Antique Trader Blog - Historic Preservation

If you love unique then you'll love Chicago's Modern Vintage Holiday Market

Karen — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:24:20 GMT

Image Pilots, the producers of the Randolph Street Market Festival featuring the Chicago Antique Market and Indie Designer Market, is returning this year with the 3rd annual Modern Vintage Holiday Market.

This year, the Modern Vintage Holiday Market will be held indoors at the beautiful Beaux Arts Plumbers Hall, 1340 W Washington St for two days only Nov. 21 – 22.

Shoppers can kick their holiday shopping off to the right start with gifts in all price ranges, from pennies to thousands, available in a one-stop-shopping experience. Keepsakes range from embroidered hankies, sterling spoons and festive aprons, to estate jewelry, couture formal wear and crystal goblets. Independently designed handmade and preserved vintage ornaments round out the mix. This unique and beautifully-crafted mix of smartly priced vintage and modern goods makes for a unique one-stop shopping experience for seasonal shoppers looking for memorable and custom-made gifts.

The Sunday market hours have been extended and will now begin at 10 a.m. Regular market hours will be Saturday, Nov. 21 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 22 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Admission is $10 ($8 in advance online), which includes a $10 shopping voucher if you spend $50 or more with any vendor. Student admission with valid ID is $5 and children under 12 are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.randolphstreetmarket.com. Free parking will be available in the Plumbers Hall parking lot and free gift wrapping and packaging will also be offered throughout the weekend. For additional information call 312-666-1200 or visit www.randolphstreetmarket.com.

-Posted by Eric Bradley

From the Editor: The collector’s quandary

Karen — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:21:56 GMT

There are several methods to liquidate a collection, ranging from an auction to an estate sale to selling to another collector. One method that’s come up recently in two high-profile cases involves the role of museums.

K*B Toys co-founder Donald Kaufman and his wife, Sally, who assembled what will forever be known as the largest collection of automotive toys, considered a museum but decided collectors would take care of the items as their cherished objects.

So, too, did Dennis and Terri LaMothe consider a few museums to house their landmark mesh handbag and vintage couture collection.

When the Orlando couple interviewed a few museums, nonewould guarantee the collection would not be sold in the future if the museum ran out of space.

Both instances are examples of the quandary collectors may find themselves as they try to liquidate their collections. For both the Kaufmans and the LaMothes, the natural obligation they felt to preserve the history and years of research they invested in their collection made a museum a logical choice.

Museums are indeed the backbone of a country’s heritage and play an active role in the current hobby and research. Imagine how shallow and poor America would be without the Smithsonian Institution. What would the scholarship of American folk art be without the work of Winterthur or New York’s American Folk Art Museum? But museums can also be subject to politically charged boards, poor collection-care standards and vulnerable to economic downturns that decimate endowments.

Personally, I have always viewed collectors as a type of historical militia, a force comprised of ordinary people who share knowledge and preserve precious objects. Collectors are constantly engaging in new research and sharing this information in new ways.

As collectors from all levels now take stock to downsize, they face a world of decisions. These decisions are deeply personal — there is not a single solution that fits everyone.

What do you think? What role should America’s museums play as a growing number of collectors dispense with their collections?

Post a reply here on the blog, HERE on the Antique Trader message boards, or send a reply to eric.bradley@fwmedia.com.

Eric Bradley
Editor

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How America lost its $50B furniture industry

Karen — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:55:09 GMT

Check out this fascinating report on the future, or lack thereof, of the American furniture industry. The report asks, "do American furniture companies have a leg to stand on?"

The release on the report reads as follows: Baby Boomers don't care about owning fine furniture. Department stores aren't interested in stocking furniture. Design piracy flourishes. And marketing savvy is in short supply.

What's going on here?

It's another sad chapter in the history of the American furniture companies, a perfect storm of consumer trends, market forces and industry intransigence. A detailed report, The American Furniture Industry: What Will It Take to Survive?, has just been published.

Compiled by Anderson Bauman Tourtellot Vos, a leading turnaround management firm, in collaboration with Michael K. Dugan, author of The Furniture Wars: How America Lost a Fifty Billion Dollar Industry, the report is based on research conducted over the past two months.

Of the furniture manufacturing companies surveyed, sales dropped over 10% on average last year, with some of the best known brands taking the biggest hits. Retailers were similarly afflicted as housing construction came to a standstill and consumers made do with the furniture they owned.

The economic downturn exacerbated long-standing trends. The industry as a whole has been slow to adopt cost-saving tactics, such as Lean Manufacturing. Nor have there been serious attempts to penetrate the export market, even as production moved offshore. And unlike other consumer goods industries, furniture companies have not become adept at marketing and distributing their products.

The industry has some unusual challenges, such as the fact that well-made wood furniture doesn't wear out, and only goes out of style at a glacial pace. And then there's the truth that price discounts don't work the way they do in other industries where style counts. If the price of dresses goes down, the report notes, women may feel the need to buy more dresses. If sofas are marked down, the customer just needs one, if any.

As manufacturing companies and furniture stores fall by the wayside, some companies will have a chance of surviving.

"Those will be the companies that are open to change," said Peter Tourtellot, managing director of Anderson Bauman Tourtellot Vos. "The industry needs fresh thinking about marketing and branding, information technology, and manufacturing and distribution."

The PDF report can be reached here (safe to download).

Antique Trader spotlights Woodstock collectibles

Karen — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:52:44 GMT

Yes, that's right. In our latest issue, which went out in the mail today, has a wonderful cover feature on Woodstock and Woodstock collectibles.

Here's a look at the cover (click on it to go to www.antiquetrader.com):

CLICK HERE to read the cover story: Collecting Woodstock

Valuable marketing tool for dealers: hold a show before the auction

Karen — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:31:16 GMT

This struck me as an innovative way to generate valuable pre-auction publicity, help educate the public and be a good citizen all at the same time.

Poster Auctions International and Long Island’s Cradle of Aviation Museum are teaming up to launch an exhibition of rare, early aviation posters. The exhibition, held on location at the museum opens tomorrow and runs through Oct. 18. The exhibition includes posters from private collections located around the world as well as the museum's permanent collection

Once the exhibit wraps up, the posters (not those from the museum's permanent collection) will be returned to Poster Auctions International in time for its bi-annual auction of rare, vintage posters on Sunday, Nov. 8.

What an interesting opportunity for both experienced and novice collectors visit a new museum to see a rare collection in one place at the same time. And what a savvy method to whet the appetite of poster dealers and collectors.

Got vinyl? Is it G, VG or better?

Karen — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:00:05 GMT

When it comes to buying or selling vinyl records, getting the best price possible is the ultimate goal. And, as is almost always the case, that price depends a lot on what condition those records are in. But determining the condition of your records is no easy task.

Join Goldmine contributor Stephen Braitman at 8 p.m. Easterm Daylight Time on Wednesday, Sept. 16, for Goldmine's one-hour online seminar, "Record Grading Made Easy." The cost is only $15.

Click here for more information about the seminar and to register!

Question of the Week: Is more federal regulation needed?

Karen — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:55:06 GMT

Antique Trader Question of the Week:

Do you think increased Federal regulation is needed for the segment of the antiques market that deals in Native American artifacts?

Send your replies to eric.bradley@fwmedia.com or to Letters to the Editor, c/o Antique Trader, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54945.

