards

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A huge project is underway to catalog every one of the 1.8 million species on planet earth. According to a BBC News report, this huge Encyclopedia of Life now has 30,000 pages and is scheduled for completion in 2017.

Focus on Toys: Tom Mix

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

For toy collectors just as with collectors of movie memorabilia, the 1930s and ’40s radio and film character named Tom Mix presents an unusual puzzle – because there was more than just one Tom Mix. More than two, even. There were, in fact, seven Tom Mixes.

Peace, Music & Memories of 1969 Revisited

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It may have been 40 years ago, but the memories and music of Woodstock have most definitely stood the test of time. Whether you were there or not, whether you are a collector of memorabilia, a fan of the music, or simply part of the generation that remembers hearing about three days of peace, love and music, you were undoubtedly impacted by Woodstock. Now Woodstock: Peace, Music & Memories takes you there.

Passionate About Pumps

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Despite the recent downward trend in gasoline prices, the fear of filling up and anguish while pulling up to the pump is still a regular response. One of the only places where pumps are greeted with enthusiasm is in the company of gas pump collectors, and those passionate about petroliana ...

The charm of Piano Babies

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Most well-decorated Victorian parlors of the late 1800s and early 1900s had pianos draped with shawls. Something decorative was needed to hold those fabrics in place. From that necessity, piano babies were born.

Sale of stamps brings in millions

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It’s believed that stamp collecting has been around since stamps were first introduced in Great Britain in 1840. Since then many unique, inspiring and innovative stamps have been created, used for postage, and added to collections around the world. For some, like the late Robert H. Cunliffe, stamp collecting is a passion, and as the recent auction of his collection proves, a stamp originally sold for a few cents can possibly be worth millions.

Linens and Beyond: Main Street Masterpieces

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As every postcard collector knows, the same place (railroad depot, restaurant, local view, etc.) can be depicted by photographers in many different ways.

R. Atkinson Fox prints

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As my eyes roved over the merchandise, old and new, at a local household auction, they fell upon an enchanting print in an antique frame. The print was a misty pastoral scene of cows grazing in a forest. I had long searched for just the right print to hang on the wall of my log cabin – this was it!

Tips on buying antique furniture

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Anybody can find antique furniture to fit any decor, from country to contemporary. Let the buyer beware: Reproductions abound in the furniture field. Do your homework to make sure you’re purchasing the real deal

Art Deco sculptures showcase craftsmanship and fluidity

Sun, 17 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Real life heroes on postcards

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Recognizing superheroes on postcards is easy. They sport bright tights and possess special powers. It’s much harder to put together a collection of real life heroes, mainly because everyone’s list of deserving people is different.

Antique Detective: Russel Wright-designed items varied and still around

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The big hunt for Russel Wright “Fiesta” pottery that began in the late 1970s, '80s, has leveled off, as have prices. A new generation of collectors have discovered his designs in aluminum, silver, chrome and plastic as well as furniture and decorative accessories.

Radiance from the Rainforest: Featherwork in Ancient Peru at MMOA

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

“The gloss, splendor, and sheen of this feather cloth is of such exceptional beauty that it must be seen to be appreciated,” wrote Europeans who arrived in Peru in the early 16th century.

Movie Stars Postcards

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When American movies began, there were no movie stars. In the early 1900s during the Nickelodeon era it was almost impossible to get stage actors and actresses to work in the movies.

Our Man In Brussels 2009 - Part II

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

News and images from the 2009 Brussels Antiques & Fine Arts Fair.

Vintage Toys 2

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

How were you first introduced to Roy Rogers?

Once upon a time: The history of Little Golden Books�

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Western Publishing Company, Inc., one of the largest printers of children’s books in the world, had its beginning in the basement of 618 State Street in Racine, Wis.

Collecting military patches

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

For centuries, military insignia has symbolized rank, commanded respect and displayed accomplishments for proud soldiers of all nations.

Ask Antique Trader: Collector pays $40 at garage sale for Tiffany box appraised at more than $1,000

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Anne Gilbert, the Antique Detective, answers Antique Trader reader questions about their valuable - and not-so-valuable - collectibles.

Going for the Gold

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Athens, Greece hosted the first modern Summer Olympic Games in 1896. What started as a small competition for 14 nations has turned in to the world’s largest global sporting event.

Bulletin Board: Preserve your postcard collection

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

How to preserve your postcard collection from storage safety hazard: There are numerous albums and holders available for storing a postcard collection. Almost all will store and attractively display postcards, but the majority will not preserve a collection, and many have the potential to cause serious damage to the cards.

Santa Claus Land: The first theme park?

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Although Santa Claus, Ind., is now best known as the home of Holiday World, its origins are a fascinating piece of Americana that includes being the site of America’s first theme park.

Packers great Jerry Kramer�s long-lost Super Bowl ring pulled from Mastro auction

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

WILLOWBROOK, Ill. — On April 21, Mastro Auctions Inc. halted the sale of a Super Bowl ring once worn by Green Bay Packers all-pro right guard Jerry Kramer.

Museum tours offer another view of Brussels

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When not chronicling the sights, sounds and sales at the Brussels Antiques & Fines Arts Fair, held from Jan. 23 to Feb. 1, a group of American writers also had the chance to visit three museums in this city that has been the cultural and economic crossroads of Europe for centuries.

In the haute seat - cast iron seats

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Cast-iron implement seats that first came into use in the 1850s are enjoying a new popularity, not as functional tools but as objets decoratifs.

Bazaars

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What could be more colorful than an Oriental bazaar? Today, modern marketplaces in many cases stand on ground that once was a caravan stop along the ancient Silk Roads.

Shiny but not new � Let�s talk diners

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It stands as a shiny beacon of a memorable time, a veritable bastion, calling, inviting all peoples to enter and partake of its simple fare. This is the all-American, usually silver, streamlined diner.

Art Markets: Dali collectors proceed with caution

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If you come across a signed work by one of the 20th century’s best known and most influential artists, with a price tag of under $500, you would normally have every reason to suspect a forgery. But if the print bears the signature of Salvador Dali, you might just have a genuine article.

Wes Cowan � In search of history

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Wes Cowan is truly someone you could describe as the salt of the earth. Affable, easy-going, with a rich baritone voice that hints of his Kentucky roots, he makes you feel right at home when you are with him.

Snap, crackle and pop: Handling old glass

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Glass panels are some of the more attractive features of any piece of furniture, especially if the piece is old and the glass is original to the piece and has survived unbroken.

Aloha Vintage

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Despite changes in Hawaii throughout the years, the cultural warmth remains, and the market for Hawaiiana collectibles is still going strong.

Ask Antique Trader: Seldom-seen Cincinnati dog table is valuable Victorian piece

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Antique Detective Anne Gilbert answers reader questions about their antique treasures.

Can labels brought art to the aisles

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

People, at the height of summer long ago, typically ate fresh foods. Like Aesop’s fabled ant, however, they also pared, parched, and preserved victuals for the coming winter.

Wedding collectibles worth trip down the aisle

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

All eyes are riveted on the doorway. From the first notes of Mendelssohn’s Wedding March to the bride’s “something old,” to Aunt Hilda’s wide-brimmed hat, wedding ceremonies, accessories and fashions are steeped in tradition.

Understanding the Underground Railroad: New research changes perceptions

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The National Parks Service Network to Freedom held its third National Underground Railroad Summit in Indianapolis Sept. 16-19. The highlight was the appearance of the dean of the nation’s Underground Railroad historians, Larry Gara, whose ground-breaking work, Liberty Line, published in 1961, changed our perception of the Underground Railroad.

This is your Life

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Magazines are one of today’s most overlooked collectibles. They offer an affordable, readily available way to glance at events, places and people that shaped the past. One of the most popular is Life.

Kringle conveyance

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Santa Claus, as it turns out, is a very adaptable fellow. Legends of a generous cleric, Germanic god, Father Christmas or jolly elf, have existed for centuries.

Speaking of Dolls: Once odd, now interesting

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Remember the Edsel from the 1960s and the Pacer from the ’70s? These items are different, a variation of what is in production. Sometimes they are accepted and become part of production but often these introductions are just a little too odd and after brief exposure are relegated to the back shelf.

World�s oldest rodeo celebrates 120 years

Thu, 22 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Independence Day always has an extra-special meaning in Prescott, Ariz., because that’s when the World’s Oldest Rodeo® is held and attracts some of the top rodeo contestants from around the world.

In the loupe: Gems and jewels

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Jewelry has always been worn for many purposes. In addition to social status, it has served as a memento of loved ones living or dead. It also has a role as decorative and/or functional parts of clothing.

Portrait of Nag�s Head

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In the summer of 1869, Dr. William G. Pool of Elizabeth City, N.C., took his family to the seashore for a few weeks. The place he chose was a small resort called Nag’s Head. It lay on one of the long sand banks separating the ocean from the coast of North Carolina.

Rochester delivers antiques on a global scale

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Rochester, Minn., may be a small city of 100,000 residents, but it welcomes more than 2.5 million visitors each year, largely because of the world-renowned Mayo Clinic.

Politically incorrect postcards push limits

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Warning: Don’t read this if political correctness is your prime objective.

The Kilmer Legacy � 100 percent proof characters

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The day mankind began walking upright he started looking for things to improve and prolong health. Along with a few useful remedies, hundreds of cures more wishful than useful were concocted – and some were downright dangerous.

Cryptic foundation to sell Citizen Kane Oscar

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES – A secretive California-based philanthropic foundation headed by a man known only as “Dax” has consigned Orson Welles’ 1941 Oscar for Citizen Kane to Sotheby’s Dec. 11 auction.

Postcard Album Update: Churchill: Study in greatness

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Does history create great leaders, or do great leaders shape history? Either way, postcard collectors can indulge their interest in history by pursuing links to one of the 20th century’s foremost leaders and most colorful characters: Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill.

Can you judge a book by its cover?

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

“Only a fool would read a first edition. Simply having such a book makes life in general and (a first edition Ernest) Hemingway in particular go better when you do break out the reading copies.” – John Dunning, Booked to Die.

