Columns

These sought-after sections offer expert auction analysis, cultural commentary, and more, adding depth, variety, and a personal touch to every issue. Columns include Gavels ’n’ Paddles, Psychology of Collecting, The Beat, Pop Culture Collecting, Toys from the Attic, and Civil War Collector.

September 18, 2020 / Gavels n Paddles

Gavels ‘n’ Paddles: LeBron James rookie card, $1.845 million, Goldin Auctions

Recent Auction Results from Near & Far By Ken Hall A 2003-04 UD “Exquisite Collection” #78 LeBron James signed rookie ...

September 14, 2020 / Columns

Great Collections: Harvard’s Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments and Its Founder, David P. Wheatland

Sara J. Schechner, Ph. D. (photos: Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, Harvard University) This is a story of the impact ...

September 11, 2020 / Gavels n Paddles

Gavels ‘n’ Paddles: Majolica pineapple tea set, $12,100, Strawser Auction

Recent Auction Results from Near & Far By Ken Hall A George Jones majolica pineapple tea set with 17-inch tray, ...

September 9, 2020 / Alex Winter, Amanda Sheriff, Antique Marketplace News, auction houses, Baroness series, Baroness Series 3 32-back CAS 75+, cafe americain, Casablanca, City Commander, Collectibles, Comic Book, covid-19, Director Fritz Lang, Empire Strikes Back, F.W. Murnau, Fritz Lang, G.I. Joe, Gemstone Publishing, GI Joe, Grey Smith, Hake’s Auctions, Harry Houdini, Hasbro, Heritage, Heritage's Director of Vintage Posters, high-end, Horror of Dracula, Invisible Man, J.C. Vaughn, Kelly McClain, Luke Skywalker, M, Masters of the Universe, McClain, Misc, Movie Posters at heritage, Never was so much owed by so many to so few, Pandemic, Pop Culture Collecting, propaganda, pulp fiction, Retro Collectibles, Rick's, Roboto series 4 12-back CAS 75+, Series 3 Ultra Magnus, Star Wars, stormtrooper, Swedish, The Master Mystery, toys, Transformers, Ultra Magnus Autobot, unpunched, Vintage Posters, Wicket W. Warrick, Winston Churchill, World War 2, World War II

This Swedish one-sheet for Casablanca nearly tripled its estimate when it sold for $55,000 at Heritage. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

Comic Character Collectibles: In the Time of COVID-19: Pop Culture Thriving?

by J.C. Vaughn In recent discussions, a handful of auction houses and high-end comic book insiders confessed that in the ...

September 9, 2020 / Civil War Collector

An 1859 silver dollar coin inscribed as ID for Christopher Schultz, $2,000 to $3,000.

The Civil War Collector

by John Sexton Q: Good afternoon Mr. Sexton, I came across your web page while researching an inscribed Seated Liberty ...

September 4, 2020 / Gavels n Paddles

Gavels ‘n’ Paddles: Amish crazy quilt, $3,125, John Moran

Recent Auction Results from Near & Far By Ken Hall A double-sided Amish contained/pierced bar quilt rose to $3,125 at ...

August 28, 2020 / Gavels n Paddles

Gavels ‘n’ Paddles: U.S. Grant slot machine, $2,640, Potter & Potter

Recent Auction Results from Near & Far By Ken Hall A Mills figural Ulysses S. Grant 5-cent slot machine, 72 ...

August 24, 2020 / Talk of the Trade

The Show Must Go On(line)!

With the slow, and in some states unpredictable, return of antique shows and flea markets around the country, more and ...

August 21, 2020 / Gavels n Paddles

Gavels ‘n’ Paddles: Blown-molded cream jug, $7,605, Jeffrey S. Evans

Recent Auction Results from Near & Far By Ken Hall A cobalt blue blown cream jug molded in a baroque ...

August 20, 2020 / Art, Collecting Old & Rare Books, how to package rare books, how to sell rare books, James Dawson, old books, packaging rare books, proper book packaging, rare books, wrapping books

Collecting Old & Rare Books: The Not So Gentle Art of Wrapping Books

by James Dawson Recently I bought a somewhat valuable book from a beginning bookseller who didn’t understand how important it ...

Knitwear was the primary fabric for sporting activities in the 1920s, but with cheaper alternatives such as factory-produced sweatshirts and tracksuits gained traction, knitwear transitioned to the realm of low impact, high-end sports whose users could afford ‘fancier’ knit garments. Knitwear also transitioned to smart casual clothing, which is where we most commonly see it today. Courtesy of HoneyCombPatterns, Etsy.

Exploring Antique Technologies: Ancient Art – Unraveling the Art of Knitting

by Kary Pardy Knitting is everywhere recently. Creating warm hats, scarves, wraps, sweaters, and mittens is currently a fashionable pastime ...

