antiques
The spectacular Double DeLuxe Violano Virtuoso, created by the Mills Novelty Company, is an important and extremely rare example of American musical automata, featuring not one, but two brilliantly tuned violins. Considered among the finest musical instruments ever made, the “Double…
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"All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope." —Sir Winston ChurchillIf ever any one individual could define an era, could embody the thoughts and feelings of an entire nation, one of the strongest…
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by Daniele Gair We all know that offices can be noisy places. From phones ringing to copiers copying, the 21st-century office is alive with the sound of machinery. It's hard to believe that this is a relatively new development. Although the office as an entity has been around for…
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Louis Comfort Tiffany is internationally recognized as a master of the American decorative arts. Considered to be the driving force behind the Art Nouveau style in America, Tiffany worked with nearly every decorative medium imaginable, even serving as the first Design Director for his…
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by Bill Rau Few things command a room and evoke a sense of splendor quite like a great chandelier. For centuries these magnificent crystal, bronze and colored glass creations have served as bellwethers of wealth and status, adorning the great halls and dining rooms of Europe and all far…
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by Bill RauThe Allure of 19th Century Parisian Furniture Lessons from the Masters Paul Sormani and Francois Linke Few furniture styles speak of elegance and opulence like those of 18th century Paris. The great Kings of France, namely Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI, each ushered in…
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by Bill Rau Nothing is so dear and precious as time -Francois Rabelais The Roosevelt Hotel, one of New Orleans most exquisite Grand Dames, is poised to reopen in June 2009 after a $145 million restoration as part of the Waldorf Astoria Collection. While luxurious rooms, an indulgent…
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Dining in the Victorian-era was truly an art form. The economic prosperity of the late 19th and early 20th centuries catapulted many into the middle and upper classes, and the desire to display just how wealthy you were was of the utmost importance to maintain, if not raise, your standing…
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Few things excite me more than discovering rare treasures that are distinguished by an incredible provenance. It's the provenance that turns a great piece into a phenomenal piece, and literally brings the events normally only read in history books to life. In the case of this amazing…
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An over-200-year-old company finds itself on the verge of financial ruin as war rages on. It's only savior an unknown artist who rises through the ranks by determination, persuasion and sheer talent, only to be fired when she has outlasted her usefulness. Sounds more like soap-opera fodder…
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"Gold is estimable; but Jade is priceless." -Chinese proverbShrouded behind a veil of verdant mystery for centuries, the brilliance of jadeite inspired fascinating legends of desire. One such tale tells of a Chinese emperor who offered fifteen cities for a jadeite carving so…
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Canes and walking sticks, upon first mention, sound perhaps like the least interesting objects in the world to collect. Nothing could be further from the truth.There was a time when no well-heeled gentleman or lady would have been seen in public without his or her walking stick. These…
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The contributions of women are one, if not the most, overlooked aspect in the history of silver craftsmanship. The natural elegance and refinement exhibited in the works created by the hand of female silversmiths set them apart from all others, and, in many cases, are considered the finest…
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We've all heard the saying "You can't take it with you." But what if you could?Death in pre-modern Chinese culture was of tremendous importance, and it was crucial that when one left this life for the next, the departed were given everything needed to enjoy the next chapter of…
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By Bill Rau A beautiful antique mirror can be one of the grandest pieces in a home. However, few people know where the true value of a mirror once lay. Today, we find value in the frames of our mirrors, but just 170 years ago, it was the mirror glass itself that was most…
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A crystal radio can be thought of as a radio receiver reduced to its essentials. It consists at a minimum of these components: • An antenna to pick up the radio waves and convert them to electric currents. • A tuned circuit to select the signal of the radio station to be…
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The tradition of sitting down to a fine meal with family and friends is one that dates back as far as civilized mankind. But, it wasn’t until the 18th century that dining traditions began to vaguely resemble our more modern practices. Step back just a few centuries, and what people…
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Leading Lady Hester Bateman Before the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s put men in factories and made them primary wage earner of the family, women had more latitude in their mode of earning a living — and gaining fame.But even then, the most successful women were often widows who…
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The Legacy of Paul StorrWithout question, Paul Storr can be considered among history's finest smiths and he will long be remembered for perfecting the works, styles and designs of the Regency period. Storr pursued a career in silversmithing at an early age, apprenticing to Swedish-born…
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In 1804, when the Secretary of the Treasury, General Alexander Hamilton, referred to the Vice President as the "embryo Caesar of the United States," Aaron Burr took the only appropriate action...he challenged Hamilton to a duel. The two arrived on the duelling ground as…
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Paul de Lamerie Setting the StandardFor well over 250 years Paul de Lamerie has been universally considered not only one of the most important English goldsmiths, but among the most important English craftsmen of all time. His extraordinary works range from the elegant simplicity of the…