Essential assessories: Lea Stein jewelry

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In 1964’s classic film The Graduate, young Benjamin Braddock receives that famous piece of advice for the future — “Plastics.”

Do You Have the Warman�s Advantage?

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

One size may not always fit all, but when it comes to antiques and collectibles references Warman’s Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide goes a long way to serving many. Covering everything from ceramics and glass to vintage clothing and antique tools, the new edition of this go-to guide deliver the details needed for collecting and dealing in today’s antiques market.

Common Sense Antiques: Step into my parlor ...

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

One of the most frequently seen arrangements of seating furniture in an antique shop or at a show is the ubiquitous “parlor set.” It seems to usually consist of a rather poorly constructed small scale love seat and a couple of more-or-less matching chairs, one of them probably a rocker.

Barber bottles

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In the 19th century, barbers filled their own bottles with hair tonic and oil, bay rum, shampoo and rosewater. The bottles came in distinctive colors/shapes so the barber could identify what was in each one of them.

Atlantique City - A job well done

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Let’s just say that it was a long Monday. No, I’m not talking about any of the five long, different and fun days that I was with the Atlantique City staff in at the Atlantic City Convention Center over the last week as we put on the autumn edition (Oct. 2

Ho, ho, ho: Collectors looking for Santa

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Santa Claus is known by many different names and his likeness has been used on a diverse group of items. They range from the family Christmas tree ornaments and decorations to toys, illustrations and books.

Confederate culture was rich with poetry, honor

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Long before the secessionist movement to establish the political independence of the South, Southerners were engaged in a war for cultural independence.

Georgia: Old times there are not forgotten

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Although Atlanta has a faster beat than some of its smaller neighbors, it still has a Southern pulse. There’s an attraction for every taste in the “Capital of the New South.”

Collector Spotlight: Holiday Inn collection keeps growing

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The beauty of collecting is that it is so individual and so personal. You pick an area and off you go.

Ask Antique Trader: White earthenware would be clue of reproduction

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Antique Detective Anne Gilbert answers Antique Trader reader questions about their antiques and collectibles.

Rare Helen Keller image surfaces

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston announced in early March the recent discovery of what is being called one of the most significant photographic finds documenting the impressive life of Helen Keller.

Craftsman auction sells Goldberg collection

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

While Americans produced their own utilitarian redwares and stonewares, fine porcelain for decoration and dining was imported from the Far East, British Isles and Europe throughout the 18th and much of the 19th century.

Adelicia�s story

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Adelicia Hayes was born March 15, 1817, to an affluent Nashville family. She triumphed over personal tragedies to become one of the wealthiest women in the United States.

Questions and Common Sense Answers with Fred Taylor

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Old remedies not always best: Wait and see with water stains on some new furniture

�Green� antiquing

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Making use of durable goods from yesteryear is a form of recycling.

Polka dots: Back in the �spot�light

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Though ancient, the world definitely went “dotty” back in the ’50s and ’60s for polka dots. Now they are back really big (or small). Have you ever wondered where the name for these dramatic dots came from?

Modernism in America introduced by The Eight

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The famous Armory Show of 1913 exposed American tastemakers to the latest developments in European modernism through exhibiting paintings by Picasso, Braque, Matisse, Kandinsky, Duchamp and others.

Robotic storage facility provides unprecedented security for antiques and collectibles

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Antiquarians and collectors have special storage and security needs for unparalleled safety of their prized possessions. The future of self-storage has arrived in South Florida with the construction of RoboVault,

Renovations turn tragedy into history at Ford�s Theater

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

On July 15 the museum at the Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D. C. reopened to the public after being closed two years for major renovations. This state of the art attraction is sure to quickly become a “DC Must-See.”

Vintage photos reveal rare cards in Army barracks

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here’s one that will probably sound unbelievable for younger collectors who can’t imagine what it was like in the old days of the hobby before the convergence of collecting/investing seemed to give it an aura of respectability.

From accident to innovation: Celebrating the craftsmanship and artistry of ancient Roman glass

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

“Man,” relates Roman historian Pliny, “discovered glass by accident.” Whether truth or legend, by about 2000 BC, Phoenician sea vessels were plying the Mediterranean coast laden with translucent glass bowls, flasks, and striped juglets.

Collecting Magazine Cover Art and Advertising Illustration Art

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Artists in past decades had to compete for the honor of being picked to create the cover for magazines like The Saturday Evening Post and other periodicals of their time.

Getting a handle on glass baskets

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Flowers are synonymous with Victorians who could never have too many bouquets. While many of their arrangements were large and showy, Victorians were also attracted to smaller bunches of flowers placed in glass basket vases.

Superheroes on super postcards

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As a child I read every comic book printed, but I never collected them in spite of my mania for accumulating everything from pebbles to paper napkins. No doubt some rare early issues went through my hands, but the deal with my dad was: Read and return.

Speaking of Dolls: The mysterious Burgarella

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Once in a while, you come across something so different that you want to share it with your doll friends. This is the case with a doll that I have recently acquired.

Let George do it

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Fact and fiction about the first president of the United States

Nothing to sneeze at: Shakers add spice to life

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In ancient times, salt was a precious commodity. According to Marco Polo, cakes of salt displayed a likeness of the Tibetan ruler and were used as money.

Georgia: A peach of a shopping experience

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Whether you’re looking for monumental furnishings for your castle or a humble piece of folk art to brighten your bedroom, Georgia — and especially Atlanta — is the place to look.

Art Markets: Gallery label prompts investigation of attic find

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Recently, as I was examining a collection of framed artwork for a quick verbal appraisal, I was reminded of an important but often overlooked piece of valuable information: a gallery label on the verso or backside.

Presidential dads

Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

He may be “Mr. President” to the rest of the nation and a feared and respected world leader abroad, but at home around the White House, he’s just plain old “Dad,” “Pop” or “Daddy,” to his kids. Father’s Day has often been a holiday celebrated at the nation’s executive mansion.

Skull drudgery preserved for posterity on postcards

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Do you think your job is tough? These postcards show the world's worst jobs through the ages.

Shirley Temple still dazzling collectors, film fans

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

More than 25 years after she started, Mary Lou Lober of Greensburg, Pa., hasn’t lost her passion for Shirley Temple dolls. “My home is filled with dolls,’’ said Lober, who has collected since 1982. “The only room where you can’t see those tiny little eyeballs is my bathroom.’’

They weren�t all by Norman Rockwell

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A common misconception by many people is that Norman Rockwell illustrated all of the covers for The Saturday Evening Post magazine.

Art Markets: Legitimate Kandinsky artwork is cataloged

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In Russia, modernism at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century often meant an embrace of all things ancient. In music, Igor Stravinsky shocked Western audiences with the violent rhythms of “The Rite of Spring” (1913), which derived from Russian folk music.

Donald�s Digs in Palm Beach: Mar-a-Lago

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to Mar-a-Lago, a historic property on 20 acres with a pedigree and undoubtedly the premier piece of Palm Beach real estate. Just like Donald Trump, Mar-a-Lago is over the top and bigger than life.

Antique Detective: A churn, a chair, a cologne case and tobacco

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Anne Gilbert answers readers' questions about their antique and collectible treasures. Q. Can you find out something about this churn? It is metal and has original painted sides. What could it sell for?

Requiem for a restaurant: Pierce�s, since 1894

Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

ELMIRA, N.Y. – Picture a restaurant in the same location for more than 100 years, since 1894 to be exact, and run all that time by one family.

Ask Antique Trader: Mechanical store display holds its value at $2,200

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Antiques and collectibles expert Barbara Eash informs Antique Trader readers about their treasures.

Did Napoleon need a nightlight?

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When people shop for porcelain dinnerware, many ping the plates, then hold them up to a strong light source. Fine porcelain china rings when pinged. Since china is translucent, it also glows.

Cowan's Corner by Wes Cowan

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Early American tavern signs were the original roadside billboards. Samuel Johnson once said, “There is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern.”

Speaking of Dolls: Chinas: Out of the shadows once again

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Because of early discrimination, china shoulder head dolls have remained in the shadows of doll collections for many years. Some collectors would not even have one in their collection and some that had one or two chinas often displayed them in the back behind their French and German beauties.

California dealers unite

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Not content with the idea of “going quietly into that good night,” the California antiques trade has begun a grassroots effort to organize against legislation that could saddle the trade with stringent and costly reporting requirements to sell secondhand goods.

Ask Antique Trader: Similar oil lamp patterns frequently bring confusion

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Barbara Eash answers Antique Trader readers' questions about their antiques.

Served up fresh: splendid salmon labels

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Collector Dwayne Rogers, www.thelabelman.com, has an amazing collection of of salmon labels.

Khokhloma: Russian folk art

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Russia, with its birch bark baskets, nesting dolls, and gilded icons, may seem exotic, even strange, to Westerners. Though the Iron Curtain has long since fallen, many American collectors remain unfamiliar with her wide variety of crafts and treasures.

Discover stellar art that won�t blow your budget with posters from overlooked genres and periods

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Six-figure auction prices for particularly prized posters are becoming more common, and even such venerable financial publications as “Forbes” have begun to take notice of what was, until fairly recently, a niche hobby.

Old Ironsides: An American Naval Legend

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Launched more than 200 years ago as one of our young nation’s earliest fighting ships, the U.S.S. Constitution – affectionately called Old Ironsides by generations of Americans – has long been a most beloved natural symbol of liberty and freedom.

Kyle on Antiques: Is painting a pig in a poke or an Andy Warhol?

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This is a photo of a mechanism with a cast-in patent date of May 29, 1904. When pumped it does not move the shaft up and down, but makes the paddle revolve two complete turns and then two turns back. It works beautifully.

Do you know Ohr and Overbeck?

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Collector interest for early American Art pottery continues, though auction prices are for the most part under estimate. Good pieces still come to market so it is a good time to buy.

The many starring roles of Shirley Temple Black

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

On April 23, 2008, the child prodigy who helped displace cares and concerns during the Great Depression celebrated her 80th birthday. She shares that birth date with William Shakespeare (1564-1616).

