As I was running errands yesterday, I ran into my daughter's school bus driver at the post office. She was mailing off a beautiful quilt she had made to one of her relatives. It was gorgeous; it had several different types of material. The most striking of the blocks were made from salvaged needle-worked linens. (I wish I would have had a camera with me so I could have snapped a pic to include here, but you'll have to take my word for it.) It just looked so right. The materials were old a new and of different textures.

I couldn't help but think what a wonderful way to salvage these beautiful pieces of fabric art — to include them in yet another family heirloom that I'm sure will be cherished for decades to come.

She said, "That's what I do." ... She goes to garage/rummage sales and picks up these old things and reworks them into something "new."

How about you, Antique Trader readers? Do any of you make something new from something old?

Never mind that Halloween candy is barely polished off and leftover Thanksgiving turkey still lurks in the refrigerator, all of a sudden it’s time to start thinking about Christmas. Every year about this time the spirit of Ebenezer Scrooge saying “Bah, humbug!” comes calling when I hear that first Christmas carol way too early and see stores putting out Christmas decorations as they remove the Halloween décor.

But before long, I get caught up in the holiday spirit. I start baking cookies and looking for that perfect gift. I send old Scrooge packing and welcome the memories and traditions of Christmases past.

Most families can say they have them – traditions that make the holiday uniquely their own. Traditions have always been a part of the Sparks family Christmas. The entire clan looks forward to chowing down on my famous garlic mashed potatoes and yes, another turkey, complete with stuffing made the same way as last year, and the year before that. The meal wouldn’t be complete without sweet potatoes with marshmallows and cranberry-orange sauce.

When it’s time to exchange gifts, someone is chosen to be Santa, a much-coveted role; Santa gets to hand out the presents in any order he or she chooses. Before Santa gives out that first gift, though, everyone – young and old – must relate a memory from a past Christmas.

Then gifts are handed out and opened one at a time. Sometimes that can take an entire afternoon! Many gifts exchanged are not fancy or store-bought. They certainly cannot be found in any catalog. One year my mom gave me a tablecloth, exquisitely crocheted by her mother. It’s nearly 100 years old now. Another year she made me a quilt using scraps of clothing I’d worn as a child. She’d kept them all those years. Seventeen years ago my husband made a potty chair for our first grandchild, and our daughter already considers it an heirloom that she’ll pass on to Kayla some Christmas in the future.

Some of our traditions have lasted for many years. Some have been tweaked to include new family members. As the family grows, some traditions have been added and some have gone away, but the longest-lasting is to try to get the entire family together at least for one day. I know that as the kids grow up and start their own families and their own traditions, it won’t always happen, but no matter where we are, or how much things change, I’m confident we’ll always be together in heart.

As you celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Christmas and embrace old traditions or start new ones, enjoy family and friends who give the holidays their true meaning.

What holiday traditions do you look forward to each year? Have you been the lucky recipient of a family heirloom? Have you given someone a gift they will someday pass on to the next generation? Let us know about your favorite traditions or most memorable holiday by Dec. 10. We’ll share them with all our readers in a future issue.

P.S.: Visit the blog at www.antiquetrader.com to find out what happened on my most memorable Christmas. Nothing will ever top that one!

Our tradition: When it’s time to exchange gifts, someone is chosen to be Santa, a much-coveted role; Santa gets to hand out the presents in any order he or she chooses. Before Santa gives out that first gift, though, everyone – young and old – must relate a memory from a past Christmas.

It's a tough economy, but if you have the money, whether you're in the market for stocks, real estate, or antiques, it's a buyer's market. Here's a great opportunity to exercise that fact ... and when you throw in free parking and free admission, it only makes the deal all the better. (The Dec. 4-7 show has free admission.)

Read on ...

Charlotte, NC—The Metrolina Tradeshow Expo continues its long-standing tradition of hosting one of the most extensive, exceptional monthly antique shows in the region with its new International Collectibles and Antiques Shows, beginning December 4-7, 2008.

With 98,000 square feet of shopping and more than 2,000 vendors, rare and unique treasures await show attendees at every turn, including high-end antiques, home décor items, vintage jewelry, silver, glass, pottery and ceramics, fine art, toys and memorabilia of all varieties.

