Terry and Kim Kovel

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Stylized shapes, light wood, bold blocks of color and unusual construction are characteristics of modern furniture. This flame rocking chair shows all four.

Modern furniture took flight just after WWII ended

This rocking chair was auctioned to raise money for a group that preserves modern residential architecture.

Stylized shapes, light wood, bold blocks of color and unusual construction are characteristics of modern furniture. This flame rocking chair shows all four.
Pie safes like this one were a 19th-century form of food storage. Try saying “punched tin panels protected pies” 10 times fast!

Pie safe protected 19th century desserts from vermin, mold

The collector can often find new uses for items such as this one whose purposes have become obsolete.

Pie safes like this one were a 19th-century form of food storage. Try saying “punched tin panels protected pies” 10 times fast!
This Empire-style stool was made in the 20th century, but it was based on a style from the early 1800s that was inspired by designs from ancient Egypt.

This 20th-century stool looks like a 19th-century relic

The influence of ancient art is clearly seen in this Empire-style stool, which sold for $1,250.

This Empire-style stool was made in the 20th century, but it was based on a style from the early 1800s that was inspired by designs from ancient Egypt.
A red, white and blue soda fountain tip tray might be the essence of Americana. It serves as both an advertising collectible and a patriotic decoration.

This star-spangled tray advertises a long-forgotten soft drink

The tray proclaims the drink “The King of Phosphates,” a reference to an ingredient used on soda fountain drinks from about 1870 to 1930.

A red, white and blue soda fountain tip tray might be the essence of Americana. It serves as both an advertising collectible and a patriotic decoration.
Photo Caption: Imagine seeing a glowing, grinning pear in the dark of night! This papier-mache lantern was an antique Halloween decoration.

Flammability makes this papier-mache lantern a rare survivor

Halloween items like this pear-shaped one were popular in the United States in the 1930s to the 1950s.

Photo Caption: Imagine seeing a glowing, grinning pear in the dark of night! This papier-mache lantern was an antique Halloween decoration.
This paper clip features a bronze skull and bones, making it ready for Halloween any time of the year. Is it a modern-day memento mori or a sly comment on the tedium of paperwork?

Morbid paper-pushers would appreciate this spooky gadget

The bronze paper clip adorned with a skill sold for $625 at an antiques auction.

This paper clip features a bronze skull and bones, making it ready for Halloween any time of the year. Is it a modern-day memento mori or a sly comment on the tedium of paperwork?
Photo Caption: Can you resist anything but temptation? Buyers couldn't resist this Royal Bayreuth pitcher with a devil and playing cards. (c) 2022 by Cowles Syndicate Inc.

The devil made somebody pay $250 for this novelty pitcher

The Royal Bayreuth item recalls bygone times when religious authorities deemed playing cards as sinful.

Photo Caption: Can you resist anything but temptation? Buyers couldn't resist this Royal Bayreuth pitcher with a devil and playing cards. (c) 2022 by Cowles Syndicate Inc.
Whooo's ready for Halloween? These shadowy owl andirons have glass marble eyes to catch the light of a fire.

These spooky owls dressed up fireplaces in the 19th century

Decorative andirons, whicd held logs off the fireplace floor, recently sold for $660 at an antiques auction.

Whooo's ready for Halloween? These shadowy owl andirons have glass marble eyes to catch the light of a fire.
This quilt features an American flag with 36 stars, indicating that it was made about 1865. Most antique quilts are harder to date.

Tips for estimating an unsigned vintage quilt’s true age

If you can see dark spots in the quilt when held up to a strong light or sunny window, they may be cotton seeds. Some collectors claim that this means the quilt was made before the invention of the cotton gin in 1793.

This quilt features an American flag with 36 stars, indicating that it was made about 1865. Most antique quilts are harder to date.
Puzzle jugs provided a drinking game for centuries. Do you think you could drink from one without spilling?

Puzzle jugs challenged drinkers to do it right — or make a mess

The drinker had to know which holes to cover and which to drink from in order to draw the liquid up through the handle.

Puzzle jugs provided a drinking game for centuries. Do you think you could drink from one without spilling?
Photo Caption: The Spirit of Ecstasy, nicknamed the Flying Lady or Silver Lady, has decorated Rolls-Royce cars since 1911. This figure is a brass reproduction.