Vintage pens and writing equipment

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Quills have been used for at least 13 centuries and were the most common form of writing instrument in the West until the end of the 19th century.

Stanglware ... still delightful

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Stangl Pottery Company began as Hill Pottery in 1814, producing utilitarian pipes, jars, and crocks from Flemington's porous red clay. When Fulper acquired Hill Pottery decades later, in addition to low-kiln earthenware, he now added stoneware, which is well suited for use as tableware.

Collection Spotlight: One man�s passion for pulp

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

My passion for collecting started in the mid 1980s although I did enjoy collecting stamps, coins and reading comics as a child. I started to collect comic books again with my 9-year-old son who loved Spider-Man. This was my introduction to popular fiction.

It's coming! The newest Antique Trader price guide is on its way!

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Wondering what the gravy boat grandma passed on is worth? Trying to find out when that Tiffany lamp was made – because it looks vintage, but you want to be sure. Need to know if what you paid, or passed on paying for that Roseville planter or that silver soup ladle was a smart move? This variety of questions needing answers could cost you a lot of time and/or money in research and finding the right resources to get the answers. Except that you have the all-in-one Antique Trader Antiques & Collectibles 2010 Price Guide to turn to.

Levittown: The birth of the �burbs

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Suburban living comes in many forms. When my dad returned home from serving in WWII there was no housing available. Today, at 87 years old, he reminisces that he would have been grateful for a Quonset hut or an apartment but neither could be found, so for several years he and mom lived with the in-laws.

Novelty teapots

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I am not a big tea fan. Though I recall once serving tea and tangerines to my dolls, tea, in our house, was strictly medicinal. It was reserved for dosing sore throats and barking coughs. Moroccan friends, however, introduced me to a different world of tea.

Antiques dealers increasingly sour on Internet selling; going back to bricks and mortar

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Antiques and collectibles dealers who were blinded by the light of the Internet revolution and traded in their brick-and-mortar spaces at shops and malls for online selling via auction are slowly returning to the very places they bolted from around the turn of the millennium.

Focus on Toys: Dennis the Menace

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

For collectors of character toys, many of the richest pickings are to be found among the playthings inspired by panel comics and comic books.

Political Practices of the Past Take Center Stage

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

There always seems to be the “must-see” show/event/activity of the year, and often there is more than one at the same time. According to news reports, the first of these for 2009 is the Presidential Inauguration. More than a single event or series of activities, this time-honored political tradition has become a week-long extravaganza; which is sure to provide a variety of presidential pieces destined to become a political collectibles.

Antique Detective: Charming glass flask is not the real thing

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Antiques Detective answers questions about antiques.

Regional Roundup: East

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Antique Trader finds out what's going on in antique shops in the North. What's selling? What's not?

Leading ladies of the laboratories � pharmaceutical tour guides

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Over the years I’ve come across a number of postcards of a bunch of women in identical outfits arranged in classic group poses – lined up, fanned out, and stepped arrangements.

Modernism: New era propelled furniture design

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

“Modernism” didn’t just one day emerge, say Jan. 1, 1950, fully realized, from the mind of its remote creators. It is the stuff of the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair “Century of Progress,” the boundless optimism of post-World War II America ...

Ask Antique Trader: Shedding light on dolphin lamp

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Antiques expert Barbara Eash answers Antique Trader reader questions about their antiques.

Collecting yearbooks offers an instant time capsule

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Just about everyone has at least one yearbook from their old high school tucked away on a shelf or in a box, seldom looked at, all but forgotten. After I moved away from home, I didn’t even bother to take my yearbooks with me. It wasn’t until several years later, on a visit to my parents, that I decided to bring the couple I had home with me.

Eastern Illustrated meets historical society

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Recently I discovered that most of the glass plate negatives produced by the Eastern Illustrated and Publishing Company photographers were acquired by the Penobscot Marine Museum

Art Markets: Languid lines and sensual women � Mucha�s signature style

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Last December the top lot in sales at Swann’s “Rare and Important Art Nouveau Posters” sale was claimed by Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939) for a set of two ornately bound and decorated portfolios.

Frankoma Pottery � The colorful company that wouldn�t die

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As a longtime admirer of Frankoma Pottery, I was thrilled when a recent tour of Oklahoma included a short visit to Sapulpa to view the family home of Frankoma founder John Frank as well as the current Frankoma factory.

Big on bean plush

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It may only be August, but hints of the holiday-heavy months are starting to appear on the horizon. For toy enthusiasts and collectors of bean plush goodies of all types, this month marks the unveiling of the 2008 Halloween Releases from the Ty® Beanie Babies Collection.

Art Markets: From monks to magazines and beyond

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In the Middle Ages when publishing was literally in the hands of the church, the monks who copied the texts of books also took time to adorn their pages with beautifully illuminated illustrations.

Antique Detective: Antiques Q & A

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Anne Gilbert answers readers' questions about their antique and collectible treasures. Q: What can you tell me about this 17-inch glass pedestal vase? I purchased it for $100 at an auction 10 years ago.

Ask Antique Trader: Benedict Arnold�s ship belongs in museum

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Anne Gilbert, the Antiques Detective, answers Antique Trader reader questions.

The mischief makers

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Our local super-store has one sad rack of postcards with little to tempt even the most avid collector. A hundred years ago the situation was vastly different. Almost every topic under the sun was depicted on postcards, but none appealed to the general buyer more than adorable children.

Treasures far and wide at the 654 Mile Outdoor Sale

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Those “lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer” definitely describes the Highway 127 corridor from Aug. 6-9. That’s when a 654-mile yard sale billed as the “World’s Longest Outdoor Sale” will wake up sleepy towns as it meanders from West Unity, Ohio down through central Kentucky and east Tennessee.

Tractor beam: Childhood memories often draw collectors to farm toys

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Ask 10 farm toy collectors what they collect and you’re likely to get 10 different answers – ask 100 and don’t be surprised if there are 100 unique answers.

Natural and unnatural disasters: Be prepared

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hurricane season is once again upon us, along with the summer storms ravaging the inlands, plus vacation time break-ins. If you have ever experienced any of these disasters, you know how vulnerable you feel afterwards.

Massachusetts: Future, past mingle in Mass.

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Fifty-five antiques and art dealers are represented by the Berkshire County Antiques and Art Dealers Association (BCAADA). Details about each shop are available online or send for a pamphlet.

Antique Detective: Saving and collecting Tibetan antiques

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Fortunately for museums and collectors the Chinese Cultural Revolution didn’t destroy all of the furniture, art and artifacts created over hundreds of years in Tibet.

Versatile Emile Gall� created more than glass

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Many new collectors probably aren’t aware that Emille Gallé, the French master of cameo glass, worked in a variety of mediums including ceramics, metal and furniture.

Speaking of Dolls: Baby, it�s cold outside

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The New Year brings resolutions and new dreams but it also brings snow and frigid weather to many parts of the world. Snow is not always welcomed by adults but for children, snow means snowmen, igloos, sledding, skiing, snowballs and rough and tumble fun.

Ask Antique Trader: Gold-filled tea set may be Czech

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Anne Gilbert answers Antique Trader reader questions about their antiques.

Kyle on Antiques: Frame might be worth more than picture

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I cannot identify this tintype. It measured 6½ inches by 8 inches, but the corners have been cut off so it fits in the frame. Is he a “somebody” or a “nobody”? Would it have any value?

Postcard Album Update: Quest for Olympic gold - on postcards

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Paris tried to kill me. Food poisoning would have been enough for one visit, but I was knocked over when a crowd surged forward in an elevator going down to the subway and tripped up by a vicious piece of metal sticking out of the ground near the Arc de Triomphe.

Collector Spotlight: Postcards show a tiny town celebrating

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

My name is Joan Roberson. I collect postcards from a tiny town in south-central Pennsylvania. About 350 folks live in Schellsburg, a four-block-long town on the Lincoln Highway, Route 30.

Speaking of Dolls: A family with an eye for business

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In the doll world, the name Armand Marseille is a familiar one. According to The Collector’s Encyclopedia, “The popularity of the Armand Marseille heads is attested by the fact that a greater number of their bisque heads are found on dolls than of any other identifiable manufacturer.”

World�s largest Christmas store

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland, the world’s largest Christmas store, will experience a bittersweet holiday season this year. That’s because its charismatic founder, Wally Bronner, succumbed to cancer on April 1, 2008.

Ask Antique Trader: Gent�s stand allowed shaving in style

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Linda Roberts identifies items for Antique Trader readers.

Useful antiques are still a good buy

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Many of us have been forced to cut back on our collecting activities. It’s just too expensive to drive to distant antique shows and malls.

Collecting without cash

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

For many collectors, collecting funds aren’t merely short – they’re non-existent. Discussing collectibles for under $10 isn’t much use when one doesn’t have $10 to spare.

Cheeseheads welcome Antiques Roadshow

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

MADISON, Wis. — Marking the halfway point in its 2009 tour, the Antiques Roadshow caravan pulled into Wisconsin’s capital July 11. More than 22,000 people sought tickets for the event, and those lucky collectors who made it inside Alliant Energy Center brought a trove ...

Speaking of Dolls: Schmidt, Schmidt and Schmitt

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Confused? When people call me with questions concerning a Schmidt doll, the first thing I ask is, “How do you spell the name?”

How to rationalize almost any antiques purchase

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I spotted the circa 1900 oak kitchen cupboard at an auction. I didn’t need it. I didn’t have a place to put it. I didn’t have the money to spend on it. By all rights I should have just kept on walking – perhaps with my eyes closed.

Barbie ~ Still Making Heads Turn at 50

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Who could have guessed that one woman’s idea for a three-dimensional doll to add excitement and adventure to her daughter Barbara’s playtime would become an iconic toy and a cultural legend? Barbie® Doll has become all that and then some since she hit the toy scene in 1959. Today as she continues to turn heads at 50, this timeless beauty continues to gain new fans, of all ages, and for varying interests.

The star power of Lassie

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A common movie trivia game question is “Was Lassie played by a male or a female?”