Hundreds of experienced, professional antiquities dealers will travel from across the country to present the finest offerings in the Antique Village – 13 free-standing ‘storefronts’ presenting the finest quality crafts, antiques, unfinished and finished furniture, rugs and more.

These monthly shows will also feature the East coast’s largest flea market, with more than 3,000 outdoor exhibit spaces, offering one-of-a-kind items at unbelievable prices.

Guests will also find unique riches on Piccadilly Lane, where more than one hundred permanent vendors display their distinctive wares, including homemade and gourmet specialty foods and goods, as well as a variety of food and refreshment vendors to help fortify them as they shop.

Guests are also encouraged to bring their family antiques and personal treasures to the spring and fall ‘Classic’ shows, which will include professional antique appraisals and auctions similar to those found on the popular television series “Antiques Roadshow”.

Additionally, for the first time in Metrolina’s 30 years of operation, guests are offered free weekend admission, a $25 value, to the inaugural International Collectibles and Antiques Show, December 4-7, 2008, as part of the grand opening celebration weekend.

Show schedule:
December 4-7, 2008 – grand opening celebration weekend
January 1-4, 2009
February 5-8, 2009
March 5-8, 2009
April 1-5, 2009 – spring ‘Classic’ show
April 30-May 3, 2009
June 4-7, 2009
July 2-5, 2009
July 30-August 2, 2009
September 3-6, 2009
October 1-4, 2009
November 4-8, 2009 – fall ‘Classic’ show
December 3-6, 2009

Hours:
Monthly shows: Thursday-Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Classics: Wednesday-Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Sunday: 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Tickets:
FREE for December 4-7, 2008 grand opening celebration weekend

All other monthly shows, excluding ‘Classics’: children ages 12 and under – free admission; general admission - $4, seniors - $2 (Friday-Sunday); early shopper four-day pass available - $15 (Thursday-Sunday)

‘Classics’ admission: children ages 12 and under – free admission; general admission - $6, seniors - $3 (Friday-Sunday); early shopper four-day pass available - $20 (Thursday-Sunday); sneak preview, five-day event pass - $30 (Wednesday-Sunday)

Season pass for all 12 shows, including ‘Classics’ - $45

Parking:
Free parking for all shows

For additional information, visit www.icashows.com, or call 704.663.1500.

NAWCC Chapter 59 in San Diego announces that its annual "Southwest California Regional" in Del Mar, a massive, multi-dealer sale of antique and collectible watches and clocks, will be open to the public for one day only, Saturday, November 22, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, California. SAN DIEGO, CA, November 06, 2008  -- The San Diego Chapter of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC), Chapter 59, is pleased to announce that the Southwest California Regional will be opening its doors to the public for the first time ever. The Southwest California Regional is an annual sales event for collectors of antique and vintage watches and clocks. The public will be admitted Saturday, November 22, from 9 am to 3 pm. Saturday-only admission costs $10 at the door.

"This is a great opportunity for anybody who's interested in collectible clocks and watches to come get a preview of what's available to NAWCC members," says Mark Weaver, General Chairman of the Southwest California Regional. "You'll get unlimited access to all the dealer tables, resources, and bargains."

"If you're at the Fairgrounds for the Del Mar Antique Show, come check us out in the Wyland Center," Weaver says. "Especially if you're looking for antique and vintage watches and clocks - we'll have the place filled with them!"

"And, of course, we'd love you to join the NAWCC," Weaver adds. "We'll have plenty of applications on hand."

The Southwest California Regional is a three-day event, held November 20-22, 2008, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, California. The Mart, which is the sales part of the event, attracts horological sellers and buyers from all over the world, all seeking treasures and making deals over more than 250 tables jam-packed with watches, clocks, spare parts, watchmaking and clockmaking tools, reference books, watch and clock accessories, and more.

Many antique dealers attend the Southwest California Regional to replenish their inventory of vintage clocks and watches, making it one of the few major events at which the average collector can discover true "wholesale" deals on collectible timepieces. And now, this once-private event is open to the public for one day only.

"We'd love to see a lot of people take advantage of this opportunity," Weaver says. "This is the first time we've ever opened the Mart up to the public. And Saturday - it's the last day of the Mart, so dealers would rather sell stuff than pack it back up. It's traditionally been a good day for bargains."

"Come on down!" Weaver says, with a wide, welcoming smile.