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Colonial Williamsburg offers historic textile symposium

Karen — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:40:44 GMT

One of the items on my "To do before I die" list is a visit to Colonial Williamsburg. I won't make it this year, but we'll definitely go while our daughter is still young enough to be impressed (and want to learn more) about the history of our relatively-young nation.

If you're lucky enough to be in the Williamsburg area this fall, you may be interested in this:

On Sep. 20-22, Colonial Williamsburg is hosting a symposium entitled “A Very Large Curious & Compleat Assortment’: Textiles for Interiors, 1730-1830.

Annabel Westman of Historic Furnishing Textiles of London, England, will give the keynote address.

Other presentations include:

Agreeable to your liking: Dressing up the House in Early America by scholar and author Elisabeth Garrett Widmer

Modern ideas of comfort: Textile floor-coverings in England, 1730-1830, by independent scholar Anthony Wells Cole

Gathering the threads: Unraveling interiors and textile sources, by Lynne Dakin Hastings, VP of museum operations at The Montpelier Foundation

Textile for Interiors 2009 Symposium registration is open to the general public.

For more information, visit http://www.history.org/history/institute/institute_about.cfm

Meanwhile, if you're from the area or have been there, what are some of the "can't miss" sites and experiences? Feel free to post a reply here on the blog.

Thanks!

— Posted by Karen Knapstein

Rare Delaware sampler at All Saints’ Antiques Show

Karen — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:57:44 GMT

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del.— A rare New Castle County Delaware sampler will be offered in the booth of John Tompkins of Richmond, Va., at the 60th Annual All Saints' Antiques Show next week. The sampler was worked by Priscilla Talley of Talleysville, in 1839, when she was 15. A sampler is a piece of embroidery produced as a demonstration or test of skill in needlework.

"The quality of the composition and colors belies the fact that it was made by a young girl," says Tompkins. "It has the folky qualities of something made by a much more mature craftsman."

Tompkins explains that the pot of flowers with hearts, the strawberry border, twin squirrels roosters, are all motifs encountered in Delaware Valley objects of this period, but rarely in such lush abundance.

The sampler was discovered in Richmond, still in the home of a direct descendant.

"It was kind of an Antiques Roadshow moment," he says. "The owner brought me in to see some pretty average furniture, and here was this amazing object hanging on the living room wall."

The verse Priscilla stitched seems appropriate for a minister's daughter, although other young women wrought similar verses to:

"This work in hand my friends my have
when I am dead and in my grave
and when the work each time you see
I with my Saviour hope to be

The work I leave to those I love
when I have flown to world above
When all my sorrow will be ore
When friends will need to part no more"

"There are a great many samplers out there for sale," says Tompkins, "but it is rare to find one with such lush composition and color, and with a great history as well. There are many Pennsylvania samplers, but Delaware examples are rarely on the market."

Held at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, the show will officially launch 6 p.m., July 29 at the preview party. Tickets to the preview party are $30, which offers unlimited attendance over the three-day show. The show will be open to the public from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. July 30 and July 31, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 1. Admission is $7.

The show’s sponsor, All Saints' Church, is the only church in Rehoboth Beach on its original site and maintaining its original design. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places it was constructed in the 1890s to meet the needs of a growing number of Episcopalians migrating to the area.

Show managers Melrose & Duddy bring 25 years of antiques show experience to the All Saints’ show and have successfully managed antiques shows since 2007.

Additional information is available on the web at www.rehobothantiques.com.

Photo courtesy Rehoboth Antiques.

— Posted by Karen Knapstein

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Free Download: Antique Trader Traveler

Karen — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:58:47 GMT

Did you know that the Summer 2009 issue of Antique Trader Traveler is available for download? And that it's completely free? No strings ... you don't even have to register. All you need is the Adobe reader.

For interesting news and features from historic destinations from coast to coast, including Vicksburg, Miss.; Coney Island; and Fredericksburg, Texas, download the Antique Trader Traveler PDF.

(The Adobe Acrobat Reader is required; CLICK HERE for the free Adobe Reader).

CLICK HERE or on the cover image to download your Antique Trader Traveler.

Question of the Week: Native American relics

Karen — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:41:44 GMT

Question of the Week:

As seen on page 8 of this week’s issue, should Native Americans buy a tract of land to preserve a rare archaeological site or does the current landowner have the right to sell the artifacts, using the site as a “diamond mine.”

Photo courtesy John Shishmanian/ NorwichBulletin.com

Post a reply here on the Antique Trader blog, or e-mail your replies to eric.bradley@fwmedia.com or post your reply in the Antique Trader message boards HERE.

— Posted by Karen Knapstein

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

• Visit the Antique Trader Web site HERE. Sign up for our FREE newsletters!
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Regional collectors club conventions

Karen — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 22:01:10 GMT

American Cut Glass Association Annual Convention to be in Vienna, Va.

The American Cut Glass Association will hold its ACGA Annual Convention on July 24-26, 2009, at the Sheraton Premiere at Tysons Corner Hotel, in Vienna, Va.

The convention gives ACGA members a great opportunity to learn about glass and extra time for sight-seeing in the area. There will be a spectacular display of some of the world’s most elegant cut glass, plus lectures by leaders in cut glass and related fields.

For additional information on joining the American Cut Glass Association or about the Annual Convention, visit www.cutglass.org.

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Fenton Glass Collectors to meet in August for convention

The 19th Annual Convention of the National Fenton Glass Society will be held on Aug. 1-3, 2009, in Marietta, Ohio.

The convention headquarters will be the Comfort Inn. Glass displays and seminars are open to the public. Members and their guests will enjoy a dinner cruise aboard the Valley Gem Sternwheeler, participate in Glass ID, attend the NFGS annual meeting, play Fenton bingo, and enjoy the banquet followed by a whimsey auction.

For more information on the NFGS convention or the National Fenton Glass Society, visit www.fentonglasssociety.org.

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Carriage Association of America to hold 2009 conference in Leesburg, Va.

The Carriage Association of America will hold its 2009 CAA Conference on June 17-20, 2009, at the Morven Park Equestrian Center in Leesburg, Va.

For additional information on The Carriage Association of America or the upcoming 2009 conference, visit www.caaonline.com.

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Sewing Machine Collectors to meet in Charlotte in 2009

The International Sewing Machine Collectors’ Society will hold their annual convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Oct. 17-18, 2009.

The convention will include a sewing machine auction and row upon row of sales tables, plus tours and other activities.

For additional information visit www.ismacs.net/events.html or e-mail Graham Forsdyke at graham@ismacs.u-net.com.

— Posted by Karen Knapstein

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• If you really like what you see, get your own subscription to Antique Trader HERE.

24 charged with Native American artifact looting

Karen — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:07:20 GMT

Exciting news ... especially when we just went to print yesterday with a front-page feature on collecting Native American artifacts ... Score one for the good guys!

From the LA Times:

24 charged in crackdown on Native American artifact looting

Reporting from Washington and Denver -- Striking at a longtime practice in the Four Corners area, federal authorities Wednesday unsealed indictments against 24 people in what they called the largest investigation ever into the looting of Native American artifacts on public lands.

CLICK HERE to read the full story

This is an area of collecting where extreme caution must be exercised. There are only a handful of auction houses in the U.S. that handle reputable Native American artifacts (they're listed in the Antique Trader feature on collecting in this area).

BTW: You can read the article on collecting Native American artifacts here: Collecting North American Indian artifacts

— Posted by Karen Knapstein

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Shortcuts to antiques and collectibles features

Karen — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:14:44 GMT

Do you have little patience for looking for feature stories?