�Green� antiquing: Make use of durable goods from yesteryear

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Remember when you visited an antiques store and saw something that brought back a flood of memories from your childhood and you just had to buy it?

Postcard Album Update

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Long before cell phones and e-mail, postcards were used to communicate personal news to historical events. Take a visual walk through history.

Postcards from the Soci�t� Anonyme

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Société Anonyme, a group made up of some of the most avant-garde artists of its day, can rightfully claim to be New York’s first museum of modern art.

Silvery elegance

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

From silver flatware to silver tinsel, this flinty, shiny color personifies elegance as much as does gold. Why? They’re both beautiful.

Batter up! Hillerich made sluggers for sluggers

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Few baseball fans would argue but that there is a certain fresh smell about a new baseball– sort of a clean, earthy smell. But without that piece of lumber called a bat, the ball would be no more to the game than a meaningless sphere orbiting through the air as it is tossed from one person to another.

Art Markets: President's image on campaign poster subject of lawsuit

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When freelance photographer Mannie Garcia photographed Barack Obama at the National Press Club in April 2006, he couldn’t have guessed that Obama would be elected president two and a half years later.

Amber: For evil spells and remedies

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Amber boasts a long and colorful history. To Stone Age people, it resembled the sun. To Greeks its golden-hued transparency suggested bird’s tears or urine of lynxes.

The French Provincial auctioneer

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In December I wrote about a typical English provincial auction house, the century-old and now third- and fourth-generation Hartleys Auctioneers and Valuers in Yorkshire. There can be no French equivalent, for three simple reasons.

Experts caution: Obama �coins� not rare investments

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The President of the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG), a non-profit organization composed of the nation’s top rare coin dealers, is advising consumers that recently offered “coins” honoring president-elect Barack Obama should be considered only as souvenirs

Ask Antique Trader: How to fix an old cane seat

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Antique furniture expert Fred Taylor answers reader questions about their antique furniture ...

Candy Hearts: Raggedy Ann and Andy, still popular after a century

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Raggedy Ann, that floppy, red-headed cutie, is now 92 years old; Andy’s just a couple years younger. Their roots go back to Arcola, Ill., and a little girl named Marcella.

Don�t laugh � it�s paid for

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of people who own their own homes in this country has risen almost every year since 1960. Today, more than two-thirds of Americans are the king or queen of their castle.

Rookwood in the Spotlight

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

If there was any doubt that pottery is popular the recent Zanesville Pottery Festival, held in conjunction with the annual Pottery Lovers Reunion, should put that myth to rest.

Rumors: eBay, partners will take on Google

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

SAN JOSE, Calif. — While there have been denials from eBay’s camp since the rumors first began to surface late last year, a published report in the respected Australian business newspaper, The Australian, suggests eBay is aggressively pushing toward a partnership with Yahoo and Microsoft.

Kyle on Antiques: Original finish increases gun�s value

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Q: What can you tell me about my antique gun? It is a Remington, 31 caliber, SN 841. It has patent dates of June 24, 185 and May 26, 1857.

Knowledge creates golden opportunities

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Knowledge can make the difference between a great buy and a high priced mistake. It’s important to know as much as possible about collecting areas of special interest. This knowledge can lead to golden opportunities and, perhaps more importantly, prevent costly errors.

They were green before �green� was in: Meet the CCC

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The air began to warm. Great glaciers that covered the earth slowly melted, changing the landscape in their wake, leaving behind reminders of the age of ice in the valleys, hills and lakes gouged into the terrain.

Don�t throw these hats into the ring

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Ever wonder what a “mad hatter” could be? Or a plumassier? They are both components in the language of the hat. And, someone thought enough of chapeaus to put several varieties on postcards … often to poke fun at fashion.

Movie posters and entertainment memorabilia can be money in the bank

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Old folded movie posters, even if dirty, dusty and moldy can be worth big money if you have the right ones. In times like these, people are encouraged to check their own basements and attics for treasures.

Memories and Memorabilia from Yankee Stadium

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Love them or loathe them, the New York Yankees and their legendary big ballpark in the Bronx deliver a healthy dose of baseball frenzy and fantastic history every day. Even with the new Yankee Stadium and fervor of the 2009 MLB season, the collecting community and baseball fans worldwide continue to pay homage to the House that Ruth built with a devotion to the memories and memorabilia that made it great.

Toby Jugs: Colorful characters to cure what 'ales' you

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Not many of us can lay claim to becoming an overnight success, but legend says that’s just what happened when the Toby Jug made his first appearance in England sometime between 1750 and 1770.

Beautiful beadwork is back

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Beadwork took many forms over the 19th and 20th centuries. But it’s really collectible now that beading is a popular craft again

Antique horns appeal to the ear, the eye, and the pocketbook

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

“Oh the old dinner horn, telling t’was noon, sweet music it seemed to me …” croons a 1884 “Hit of the Season” song. To hungry farmers in far away fields, any call to dinner probably sounded sweet. Up close, however, these gently flared tin tooters were ear-benders.

Fill �er up, please, and check the oil

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Rich Gannon, now retired from the NFL, devotes much of his free time to tracking down the best vintage oil and gas advertising he can find. (He also has an extensive collection of soft-drink memorabilia.)

The lure and lore of calendars

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Fascination with human recording of time’s passage fills many pages in encyclopedias and is reflected on numerous Internet sites that describe lunar, solar and astronomical systems dating back to Egyptian times and depicting even earlier markings.

Living with Antiques

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Picture an early 20th-century woman methodically rolling out a perfect piecrust on the worktop of her Hoosier cabinet. The ingredients are all within arm’s reach.

Kyle on Antiques: Do you know Bill?

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I’ve admired this 10-inch by 24-inch print since I was a child. It was lost in my mother’s things until it recently reappeared. It was copyright in 1909 by Edward Gross, New York. It is titled “Bill” by Pearle Eugenia. Do you know anything about it?

Common Sense Antiques: Good reproductions of Baker furniture

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The longest lasting continuous furniture movement in American history is the Colonial Revival. The style is an appreciation of and interest in furniture and forms from the early years of this country as a colony of the English crown.

Toy Treasures Set World Records

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Whether you’re passion is prewar or post war toys, a good guide can make the difference between accurate identification and a costly best guess, and knowing the value of your toys and having to rely on the assessment of others. Empower yourself and know what you own.

Humphreys' Remedies

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Cholera morbus, dropsy, catarrh, and worm fever, how our ancestors must have suffered.

America�s Real American Hero on the Big Screen

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Did you know G.I. Joe has been a comic book hero since 1942? He and his team’s battles against Cobra and his cronies started in 1982 and continue today. The popularity of 3-3/4 G.I. Joe action figures are history-making in sheer numbers sold and their level of collectability; and this summer Joe and the gang hit the big screen in a much-anticipated movie that has everyone from Hollywood heavyweights to toy collectors talking.

Talking Sports: The first book on sports cards is still the best ever made

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I’ve never understood it for a moment, and it’s bugged me for 35 years and counting. It’s like some Fred Flintstone type from the Pleistocene epoch dragging himself out of the muck and the mire, club in hand, promptly discovering fire in the morning and by the early afternoon he’s composing a symphony worthy of the Philadelphia Philharmonic.

Ask Antique Trader: Readers have valuable vases and a Weller Pottery parrot

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Barbara Eash answers readers' questions about their prized possessions.

Morris Antiques started as a hobby in 1967

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

KEO, Ark., — What started as a hobby for a local farmer has since grown into a family business with more than 60,000 square feet of fine antique furniture.

Zanesville�s best kept secret � Gonder Pottery

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Back in 1941 there was a man of vision, and a lot of courage, because the day after Pearl Harbor he bought a pottery factory.

America�s favorite singing cowboy � Gene Autry

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Toy collectors have a different view on the world of the silver screen than do other movie aficionados.

The joy of collecting Satsuma

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Among the many antique ceramics that have been exported from Japan to the West is Satsuma.

Meerschaum pipes represent beautiful hand-carved art

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Collecting antique meerschaum pipes offers both artistry and beauty, and a sensual window into a bygone age, because tobacco residue lasts just about forever.

Celebrate Model T's and antiques in Richmond

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Ford Motor Company has issued a recall for all models and years of a trademark car; Ford is recalling all existing Model T’s for the Centennial T Party to be held in Richmond, Ind., July 21-28.

Vintage Toys

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The noun “tinker” can mean a number of different things, as might be expected of a word bandied about for so many centuries in English, Scots, and probably other languages.

Get ready for Round Top

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Though small in size, Round Top, Texas, will be big on antiques selection next month when it rolls out the red carpet for the Original Round Top Antiques Fair, Marburger Farm and several nearby shows.

Designers� tips on decorating with antiques

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Decorating with antiques can be a tough task if one is not familiar with the tricks of the trade. Mary Helen McCoy Fine Antiques is one of the nation’s premier sources for fine and unusual, period 16th-19th century French furniture and decorative arts.

Common Sense Antiques: Murphy�s law: Not all that folds is a Murphy

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Furniture can be quite cumbersome, especially in small quarters. Or even in big ones. In medieval times the great room of an estate was a multifunction room, serving first as banquet hall then as recreation room.

Collecting Woodstock

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This exclusive story behind the creation of the historic 1969 music festival is from the new book Woodstock: Peace, Music & Memories (Krause Publications).
“For most of America’s youth of the 1960s, the search for personal identity that varied from the traditional values and aspirations of our parents was the priority of the day,” recalls Don Aters, famed rock music photographer and historian from New Albany, Ind.

Majolica was once high-tech trend

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In 1851, California had been the nation’s 31st state for only four months, and Millard Fillmore was U.S. president; ... And an English potter was hoping that his new interpretation of a centuries-old style of ceramics would be well received at the “Great Exhibition of the Industries of All Nations” set to open May 1 in London’s Hyde Park.

Turning to antiques and collectibles during market turmoil

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What do you do when your portfolio shows more red than black in your return on investments, where are people looking to offset loses in investments? According to recent auction house reports and owners, some are turning to antiques and other tangible items in their creative investment efforts.

