A Look Inside the February Issue of Kovels Antique Trader

Love takes center stage in the February issue of Kovels Antique Trader, but not always in the ways you might expect. From sweet and sentimental to sharp-tongued and strange, this issue explores the many ways in which romance has been expressed, collected, and commodified across centuries.

We dig into the language of love through objects, including vinegar valentines that delighted in insult, miniature lover’s eye paintings exchanged in secrecy, and sailor-carved scrimshaw tokens made for the ones left behind. Valentine traditions collide with history, humor, and heartbreak—after all, affection has never been one-size-fits-all.

Collectors will also find robust Sales Reports highlighting chocolate molds, pulp paperback cover art, and maritime folk art that brought big results at auction, along with expert insight into what’s driving today’s market. Fashion jewelry lovers won’t want to miss Pam Siegel’s deep dive into Mazer’s costume jewelry legacy, while fans of pop culture nostalgia will smile at a look back at the ever-charming Pillsbury Doughboy.

Rounding out the issue, our America’s 250 coverage continues with the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, weaving objects and art into the broader story of the nation as it approaches its Semiquincentennial.

Whether your idea of Valentine’s Day is roses or razor-sharp wit, the February issue proves one thing: love, in all its forms, has always left something collectible behind.