By Maxine Carter-Lome The best definition of Americana that I have come across is, “material ephemera of the distant American past.” Many kinds of cultural artifacts fall within the definition of Americana. The things involved need not be ‘antique’ old or ‘primitive,’ but are usually associated with some quintessential element of the American experience. In […]
Category Archives: Publishers Corner
The word “vintage” is ascribed to items in the range of at least 20, but more appropriately 50 years old or older. Unlike “antiques”—definitively defined at 100 years old or older—“vintage” falls more in the “I’ll know it when I see it” category of retail marketing, used to define and add value to a universally […]
29
Nov
Nov
Traditions and Discoveries by Maxine Carter-Lome As we close out our 2019 editorial calendar with this December issue and head into a new year, I celebrate my fifth anniversary as the owner and publisher of the Journal of Antiques and Collectibles and the magazine enters its 20th anniversary year. If you’ve been a long-time dealer, […]
30
Oct
Oct
Living in a Miniature World by Maxine Carter-Lome Recently I read Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell, Jr.’s book Empty Mansions (Ballantine Books, 2013), the amazing story of William A. Clark (1839-1925), one of America’s lesser known Gilded Age industrialists, and his recluse daughter, Huguette Clark (1906-2011), who became one of the greatest 20th century […]
01
Oct
Oct
Enthusiastic About Ephemera by Maxine Carter-Lome Merriam-Webster defines ephemera as “something of no lasting significance – paper items (such as posters, broadsides, and tickets) that were originally meant to be discarded after use.” Yet to collectors, these pieces of history on paper are anything but “minor transient documents of everyday life,” as they were once […]
29
Aug
Aug
Visiting the Hudson River Valley by Maxine Carter-Lome If you’ve ever visited or spent time in the Hudson River Valley of New York State, than you know something about the natural beauty and rich history of this early settlement region of our country. If not, we hope this issue inspires you to take a trip. […]
01
Aug
Aug
Growing Up Watching the General Store by Maxine Carter-Lome For those of us who grew up in a city or were born after 1930, chances are our only real association with the 19th century general store is what we saw on TV and experienced at restoration villages such as Colonial Williamsburg, Old Sturbridge Village or […]
01
Jul
Jul
Decorative Collectibles by Maxine Carter-Lome Throughout modern history, a room or space has been set aside for the Master of the House to call his own – a place where he can go to be alone, indulge in hobbies, work or entertain his friends. Thomas Jefferson had his library, Mark Twain had a billiards room […]
29
May
May
Collecting Fun & Games by Maxine Carter-Lome Every child grows up with a favorite game or toy that carries with it precious memories of bygone days and friends from the past, which is why this month’s topic is particularly nostalgic and fun to consider. Toys and games from particularly the 1930s to 1980s are now […]
29
Apr
Apr
Inside the Doctor’s Bag By Maxine Carter Lome For those of us old enough to remember when doctors made house calls, nothing is more iconic than the leather Doctor’s Bag, which contained all the basic tools for evaluating, diagnosing, and attending to a patient’s ailment or illness from their bedside. Typically those tools included a […]