Features

In the 1920s and ’30s a nickel would buy a cup of Joe; but for hobos, Bert Wiegand and Bo Hughes, their daedal coins — hobo-hand-carved-nickels were more valuable than the run-of-the-mill-five-cent piece.

Facing the prospect of impending death, Civil War soldiers fashioned their own ID tags from coins and tokens. These Civil War ID tags are collectible today.

Around 1900, as homes were spreading outward from the inner city, lawns began to come into vogue. To keep those green spaces green, all sorts of different lawn sprinklers were developed.

Cameos are often carved from shell, hardstone, and even glass. Learn the history of cameo jewelry, and what makes some cameos more desirable than others.

From the 1870s through the early 1900s, liquid-filled fire grenades were used to combat the blaze when a small fire broke out in the interior of the home.

For each car painted from the 1950s-1970s, another layer of enamel was added to the hardened mosaic of colored slag that would come to be known as Fordite.

If you’re keen to source a genuine Tiffany lamp for your home or art collection, you need to know your stuff. Here are ten clues to tell a real Tiffany lamp from a fake one.

Did you realize we're in the midst of carnival season, and Mardi Gras is just a few weeks away? Within all the revelry of this season are many many secret traditions, including Mardi Gras invitations.

When speaking about chamber pots, commodes and careless mistakes, the “careless mistakes” are probably not what you might imagine.

The world of antiques has always been fertile ground for mystery writers. “A Killing in Antiques: A Lucy St. Elmo Mystery" stars an antiques dealer who heads to Brimfield.

At Christmas time, stores fill their shelves in the Yuletide section with wooden toy soldier nutcrackers depicting a character in The Nutcracker ballet. But, there are many more types of nutcrackers available.

Decorative compacts, small vanity cases containing powder, lipstick, mirrors, or more, were fashionable from the early 1900s through the 1960s.

The gift guides of yesteryear - Wish Books from Sears, Montgomery Ward, and other mail order companies, trigger a childlike sense of wonder and excitement.

Though many of its shops abound with inexpensive, mass-produced tourist items, Venice is also a vibrant center of contemporary, quality art and crafts.

It's may be hard to believe, but it has been 20 years since the adventures of Harry Potter and his magical pals cast a spell on the young and young at heart. A new book by author Eric Bradley takes a unique approach to Potter appreciation, through memorabilia and collectibles.

Jennifer Fisher of Queen Creek, Arizona spent the halcyon days of her childhood absorbed in the Nancy Drew books of the 1970s and ’80s. She's turned her passion for the plucky sleuth into a full-time career.

Do you have to be a character to collect character dolls? Not necessarily, but it doesn't hurt.

If you are in Portland, Oregon and you catch a glimpse of a woman elegantly dressed in period clothing, with a stunning hat to top the ensemble, don't worry that time has escaped you, it's simply Lu Ann Trotebas, the owner and executor of the largest hat museum in the U.S.

As Dr. Anthony J. Cavo teaches us in this extended Ask the Experts assessment, several elements within decorative paintings lend themselves to determining the possible age of a piece.

"The Last Chord" series of postcards, from Bamforth and Company, is the product of inspiration from an early 20th century song by the same name, according to an assessment by Ask the Experts panelist Dr. Anthony J. Cavo.

Advice from the Furniture Detective about making the most of the tools available to repair an item of furniture brought forth storytelling memories for Antoinette Rahn when she was a child.

As part of the estate of an East Coast decorator a collection of 75 antique and vintage watches, including an antique American Waltham open-face pocket watch, will come before bidders March 14 through Thomaston Place Auction Galleries.

There is an abundance of elegant and exciting fashion accessories present in Heritage Auctions' March 25 and March 26 auctions. Here are six that caught Antoinette Rahn's eye...

Did you know Teddy Roosevelt's journeys are the subject of a vintage board game? Or, that Abraham Lincoln helped change the 'face of presidential campaigning'? These are just a couple of the fascinating facts represented by objects in Heritage Auctions' Feb. 24 political memorabilia auction.

Locating luxury items of various interests is as easy as 1, 2, 3, especially when you're dealing with online auction shopping experience at Jasper52, explains Antique Trader contributor Sara Jordan-Heintz.