The Southwest California Regional will also have a display of antique and vintage watches and clocks.

For more information about the Southwest California Regional, visit http://www.nawcc59.org/regional.html.

About NAWCC Chapter 59
The NAWCC is a non-profit organization, and Chapter 59 is the San Diego chapter of the NAWCC. It produces and manages the annual Southwest California Regional every November with its co-host, Chapter 136. Chapter 59 members come from all over San Diego County. Visit NAWCC Chapter 59's website at http://www.nawcc59.org to learn about monthly meeting times and member benefits.

It is highly unlikely my son, a fifth-grader, will ever have to actually dial a phone. Nor will he ever have a sneezing fit while cleaning the chalkboard erasers. Nor will he curse over jammed typewriter keys because his fingers were faster than the machine.

In fact, I’d wager his only exposure to typewriters is “history” articles like the one Martin Howard shares with us in this week’s Antique Trader.

Mr. Howard set out to collect something “off the beaten path,” and he certainly found it. I don’t know many people who collect the oh-so-heavy and clunky-to-handle writing tools of days gone by. Mainly because they are oh so heavy and oh so clunky to handle. But those who do, know they have in their possession one of the most essential pieces of machinery in history!

Although the shape, design and weight of typewriters have changed over time, and there was even some effort to rearrange the letters, one thing has remained the same: the keyboard is still an essential means for communication. In fact, as Mr. Howard notes, “The keyboard truly connects the planet.”

Look around you at all those businessmen and women typing on their BlackBerries. Look at just about every teenager out there “texting” their friends. Look at all the e-mails in your inbox.

Where would we be without those first typewriters and keyboards? How exciting it must be for folks like Martin Howard to track those down, buy them and, in his case, restore them.

I remember typing essays and reports in junior high and high school on my mom’s big Royal. Lifting that monster onto the dining room table may have been the start of my back problems! But it worked.

It typed. Not as fast as I’d like sometimes, but the letters went on the page and the papers were up to my teacher’s standards. So I really couldn’t complain. But I was a teenager, so I did – especially after we got electric typewriters in school and then, by my later high school years, computers with this “ultra-fast” keyboard.

Fast-forward 30 years and my 10-year-old already knows the “home row” and is typing with both hands poised over the keyboard. In his classroom, both the chalkboard and overhead projector have been replaced by what is called a SMART Board – an interactive, electronic whiteboard.

Let me tell you about this SMART Board. You can draw or write on the touch screen and save that info into a document. The teacher can display everything from class pictures to movies to Web sites. What an incredible teaching and learning tool!

But then again, that’s what the typewriter was and always has been. If someone hadn’t figured out a way to get type-written words on paper, you probably wouldn’t be holding this newspaper in your hands either. Those typewriters are pretty special to us writers and editors.
Perhaps I could start my own collection. They certainly would look a lot more attractive than that pile of outdated computer monitors and broken keyboards!

Antique Trader would like to know if you collect something that was significant to history (typewriters, telephones, radios, etc.) but evolved into something else we still use today — something that perhaps has transformed over time from something enormous to electronic. Use that new-fangled keyboard and send me an email at robyn.austin@fwmedia.com or post a reply here.

Until next time, keep your hands on the home row... asdf jkl;... asdf jkl;...

You're right. No, they're not antique, but they are historically relevant so some of you may have an interest in this.

Here's what Coin of the Year is all about:

Once again, the public will vote alongside mint officials, museum curators, medalists, and journalists to determine the “People’s Choice” of the world’s best coinage, when Coin of the Year voting goes live November 3rd at NumisMaster.com.

Expert judges from around the world will be deciding the category winners and the Coin of the Year as in the past, but again this year, the public will decide the outcome of a congruent award honoring the ultimate in coinage design.

"We are excited to once again offer Coin of the Year voting to coin collectors from around the world," said Scott Tappa, numismatics publisher at Krause Publications. "Last year's program drew hundreds of thousands of votes from around the globe, and we're expecting an even greater response this year. What could be more democratic than letting collectors decide which coin they like best?"

The contest, which is sponsored by World Coin News and NumisMaster, will celebrate its 25th year anniversary of honoring Mints of the world who produce the most artistic, historically relevant, and innovative coinage.

"In its first year, the People's Choice Coin of the Year became an incredibly competitive award. Collectors take obvious pride in the issues of their countries and they expressed themselves strongly in their online voting. We expect voter participation to rise sharply this year."

