Features

Curated articles that explore the rich intersections of history, craftsmanship, and collecting culture. These long-form pieces are your gateway to learning something new, seeing the familiar in a fresh light, and connecting with the past meaningfully.
Turquoise: The Jewel of the Southwest

Turquoise: The Jewel of the Southwest

By Judy Gonyeau The very nature and character of turquoise has turned the heads of admirers from Ancient Egypt to ...
Navajo Weavings: Tradition and Trade

Navajo Weavings: Tradition and Trade

A Unique Exhibit at Colonial Williamsburg Collecting and Living with Treasured Southwestern American Art For generations, anonymous Navajo women working ...
The History of Santa Fe Indian Market

The History of Santa Fe Indian Market

...& the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts Courtesy of SWAIA, the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts Adapted from "History of ...
Presidential Glass

Presidential Glass

Since at least the 1820s, North American memorabilia has appealed to the patriotic spirit by portraying the presidents who Americans ...
Diggin' Old Bottles

Diggin’ Old Bottles

By Maxine Cart-Lome Collectors will tell you it's the thrill of the hunt for what they love that drives their ...
Kola Wars

Kola Wars

By Dennis Smith On an early May day in 1886, an Atlanta chemist named John Pemberton walked down Marietta Street ...
Manga: A Brief History

Manga: A Brief History

A Brief History and its Place in a Collector's Market By Carrie Wood A significant chunk of the worldwide comics ...
Comic Book Grading

Comic Book Grading

The Overstreet Definitions By Robert M. Overstreet & the Gemstone Publishing Staff (c)2018 Gemstone Publishing. Used by Permission. As with ...
Gotta' Sing! Gotta Dance!

Gotta' Sing! Gotta Dance!

Collecting Broadway Musical Cast Albums Photos and Article by Donald-Brian Johnson Get out those old records, Those old phonograph records, ...
Music and Icon

Music and Icon

The Broadway Poster By Daniel Jay Grimminger, Ph.D Music has always gone hand in hand with the visual arts. Iconography, ...
Broadway Cares

Broadway Cares

Theater Collectibles from the Source By Lane Beauchamp, Director of Communications for Broadway Cares For one Sunday each September, the ...
Seeing The Presidents Through Glass

Seeing The Presidents Through Glass

Pressed Glass as Patriotism Daniel Jay Grimminger, Ph.D. Since at least the 1820s, North American memorabilia has appealed to the ...
The Crown Jewels

The Crown Jewels

Glass Paperweights By Art Elder "The Crown Jewels for Collectors" - that's what Paul Hollister wrote about fine glass paperweights ...
Cracklin' Good - Captivated by Crackle Glass

Cracklin' Good

Captivated by Crackle Glass Story by Donald-Brian Johnson; Photos by Leslie Pina "Look, look, look to the rainbow- Follow it ...
Building a Glass Museum by the Numbers

Building a Glass Museum by the Numbers

The West Virginia Museum of American Glass at 25 By Tom Felt Dreams can be compelling and when the dream ...
Know Your Architectural Elements

Know Your Architectural Elements

How to Tell Greek Revival from Colonial Revival and More Excerpts from the Architectural Style Guide reprinted with permission from ...
Stories of the Past

Stories of the Past

By Matthew Webster and Dani Jaworski When studying the building history of 18th-century Williamsburg, architectural fragments have proven to be ...
Starry-Eyed: Collectible Movie Star Ads

Starry-Eyed: Collectible Movie Star Ads

Story & Photos by Donald-Brian Johnson Editor's Note: During the infancy of Hollywood Glamour photography, the studios wanted their audience ...
Drawing with Light

Drawing with Light

The First Hundred Years of Photography By Erica Lome The concept of photography has deep historical roots. In ancient Greece ...
Early Photos Defined

Early Photos Defined

The very idea of capturing a picture by reflecting an image onto a light-sensitive surface in order to create a ...
Collectible Photographers

Collectible Photographers

Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946) "In photography there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality." Alfred Stieglitz ...
Keeping Perfect Time

Keeping Perfect Time

The Evolution of the Metronome By Maxine Carter-Lome If you ever took music lessons chances are you are familiar with ...