I have a treat for you: here are some quick links to Antique Trader feature articles right here on the Antique Trader blog!

Pardon me, but do you have the time? (Collecting vintage watches)

PEZ: 92 years and counting

Charlie Chan, international man of mystery

The game is afoot! Who is Arthur Conan Doyle?

Take these postcards with a grain of salt

How about a little history? The Quad Cities’ quirks

Modern art movements relegated the queen’s paintings to the attic

Ask Antique Trader: How to fix an old cane seat

Exploring the whalers’ art: Scrimshaw enthusiasts from around the world gather in Massachusetts

As always, feel free to contact us and let us know what you think and what you would like to see more (or less) of!

One of my personal favorites in this week's issue is the Charlie Chan feature. (I never knew he was based on a real person.) It took me back to watching the Saturday afternoon movies on TV as a kid (and my Mom saying "It's nice out! Go play outside!" ... I think so she could watch it in peace by herself ...)

I also enjoyed this week's Art Markets column. It was nice to get a glimpse of Queen Victoria the woman as opposed to Queen Victoria the monarch.

Sandy's favorite article in this issue is "Who is Arthur Conan Doyle?" She said once she was too old for the Hardy Boys, she turned to Arthur Conan Doyle ...

— Posted by Karen

Worth more than a thousand words

Karen — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:45:36 GMT

“A picture is worth a thousand words,” but not just a thousand words. A picture is worth so much more, as they can cause the viewer empathetic pain, pleasure, sadness, joy. They can make you sit and ponder their intricacies and nuances for time that you don’t have to spare.

These are significant moments frozen in time.

One nice thing about the art of photography is that the artists can produce such prolific bodies of work, providing an eager collecting community plenty of opportunities to expand their collections.

Jeff Vallee “Harvey” from the series “ This time tomorrow, where will we be?” Courtesy iGavel.com.

Currently, iGavel is holding an online photography auction celebrating American photographers and benefiting the Americans for the Arts organization.

The show features the work of more than 40 artists, including Jock Sturges, Les Krims, Ben Watts, Cass Bird, Jason Nocito, and Vincent Laforet. Opening bids are $300.

This auction is going on through April 30, 2009. (Click here to learn more about the online photography auction benefiting Americans for the Arts.)

Eduard Steichen, Lilac Buds, Mrs S., 1906. Courtesy iGavel.com.

Also, through May 13, is the Spring Online Auction of Photographs presented by Daniel Cooney Fine Art.

(Click here to learn more about this online photography auction opportunity.)

— Posted by Karen

Mitchell Museum focuses on Native American jewelry and beadwork

Karen — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:20:00 GMT

Check it out:

Old Native Jewelry and Beadwork To Be Focus of Events April 25-26 at Mitchell Museum

EVANSTON, Ill. — Special events for seasoned and novice collectors of old Native American jewelry and beadwork — and anyone curious about these genres — are scheduled for Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26, at the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, 3001 Central St., Evanston.

Tom and Deborah Begner, of Turkey Mountain Traders, Scottsdale, Ariz., will make presentations, conduct an informal appraisal session, and exhibit a diverse collection of items for sale. Ten percent of sales proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Mitchell Museum.

The Begners will give a presentation on “Antique Eastern Woodlands Beadwork” at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, focusing largely on beadwork made by members of the various Iroquois tribes from about 1800 to 1930.

At 2:15 p.m., they will offer informal identifications and appraisals of old Native American jewelry and Eastern beadwork brought in by the public.

They will speak on “The Top 10 Things to Look for in Old Indian Jewelry” at 3:15 p.m.

The Begners, who founded Turkey Mountain Traders 20 years ago, will stage an exhibition and sale of old jewelry and antique Eastern beadwork from 4-7 p.m. Items for sale include beadwork items priced from about $100 to $3,000, including beaded bags, souvenir “whimseys,” and hats from the late 1800s. The jewelry is principally of Navajo and Zuni Pueblo origin, with items priced from $125. A noteworthy piece is a $12,000 Zuni fetish necklace made of shell and stone by the celebrated carver Leekya, who worked in the 1940s and 1950s.

Antique Indian beadwork and old jewelry also will be exhibited and sold from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, April 26.

Admission to the events is included with museum admission. Admission is $5 for adults, $2.50 for seniors, students, teachers (with valid school ID), and children. Maximum suggested admission per family is $10. For information, phone (847) 475-1030. On the Net: www.mitchellmuseum.org.

Looks like an interesting opportunity ...

This week's Antique Trader comin' at ya

Karen — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:11:50 GMT

Here's a sneak peek:

Some of the articles in this week's Antique Trader:

Speaking of Dolls: Chinas: Out of the shadows once again

Ask Antique Trader: These mugs have come a long way

Drink up – Coca-Cola collectors have good taste

Fill up the tank, check the oil: Antique gas pumps

Business Profile: Mill Creek Antiques, Paxico, Kan.

Collector Spotlight: This toy story has a happy ending

The sound of money mixes with music at slot machine, advertising and juke box show

Question of the Week: Does your collection have a family connection?

Karen — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:51:08 GMT

This week's Question of the Week:

Does your collection have a family connection? Does it cross the generation gap or are you a “first generation” collector?

Post a reply here, send one to Sandra.Sparks@fwmedia.com, or post a reply on the Antique Trader message boards HERE.

FREE online classified ads

Karen — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:52:03 GMT

Collect.com offers free classified ads

Everyone wants to get something for nothing, and now that's possible, thanks to Collect.com’s free classified ads.

“The classified ads are completely free — no gimmicks, no strings attached and no limit to the number of classified ads that can be placed,” said Dianne Wheeler, the community leader for collect.com. “This is a great way for collectors to sell the items that they don’t love anymore — and shop for new ones that they will — without pricey consignment fees or drawn-out bidding wars.”

Placing an ad is easy. Just visit www.collect.com, click on the collectibles area that applies to your item (Comics, Music, Sports, Militaria or Antiques and Collectibles), and add in the details. The Ad Wizard walks you through every step of the process, including writing the description and adding a photo of the piece that’s for sale.

The free classified ads are the first of numerous improvements that are scheduled to come to collect.com this year, Wheeler said.

Produced by F+W Media, the world’s largest hobby and collectible publisher, Collect.com is an online community where collectors can discuss and display their finds, keep tabs on the value of their collections, connect with buyers and sellers, read about the latest hobby news and more.

CLICK HERE to sell your collectibles (or post a wanted ad) with Collect.com free classified ads.

Collecting traditions

Karen — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:18:46 GMT

This week, we ran a story by Trina Spillman entitled Collecting Feature: Family traditions.

It's a charming tale of her early introduction to the collecting habit when, as a child, she would help her mother and father search flea markets and antique stores for Royal Doulton Flambé and Nippon porcelain. And how she's grown into a passionate collector, and has passed the collecting tradition on to her children.

I know many people will enjoy reading it as much as we here at Antique Trader have.

You, too, may be able to spotlight your collection and/or collecting tradition in Antique Trader.

Here's how:

E-mail your story, with captioned photos to sandra.sparks@fwmedia.com or mail to Antique Trader Collecting Spotlight, 700 E State St., Iola, WI 54945, attn: Sandra Sparks.

Photos should be well focused and clear. Remove items from any protective covering that may cause glare. Include a photo of yourself. If sending your story and photos via e-mail (preferred), see directions below.