Atlantique City exhibitors enjoy busy show

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Joe Mattis knows why he saves his best merchandise for Atlantique City: If you time the market just right, you’ll have a busy two-day show.

Minnesota: Gopher State antiques market alive, well

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

While Minnesota may not be considered a hotbed of the antiques trade, first-time visitors will undoubtedly be surprised at what the Gopher State has to offer.

Vintage clothing and accessories have teen prom appeal

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Teen fashion magazines have been showing vintage fashions and accessories for today’s prom-going teen. From flirty vintage dresses, to accessories like purses, gloves, and jewelry, today’s generation is bringing a new appreciation, and with it, a new life to vintage fashion and accessories.

Some collectibles � but certainly not all � are now more affordable in these bad economic times

Thu, 22 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The antiques and collectibles market has undergone a change in the last several months. With higher energy bills, higher grocery bills and pretty much higher everything, collectors have less and less cash to spend on antiques.

The Season for Toys Approaches

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Toys are taking the Big Apple by storm Feb. 15-18 at the 106th Annual International Toy Fair. The fair, the pinnacle trade show for the toy industry, brings manufacturers together with buyers and the media for a showcase extravaganza of what’s hot, what’s new, and what’s timeless in terms of toys. Although the show isn’t open to the public, there’s no doubt the outcome of these three days in February are of interest to anyone who collects, admires, and even longs for toys.

New Calif. mall celebrates past, present and future

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The doors of Glendale’s historic Chazan Building opened again when the mayor of this southern California city, Frank Quintero, joined the great grandson of the original owner for a ribbon cutting ceremony this past June 18.

Dracula: The Prince of Darkness and his journey to the silver screen

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Vrykolakas. Strigoi. Nukekubi. Penanggalan. Nosferatu. Call them what you will, the concept of vampires – undead beings who roam the night in search of human blood – is virtually as old as humanity itself.

Very old does not always mean very expensive

Thu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

There’s a special, nostalgic feeling that comes from holding a piece of glass from the 1930s, a vase from the reign of Queen Victoria, or a coin that was in circulation when Lincoln was president.

Disney Vintage Movie Posters

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The word “Disney” has become virtually synonymous with animation. Since the earliest days of moving pictures, the Disney company has built its empire one movie at a time, resulting in such timeless and beloved classics ...

Practitioners of this hobby are scripophiles

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What is a scripophile? What is scripophily? ‘Scrip’ means ownership right and the word ‘philos’ means to love. The term was coined in the mid 1970s to describe the hobby of collecting antique bonds, stocks and other financial instruments.

Common Sense Antiques: Take a seat � old or new

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Some pieces of furniture are like an open book. A casual familiarity with the trade allows you to readily identify the period of a piece of golden oak or to correctly label a Victorian Rococo Revival couch.

Plantsville General Store Antique Center spoils customers with new penny candy counter

Thu, 22 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Now customers visiting the Plantsville General Store will find penny candy and fudge along with authentic country store items for sale.

Collector Spotlight: This toy story has a happy ending

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

SOUTH WINDSOR, Conn. – Collecting started innocently enough for me. I had toys when I was a child! That’s when my collecting began, first with GI Joe and Hot Wheels, then baseball cards and comic books.

Regional Roundup: What�s going on in the West

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Eighty-year-old Winifred Green (Winn, for short) has been selling antiques in Phoenix for 42 years. “It’s not really a long time when you’re having fun,” she said.

Business Profile: Coy-Krupp successful with conducted sales

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Dealers or antique lovers have several choices to pursue in their hunt for that special treasure or just bargain items.

Brits and pieces: Antique malls, UK style

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

How are antique malls across the big pond different from those in the U.S.?

25 errors in 2001: A Space Odyssey

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In spite of 2001’s overwhelming attention to detail, and the crew’s on-set motto: “Do it right – Do it better – Then do it all over again,” single-frame inspections of the \ Stanley Kubrick Collection HD DVD from Warner Home Video will reveal flaws

Price, worth and value

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In 2007, a collector bought this RPPC image of a tattooed tattoo artist sitting in his studio for, including buyer’s premium, $4,830. The sale was at a Lyn Knight Postcard and Paper Auction near Kansas City.

The Art of Politics

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Why, one might ask, is all of this attention being placed on campaign buttons and the politicians they represent? Because no matter whether one loves or hates it, almost everyone agrees that politics directly impact all of our lives .

Gresham Lake Antique Mall in Raleigh celebrates 15th anniversary

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Raleigh, N.C., in the heart of North Carolina is one of the South’s fastest growing cities. It is also known for its natural beauty, temperate climate, top-ranked universities, adjacent Research Triangle Park and easy access to beaches and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Kyle on Antiques: �Jewels� adorn this lamp shade

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I just bought this pair of urns. I believe they are porcelain. They stand 22 1/2 inches tall. The decorations include inlay, black and brass-colored trim. – R.K., Baltimore, Md.

It�s a Pottery Party!

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Are you passionate about Marblehead and Newcomb College? Do Roseville and Weller make your heart race, or how about Grueby or a pristine piece of American stoneware? If any of this rings true for you, you aren't alone. In fact, you're among friends if you find yourself in Philadelphia later this month, or if you join the ranks of the American Art Pottery Association.

Gurnee Antique Center � a dream fulfilled

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The little town of Gurnee, Ill.,40 miles north of Chicago, has three major attractions: discount shopping is found at Gurnee Mills; you have choices of all kinds

Antique Road Show: Behind the scenes

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Antique Road Show: Behind the scenes

Shellwork � more than summer memories

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

You need look no further than books to gauge how popular shellwork has become in recent years – for collecting, for crafting, for decorating.

Frederick Carder: Glass artisan of the 20th Century

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It is said that the greatest period of glass artistry in America began in 1903, when Frederick Carder brought 30 years of glassmaking experience from his native England to Corning, N.Y., where he co-founded the Steuben Glass Works.

Type caste: Printing aficionados put it to the wood

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

On an icy weekend in January, experts and students from four states converged on the Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum here to explore some rare examples of printing history and help bring them to life again.

Wish list for a perfect postcard

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Every collector has a different idea of what the perfect postcard is.

Baubles, bangles and jewels of Southern belles, Northern beauties

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The years from 1861 to 1887 were filled with growth and change. In America, the first shots of the Civil War were fired in April 1861. Neither side expected it to last long.

Kyle on Antiques: Old lady is married to a fisherman

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

My aunt gave me this porcelain figurine and I am hoping that you can tell me more about it. It is 9 inches tall and 6 inches wide.

Kyle on Antiques: This bottle not for teetotalers

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This pitcher is 4 1/4 inches tall, 8 inches around and very heavy. It holds 8 ounces. The metal will not stick to a magnet. On the front is “F.F.NEUH..SERR 1844.”

Collecting character advertising dolls

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Dolls may well be the most collected item in the country. Character advertising dolls are not as popular as many other types of dolls, but this is good news for those who love them. They’re far more affordable than many other dolls.

Signatures on celebrity checks more prized than cash

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Celebrities don’t write many checks anymore. There are other ways of paying bills for the rich and famous including credit cards and electronic means.

Find the real thing at Gurnee Antique Center

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Gurnee Antique Center, LLC houses 200 dealer spaces of quality merchandise in a comfortable and spacious 24,000 sq. ft. environment. The Center offers a wide range of antiques and fine collectibles from the 18th to the mid 20th centuries.

Those remarkable mail-order catalogs

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Were you one of the thousands, probably millions, who did their holiday shopping online this year? Remember life before eBay, Amazon and all forms of Internet shopping?

Furniture Detective: Stickley Bros. may be behind �Quaint� furniture

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Have you ever seen a quaint piece of furniture? One that could be defined as charmingly odd in an old-fashioned sort of way, unfamiliar and unusual but not completely foreign? That could probably describe a number of pieces you have seen, but the word “quaint” never exactly occurred to you to use in describing it.

Presidential china patterns chosen by first ladies

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

What will be the next presidential china pattern has always been of interest not only to historians but collectors. This is especially true since traditionally it has been up to the 1st lady to select the pattern and maker.

Valerio Antiques: a mecca for Deco aficionados

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Located in the heart of Coral Gables, Florida, Valerio Antiques is teeming with rare and hard-to-find pieces. Collectors and aficionados will be immersed in Valerio Antiques’ Art Deco pieces, from a Chapelle vase to a armoire by Jean Royere.

From Twin Peaks to the Grand Canyon, it's all in the mail

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Thanks to K-Tea van Geel for sharing a copy of the “More on the Map” 2008 calendar from her new home in western Massachusetts. Each month, this calendar from Florence Savings Bank features antique postcards of local communities like South Deerfield, Hatfield, Williamsburg, Hadley, Amherst, Belchertown, and Granby

Treasured signs of past automobile age

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Cheap gas, economically-priced American made automobiles, miles of open highway, and a gleaming gas station on every corner.

Vintage pocket watches: It's about time!

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Is the use of wrist watches diminishing? Do we even need them anymore? After all, we have clocks on computers and cell phones, televisions and DVD players.

Collecting Navajo jewelry

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Silver crafts first reached the New World with the Spanish conquistadors. In time, the Mexican people, like the conquistadors, began creating silver

Coney Island

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Long before Walt Disney created mega entertainment locations, there was a place known throughout the world as the premier amusement destination – Coney Island.

Historic homes, vintage clothing and fine antiques await treasure hunters in the Pensacola Bay area

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As Pensacola celebrates its 450th anniversary, there’s no better time to discover the historic side of Pensacola and seek unique finds and bargains.

Brimfield: �Fields of Dreams�

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Dealers seize Brimfield’s Route 20 for America’s largest antiques show. Day breaks on a sleepy little village nestled in the heart of New England. A nervous anticipation is felt throughout the villagers. Soon their town will be overrun by ravenous masses of hunters and gatherers as it has been for more than 50 years.

Heard Museum is center of native culture and art

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

One of the best-kept non-secrets in the field of native cultures and art is located in Phoenix, Arizona – the Heard Museum.

Many stock, bond certificates still affordable

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in the early 19th century, countless business companies have come and gone.