You can’t afford a Rolls, but you might be able to buy figurine

A reproduction “Spirit of Ecstasy” sold at auction for $210. The car goes for a whole lot more.

Photo Caption: The Spirit of Ecstasy, nicknamed the Flying Lady or Silver Lady, has decorated Rolls-Royce cars since 1911. This figure is a brass reproduction.
Photo Caption: Labor Day celebrates American workers with picnics, parades and patriotic decorations. Past parade spectators may have carried flags like these.

This patriotic tchotchke is ready to celebrate Labor Day

Billed as a Victorian item, the 20-flag holder may predate the first Labor Day in 1882.

Photo Caption: Labor Day celebrates American workers with picnics, parades and patriotic decorations. Past parade spectators may have carried flags like these.
Photo Caption: Munyon's Homeopathic Cures may not have been effective medicine, but the cabinets are desirable collectibles. This one sold at auction for more than $1,000.

Worthless as medicine — but valuable as an antique

Turn-of-the-century quackery makes for amusing collecting. But be careful — there may be poison in those “medicine” bottles.

Photo Caption: Munyon's Homeopathic Cures may not have been effective medicine, but the cabinets are desirable collectibles. This one sold at auction for more than $1,000.
Photo Caption: A zhadou is a bowl for discarding table scraps. This one sold for $7,680 at Nadeau's Auction Gallery.

This elegant porcelain bowl has a lowly function: table scraps

The European and American equivalents had it even worse. They were used in bathrooms.

Photo Caption: A zhadou is a bowl for discarding table scraps. This one sold for $7,680 at Nadeau's Auction Gallery.
Antique tools can be interesting collectibles. This gadget, a mechanical rope twister, has a patent date of 1901.

Most people today would not recognize this rope twister

Is it a kitchen gadget — perhaps a fruit or vegetable peeler? Some kind of grinder or chopper? In fact, it’s a mechanical rope twister.

Antique tools can be interesting collectibles. This gadget, a mechanical rope twister, has a patent date of 1901.
Photo Caption: This carved shelf brought $2,500 at New Haven Auctions. Decorations and symbols associated with the Odd Fellows add to its appeal.

Odd Fellows iconography adds to this carved shelf’s value

Fun fact: The Odd Fellows is believed to have originated in medieval trade guilds, with “odd fellow” meaning someone who did odd jobs for a living.

Photo Caption: This carved shelf brought $2,500 at New Haven Auctions. Decorations and symbols associated with the Odd Fellows add to its appeal.
Bing of Nuremberg, Germany, is one of the most famous toy companies of the late 1800s to early 1900s. They made this miniature factory, which may have been an educational model or a children's toy.

Antique toys taught children about their stations in life

This miniature tin factory, which suggested to kids where they might spend most of their adult lives, sold for nearly $5,000.

Bing of Nuremberg, Germany, is one of the most famous toy companies of the late 1800s to early 1900s. They made this miniature factory, which may have been an educational model or a children's toy.
Broken mirrors don’t have to be bad luck. This one was made into a piece of folk art that still had its use.

‘Make-do’ mirror from a frugal era is prized today

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” These were words to live by in the days before mass production, online… Continue reading

Broken mirrors don’t have to be bad luck. This one was made into a piece of folk art that still had its use.
Photo Caption: Cribbage is a centuries-old travel game. In the 19th century, sailors on whaling ships made and used boards like this one to pass the time on long voyages.

Cribbage boards have sailed the seven seas for centuries

One from the 19th century made of whalebone, ebony and mahogany recently sold for more than $500.

Photo Caption: Cribbage is a centuries-old travel game. In the 19th century, sailors on whaling ships made and used boards like this one to pass the time on long voyages.
Photo Caption: Butter prints like this one pressed a design into freshly made butter as a decoration or for marketing. Today, collectors search for antique butter prints and consider them folk art.

19th century farm families’ butter prints are coveted folk art

One example with a flower-and-heart design recently sold at auction for more than $5,000.

Photo Caption: Butter prints like this one pressed a design into freshly made butter as a decoration or for marketing. Today, collectors search for antique butter prints and consider them folk art.