Format: Save as jpeg or tiff

Resolution: 200 dpi or higher

Size: Original image must be a minimum of 4 inches wide/deep

Compressing files: If needed, files can be “zipped” and we can unzip them here.

Posting files: Large files also can be posted to our ftp site at ftp.krause.com; select Inbound folder, then Antique Trader folder. Either drag image or copy and paste it into the folder.

If you have any questions, contact Sandra at the e-mail address above.

— Posted by Karen

Digging for history & Question of the Week

Karen — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:13:31 GMT

In this week's edition of Antique Trader, we're running a story on collector Rick Weiner of Allentown, Pa. You might say Rick acquires his collection "the hard way"; he digs 19th century outhouse pits for his finds.

Click here to read the story Privy to history: Digging 19th century outhouses for historic glass

Digging in old privies for vintage items is kind of an odd hobby.

Do you, or someone you know, have an offbeat collection or hobby?

Post a reply here, on the Antique Trader message boards, or e-mail sandra.sparks@fwmedia.com.

ACNA headed to the Big Easy

Karen — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:41:44 GMT

The Antiques & Collectibles National Association is headed to New Orleans in January 2010 for their first national convention and trade show since 2006.

Association members and non-members are welcome. Early registration is encouraged since discounts are given prior to June 1, 2009.

They've chosen a fantastic theme: "Help Your Future – Buy Your Past."

That says it all, doesn't it?

And they have an exciting lineup planned:

Scheduled speakers and topics for the classes include Kyle Husfloen, keynote address; Fred and Gail Taylor – Antique Furniture; Randy and Debbie Coe – Glass; DiAnna Tindell – Art Restoration; Connie Swaim – Recognizing Fakes; Barbara Mauzy – Kitchenware and Beth Walker – Silver.

For more information about the ACNA, visit their Web site at http://www.acna.us/index.php

Chicago Antique Market schedule

Karen — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:36:57 GMT

Visited their site this morning. Looks fabulous! Another way to enjoy the weekends during the summer:

Chicago Antique Market schedule:

Show dates:
Saturdays & Sundays:
Opening weekend: May 23-24, 2009 Memorial Day
June 27-28, 2009
July 25-26, 2009
August 29-30, 2009
September 26-27, 2009

Show hours: Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sundays 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Admission: $10; students $5; children free.

For more information: http://www.chicagoantiquemarket.com

Kamehameha quilt on Antiques Roadshow

Karen — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:55:58 GMT

I caught part of The Antiques Roadshow tonight on PBS. I almost didn't watch because I found myself unable to get excited about antiques in Hawaii. Much to my chagrin, I just didn't associate antiques with Hawaii.

I was very pleasantly surprised. I know; many of you would tell me that I shouldn't be surprised. Just because the show was taped in a tropical paradise, doesn't mean the quality and/or rarity of the items on the show would be any less than another location.

Believe me - I'm over it. And I'm glad I watched.

I was absolutely blown away by the early 20th century Kamehameha coat of arms quilt. It was absolutely beautiful. The color and craftsmanship was second to none. And it was in absolutely immaculate condition too, as it had been properly stored - rolled, not folded.

Did any of you see the show tonight? Were you as impressed by the quilt as I was?

– Posted by Karen

Oh, by the way, if you missed it ... the quilt was valued at $25,000.

Chattanooga

Karen — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:59:38 GMT

I've never been to Chattanooga. When I hear the name I think – of course – of the Chattanooga Choo Choo (I'll probably have the song stuck in my head for the rest of the day). As it was a vital transportation/rail hub and manufacturing center, Chattanooga is a city steeped in Civil War history. I think it's one of those places that shouldn't just be passed through, but made a destination location.

The Antiques Roadshow has three upcoming episodes from Chattanooga (to air March 30, April 6, and April 13). I'm looking forward to seeing all the fascinating treasures and heirlooms come out.

After so many seasons of Antiques Roadshow, do you still make an effort to catch the show?

In my case, if I'm home on a Monday night I'm watching the Roadshow. And with a location like Chattanooga, Tenn., I'm going to make a point of being home to watch it.

By the way, the Roadshow will be in Madison, Wis., for an appraisal event July 11, and in Atlantic City at the Atlantic City Convention Center June 6. Visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/index.html for more details.

What is old?

Karen — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 18:10:03 GMT

Terms of age are oftentimes relative.

I have an old house. It was built about a century ago. Pretty old, huh?

Not really. Not when it's compared to the Fairbanks House (built circa 1637-1641), which has the highly honorable distinction of being the oldest standing timber frame building in North America.

It's really quite remarkable that the house is still standing when you think of all the things that can and do happen to obliterate a house. It's a shame when old homes are neglected, as mine was as you can see in the picture.

Here's an opportunity to learn about the Fairbanks House:

“The Fairbanks House:
New Discoveries at America’s Oldest Timber Frame House”
Lecture, March 12

Dr. Alex Service, Director and Curator of the Fairbanks House, America’s Oldest Timber Frame House, will be the guest speaker on Thursday, March 12, 7:30 PM, at the Dedham Historical Society. Service will share the results of recent studies of the “old Fairbanks homestead,” including the 2002 work that reinforced the Fairbanks House’s claim to be the oldest standing timber frame building in North America. The cost of the lecture is $5 per person, free to members.

The circa 1637-1641 house in Dedham was home to Puritan immigrants and eight generations of their descendants, until the house opened as a museum in 1904. It has long been celebrated as the best-preserved example of early English colonial architecture in New England, and it continues to reveal new insights to this day.

Dr. Service has been Director/Curator of the Fairbanks House since April 2006. Her previous positions have been with Haley Sharpe Design, Limited, Williamsburg, Virginia as Research Development Coordinator, Historic Jamestowne Project, the Hot Springs County Museum and Cultural Center, Thermopolis, Wyoming as Director, the Fort Caspar Museum, Casper, Wyoming, and many others in related fields.

She holds a Ph.D. from the Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, England, 1998; an M.A. from the Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, England, and a B.A. in East Asian Studies from the University of California at Los Angeles.

She has authored numerous publications.

— Posted by Karen

Do reproductions have a place?

Karen — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 22:07:06 GMT

A question to ponder, and perhaps you all can voice your opinions as well:

Is there a proper place for reproductions? If they are properly - and permanently - marked, can they be used as "placeholders" in a collection? Or simply as decorator items?

Of course, there's always the risk of an item being altered by the unscrupulous to be passed off as genuine ...

Do any of you have strong feelings one way or the other about reproductions?

And how about fantasy pieces? Will they just cause problems for future collectors?

— Posted by Karen

Carriage Symposium

Karen — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:13:05 GMT

I love how our "field" includes everything historical.

Carriage Symposium in the West set for April 2-5 in Santa Ynez, Calif.

The Carriage Association of America will hold a Carriage Symposium in the West at Santa Ynez, Calif., on April 2-5, 2009.

Entitled “A Bit of the West that Was: A Symposium on Stagecoaches and Other Horse Drawn Vehicles,” the event will be held at the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum & Carriage House.

For additional information on the event, or to join the Carriage Association of America, visit www.caaonline.com, call 805-688-7889 or e-mail syvm@verizon.net.

— Posted by Karen

Hot News: Winterthur Announces New Admission Options and Tours

Karen — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:23:44 GMT

Winterthur Museum & Country Estate has initiated new tour offerings and pricing options to provide visitors with greater opportunities to enjoy its world-class collections of American decorative arts.