Pardon me, but do you have the time?

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

“I’ve got all the time in the world.” I often repeat this little saying to myself when feeling squeezed for time in this fast-paced life of our 21st century. This always slows me down a bit and helps me focus on just enjoying the journey.

Anniversary gifts for pottery lovers

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Summer is wedding season, and that means many of us will be celebrating wedding anniversaries in the coming months. No matter what month your anniversary is, though, it’s never easy to find just the right gift.

All eyes on AC: March 29-30 show wows 'em

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

On Saturday morning, March 29, the crowd lined up 2,000 deep for the 9 a.m. opening of the Atlantique City Antiques Show at the Atlantic City Convention Center.

The sound of music

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Nothing can define a generation more than its music, and by extension, by its musical instruments. But how do we define what’s vintage, what’s collectible — and what’s just old?

Imitation as flattery

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the 17th-century Europeans must have been truly impressed with the wares coming out of the Far East.

Oregon: Northwest Passage still beckons

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Oregon: Northwest Passage still beckons

Deck The Halls With � ; A traditional look from German Christmas antiques

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

No one can deny that the Christmas holiday is the one that is filled with the most nostalgia. Any faithful attendee of almost any weekly auction is witness to the boxes and boxes of holiday ornaments and decorations sold by the carton, and supplied by con

Balancing Act: The Wallendas

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Circus families live and work together, the older generation teaching the younger ones. From earliest childhood, youngsters learn the skills and disciplines necessary to achieve perfection in the performance of their craft. For seven generations, the Wallenda family has carried on this tradition.

Grand affair

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

High Museum of Art will present treasures of the Louvre. Through the “Louvre Atlanta” partnership, the High will present a series of long-term, thematic exhibitions featuring masterworks from the Louvre’s collections, many of which have never been seen in

The Lady � Still shining bright

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

She’s a star. She has had major parts in numerous movies, such as Ghostbusters II, X Men, Planet of the Apes and Escape from New York. So it’s no wonder her photo has been taken thousands – or perhaps millions – of times.

Historic Properties: A restored 1915 Craftsman and an 1880 Victorian cottage in need of TLC

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

For our first installment of Historic Properties – a monthly feature aimed at showing buyers and history buffs how and where they can get a piece of history – AT thought it would take a look at two houses in Indiana.

Business Profile: Scott Antique Markets

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Scott Antique Market offers antiques shoppers a treasure hunter’s paradise, offering the finest selection of investment quality antiques in the country. You’ll find a huge selection of gold, silver jewelry, antique pottery, glassware, furniture, and so much more.

History of pop-ups, wheels and whirls

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Flips and flaps, wheels and whirls, today’s pop-ups, members of the movable book family, boast an illustrious history.

Kyle on Antiques: Confusing commemoratives

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I have two of these horse-drawn carts. They’re 5 inches long by 3 1/2 inches tall. I believe it’s pre-1900. It is metal with a brassy finish. I would be interested in your comments and a value.

Inuit Arts and Crafts

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Reaching midlife, my father bought a Winnebago motor home, packed up the family and the poodle, and followed his dream to the far reaches of Alaska. Nothing in the world could dampen his enthusiasm, not even when the "Winne's" brakes gave way

No style fools at Bertha Cool�s

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Bertha Cool’s Custom Clothiers encourages ‘rescue, restore and reinvent’ of vintage fashions

Calling the tune

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Collector has amassed trove of antique radios, phonographs and records. Elwin Hussey is a successful 83-year-old businessman whose popular general store boasts sales of everything from garden soil and guns to wedding gowns. s.

Massachusetts: Antiques big business in Bay State

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

While Boston is considered by Americans to be the cradle of democracy, capitalism drives the antiques trade. They go together like Yankee Doodle and 18th-century cabinetmakers John and Thomas Seymour.

Boxes � simple to elaborate

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

From simple to elaborate, the box took on special symbolism in the 19th century. It held one’s personal possessions. It was useful. It had an important place in the home.

Better Living Through Technology?

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

When it comes to photography, technology is certainly the great equalizer. We can take pictures on our cell phones, with our big fancy digital or ultra-thin super high-tech cameras that we can slip into our shirt pockets and go casually on our way.

Introducing: Generation NEXT

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Matthew Lien is a welcome guest at antiques shows. At age 14, his hobby of choice is learning new ways to buy paper money, coins and lead soldiers.

Questions and Common Sense Answers: To whom did it really belong?

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

With the large number of antiques and collectibles appraisal shows on television, some worthwhile and informative and some not, you have surely heard the expression “What a wonderful provenance” ...

Auctioneers educate consumers with launch of Auction Answers

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

With a quarter-trillion dollars in goods and services sold at live auction in 2007, auctions are gaining more attention and interest among consumers, leaving many asking questions like, “What is the auctioneer actually saying?”

Poster dealers team up to expand hobby�s reach

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The International Vintage Poster Dealers Association (IVPDA), an authority on original vintage posters, is launching its fall 2009 Web show, “Posters for the Cost Conscious Collector.”

Expect a sweet time at the new Sugar Chest Antique Mall

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – After one year of searching for the right building and of planning down to the smallest detail, The Sugar Chest Antique Mall is open for business.

Cupid's Calling Cards: The enduring legacy of Valentines

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

For years vintage Christmas and Halloween collectibles have been in the forefront of acceptability in the world of proudly held collections. Now Valentine’s Day is vying for equal attention from the great holiday collections of the world.

Haggling � the dealer�s perspective

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Haggling over the cost of merchandise is a practice centuries old – a practice alive and well in the antiques market. For buyers, the temptation to ask for a better price is just too strong to deny.

Pursuing the Marvelous: Gospel wagons

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Dwight L. Moody was one of the great evangelists of the 19th century. Moody started the Bible-Work Institute of the Chicago Evangelization Society (renamed Moody Bible Institute shortly before his death), one of the first in the Bible school movement.

Beth's Treasure Part III

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Finer Things turns treasures into cash

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

With the stock market and our nation’s economy in turmoil, a majority of Americans are feeling a strain on their pocketbooks. With the holidays right around the corner, many are looking for ways to save on purchases and put cash back into their wallets.

What has happened to eBay?

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I haven’t sold anything on eBay in months. I haven’t purchased anything for weeks. I haven’t even bothered to browse the listings in quite some time. I still receive daily emails listing items from my saved searches, but I read them with low expectations.

Ask Antique Trader: Bird of paradise under glass

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Antiques Q&A: Anne Gilbert answers reader questions about their antique treasures.

What�s the best way to find an appraiser?

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Finding a qualified appraiser to value personal property should be easy, but that is rarely the case.

Terrace Oaks still going strong 20 years later

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

When Terrace Oaks became the first antique mall to open in the Charleston area, Camille Wish was one of the original dealers to rent space. That was back in November of 1988.

Zuni inlay art jewelry

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Each August, Gallup, N.M., located in the heart of Native American lands, hosts the annual Inter-Tribal Ceremonial. Native Americans gather from far and wide for festive parades, traditional pow-wows, and of course, socializing.

Days Gone By: Lost in the catalog

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As far back as 1893, consumers had access to “big box stores.” No, they couldn’t run down to the local Wal-Mart and purchase whatever they needed at the moment’s notice.

Children�s Books: Making their way into grown-up collections

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Why are vintage children's books popular? Perhaps it’s a way of reconnecting with our childhood, or a reminiscence of the nights when someone would tuck us into bed and read us a favorite story.

Speaking of Dolls: Room for one more

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

“Smaller” is being heard more and more often at doll shows around the country. For a while, “cabinet size” was the size of choice. Collectors favored the dolls measuring 12 inches to 16 inches but today, we see collectors looking for dolls even smaller.

Beth's Treasure: Part IV

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hartleys: Tale of an English auction house

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Ilkley in Yorkshire, is an English market and spa (spring water) town in the north of England. It has existed since the early Bronze Age and was fortified by the Romans in 79 AD.

The Sand Man: The spectacular sand bottles of Andrew Clemens

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A 1970s fad and, more recently, an elementary school craft, sand bottles were a real, bona fide art form in the hands of Andrew Clemens, a deaf mute working in 19th-century Iowa.

New coins mark Olympics

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Athletes won’t be the only ones in pursuit of Olympic gold and silver this summer. Coin collectors will be able to acquire proof gold and silver commemorative coins issued by the China Mint in honor of the games it will host Aug. 8-24.

Fall Marburger Farm show features 30th anniversary salute

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

“Go to the Marburger Farm Antique Show,” says Newsweek. Go for the central Texas hills. Go for the barbecue. But most of all, go for the antiques – miles and piles of antiques, packing over 350 dealers into nine mega-tents and twelve early Texas buildings.

Cracker Jack: Little toys, big memories

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

On a warm August morning I ventured out to purchase the local newspaper and search for rummage and estate sales. I picked out a few good ads and then charted my course.

After the bad, good news for Stella Shows

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

NEW YORK – While a rash of bad news had put a definite damper on this town’s Americana Week in January for Stella Shows, the management company finally got a bit of substantive, decisive good news at the end of October: the March 15-16 Pier Antique Show will go on.

Business Profile: Mill Creek Antiques, Paxico, Kan.

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

PAXICO, Kan. – It’s been more than 38 years since Bud Hund started selling old stoves and lamps at Mill Creek Antiques in Paxico, Kan., and he doesn’t have any intention to stop any time soon.

Thinking outside (and inside) the box

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

For thousands of years, people have needed boxes of one kind or another in which to store clothes or other valuable possessions. Today, the typical definition of a box for most individuals is a square or rectangular container that has some kind of cover or lid.

The literature and legacy of Jack London

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This month a quiet “call of the world” can be heard for observing the 132nd birth date on January 12 of the man responsible for The Call of the Wild, a novella many consider the greatest dog story every written.

Just married? On to the honeymoon!

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” — William Shakespeare
If the Bard, in his famous romance “Romeo and Juliet” claimed names are less important than emotions, the same may be said about defining “honeymoon” or trying to discover the word’s original root or meaning.