Last year’s People's Choice winner was the Hungarian Mint, for its 50 forint coin celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution. Mints from Canada, France, Austria, the United States, Latvia, and Finland were among the countries also honored with awards. This year’s ceremony will again be held at the World Money Fair in Berlin, Germany during the first weekend of February 2009.

To view this year’s nominees and to cast your vote, visit Numismaster.com on or after November 3rd and click on “Contests”.

Visit Numismaster.com for more information.

From Showtime Auctions:

A rare bow front violano music player, made around 1910 by the Mills Novelty Company of Chicago and professionally restored in excellent playing condition, soared to $137,500 at a three-day multi-estate sale held October 10-12 by Showtime Auction Services at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds. The violano, serial #195, is one of only 20 still known to exist.

The sale, which saw 2,340 lots cross the block over the course of the weekend, featured all three versions of the Mills violano. It might be the first time in auction history that all three Mills violano versions were offered in the same sale. The bow front sold had a midi player with wireless system that permits the user to operate it from 90 feet away. Included were three Mills rolls and four midi albums.

The featured collector of the sale was Sandy Rosnick, the founder of the Antique Advertising Association of America (AAA) and a dedicated collector of country store tins in many categories. A top earner from his collection was a very rare Mohawk Chief cigar tin with just some minor scuffs and scratches but otherwise in very good condition. The tin, once containing nickel cigars, brought $1,800.

“Sandy Rosnick was the featured collector, but we had so many items in such a broad range of categories this was our most diverse auction ever,” said Mike Eckles of Showtime Auction Services. “We weren't sure what to expect, because the financial crisis hit the week before the sale, and things were still in is a state of turmoil that weekend. But I was very pleased with the outcome. It was great.”

A strong crowd of more than 400 people enjoyed the balmy weather and packed the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds. The Friday session was held solely for in-house bidders. On Saturday and Sunday, phone and absentee bidding was brisk, while about 2,500 registered bidders participated online via LiveAuctioneers.com and eBayLiveAuctions.com. In all, the auction grossed around $2.2 million.

Following are additional top lots from the sale. All prices quoted include a buyer's premium that ranged from 10-20 percent.

A paper sign advertising Buffalo Brewing Company of Sacramento, Calif., and depicting a nude Indian maiden on the back of a buffalo, in a period walnut frame and in mint condition, hammered for $45,100. Also, a Brunhoff light-up Coca-Cola advertising sign, inviting patrons to “Lunch With Us” and depicting a fountain glass, in excellent original condition (12 inches by 14 inches) fetched $12,650.

An original oil painting by the German-born American artist Edmond Osthaus (1858-1928) realized $44,000. The hunting scene, depicting two Irish setters and a pointer, measured 24 inches by 36 inches (32 inches by 44 inches framed). Osthaus was commissioned by the major firearms and gun powder manufacturers of the day, such as Remington and Winchester, for their posters and calendars.

A Watling Cupid trade stimulator (coin-operated, five cents, with gum vendor) in excellent condition and with keys, went for $38,500. Also, a limited-production exact replica of a Mademoiselle Zita fortune teller, in excellent working order, hit $17,050. The original was made by Roovers Bros. Mfg., Brooklyn, N.Y., around the turn of the century. The replica was manufactured by Mike Gorski.

A “Happy Jap” gum vendor, coin-operated and made around 1902, in good original condition (10 inches by 13-1/2 inches by 10-1/2 inches), went to a determined bidder for $39,000. Also, a four-gallon mechanical butter churn with no chips or cracks – a wonderful example of grey stoneware pottery – made $3,000. The piece, 35 inches tall, was made by Jos. Hamilton Mfg. of Greensboro, Pa.

A Buster Brown Shoes tin sign, depicting Tig pulling Buster in a big shoe, measuring 40 inches by 24-3/4 inches and made by American Art Works Lithographers of Coshocton, Ohio, and in overall excellent condition, climbed to $20,900. Also, a Boyce Moto Meter die-cut tin flange sign, two-sided, measuring 21-1/2 inches by 18-3/4 inches and with a bullet hole and a few bb dents, brought $18,700.