Winterthur will now offer visitors a single ticket option, providing them with full access to the Winterthur Garden and Galleries as well as an introductory tour showcasing some of the most spectacular rooms in the 175-room house. The new adult general admission rate will be $18, a $2 savings from Winterthur’s former two-tier pricing structure of $15 for Garden and Galleries admission plus an additional $5 fee for a house tour. The tours will be offered daily with first tours of the house departing at 10:30 am and final tours departing at 3:30 pm. Admission tickets are valid for two consecutive days.

In addition, Winterthur will now offer specialized one- and two-hour reserved tours on a rotating schedule. Tour topics will change seasonally and will provide in-depth opportunities to focus on specific parts of the 85,000-object collection or on special themes. In March, the one-hour tour will be “Distinctive Collections,” providing a wide overview of the collections amassed by Henry Francis du Pont, and providing visitors with opportunities to appreciate the collection in period-era settings.

Two options will be available in March for two-hour tours. “Living with Antiques I” and “Living with Antiques II” will provide detailed looks at specific objects in Winterthur’s collection of American decorative arts, showcased in period rooms throughout the house. The one- and two-hour tours will depart at scheduled times throughout the day. Details on tour times and offerings are available by contacting 800.448.3883 or by visiting winterthur.org.

“These new admission offerings will make it easier for first-time visitors to sample all of the wonderful facets of Winterthur and will also provide return visitors with fresh, new ways to explore the collections,” said Jeff Groff, director of public programs.

Winterthur’s general admission also provides opportunities to enjoy special exhibitions, narrated garden tram tours (weather permitting), the Campbell Collection of Soup Tureens, and the Enchanted Woods children’s garden.

Full general admission pricing is as follows:

$18 adults
$16 students and seniors
$5 for ages 2–11
Children under 2 are admitted free with a paying adult.
General admission for Members is free.
Group discounts are available by contacting 800.448.3883.
Tickets are valid for two consecutive days.

###

Winterthur Museum & Country Estate—known worldwide for its preeminent collection of American antiques, naturalistic garden, and research library for the study of American art and material culture—offers a variety of tours, exhibitions, programs, and activities throughout the year. Winterthur has been named one of the country’s “10 great places of historic proportions” by USA Today and “one of the 10 grandest mansions in America” by Budget Travel.

Museum hours are 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday–Sunday. Winterthur, located on Route 52, six miles northwest of Wilmington, Delaware, and five miles south of U.S. Route 1, is closed Mondays (except holidays and during Yuletide), Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. Winterthur is committed to accessible programming for all. For information, including special services, call 800.448.3883, 302.888.4600, or TTY 302.888.4907. Online, visit winterthur.org.

Question of the Week: caring for prized possessions

Karen — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:33:49 GMT

Antique furniture is functional as well as beautiful.

How do you protect your prized furnishings from damage while they are in use?

Post a reply here, in the Question of the Week forum thread, or e-mail sandra.sparks@fwmedia.com and let us know.

What's going on in New Orleans?!

Karen — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:39:06 GMT

I know it's going on elsewhere as well, but it seems as though New Orleans — being what it is, an exciting city packed with culture, history, and mystique — has a perpetual spotlight on it. This is NOT the kind of thing it wants to be known for.

After 5 burglaries New Orleanian gives up, moving to Austin

by Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Times-Picayune

Francisco Galicia had to laugh when he noticed that his city tax bill this year included a new line item: $200 for enhanced police protection.

In the past 13 months, Galicia has been burglarized five times, each crime dealing a fresh blow to the longtime New Orleans resident's ambition to restore his flooded rental property on South Gayoso Street in Mid-City.

Click here to read the rest of this heart-wrenching story that will get your blood boiling.

Galicia is a wood craftsman by trade who restored antiques at MS Rau Antiques for nine years.

Feel free to post a reply with your comments.

What's going on at The Met

Karen — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:36:53 GMT

Coming up at the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

Art and Love in Renaissance Italy through February 16, 2009

This exhibition explores the various exceptional objects created to celebrate love and marriage in the Italian Renaissance. The approximately 150 objects, which date from about 1400 to the mid-16th century, range from exquisite examples of maiolica and jewelry given as nuptial gifts, to marriage portraits and paintings that extol sensual love and fecundity, such as the Metropolitan's Venus and Cupid by the great Venetian artist Lorenzo Lotto. The exhibition also includes some of the rarest and most significant pieces of Renaissance glassware, cassone panels, birth trays, and drawings and prints of amorous subjects. See the exhibition preview for more information, including sponsorship credits.

And then ...

Beyond Babylon: Art, Trade, and Diplomacy in the Second Millennium B.C., through March 15, 2009

This exhibition focuses on the extraordinary art created as a result of a sophisticated network of interaction that developed among kings, diplomats, merchants, and others in the Near East during the 2nd millennium B.C. Approximately 350 objects of the highest artistry from royal palaces, temples, and tombs—as well as from a unique shipwreck—provide the visitor with an overview of artistic exchange and international connections throughout the period. Because many of these works have either only recently been excavated or have never been shown abroad, "Beyond Babylon" is a singular opportunity for the public to experience the rich artistic and cultural traditions of this period. See the exhibition preview for more information, including sponsorship credits.

Visit the Met's Web site at http://www.metmuseum.org/home.asp for more news and information on other exhibits.

Mummies are fascinating - Female mummies even more so

Karen — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:34:12 GMT

Ancient Egypt captures the imaginations of old and young alike - even mid-lifers like me.

BBC News posted an article that captured my attention today:

Mummy of female pharaoh uncovered

Egyptologists have discovered the remains of a mummy thought to belong to a queen who ruled 4,300 years ago, Egypt's antiquities chief has said.

It's a brief article. Stories like this make me squirm in my chair and want to say "tell me more, tell me more!"

I remember once asking one of my college professors about new discoveries and their impact on how we interpret history. His response was something like: as time goes on, the chance of such discoveries decreases, along with the chance of re-interpreting history.

It made sense to me at the time. But now I find myself unsatisfied with that answer and looking forward to new discoveries of the old.

Do any of you have an opinion you'd like to share?

Feel free to post a reply.

If they have everything ...

Karen — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 21:05:54 GMT

... and money is no object, opt for the triceratops!

Heritage Auctions has announced they have a 93% complete and intact triceratops skull in their January 18 Natural History auction. The artifact was discovered on a private ranch in Montana some years ago and - literally - kept under wraps. Get this: It's 7 1/2 feet long, so you'll need plenty of space to store or display this amazing piece.

If you find you've gotta have it, it'll set you back about a cool quarter million, though.

You can click here or on the image to learn more about the dino and about some of the other amazing natural history highlights Heritage has to offer.

Dead Sea Scrolls on exhibit in St. Paul in 2010

Karen — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:13:41 GMT

Exciting news. This is truly a rare and exciting opportunity.

The priceless treasure from the shores of the Dead Sea will be put on rare display in 2010 at the Science Museum of Minnesota.

It will be the first time the ancient and priceless writings will be displayed publicly in Minnesota, museum officials said Tuesday.

You can read the full article from the Star Tribune by clicking here.

Politically collect

Karen — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:37:04 GMT

My father, who is a child of the Great Depression, can recall with a high amount of respect, how critical President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal was in terms of turning around the economy and providing jobs for the unemployed.