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Ask 1,000 antique collectors what drives them and you're likely to get 1,000 different answers. But, at its most basic level, we love antiques for the same reason we love a good book or a great photograph. It's the story they have to tell, who made them, where they came from and who owned…
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Though experts have speculated for centuries about the true origins of billiards, most agree that the game evolved from a lawn game similar to that of croquet around the 15th-century, hence the green cloth resembling grass. The game underwent numerous transformations over the…
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Few craftsmen in history leave such an indelible mark on their craft that their name becomes synonymous with all other works of that style.Thomas Chippendale was one such artisan as was Louis Comfort Tiffany a century and a half later. Another such name is that of John Henry Belter, a…
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In centuries past, well-heeled gentlemen, and ladies too, were seldom seen without a walking stick in hand. Unlike today, canes of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, often boasting handles of precious metals and jewels, served as symbols of wealth, power and social stature. They were…
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Held in the highest regard among monarchs, emperors, and cardinals, the beauty of Sevres porcelain is infinite and enduring. The factory began as a modest workshop in the royal chateau of Vincennes in 1740, established for the express purpose of improving the quality and production of…
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Born in 1734 to a Huguenot silversmith, Paul Revere's patriotism and his contribution to the American decorative arts is of inestimable value. He was immortalized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere which tells of how he heroically rode through the…
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Without question, the most prominent of the Sheffield Plate manufacturers is English inventor and entrepreneur Matthew Boulton (1728-1809), credited as being one of the first entrepreneurs to truly realize the implications of serving the middle class with mass-produced items. For more than…
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When I was first asked to write this article, I was just recovering from a bout with the flu. And though my desk drawer was well stocked with remedies, my thoughts turned to what sort of "cures" my ancestors might have endured.Medical convention of the 18th century might have…
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Secrecy. Deceit. Imprisonment. The stuff of spy thrillers and international intrigue. True. But they are also words that can be used to describe the early discovery and development of porcelain in Europe.These beautiful and delicate icons that adorn our homes were once the objects of…
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Dinner parties center around them. Magazines and books are written about them. Make no mistake, that pungent, sweet aroma filling the air is exactly what you think it is. The cigar is back.For decades, staunch cigar lovers have endured harsh criticism and have been ostracized from public…
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Two hundred and fifty years ago, Sheffield Plate offered consumers a more affordable alternative to sterling silver. Today, these early works of silver plate often command as high or sometimes higher prices than their sterling counterparts. The reason is simple, collectors recognize the…
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"You will almost certainly run out of room before you run out of money."Most young collectors, and even the seasoned veterans, look incredulous when they hear this for the first time. Surprising as it may seem, in most cases, this statement is 100 percent true.Cabinets will…
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For hundreds of years, hallmarks have been used throughout Great Britain to identify, date and grade silver, plate, gold and platinum. You might say it's one of the world's oldest forms of consumer protection. For collectors of English sterling, knowledge of the different types of British…
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Belleek is nestled in an area of breathtaking beauty known as the County Fermanagh. The tiny town is most famous, however, for the beauty of its porcelain which has been heralded as the finest, thinnest ever made. Today, collectors around the world, seek out pieces from this legendary…
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The term Georgian Silver is one most collectors are familiar with, though it is one that is quite broad in scope, ranging from 1714 and the reign of George I through 1830, ending with the reign of George IV. It is doubtful that when a young King George I ascended the throne in 1714 that…
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The oldest known terrestrial globe was created in 1492, when Spanish and Portuguese explorers pioneered the circumnavigation of the world. For many years, globes were precious and available only to Kings and nobility. Expensive and challenging to produce, they were held in the highest…
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If only we could see into the future...When it comes to the weather, the barometer may be the closest thing we have to a crystal ball. This remarkable device is used to measure atmospheric pressure, and those changes in pressure indicate a change in the weather. Today, weather stations…
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Emile Gallé is widely considered the leading artistic innovator of the Art Nouveau movement, creating works of glass and furniture that are breathtakingly beautiful and awe-inspiring in their complexity and variety. Born in 1846 into a family with a tradition of glassmaking in the town of…
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In response to a wealthy landowners request to make the best use of the natural resources of the infertile Baccarat region of France, King Louis XV created "Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat" in 1765 by royal decree. The renowned company was the first French glassworks firm…
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Clay collected from the bayous of Louisiana, thrown and kiln fired in New Orleans...Southern artists creating ceramic masterpieces depicting Southern themes...these are what make Newcomb Pottery a true Southern art form. Established in New Orleans in 1894, the pottery emerged as a result…
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