The Rockefeller protects Israeli antiquities

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It’s not often that burial caves and graves are discovered while digging the foundation for an archeological museum. But in Jerusalem, it’s not surprising.

Historic Properties: Want to strike it rich? Mining town rich in history

Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Few opportunities such as this ever arise. Holabird Americana is offering the complete mining camp ghost towns of Cerro Gordo and Swansea, complete with mineral and water rights at both locations.

Academy and School Collectibles

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Most of us have nostalgic memories of our school days. I wasn’t particularly fond of school, but time has blurred the unpleasant memories and sharpened my memories of the good times.

For the record: The state of music collecting

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

An astounding find emerged in late 2006 that set the world of record collecting on its collective ear. Actually, the story begins in 2002, when a Kenny Rogers Roasters employee from Montreal, Canada, named Warren Hill happened to be poring through a box of records at a street sale in Chelsea, N.Y.

Best of both the art and antique worlds

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Pittsburgh entrepreneur Melanie Werner has the best of both worlds. When the Sewickley art and antiquities collector opened her first gallery in her Sewickley Village town home in 2002, she did so as an extension of her passion for European paintings.

Storing your vintage sewing pattern collection

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What is the greatest risk facing your collection? It is handling damage and water (including humidity problems). Handling damage can be minimized with just about any kind of plastic bag, and humidity is manageable with air conditioners.

Collecting for apartment dwellers

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Moving to smaller quarters can be a traumatic experience for collectors. Suddenly, there is no room for many of the treasures that have been accumulated over a lifetime.

Moments of humor during WWII

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Their efforts to communicate with folks back home weren’t always easy for the GIs serving in World War II. Aside from censorship, it was often difficult to tell their families about the grim events and scenes overseas ...

Everyone has to eat

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Everyone has to eat and grocery stores—in one form or another—have been around for centuries.

The Postcard Dealer 1906

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In 1906, there was a trade publication that came out every month or two that was sent to people to encourage them to sell postcards. The covers say “Appealing to the Stationery, Art & Souvenir Novelty Dealers.”

Antique Detective: A table, a tea set, a bed and a blanket

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Antiques Detective answers readers' antiques questions.

Antique Detective: Tips for presidential campaign collectors

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Just as there are winners and losers in campaigns you may be surprised to learn that collectibles depicting the losers are often winners.

City in the Spotlight

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

ABILENE, Texas — Centuries ago, great herds of buffalo lived a few miles south of present day Abilene, and it soon became a favored camping place for Native Americans.

Collecting an American Classic

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

From calendars and serving trays to advertising signs and of course bottles, the world of Coca-Cola collectibles has room for everyone to join the collecting community. The 1970s happy hit, “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” seemed almost like an invitation of sorts to become part of the community, and 30+ years later people are still celebrating this classic collectible.

Sticks and stones, beads and bones

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Ever wonder what a petrified steak rock is? OK, so it is not real a steak, but the stone artifact with a grid on one side does resemble a charcoal broiled steak. That description originated with the quirky humor of Deb Twigg, executive director of a new museum.

Lunch Kits Remain Cool with Collectors and Kids

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

More than just a means for making meals portable, lunch kits remain a popular part of our mealtime culture, and the collecting community. Today, some of the earliest metal lunch boxes (in mint condition) of the 1950s fetch anywhere from $2,300 to $10,000 at auction, steel boxes of the 1970s come in for $75 to $600, while plastic models of the 1980s and 1990s even garner a share with values of $15 to $40.

Lapel pride � emblem pins

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Lone socks make my ragbag swell, stray buttons eventually find their way into button jars, and clipped recipes clog my kitchen drawers. Somewhere along the way, my jewelry box filled up with a handful of assorted emblem pins.

Forever Young: Store manages to exist without computer help

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Kay Hofmann and her daughter Carilee Nelson got an idea while strolling through an antique mall in 1985.

Questions and Common Sense Answers: Advice about chairs and a loveseat

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I plan to restore an old oak kitchen chair I found in my neighbor’s barn. The finish is black and it needs repair but I think I can do all that. My question is about the seat. It too is black. It has a raised type of design in the center and where it is torn on one edge I would swear the seat is paper. Is that possible?

The disappearing art of handwritten letters

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Recently, I sat down to write a short note of thanks. I noticed how difficult it was for me to make my writing legible. I spend most of my days writing, but like so many I don’t actually write. I type on a keyboard.

Independence Day

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Declaration of Independence was signed by the Continental congress, on July 4, 1776. However, Americans in New England had been sending notice of rebellion, in the form of bullets, to British soldiers since April in 1775.

Family owned business relocates in Louisville

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

After 30 years in the same location, one of Louisville, Ky.’s, leading antique stores, David R. Friedlander Antiques, has relocated.

Living the Postcard Life: Travelin' On

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The new year caught me quite unaware. ’Ought seven ended with a visit to the Dickens Fair, the Edwardian era folderol that fills the four San Francisco weekends before Christmas.

Give a little pat: Butter served Victorian style

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

If you�ve got it, flaunt it.� That saying certainly applied to the Victorian era of 1837-1901. Flaunt it they did, especially when entertaining. It was the perfect opportunity for the new, prosperous middle class to prove its social status via table setti

Enameling has fired imagination

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Enameling has fired imagination

New Hobbies for the New Year

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

With a few weeks left before the arrival of a new year the big “R” word is starting to filter into conversation. No, not the words red, ribbon or Rudolph, the word that comes right after a rousing rendition of Aud Lang Syne, RESOLUTION. According to many hot-pick resolution lists a great way to better one self, achieve some goals, and learn something along the way is to pick up a hobby – and among the hobby suggestions is to start collecting. No news to you, but a great reminder to share the hobby with others and to explore new items to focus your collecting efforts on.

A passion for pinball games

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Christmas 1959 stands out as one of the most memorable days ever in pinball game collector Bob Herbison’s life. “I crawled out of bed and scrambled out to the living room to find a 1953 Williams Silver Skates pinball machine sitting there for me." ...

Gifts, loans transform Texas Room

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

HOUSTON — Remarkable examples of rare 19th-century Texas-made furniture are now on view in the Texas Room at Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, thanks to Houston collector William James Hill.

Still Lois after all these years

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

She’s been a singer, dancer, model and portrayed dozens of roles from cowgirl to an island girl, but for Baby Boomers and others who have seen her in the classic ’50s TV show, The Adventures of Superman, Noel Neill will forever be known as Lois Lane

Atlantique City Appraisals: The potential for a very special, very early flag

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Upwards of 200 people lined up to hear verbal opinions of value on their treasures at the Atlantique City appraisal event, keeping the show’s eight appraisers busy

The charm of matrioshkas

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Few Russian crafts reached the West before the fall of the Iron Curtain. Mother Russia, like a sleeping bear, guarded her secrets well. Today�s global market, however, now brings its treasures to our very doorstep, wherever that may be.

Living History: Recent artifact discoveries on the Temple Mount

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Holy Jerusalem, to those who love her, is the center of the universe. Continually occupied for more than five millennia, it has been home to diverse peoples: Hebrews, Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Mamelukes, even Ottoman Turks.

Great antiques, Southern hospitality

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

John Dwight Stevens began Stevens Auction Company, in Aberdeen, MI, because of a lifelong interest in antiques and architecture.

A candid look at antique toy sales

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A preponderance of auctions in the antique toy market has put a crimp on show dealers like Tom Sage, but like a Lehmann Dancing Sailor, the veteran dealer from Allentown, Pa., still has a lot of spring in his step.

City in Spotlight: Raleigh, N.C.

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Mix spectacular scenery with affordable attractions and antique shopping, add a liberal dash of southern hospitality, and you have Raleigh, N.C., a great destination for those of us who love historic travel.

Antique Detective: Clues tell us Indian is a copy

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Antiques Detective, Anne Gilbert, assesses readers' antiques.

Kyle on Antiques: Two items identified by reader

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

UPDATES provided by Antique Trader reader on "axe" and "bullet mold."

Antique Trader Online User Survey

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As part of our commitment to providing you with an educational and enjoyable online experience, we are asking for your help. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to click on the link below and take a couple of minutes to complete our little survey to help us better serve you.

Auctioneer offers liquidation tips

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Our friends at Quinn’s Auction Galleries and Waverly Auctions (www.quinnsauctions.com) have been educating senior communities and retirement groups on mistakes to avoid when liquidating estates. Here is just a snapshot, courtesy of Matthew Quinn, of what they suggest:

Is eBay ditching collectibles?

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

New direction for auction Web site includes move to electronic payments, but not away from core business

Kyle on Antiques: Mini furniture could bring maxi price

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I own 5 rooms of wood doll furniture made by Strombecker-Becker Mfg. Co., from Moline, Ill. I bought the items as open stock at the “dime store” about 1929-1930, if I recall correctly.

Art Glass: A fresh, new take on a 3,000-year-old art form

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

If you’ve loved Italian art glass for years, have collected it with passion and thought you knew all that there was to know about it, think again.

Pyrex celebrating 90th birthday this year

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Pyrex story began in 1912 when borosilicate glass was first developed to withstand extremely high or low temperatures for use in railroad signal lanterns for the American Railway Company.

Get the picture?

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

From the 1920s until the 1960s, most small town Main Streets housed a theatre. Usually located in an architectural significant building with prominent neon marquee, these theatres played a significant role in the cultural and economic life of the community.

How to find the good antiques at better prices

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

There are many ways you can find antiques. Who was it that said, "Everything is for sale for a price"... But how do you find antiques at the best (i.e. lowest) prices? Read on for five ways to find the good antiques at better prices.

Good advice from a leading expert � caring for fine antique furniture

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

If you have the good fortune to own fine antique furniture, you have a responsibility to preserve it for future generations.

Beth's Treasure: Part I

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

“A hard hearted person,” the antiques appraiser said gravely to my eleven-year-old daughter, “would look at this and say that it’s only worth a few hundred dollars, but really – this is priceless.”

Historic Lake Geneva�s newest antiques store

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A new antique shop has opened in beautiful historic Lake Geneva, Wis. Geneva Street Antiques is located at 821 Geneva Street in downtown Lake Geneva, in the historic Maple Park District.