My mother, who remembers President John F. Kennedy with fondness and sadness, can remember her reaction the moment news of his shooting came over the radio. “He can’t die! He’s the president!” and her shock when she saw live, on television, Jack Ruby shoot Lee Harvey Oswald.

I, born in the tumultuous year of 1968, can recall 20 years later, working for the campus newspaper, having the privilege of shaking the hands of just about every presidential candidate from Paul Simon and Michael Dukakis to Al Gore.

Politics create moments in history – and history itself. That’s one of the reasons why so many people collect political memorabilia today. Each pin and banner not only represents a time and person, but perhaps a cause or movement as well.

I know I can’t look at a women’s “right to vote” badge without being very thankful there were women (and men) who cared enough to lobby, protest and fight for that right.

I bet you can’t look at a candidate pin for Thomas Dewey without thinking of that famous “Dewey defeats Truman” headline.

Can you look at a caricature of Carter without thinking of peanuts? Or study a family photo of Lincoln without experiencing empathy for the many tragedies in his personal life and challenges in his administration?

While some of the more frivolous items do find themselves abandoned on the convention floor, others are finding themselves in the hands of political collectors like author Dr. Enoch Nappen and James Warlick.

Be sure to read our cover story by Dr. Nappen, who shares insight into collecting trends and gives a sneak preview to his recently released book, Warman’s Political Collectibles Identification and Price Guide, published by Krause Books.

To see the real deal, make a point of visiting the Atlantique City fall show Oct. 18-19, where Mr. Warlick will display numerous items from this personal collection dubbed “The American Presidential Experience.” Warlick has had a love of politics from an early age and has opened six political memorabilia stores in Chicago, Boston, Baltimore, Washington and Georgetown.

Check out our Atlantique City show section on the following pages to see what else is in store at the Atlantic City Convention Center. You won’t want to miss your chance to spout politics and feel like a winner yourself when you find a collectible treasure there.

As the election approaches, Antique Trader would like to know if you collect political memorabilia or if you have a memory to share about a historic election or political moment. We’ll share these before the nation chooses its new president next month.

Drop me a note, post a reply here, or e-mail me at robyn.austin@fwpubs.com. Hurry, before the polls close!

"... and we can't make any exceptions"

Noah — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:21:18 GMT

I'm troubled.

I read a news story this morning and I'm stuck on it. At the heart of the matter:

A Waterbury antiques dealer has been barred from selling vintage American flags on eBay because of restrictions he placed on who can buy the flags.

(You can read the full story here.)

Mark Albino, owner of C&M Antiques and Collectibles in Waterbury, veteran, and dealer of vintage flags, will not sell a flag to anyone who might desecrate it. An honorable stand to make.

Albino is also a powerseller on eBay, and eBay will not allow such buyer discrimination. Their policy is you either sell internationally or you don't - you don't get to pick and choose which countries you will ship to.

Perhaps Albino needs to find a new venue to sell his vintage flags ...

What are your feelings about this? It's a sad situation when we have to worry about the buyer's intent.

— Karen

Take in a historical house tour this weekend

Noah — Wed, 28 May 2008 13:59:55 GMT

Looking for something to do this weekend? The Dedham (Mass.) Historical Society informed us it is holding its biannual House Tour this Sunday, June 1, from noon to 3:45 p.m. Tickets will be available at the Historical Society, 612 High St., beginning at 11:30 a.m. Advance purchase tickets are $16 for members and $20 for non-members. All tickets purchased on the day of the tour will be $23.

In addition to this year’s homes, the Fairbanks House, the oldest timber-framed building in North America, will again be on the House Tour. The Society’s current exhibits will also be on view. Houses included on the tour include:

The Rev. Alvin Lamson House, 1847: Rev. Alvin Lamson, minister of the First Church Unitarian, built the residence in 1847, in the fashionable Italianate style, with strong Gothic Revival overtones.

The Waldo Colburn House, 1870: The honorable Waldo Colburn, (1824-1885), a justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court, prominent local politician, and descendant of Dedham’s early Colburn clan, built this robust Second Empire style dwelling on an extensive plot of land which originally incorporated the entire street and extended down to the flats of the Charles River.

The Waldo Colburn Carriage House, 1870/1952: This residence was originally built as the carriage house for the Waldo Colburn house next door. The original utilitarian structure is now a charming residence, hidden from the bustle of downtown Dedham. The Carriage house was converted into a dwelling in 1952, when the property was split off from the main house. It has subsequently been added onto and, most recently, remodeled extensively by its current owners. It sits above the flat marshes extending to the banks of the Charles River.

The John Gardner House, 1845: John Gardner, a local Dedham builder, built and occupied this Gothic Revival style house, rare in Dedham. The current owners have created an oasis of gardens and paved terraces, which encompass and enhance home.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1859: The present church is in the Gothic Revival style, modeled on medieval parish churches of the English countryside. The Church is built of rough-cut Dedham granite. In 1869 the two-stage tower base forming the main entry was added along with the tall spire and gold cross. Structural flaws in the steeple required it be reconstructed in 1928. This year the church celebrates its 250th anniversary.

The Gay Tavern, c. 1745: One of Dedham’s most historic structures, the Gay Tavern stands at the junction of the Old Boston Post Road (Highland Street), and the Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike, (Court Street). The tavern was established about 1750 by Benjamin Gay, whose grandfather John paddled his dugout canoe up the Charles River from Watertown, to found the Town of Dedham in 1636. Upon Benjamin’s death, his son Joshua kept good cheer within its walls until his death in 1781. His widow and son Timothy served food and drink, and provided lodging to travelers until the inn was sold 1807.

The John Coolidge House, c. 1812, is a late Federal house, believed to have been built for the Coolidge family. It may have started life as an early blacksmith’s shop operated by Jonathan Guild on land obtained under the Colburn Grant. The classic Federal dwelling visible today has been altered and added to over its almost 200 year lifetime.

For more information, call the Dedham Historical Society at 781-326-1385

Coming soon to a theater near you: Antiques Adventure

Noah — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:53:12 GMT

Armed with his trusted whip and those dimples, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is ready for another treasure hunt in theaters this weekend.

My son and I have been gearing up for the release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull by watching the first three Indy flicks. If you've ever questioned if there's anything sexy about antiques, then you've got to see at least one of these! But I have a feeling you already know the pursuit of rare artifacts -- the chase, the hunt for that perfect find -- can be quite thrilling. Probably not on the same level of violence and intrigue, but an interesting process nonetheless.

I think the reason I have enjoyed the Indiana Jones and National Treasure movies is that they go beyond adventure. They provide an entertaining avenue of unlocking the history behind the mystery while their goal at heart is preservation. These treasure hunters are archeaologists and historians. They want that artifact in their hands so they can safely turn it over to a museum or secure historic property. A viewer might miss that during the adrenaline rush, but those of us who are serious about historic preservation, think that's an important aspect that should never find its way to the cutting-room floor.

What was your most exciting antiques adventure? We'd love to hear about it.

-- Robyn

Are we there yet?

Noah — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:40:50 GMT

Every time I fill up my little Honda with gas these days, I cringe at the prices. When I’m driving the minivan, with its 20-gallon tank, I can almost physically feel the pain at the pump. Is there an end in sight? Regrettably, not likely this summer.

Summer is supposed to be the time to pack your kids and pets into the family station wagon and take off somewhere on an excursion that may last for days and may require sunscreen and bug spray – especially if camping is involved. Ideally, there should be a good mix of learning and fun – that’s why museums and historic sites are so popular.

