The Adirondack style started with a chair in 1903. Many wealthy folks from the East Coast wanted a cool place to live for the summer,… Continue reading
It is impossible to miss Minton majolica in a room. It usually is shaped like animals, birds, flowers or just fantasies. A tasseled, pillow-shaped garden… Continue reading
“Cabinet of curiosities” was the name of an important room in the 1600s and, years later, a “cabinet of curiosities” meant just a cabinet. The… Continue reading
Our ancestors were clever and could make many tools, containers and cooking utensils from wood or iron. It was not until the mid-19th century that… Continue reading
Collecting is a pastime in almost every country. Children start collecting with stones, leaves, bottle caps and free toys that came with a Happy Meal.… Continue reading
Smelling salts have been used to revive someone who is feeling faint or has lost consciousness since the days of the Romans. But it was… Continue reading
Sometimes identifying and dating an antique seems easy, but it fools you. An unusual wall clock was offered at a recent auction. It was labeled… Continue reading
Many authors define American Victorian furniture in terms of one of the many design types used from 1840 to 1900, but all of them are… Continue reading
Spring brings flowers, and this year designers are using more floral prints than usual for fabrics and designs. But a picture of a plant as… Continue reading
What’s a “jeep”? To a car collector or soldier, it is a special kind of vehicle that can travel over all sorts of rough terrain.… Continue reading
Strange antiques and collectibles with mysterious shapes and unknown purposes are sometimes part of a larger piece. Mysterious wooden wheels with wooden spokes and about… Continue reading
Fifties furniture is very popular with vintage collectors today, but some earlier Art Deco designs from the 1930s are not in demand. Look at old… Continue reading
While Valentine’s Day is always Feb. 14, President’s Day can be any one of seven dates, the third Monday in February closest to the 20th.… Continue reading
Valentine’s Day is a holiday that has its roots in ancient times. But it was celebrated with gifts until the first cards appeared about 1760.… Continue reading
Home and Garden
16th century criquet table had nothing to do with sport
Two types of collectors bid for a porcelain figure of a well-dressed French couple that was sold at a Southern auction in 2016. A 14-inch-high… Continue reading
Sewing was an important part of the life of a woman during the 17th and 18th centuries. There was no sewing machine; everything was hand-stitched.… Continue reading
All the early Christmas trees were freshly cut trees from a nearby forest. By the 19th century in America, the fresh trees were brought into… Continue reading
If you were getting ready for the traditional Christmas party in 1860s England, you might have been searching the storage cupboards for the holiday punch… Continue reading
Remember hearing “Kilroy was here”? Kilroy is a famous “doodle” seen during World War II. No one is sure exactly where it began, but in… Continue reading
