Life
This lush sofa echoes the extravagant 18th-century Rococo style
While minimalist postmodern furniture is popular now, older, more elaborate designs like this may be ripe for another…
Life
This shapely, iridescent piece of blown glass was an award-winner in 1900
Marked with the name of its maker — “Loetz Austria” — this strikingly complex piece sold for $4,940…
Life
Sign celebrates staying power of company’s union-made workwear
Beginning in the 1880s, Sweet-Orr advertised its clothing with public demonstrations of strength and solidarity.
Life
This parrot’s plumage shines bright when its bulb is illuminated
It’s a lamp disguised as a parrot, made by Fulper Pottery. And it sold for $375 at auction.
Life
This artist brought enamel, used since the Middle Ages, into the 20th century
A trained artist, Karl Drerup immigrated to New York in the ’30s, where he began making his vibrant,…
Life
Mechanical banks that stored pennies now sell for thousands of dollars
Cast-iron banks like this were used to teach children that saving can be fun. Now, collectors must save…
Life
Spool cabinets once were ubiquitous in country stores
Back when clothes were made and mended at home, spools of thread were household essentials.
Life
A gunsmith by training, this immigrant instead made kitchen equipment
Bernard Gloekler’s company made this butcher’s sign, featuring a saw, cleaver, knife and standing bull.
Life
Butterfly season is fleeting, but dazzling pieces like this last forever
This butterfly pendant, with wings covered in brilliantly colored gemstones, sold for $594 at auction.
Life
With a passion for glazes, Van Briggle was known for his art nouveau vases
This tile, possibly inspired by Artus Van Briggle’s training as a painter and the mountains of Colorado, sold…
Life
Nature’s influence is clear in this vintage Tiffany-like lamp
Shaped like a cluster of mushrooms with long stems and graceful curving shapes, the lamp is definitely art…
Life
Like the eagle itself, the creator of this piece is a folkloric figure
Made by a traveling German immigrant in the late 19th century, this wooden carving sold for $5,000 at…
Life
Specimen tables made worthy souvenirs for wealthy vacationers of yore
This colorful, 19th-century Italian marble table sold for about $3,832 at auction.
Life
Victorian furniture design more diverse than you might think
For example, Hunzinger’s inventive designs include this beech wood chair that looks as if it’s made from pipes.
Life
Candelabra today valued less for utility than decorative ornaments
This candelabrum, featuring a handpainted tree branch adorned with flowers and parrots, sold for $594 at auction.
Life
Mechanical banks that taught kids to save now sell for impressive sums
The cast-iron variety made in the 1800s now sell for impressive sums. Even this 1940s tin toy sold…
Life
Colonial Revival pieces celebrate American history with classic symbols
Stars and stripes, Uncle Sam, Lady Liberty and, of course, eagles often appear in works from this period.
Life
Though rarely used today, toothpick holders make great collectibles
This unusual porcelain piece appears to have been made blank by one person and painted by another.
Life
Careful cameo cut boosts this antique perfume bottle’s value
This elegant bottle boasts a glass-decorating technique fashionable in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Life
Garden seats have long allowed us to bask in the beauty of our gardens
This 20th-century majolica features the vivid colors and 3D decorations of older Victorian-era pieces.