Erica Lome, Ph.D. “Necessity is the mother of invention.” This adage certainly applied to many of the domestic objects produced in the nineteenth century that served as creative solutions to everyday problems; and for some women, one of those problems happened to be their husbands’ hair. Avoiding Disaster In 1783, a London barber named Alexander […]
Category Archives: Features
04
Jan
Jan
by Mike Ivankovich The parlor was traditionally a gathering room where family members and friends would meet, eat, socialize, and relax. Smaller and less affluent homes had the Kitchen, Dining Room, and parlor all merged-together in a single room. Larger and wealthier homes often had a separate parlor where people gathered for formal occasions […]
21
Dec
Dec
by Judy Gonyeau, managing editor Evidence has been brought to light that charms were perhaps first formed as far back as 75,000 years ago according to the discovery in Africa of shells being used for adornments. Moving forward to 30,000 years ago, intricately carved mammoth tusk charms were found in Germany. Back in 10,000 […]
14
Dec
Dec
by Ken Hall Eisenberg Originals are the most beautiful and brilliant pieces of costume jewelry no one’s ever heard of. The massive collection of someone who literally wrote the book on Eisenbergs was recently auctioned off to many lucky buyers who, thanks to her, know what the excitement is all about. A Collection—and Specialty—Begins […]
07
Dec
Dec
by Maxine Carter-Lome, publisher Cameos are one of the most widely recognized types of jewelry. Many of us may even own a piece, most probably handed down from a family member. These miniature relief sculptures have a history that pre-dates the birth of Christ by 300 years, with origins in the ancient carving traditions […]
02
Dec
Dec
Story & Photos by Donald-Brian Johnson What do you do on the day after Thanksgiving? Some folks start baking Christmas cookies (or eating them). Others begin unraveling myriad strings of Christmas lights in preparation for the annual holiday decorating marathon. And then there are those who don their first Christmas tree pins […]
09
Nov
Nov
by Erica Lome, Ph.D. On a cool April morning in 1775, Amos Barrett readied his musket and prepared for combat. Earlier that day, 23-year-old Barrett had awoken to the news that 700 British Regulars were marching from Boston to Concord. They were planning to seize and destroy military supplies stockpiled by “rebellious” Provincial colonists […]
26
Oct
Oct
By Margaret Carpenter and Alice Muncaster Is it possible for cats to spark a friendship between two people miles (and states) apart? Absolutely! Thanks to the Antique Advertising Association of America (AAAA), we (Margaret Carpenter and Alice Muncaster) discovered a mutual interest that started an online friendship of purrfect proportions: the use of cats […]
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Oct
Oct
by Maxine Carter Lome, Publisher From 1896 when James Wright Beswick and his sons John and Gilbert first established their earthenware pottery business, “J. W. Beswick,” at the Gold Street works in Longton, England, until the early 1970s, when it became part of Royal Doulton, Beswick (pronounced BESS-ick – Beswick is a surname in the […]
12
Oct
Oct
By Erica Lome, Ph. D. Rosa Bonheur (1822-1899) The Horse Fair, 1852–55, Oil on canvas, Metropolitan Museum of Art If you took a stroll through the European Paintings galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, you’d undoubtedly encounter Rosa Bonheur’s Le Marché aux Chevaux, or The Horse Fair, one of the finest achievements of […]