Turning the Tables: Deer Hunting Season

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

One of my great joys collecting postcards is realizing how many strange collecting categories it is possible to come up with. I have to admit that I never specifically looked or asked dealers for postcards of deer behaving like hunters!

Science and Art Mix in Collecting Antique Medical Items

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

There’s a fascination about antique medical devices that seemingly belies logic. Is it because we’ve made such progress in the medical field that medical tools from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries seem so crude and, even possibly, cruel?

In Memoriam: Hobby Mourns the Passing of a Pioneer

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It’s probably a good lesson for those involved in buying and selling baseball cards: the man with the biggest, most comprehensive collection ever accumulated was the largest dealer in America and, conversely, wasn’t really even a dealer at all.

F+W author offers appraisals at Brimfield

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Iola, Wis. — Ellen T. Schroy will be offering free antiques appraisals in the New England Motel Antiques Market during the May Brimfield show.

�Mr. Mint� makes his mark in sports cards

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

While sports cards constitute Rosen’s livelihood, his personal interests include collecting much different items, including presidential documents and autographs of signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Fact, fiction and fantastic: Words to describe Niagara Falls

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

What do the following have in common; ancient Native Americans, Marilyn Monroe, Charles Stephens, Annie Taylor, and Pierre Berton? All shared fascination with the many wonders associated with Niagara Falls ...

Lost and Found; The Use of International Art Registries For Identifying and Tracking Valuables

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

With the introduction of insurance in the United States in about 1732, collectors added to their list of concerns record-keeping for insurance purposes, proof of ownership in case of a claim, and reducing risks for insurer and insured alike.

City in the Spotlight: Vicksburg, Miss. 2

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Reminders of the Old South and the Civil War linger throughout modern Vicksburg, Miss. Its tree lined streets are graced with centuries old mansions and several attractions preserve the city’s place in history.

The Morgan Library and Museum presents its extraordinary Babar collection

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The creation of Babar, the protagonist of a family bedtime story that began one of the most successful children’s series of all time, is the focus of a new exhibition on view only at the Morgan Library & Museum from Sept. 19, 2008, through Jan. 4, 2009.

A different kind of holiday classic

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Long before there was American Idol and Star Search and The Gong Show even, there was the Hedberg Family Christmas Program brought to you by… the Hedberg family, of course.

Too hot to handle � collecting vintage irons

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

“Oh for the carefree days of yesteryear when grandmother spent her days cheerfully ironing the all cotton clothes of grandfather and their 12 children.” Such a nostalgic portrait of the past can only be painted by someone who wasn’t there and has never ironed clothes.

Lassie collectibles come home

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

“Lassie is trying to tell us something.” – often heard line on the Lassie TV show

Labor Day Collectibles

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Long unnoticed, the collectibles of the Labor Day holiday are gradually gaining in recognition. It’s about time.

Paper dolls offer something old, something new and something even newer

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Today’s amazing abundance of toys makes it difficult to realize how, during the Great Depression, dolls with dresses proved out-of-reach luxuries for many little girls.

Brimfield brimming with treasures

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Brimfield, Mass., is ordinarily a quiet New England community of 3,000 residents, except for three weeks a year when it becomes a tent city populated by tens of thousands of antiques sellers and buyers.

Chocolate � delicious, delectable, soothing and collectible

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Chocolate has been used as medicine, an aphrodisiac and currency.

Business Profile: Showtime Auction Services

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Showtime Auction Services, based in Woodhaven, Mich., conducts just two auctions a year, in the spring and fall, at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The Network to Freedom: A stop on the Underground Railroad

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Mount Pleasant is kind of like Mayberry. Everyone knows everyone by their first name, and you don’t see much traffic. Off the beaten track, it doesn’t have even one stop light. But what makes this unfairly neglected hamlet special is that it played an important role in the battle to end slavery.

New DVDs Aid in Identifying Antique Glass

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The arrival of two NEW DVDs in the Antique Trader Online Store means the answers to your questions about antique bottles and Fenton glass are just a few mouse clicks away!

Is Luck on Your Side?

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As the old saying goes, if you’re lucky at all, then you’re lucky enough. When it comes to finding an antique or collectible item you’ve searched a long time for or determining a piece you own is worth more than you realized may have something to do with luck, but it’s a good bet it also has to do with your knowledge of the items you love to collect, and your ability to spot authentic items from the fakes and reproductions.

Business Profile: Find more than just antiques here

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Not Just Antiques Mart is the first Antique & Collectibles consignmnet mall in Las Vegas. There are a few furniture consignment stores in Las Vegas; but until now no one has featured antiques and collectibles – and it must be needed as the 12,000-square-foot mall is bursting with amazing finds.

Michael Glenn: Former NBA athlete and author collects African-American sports artifacts

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Michael Glenn, former NBA athlete, author and collector, not only celebrates Black History Month in February but every month of the year. His numerous pieces of black historical and authentic artifacts have not just become a hobby but a true passion for the last 10 years.

Days Gone By: The Studebaker: Here it comes, or there it goes

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Look! There is an old car. Can you tell which way it’s going? If it happens to be one of the old Studebakers, one of those manufactured … say between 1947 and the mid-’50s, it may not be so easy to tell which way it’s going.

Haunted America

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In the spirit of the Halloween season, we thought we’d brew up some spooky fun by visiting historic American destinations known for their haunting good times. Some are special holiday events, while others offer ghostly experiences year ‘round.

Paper Dolls Remain a Cut Above

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Paper doll collectors remain a cut above the rest of the antique world.

Can you hear me now?

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The telephone has become such a part of our daily lives that we take its many advantages for granted. But collectors of early telephones know full well the limitations of those early devices and that’s part of the charm that collecting them offers.

Kyle on Antiques: Thank Goodness for Wash & Wear!

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I’m wondering about this gas iron my grandmother used between 1920 and 1930. It think she got it from Sears. It is still in the original box and has all the original instruction booklets and other accessories. What can you tell me?

Fairy tale postcards charm collectors

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Once upon a time in a faraway kingdom, a beautiful princess was rescued by a heroic (and of course, handsome) prince with a little magical help, while an evil stepmother (witch, wizard or whatever) was suitably punished.

American Red Cross embodies history of humanitarianism

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The American Red Cross traces its beginning to 1881 with the formation, by Clara Barton and a group of supporters, of the American Association of the Red Cross in Washington, DC. But the roots of the Red Cross in America go further back into our history — to the US Civil War.

The grace of Frank Lloyd Wright design

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Frank Lloyd Wright is to architecture what Van Gogh is to art. Wright was dictatorial about building furniture he designed himself into the houses he constructed.

Met�s Betty Woodman exhibition traverses the career of visionary artist

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

NEW YORK — “Conventional” is not a word that has ever been part of Betty Woodman’s vocabulary.

History in the wild at Historic Wildlife Refuges

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

National wildlife refuges are considered home to more than 700 species of birds, 200 species of mammals and more than 280 species that are endangered or threatened with extinction. Yet, they also reflect America’s history, and the historic homes ...

Go Fly a Kite

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

If you’re ever told to “go fly a kite,” you might consider taking it as a compliment. That’s because, according to one authority, flying a kite can be one of life’s more relaxing forms of enjoyment.

A vision of Americana: The American Sign Museum

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

You get the idea that you’re about to enter a magical realm when you pass the 20-foot genie near the entrance of the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Haviland butter pats can say, ��I love you!��

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Flowers wilt and chocolate melts, but a romantic butter pat will be with you forever.

Ideas in Action: New technology allows you to register antiques, jewelry, art, valuables

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It’s 12:30 AM. Do you know where your bridal line is? Hopefully in the safe. But in the case of theft, you’d have few ways of identifying the stolen goods—until now.

The new world of Internet live bidding

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

LiveAuctioneers CEO Julian Ellison talks to Antique Trader

Pass the ke-tsiap

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Over the centuries, humankind has developed the prosperity to tease, torment, titillate and please its taste buds with all manner of edibles.

Use, re-use and recycle: a new vintage blog is born

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We are living in a “throw away” society where it seems like just about everything is, well... disposable. At Vintage Ventures, the focus is on using, re-using and recycling

Collecting the 'Harvard Classics'

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The complete set is a valuable addition to any library. Anyone strolling into almost any large antique bookstore has a good chance of finding the 50-volume set titled The Harvard Classics.

PBS� History Detectives returns with new season June 30

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A PBS audience favorite, a critical success and an armchair historians’ must-see, PBS’ History Detectives debuts its sixth season on PBS beginning Monday, June 30, 2008, 9-10 p.m., ET.

Legend of Pancho Barnes lives on

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

While the name Amelia Earhart is instantly recognizable to most Americans, another aviatrix from the 1920s – Pancho Barnes – is a legend in her own right.

When to use an appraiser: Your options

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Many people will find themselves cleaning out an attic or garage this spring and looking at things that were inherited, or bought at yard sales, flea markets or antique stores and wondering, “what is this worth and how do I sell it?”

Creative campaigns

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Current political campaigning is relatively dull and limited compared to the creative promotional techniques of the past.

Cowboys, Indians still dominate Wyoming landscape

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Western Americana commands a strong following in Wyoming, but many antique shops can be found in the Cowboy State’s small cities and towns. A good place to start is Cheyenne, the capital and largest city, just a 90-minute drive north of Denver.

Not Just Beautiful Beacons: Antique Oil Lamps

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Watching the western sun pour through the window onto the antiques I keep above the kitchen cupboards, I nearly gasped. Was that fuzz coating the chimneys of my oil lamps?

Volunteers remember heroes

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Built of solid concrete in 1935-1936 and occupying an entire city block, the Fresno Memorial Building proved an imposing example of what is known as “Monumental Moderne with Art Deco details.”

Interview with fishing collector Max Hand

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Antique and fishing enthusiast Max Hand has been collecting fishing gear for years. Find out how he got started, and the valuable information he has to share.

Cotton & Quail: Lasting and enduring friendships

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Founder launched the largest monthly to focus on the southeast and predicted lasting changes to the antiques market