Probably my most memorable summer vacation, if you can call it that, was a day trip to an attraction in southern Wisconsin called the House on the Rock. Frankly, the five-hour drive seemed endless with six of us squeezed in. I am sure we four kids pestered our dad a time or two with “Are we there yet? How much longer?” while trying not to bicker in the back seat. It was definitely worth the agony.

Designed and built by Alex Jordan of Madison, Wis., the House on the Rock is an architectural marvel perched on a 60-foot chimney of rock. Begun in the early 1940s, the 14-room house is the original structure of what is now an extraordinary complex of rooms, streets, buildings and gardens covering over 200 acres. Furnishings include Oriental art, stained glass lamps, bronze statuary, a three-story bookcase filled with rare books and so many antiques – dolls, carousels, you name it.

It would be wonderful to get back there now, as an adult, when I can appreciate the beauty, the rarity, the history. And, of course, share it with the next generation.

Are you going to visit any historic points of interest? Will you be traveling to any antiques shows in search of your own national treasure? This show season is going to be a challenging one for both dealers (who have to travel and haul their goods around) and buyers (who may be pinching their pennies for fuel).

Let’s do our best to support each other in these uncertain times. If you can take a day trip to attend a show, please do so. Better yet, grab a friend and split the cost of gas. The dealers and show promoters will appreciate your support. And you may find something worth a tank of gas or two. These days, that’s a pretty good return on investment!

Antique Trader would like to know how the rising gas prices will impact your summer shopping, selling and travel plans. E-mail us at robyn.austin@fwpubs.com or post a reply here.
Travel safely!

— Robyn

The death of the suburbs?

Noah — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:09:24 GMT

Interesting post here from a blog called Victorian Antiques and Design.

It's questions whether the current mortgage crisis is causing the death of Suburbia. I heard the story on NPR the author was talking about and was intrigued at the idea.

The issue, as a whole, is very interesting, especially from a sociological, post-war point of view, as the suburbs, a big car and big backyard were the backbone of the American Dream. Now, thanks to greedy lenders lying to some unwary folks, and buyers who knew they had no business getting ARMs, all mixed with terribly suspect financial policy from our government, and you have - quite possibly - what author Paul Wilham is talking about.

I grew up in suburbia, and my very sense of self and society is somewhat tied up in those ideas - the mall sas everything, the modern ranch house was uniquitous and nobody ever questioned whether it was the right place to be or the right thing to do, except when bullies threw my brother Cris's shoes into a creek, and maybe it was just me who wanted to move away...

Anyway, this is an important discussion in 2008, and one that's only going to gain relevance as the housing crisis deepens and properties lie empty.

Check it out. An interesting read and a good blog.

Not just a Jewish girl - The Jewish girl! Anne Frank postcard found

Noah — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:24:02 GMT

This story has made the various rounds of media - electronic, tv and print all - about the discovery of a postcard from Anne Frank - she of the famous diary bearing her name - to a friend just before the family went into hiding from the nazis.

I've held back from writing about it for various reasons. One was to let it make the rounds and see what sort of life it took on. Then the gem of the Web presenting me with exactly what I was waiting for. This headline: "Card from WWII Jewish girl discovered in Dutch shop." It comes from the Chinese Xinhua news agency - which I like to frequent for just this reason. Here's a word to them, though: Anne Frank is not just a Jewish girl. She's the Jewish girl.

When I was growing up, Anne Frank was revered everywhere. School, my home, my synagogue, and at the Jewish Community Center, which decided to honor Anne the year I was 14 by producing the play version of The Diary of Anne Frank. I was up for the part of Peter - Man, how I wanted that part! I would've been great, too! - as the director, his name was Fred if I recollect correct, tried without gusto to find a younger Anne, he eventually cast the older pretty boy in the part. I think Fred later offered me a part in the "ensemble" cast of the JCC production of Grease, but I never even called back. My acting career was over by then. This good thing was gone.

Anyway, the postcard... It's a wonderful piece of ephmera, and a testament to the longevity and continued relevance of a Anne Frank's story. It is a tangible link to a girl whose unyeilding faith in the goodness of humans, even as they sought her destruction, has continued to inspire countless thousands of people more than 60 years after her death in a German concentration camp.

It's a shame she is not alive to see how inspirational her brief life and writings have been to so many. It's interesting to ponder if it would still mean the same had she lived.

Asa Ames at AFAM in NYC - Folk art as good as it can get

Noah — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:39:54 GMT

Say the name Asa Ames to collectors of folk art and their eyes will glaze and they will begin to salivate. Just look at that stuff.

Amazing amazing painted wood sculptures with so much detail, energy and life that it's hard to look at the pictures. I simply want to scoop one of these things up, take it home, make it a cup of tea and ask it about its creator.

Right now, just opened - and as reported here by the New York Times - The American Folk Art Museum in Manhattan is featuring an exhibition of eight sculptures by Asa Ames, one of the most talented and mysterious of the itinerant 19th century folk artists, born and died in Buffalo, NY when he was just 27.

Ames left behind only 13 known examples - there may well be more hiding out there - many of which were done toward the end of his life.

Where did he learn his art? Why didn't he make more? Did he make more? Who has them?

Part outsider, part folk artist and all genius, check out the Times article and the slide show of the works in the exhibition. The AFAM is an amazing place, with as much great art as any museum of its size in the world. For lovers of real folk and Outsider art, there is nothing quite like it. Simply the best.

The most permanent impermanent - Oldest oil paintings in Afghanistan

Noah — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:03:47 GMT

This is pretty cool, especially considering that a) the philosophy of the Buddha was about the impermanance of all things and b) it's in Bamayan region of Afghanistan - well associated with the destruction of the giant stone Buddhas there by the taliban in 2001 - and these paintings are the earliest oils known.

This story is from Discovery News.

The giant stone buddhas are blown-up. Much gnashing of teeth. Seven years later, more, and rarer images show up in a hidden cave.

Afghanistan is so widely associated with Islam and the taliban, that it's easy to forget how important the region was in terms of the Buddhist way for several hundred years. It was a center of study and art and monasteries.

I hope these paintings are kept safe and sound. If not, never fear. It's all about impermanence anyway...

Good news for Wright's Taliesin West: Phoenix approves preservation plan

Noah — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:15:04 GMT

This is a happy thing for lovers of Modern architecture - Wright in particular - which anyone that knows me knows that I am.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West in Phoenix, an absolute masterpiece among the master's masterpieces, has finally gotten approval for a preservation plan from Phoenix and the Wright foundation. The link is to the East Valley Tribune.

My in-laws live in Scottsdale - Hi Cy and Joan! - and they took my wife and I out there for a tour of the place about five years ago, which was precisely the time I started to get thoroughly obsessed with modern architecture in general on a wide scale. It was a real eye-opener, touring those wonderful buildings, feeling the harmony with nature that informs their very existence. I could feel the presence of the master on the grounds and I sorely wished to be young again and be able to go to architecture school there.

The air is charmed at Taliesin West, and the buildings themselves rise out of the desert sand and blend with the surrounding flora and fauna in ways that are very different from Wright's other masterworks. It was, after all, the place where he would spend his winters, and would educate many of his apprentices. I will admit to you that, more than once on that tour, I thought about sneaking off and hiding in a closet until closing time so I could live there during off hours. This, though, was bound to have been a lonely enterprise, so I abandoned it. Plus I love my wife and didn't really want to put that kind of strain on our marriage...