A child's sled intended as a Christmas present for a little boy in Pennsylvania in 1893 who died before the holidays, retired to an attic ever since and in original excellent condition, with a beautiful hand-painted rendering of the Finger Lakes in New York, wood with iron runners and geese head pulls, coasted to $5,775. Also, a Popeye Bag Puncher tin wind-up toy, with the original box, reached $4,125.

Showtime Auction Services' next big sale will be held the weekend of March 27-29, also at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds in Ann Arbor. Mich. The featured collector will be Fred Bahlau who, over the course of 57 years, has amassed an impressive accumulation of leaded glass windows, Nickelodeons, lamps, signs, country store, petroliana, advertising and other items – 1,800 lots in all.

Select items from other estates will also be offered. Showtime Auction Services is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign a single item, estate or collection, you may call Mike Eckles, at (951) 453-2415. His e-mail address is Mikeckles@aol.com. To learn more about Showtime Auction Services and its calendar of upcoming sales, click on www.showtimeauctions.com.

Time is running out for you to enter for a chance to win the Vintage Halloween Collectibles book in the Antique Trader Treasure Hunt Sweepstakes.

You can enter once each day, but this sweeps ends Friday at midnight!

A new prize has been selected for the November sweepstakes. Keep watching your newsletters and AntiqueTrader.com for more information!

Click here to enter the Antique Trader Treasure Hunt Sweepstakes.

My grandchildren think I’m an antique.

I remember watching in relief as my grandparents had indoor plumbing installed in their home. No more midnight trips to the backyard. Yaaayyy! It always took me what seemed like hours to go back to sleep after a trip outside – it felt like I might have one of those outhouse spiders crawling around in the bed with me. The alternative was to use the chamber pot, something I absolutely refused to do. I had SOME dignity, even as a child.

I sewed my first doll dress on a treadle sewing machine. I managed to send the needle partway through one of my fingers.

I rode on the back of draft horses as they pulled a hay wagon that was being loaded with hay bales by the farmhand, not a machine. My grandparents had a tractor, but it was kept in the shed and used only for the really BIG jobs because the gasoline it ran on, was so expensive at 27 cents per gallon.

I remember our first television set … tiny screen and three channels. A remote? What’s a remote? Milk delivered to the back door. Stores closed on Sunday. A typewriter with a platen, a ribbon and a carriage return. What? No delete button?

My grandchildren can hardly believe some of the stories I tell of my growing up years. “Wow! Did they even have lightbulbs then?” is one memorable quote.

Some mornings I wake up with joints that are stiff and sore. I often feel like a turtle on its back as I try to sit up after a half-hour in the recliner; I huff and puff as I climb the second set of stairs. Sometimes it’s hard not to feel like an antique.

But, what makes something an antique?

An antique might be a 1945 Ford, an Early American pie safe or a wonderful painting by an Old Master. An antique could be a postcard sent from a lonesome soldier during WWI, your great-great-grandmother’s teacup, or a brooch found at an estate sale. An antique, while not necessarily always pretty or expensive, has class. Someone has seen the value in it or cherished the memories it brings. Someone knows that under what might be a not-so-beautiful exterior, it’s good and solid and they want to find a place for it in their life.

By that definition, I guess I’m OK with being an antique.

This looks like it's going to be a really, really good auction at the Santa Margarita Auction Barn. All the pictures that I've seen are absolutely gorgeous! Check out the partial list below.

Sunday OCT 26, 10 AM Sharp. A great consignment auction of hard to find and some one of kind antiques and collectibles, many from local estates. Our web page www.smab.com is updated for this auction which includes Victorian, turn of the century oak and mahogany, , early lamps, selection of clocks, early prints, glass, china, pottery, gold coins and other quality collectibles. ...

