Stop me if you’ve heard this one: A black-and-white design for colorful plates was sent to China…
Victorian furniture is generally selling for low prices for many reasons, but there are expections.
Decorative screens were being used in rooms in China by the seventh century. But they were not used in Europe until the 1500s. It wasn’t… Continue reading
Bell toys, a type of pull toy that had moving parts that rang a bell, were made in America just after the Civil War. The… Continue reading
The googly eyes announce that the designer of the dolls was Grace Drayton (1887-1936), a talented artist. Her maiden name was Grace Gebbie. She married… Continue reading
Bobble heads are popular today as sports collectibles. Most baseball teams offer souvenir bobble-head dolls at some of the games during the year, but today’s… Continue reading
Chinese porcelains are among the hardest for an average collector to identify and date. They have been made for centuries and it is considered a… Continue reading
The very thin, graceful lines, the black-and-gilt frame, and the cutwork initials and date “JB/1760” added up to a bid (with premium) of $2,460 at… Continue reading
Shell-shaped decorative objects were very popular during the 19th century. There were trinket boxes covered in tiny shells, counter bells made with several mother-of-pearl shells… Continue reading
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
