Advertisement

Antiques and Collectibles

Kovel’s Antiques: Roseville Pottery highly collectible
January 10, 2013
Roseville Pottery was founded in Roseville, Ohio, in 1890. A second Roseville plant opened in nearby Zanesville in 1898.
Kovel’s Antiques: Santa Claus and his 8 tiny … elephants?
December 27, 2012
Santa Claus has changed in appearance throughout the centuries.
Kovel’s Antiques: Collectors solve mysterious origin story of animal-shaped pitchers
December 13, 2012
In the 1980s, collectors tried to solve the mystery of who made a series of red, black and cream-colored pitchers shaped like animals and birds. They were all marked “hand painted Erphila” in a round cartouche. Some were also marked “est. 1926,” some “Germany” and some “Czechoslovakia.”
Kovel’s Antiques: Victorian calling cards
December 6, 2012
High-society Victorians had a formal way to meet new friends. No playground visits, no social media.
Kovel’s Antiques: Figural tobacco jars often confused with cookie jars
November 15, 2012
Tobacco jars range from 6 inches to 13 inches tall. They sometimes are confused with cookie jars. But a jar-humidor has a section with a hole inside the lid that held a moist sponge. By Terry Kovel
Kovel’s Antiques: Plant stands came into fashion in late 19th century
November 8, 2012
Starting in about 1885, plants were among the decorations in a house because central heating kept homes — and plants — warm in the winter, and glass windows let light into most homes.
Kovel’s Antiques: Spiders were once considered lucky, not scary
November 1, 2012
Halloween decorations today include jack-o’-lanterns, black cats, spiders, bats, ghosts, vampires, witches and other spooky, scary things. But in past years, many of these creatures were not threatening.
Kovel’s Antiques: Custom-built furniture was more common in past
October 25, 2012
Most furniture is made to fit in almost any room, but sometimes furniture is made to fit the room — to look as if it’s built into a wall. By Terry Kovel
Kovel’s Antiques: Figurines represent fertility
October 18, 2012
Babies don’t always arrive as soon as they are wanted. Today a woman might consider getting medical help to conceive, but since ancient times the fertility symbol was thought to be an aid.
Kovel’s Antiques: Oddities add mystery to antique-hunting
October 11, 2012
Part of the fun of being a collector is trying to identify recently discovered old tools and, if possible, trace the past owners of the finds.
Kovel’s Antiques: Petit porcelain mimics even older antiques
October 4, 2012
Jacob Petit (1796-1868) was a talented porcelain painter who worked for the Sevres factory in France, then opened his own shop.
Garden Calendar: Vintage representations of technology rare finds
September 26, 2012
Sometimes an unusual piece of furniture is offered for sale, and many collectors fight over it.
Kovel’s Antiques: Glass sugar shakers made in form of sweet figs
September 16, 2012
The first fig trees were brought to America from Spain in 1520. A ripe fig is very sweet, so it was often used when sugar was not available.
Kovel’s Antiques: Joke ceramics a highly collectible oddity
September 9, 2012
Put some fun into your collections and start hunting for old or new figurines, plates and drinking mugs that were meant to be jokes.
Kovel’s Antiques: Many Americans unfamiliar with Chinese inkcakes
September 2, 2012
For the past few years, auctions of Chinese antiques have attracted many bidders and high bids.

Prev