Furniture
 Museum quality R.J. Horner mahogany library  desk with full standing winged griffins, carved top & claw feet * Art  Nouveau style oak & marble top sideboard with leaded stained glass  door, French c. 1910 * Outstanding oak triple bow glass china cabinet with  bonnet top, carved winged lions, mirror back, claw feet * Highly carved  English oak umbrella stand with Northwind motif, refinished condition *  Fabulous Victorian mahogany hall seat by Paine Furniture Co. carved winged  lions, fancy brass hooks, lift seat * Great Victorian walnut Renaissance  Revival marble top deep well dresser with tear drop pulls * Beautiful  Victorian walnut 3 pc Rococo Revival parlor suite, Sofa & 2 side  chairs * Very ornate oak Armoire with 2 drawers, carved crest, beveled  mirror doors * Oak stacking lawyer's bookcase by Macy Co. * Exceptional  oak buffet with carved standing lions, fancy carved with claw feet *  Victorian 54" round oak pedestal dining table with 6 leaves * Quality oak  tall chest with serpentine front & sides, fancy carved with beveled  mirror * Quality 48" square oak dining table, 5 carved legs, with leaves,  c. 1900 * Very ornate oak hall seat, lots of carvings, round beveled  mirror, original brass hooks * 48" oak "S" curved roll top desk, double  pedestal base * Empire Period mahogany flip top game table * Pair of  French style 3 drawer inlaid side stands * Original oak Hoosier kitchen  cupboard * Mahogany Chifferobe with beveled mirror, Sandwich glass pulls,  c. 1890 * Great oak Morris chair with large claw feet, refinished &  reupholstered * Oak pressed back rockers * Unusual oak Larkin desk with  beveled mirror * Victorian walnut cylinder secretary bookcase desk, lots  of burling * Great Victorian walnut Rococo Revival full size bed, c. 1870  * Eastlake Victorian walnut & marble umbrella stand * Matching  mahogany tall chest & dresser with serpentine fronts, fancy carved  beveled mirrors * Art Deco style painted Hoosier kitchen cupboard *  Selection of oak & mahogany lamp tables & fern stands * Victorian  oak cylinder secretary desk, c1880 * Oak Jeweler's work desk, c. 1910 *  45" round oak pedestal dining table with claw feet & leaves * Sets of  oak dining room chairs * Oak office chairs * Set of 4 Hitchcock style  chairs with rush seats, c. 1840's * Matched pair of Victorian oak Armoires  with crests * Fantastic Eastlake Victorian stick & ball carved oak  hall stand * Louis XVI style mahogany vanity with beveled mirror * 2 door  mahogany bookcase with columns & claw feet * Unusual oak ice box with  sliding top * Arts & Crafts style oak blanket chest * Oak 4 drawer  file cabinet by Library Bookcase Co. * Selection of oak dressers, tall  chests * wash stands * Victorian walnut 42" ladies' S curved roll top desk  * Selection of Victorian walnut platform rockers * side chairs * Oak  smoker's stand, Arts & Crafts * Mission oak chairs & rockers *  Much more...
  
  
 Glassware & China
 Brilliant cut * Limoges * Nippon * Roseville *  Depression * Bavaria * Ironstone * Carnival * Victorian art glass * Cruet  sets * Brides' baskets * Fiesta * Moser * Much more....
  
  
 Miscellaneous
 Victor #5 oak record player with spear tip  external horn * Empire Revival mahogany 3 weight grandfather clock with  moon dial, c. 1900 * Victorian oak barber's chair by Koken, Chicago *  Victorian rolled wicker baby buggy with original parasol top * National  brass cash register, c. 1910 * Oriental rugs & carpets * Gold &  silver US coins * Estate jewelry * Quilts * Oak organ with carved gallery  & mirror * Collection of old radios * Early country store coffee tin *  Restored Victorian cast iron & brass scale * Edison "Home" model  cylinder record player * Selection of Victorian & 1920's decorative  prints & mirrors * Gone with the wind style lamps * Tiffany style slag  glass table lamps * Brass floor lamps * Leaded stained glass Tiffany style  hanging lamp shades * Mantle clocks * Advertising * Kitchen collectables *  Tools * Toys & dolls * Much more.....

For more information and images: info@smab.com, 805-438-5395, www.smab.com

Oh how I wish-wish-wish I could make it ...

The New York Times has recently run another article on the John and Carlton Hobbs, the British highest-of-the-high-end antiques-dealing brothers who employed the services of a British furniture restorer named Dennis Buggins to do MUCH more than buff and polish top-end antiques pieces.

I encourage you all to read the story: The Feud and the Fakes

You will probably want to stick to decaf when you're reading this ... I know I should have. Personally, I don't believe the "financial toll" of the scandal will be punishment enough, as Rupert Hobbs says. If it turns out the Hobbs brothers were deliberately altering antiques to bilk customers out of additional money, punitive damages should be in order.

What do you think?