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The Incredibly Rare Double DeLuxe Violano Virtuoso

The Double Deluxe Violano Virtuoso

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… Read More »
Sir Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Churchill

"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… Read More »
A wonderfully nostalgic and rare Hammond No. 12 typewriter by the Hammond Typewriter Company of New York. This model was the first to allow the user to see what was being typed as it was typed.

History of Office Machinery

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… Read More »
Styled after the designs of the legendary Thomas Chippendale, this monumental 19th century mirror is a work of art. The intricate tripartite frame is crafted of giltwood, and is decorated with graceful elements such as flourishing foliage, acanthus leaf scrolls and flowers, cascades and icicles, and two Hou-hou birds, or Japanese phoenixes.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...The History of the Mirror

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… Read More »
These Earth Spirits ensured safety in the afterlife. With fearsome features, no one would dare disturb their owner.

Spirited Ceramics: Tang Dynasty Sancai Pottery

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… Read More »
Duelling Pistol

A Matter of Honor...The History of the Duel

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… Read More »
Cigar Store Indian

The Renaissance of the Cigar

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… Read More »