Just this past March, visiting my in-laws - Hi again Cy and Joan - I spoke with my father-in-law about the disrepair that Taliesin West was in and the need for it to be preserved. He said he didn't know what was going to happen to it, and I lamented that that incredible campus might be razed, or crumble into dust. Obvioulsy Wright designed some complex buildings, with infrastructure that is nearly impossible to keep going in its original state. The city of Phoenix, though, with its taste for good architecture, knows what it has and has done the right thing by it.

Taliesin West now has the chance to survive into the future, and to have its lessons, it incredible lines and symmetry, preserved for generations to come. In an age and society that is increasingly disposable, it's good to see that this is happening, and that rare genius is being preserved.

My daughter would love to have this...

Noah — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:24:37 GMT

Only it would be a bit of a hassle to dissassemble, move and re-assemble into our backyard in Central Wisconsin.

The famed solar powered ferris wheel on the Santa Monica pier is up for sale. Bids start at $50,000.

We'd have the kids lined up around the block, though...

My wife is from Santa Monica, her birthday is coming up, and I'd sure love to give her something that reminded her of home.

Crystal Skull mania!

Noah — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:53:48 GMT

This summer, as the world prepares for the fourth installment of Indiana Jones - Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls - you can bet the real crystal skulls will be getting plenty of scrutiny from the public at large.

Yes, the Crystal Skulls really exist.

This is an article that appeared today on archeology.org, and it's quite enlightening as to the history of the real crystal skulls, about which there is suprisingly little really know, other than that they date back to ancient Aztec and Mayan cultures, among others, are weighty, valuable and bear little stylistic resemblance to any of the great art of antiquity that came out of these cultures.

If you're one of the 10s - yes 10s - of people that have read this blog with any sort of semi-regularity, you know I'm always game for a good conspiracy theory, especially if it involves shadow governments, aliens or marshmallow Fluff.

The crystal skulls fit all of these in that there are widespread theories about their mysterious magical qualities, that their secrets have been contained by malignant government forces, that they were gifts to ancient humankind from alien overseers and that I'd love to get my hands on one to see how well a jar of Fluff would spread on it - I can see an Elvis pompadour right now.

When me lived in the Hudson Valley, my wife was a longtime employee of The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, and every summer there would be a weekend workshop dedicated to the crystal skulls, in which at least one of the skulls would make an appearance and its magical powers would be revealed.

I always wanted to attend this workshop - along with the one about learning how to do remote seeing (see conspiracy theories above) - but never did, for fear of the ridicule I would have to endure. The aging hippies in the area loved it, though, and I heard tales extolling the virtues of these mysterious sculptures over and over. I should have taken the chance when I had it. Who needs to see Thich Naht Hahn, anyway?

They are indeed beautiful to behold, and certainly a little creepy. There are countles dissafected teenagers dying to burn a candle on top of one of these things and take a black and white picture of it, or put it on a shelf next to their similarly designed bong.

Indy will certainly reveal something important about the skulls when he makes millions this summer, so if you want to impress your friends with your advance knowledge of the skulls, check out the link to the truly informative archeology.org article, written by an expert. All kidding aside, it's good stuff.

A synchroncity of antiques - Islamic antiquities dominate

Noah — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:07:33 GMT

It seems now that Islamic art is absolutely everywhere, and the amount of money that it's fetching - congruent with the amount of ire it's raising in some instances - is pretty amazing.

I've already written about it a few times this week and last week.

It started the attempted sale of some armor once, possibly, belonging to a revered Sikh Guru. Then a 12th century key to the holiest pilgrimage site in Mecca, and now, just yesterday, a dagger once belonging to Shah Jahan - arguably the greatest of India's Golden Age Mugal emporers - the man who built the Taj Mahal, and raised Islamic art and architecture to amazing levels in his reign, sold at Bonham's in London for nearly $3,000,000.

You have to admit, looking at it, that it's a thing of extraordinary beauty, made even more important by its provenance of having belonged to Shah Jahan, a man from whom very few personal relics survive. $3M seems like alot to spend, but as I wrote about the Hajj key yesterday, reclaiming cultural history is an expensive game, and them that have the bucks don't necessarily think of it as a numbers game. Face it, if you have all the bills in the Monopoly game, there's nothing on the board that's out of range.

Again, it went to an anonymous bidder who didn't wish to be identified. Who knows who it is, but most likely it was someone who was unhappy almsot 20 years ago when the Shah of Iran sold it to Jacques Desenfans, along with a lot of other things in the sale, on a visit in 1969, when the Shah's empire was just starting to wobble. That bit of its history has been more downplayed in the hubbub over its sale, but it's all part of the history of such a remarkable piece.

I'm not sure if the dagger is considered a holy relic, so I have no feeling on it being sold. If it is considered such, along with much of the other Islamic "art" that's been coming on the block, then I do have to take issue. Pieces of spiritual significance, whatever the faith, shouldn't be made available for a price. I have to think, though, the Shah Jahan dagger isn't considered spiritually important for Muslims, because there was no outcry, such as the one over the Sikh armor.

Shah Jahan's buildings and his name dot India, most notably the Taj, which he built as a masoleum for his wife, Mumtaz, when she died. I've seen the Taj Mahal, and it's an amazing site, especially if you can get there very early in the morning before the touts, the cars, the tourists and the choking, nasty smog from the copious cars the swarm Agra all day. There are few buildings in the world that can match it, or its creativity.

Search still on for looted Iraqi antiquities

Noah — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:54:12 GMT

This is from the L.A. Times. It's all about the amount of antiquities still missing after being looted when Baghdad fell. That was five years ago today, btw.

At first it was thought the damage done by theft was much much greater, and anyone who loves art and history looked on in horror as numbers like 150,000 were bandied about when those reports mentioned numbers of missing artifacts.

They were talking about the beginings of human civilization - ancient, ancient stuff - that carried with it priceless provenance and importance. Many of those pieces, it turns out, had long ago been hidden by smart curators, well out of harm's way, and that initial massive number dwindled to 15,000.

Of those 15,000 known artifacts, 7500 have been recovered. That still leaves half, and an amazing amount of history still floating around black markets or destroyed and trashed.

The good thing is that these pieces are rare enough that, when one surfaces at auction or on the market, it is usually quickly recognized and taken back to its proper home. This is further heightened in an age when national museums around the world are demanding back priceless antiquities that were looted in past ages of imperialism. Greece is doing it, so are Italy, India and China, among many. This seems to have hit western museums hard. The culture flowing out of Iraq, home to the fertile crescent where it's thought so much life firt streamed out of, is older by millenium than most other countries. It bears direct links to stories in the Old Testament. Of anywhere that deserves its history back, then surely it's there.

What the Dickens?! Antique desk on the block

Noah — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:24:06 GMT

Christies will be auctioning of the desk at which Charles Dickens sat to write "Great Expectations."

It's a beautiful antique and its provenance is untouchabe.

It should fetch a pretty penny, and goes to a good cause. I can't imagine any writer wanting to buy it, let alone be in the same house as it. The great author was found dead at the desk and wrote possibly his greatest work in the very same seat, as well - Pip chasing Estella, while she acts coy and plays him off her other suitors... Go Pip! Go! - those are some serious ghosts to contend with.

Still, it is a beauty, and I had the cash, and an extra room, I'd do it in a heartbeat.