August 14, 2020 / Gavels n Paddles

Gavels ‘n’ Paddles: Presentation pipe tomahawk, $664,200, Morphy Auctions

Recent Auction Results from Near & Far By Ken Hall A silver-mounted and inlaid presentation pipe tomahawk signed “R. (Richard) ...

Antiques Peek: Biker Attire

by Jessica Kosinski There are many collectibles designed to sit on shelves and be admired. But then there are the ...

August 13, 2020 / Animated Web Series, Baslinda, battleship, Blue Fox, board game, broadsides, Canada, Canadian, Canadian International Security Organization, Captain Canuck, Captain Canuck Legacy, Captain Canuck Reborn, Captain Canuck Unholy War, Chapter House, Characters, classic comics, Combat, Comely Comix, Comic, Comic Book, covid-19, Darren Oak, David Semple, Drue Langlois, E.I. Horseman, George Freeman, J.C. Vaughn, Kris Holden-Reid, L.R.Gebert Company, L'Attaque, Laura Vandervoort, Leonard Kirk, maple leaf, Maurice L. Freedman Company, Milton Bradley, Mr. Gold, newspaper strips, Pandemic, Patriotic, Paul Amos, Pop Culture Collecting, Redcoat, Richard Comely, Riel, Riel Langlois, Ron Leishman, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Constable, Salvo, Sandy Carruthers, Semple Comics, sketches, Starex, Stratego, Strathmore Company, tabletop games, Tatiana Maslany, The Battleship Game, The Game of Naval Strategy, Tom Evans, Unholy Avengers, War, Warfare Naval Combat, West Coast Captain Canuck

Created by cartoonist Ron Leishman and artist-writer Richard Comely, Captain Canuck first appeared in Captain Canuck #1 (July 1975), published by Comely Comix.

Comic Character Collectibles: Escaping the Pandemic with Imagination

by J.C. Vaughn With everything that’s happened in 2020 thus far, pretty much any day seems like a good day ...

August 7, 2020 / Gavels n Paddles

Gavels ‘n’ Paddles: Wodehouse pocket watch, $4,375, Freeman’s

Recent Auction Results from Near & Far By Ken Hall Author P.G. Wodehouse’s pocket watch, elaborately engraved with his monogram, ...

July 31, 2020 / Gavels n Paddles

Gavels ‘n’ Paddles: Stankiewicz sculpture, $162,500, Doyle

Recent Auction Results from Near & Far By Ken Hall A sculpture from the mid-1950s by Richard Stankiewicz (1922-1983) titled ...

July 28, 2020 / Talk of the Trade

An Education in Needle Work

In eighteenth-century America, a girl was expected to grow up, get married, have children, and take care of a home ...

July 24, 2020 / Gavels n Paddles

Gavels ‘n’ Paddles: Frye “Mae West” gas pump, CA$7,800, Miller & Miller

Recent Auction Results From Near & Far By Ken Hall A Fry visible “Mae West” gas pump made in America ...

July 17, 2020 / Gavels n Paddles

Gavels 'n' Paddles: ‘Tutti Fruiti’ Cartier bracelet, $1.34 million, Sotheby’s

Gavels 'n' Paddles: ‘Tutti Fruiti’ Cartier bracelet, $1.34 million, Sotheby’s Recent Auction Results From Near & Far By Ken Hall ...

July 10, 2020 / Gavels n Paddles

Gavels 'n' Paddles:

Gavels 'n' Paddles: Lyrics to Hey Jude, $910,000, Julien's Recent Auction Results From Near & Far By Ken Hall Paul McCartney’s ...

July 3, 2020 / Gavels n Paddles, Misc

Gavels 'n' Paddles: Tiffany table lamp, $206,250, Freeman’s

Gavels 'n' Paddles: Tiffany table lamp, $206,250, Freeman’s Recent Auction Results From Near & Far By Ken Hall A Tiffany Studios ...

June 26, 2020 / Gavels n Paddles

Gavels 'n' Paddles: Navajo chief’s blanket, $40,625, John Moran

Gavels 'n' Paddles: Navajo chief’s blanket, $40,625, John Moran Recent Auction Results From Near & Far By Ken Hall A Navajo ...

June 19, 2020 / Gavels n Paddles

Gavels 'n' Paddles: Beatles Shea Stadium poster, $137,500, Heritage Auctions

Gavels 'n' Paddles: Beatles Shea Stadium poster, $137,500, Heritage Auctions Recent Auction Results From Near & Far By Ken Hall A rare ...

June 12, 2020 / Gavels n Paddles

1933 Invisible Man poster, $182,400, Heritage Auctions

A rare movie poster for the 1933 classic film The Invisible Man sold for $182,400 at an auction held March ...

June 12, 2020 / Talk of the Trade

Collecting Natural History

Growing up in New York City, one of my favorite places to visit on cold and rainy days when you ...