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.
Star Wars Toys Achieve New Records & Doctor Doom’s Debut Rises in Value
by Amanda Sheriff and J.C. Vaughn Hake’s Auctions’ Jeff Jacob Action Figure Auction Sets Multiple World RecordsHake’s Auctions hosted the ...
The Small Screen: Inside the World of Mid-Century Toy and Novelty TVs
by Douglas R. Kelly Early televisions—those made in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s—have a devoted following among collectors, and rightly ...
What Collecting Porcelain Taught Me About Myself: What Is Your Journey?
by Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. When people hear that I collect porcelain, they often imagine glass cabinets and fragile figurines ...
Mix It Up with “Stranger” Collectibles
by Barbara Miller Beem Talk about odd: The other day, a headline in the home and design section of my ...
The Hidden Trade-Off in Every Sales Platform (and How to Choose Wisely)
by Sloane Middleton Mann There are a million pros and cons to every online platform you list on as a ...
The Neuropsychology of Eco-Friendly Collectibles: Why Sustainable Objects Are Finding a Lasting Place in Today’s Collections
by Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. On a quiet Saturday morning at a regional antiques show, a longtime collector paused ata ...
Route 66 Turns 100
by Jessica Kosinski When you think of legendary icons, you might think of anything from your favorite actor to the ...
Hidden in Plain Sight: Unveiling a Cartier 14-Karat Art Deco Masterpiece
with Jessica Rickman CPPA, Certified Personal Property Appraiser Recently, as I was going through a large box of very old ...
Wallace Nutting: From Cherry Blossoms to Windsor Chairs
by Barbara Miller Beem - Images courtesy of Mike Ivankovich Nutting’s good eye for composition is obvious in “Brookside Blossoms.” ...
Marketing When You’re Short on Time: What to Do with 1 Hour a Day
by Sloane Middleton Mann Running a vintage shop means juggling dozens of tasks at once. You’re sourcing, cleaning, styling, researching, ...
Civil War Sword and Portraits of Robert E. Lee
Q: I recently inherited this Civil War sword which has been in an attic for many years. It has been ...
Unearthing Fraternal Treasures: Raiders of the Lost Ark
with Jessica Rickman CPPA, Certified Personal Property Appraiser As an appraiser with almost two decades in the world of antiques ...
Comic & Original Art Markets Produced Robust Results in 2025
By Amanda Sheriff and J.C. Vaughn Comic book and comic art sales thrived in 2025, setting multiple records for major ...
What Labubu Dolls Reveal About Modern Collecting
By Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. In recent years, Labubu dolls—quirky, sharp-toothed collectibles sold in sealed “blind boxes”—have become a global ...
Board Games: Dice, Tokens, and Memories
by Barbara Miller Beem It’s February, the shortest month of the year, even though sometimes it feels like the longest ...
Authenticity, Access, and the Case for Manufactured Scarcity
by Laurence Carpenter For much of the twentieth century, scarcity in music memorabilia was accidental rather than designed. Instruments survived ...
Jowett: Dutch Americans
by Douglas R. Kelly There’s a Dutch maker of toy cars that keeps popping up on my radar screen with ...
From Zero to Authority: Building Online Credibility as a Vintage Seller
by Sloane Middleton Mann For many vintage lovers, shopping with your business isn’t just about what you sell. It’s about ...
Winnie the Pooh Turns 100
by Jessica Kosinski There are a lot of cartoon bears out there, and I love them all. Long before I ...
Tibetan bronze deity, $44,800, Akiba Galleries
Recent Auction Results from Near & FarBy Ken HallAll prices include the buyer’s premium A 19th century Tibetan gilt bronze ...
Jim Sanborn Kryptos archive, $962,500, RR Auction
Recent Auction Results from Near & FarBy Ken HallAll prices include the buyer’s premium The complete secrets of Kryptos — ...
Minnie Evans folk art, $26,875, Slotin Folk Art
Recent Auction Results from Near & FarBy Ken HallAll prices include the buyer’s premium A folk art rendering by Minnie ...
Chinese yoke-back Armchair, $42,700, Nadeau’s Auction
Recent Auction Results from Near & FarBy Ken HallAll prices include the buyer’s premium An 18th century Chinese yoke-back armchair ...
Gustav Klimt portrait, $236.4 million, Sotheby’s
Recent Auction Results from Near & FarBy Ken HallAll prices include the buyer’s premium Gustav Klimt’s towering masterpiece, Portrait of ...
Durfee girandole clock, $24,400, Cottone Auctions
Recent Auction Results from Near & FarBy Ken HallAll prices include the buyer’s premium A circa 1920 Walter H. Durfee ...
