I grew fond of the potter Bernard Palissy (1510-1590) ) when I was a little girl. He was a Renaissance man with a background in chemistry, geology, philosophy etc… But what drew me in were his “pots”. He put snakes on plates and created lush crawling environments, which inspired a long line of ceramic artists whose […]
Katherine Hepburn: No Morning Glory
I belong to a family of old movie fans and book lovers. I like to think this is the result of superior intellect and elitist literary tastes, but it probably has more to do with my conscientious parents making the radical decision to shut off the telly for good when I was five. This deprivation […]
What is Estate Jewelry?
Estate jewelry is a term applied to antique and period jewelry from a particular design era that has been previously used or owned by another individual. This jewelry tends to appeal to people with an eye for quality workmanship who look to the estate jewelry market for well-made items that were much more expensive when […]
Silver Party: Wager Cup, not Solo Cup
This past week, I came across an unusual object; she was a lady made of silver, wearing a hollow skirt and holding a small pivoting vessel above her head! She is a wager cup, a popular German party gaiety of the 16th century. In German, a Jungfrauenbecher! The party guest were offered a drink from […]
What makes a guitar worth buying?
There are millions upon millions of guitars floating about. What is that that forces a guitar into your consciousness and makes you say, “I must own this?” (Obviously, budget is one of the constraints, but that’s a slightly less-than-romantic consideration.) Guitars are meant to be played, to be heard, so my first thoughts were aural: […]
Saturday Morning Cartoons on the auction block as Gen-X collectors come of age
I am, ever, a kid of the 1970s, a member of Gen-X. Today I am here to tell you that I love Saturday Morning Cartoons. I mean real Saturday Morning Cartoons. I mean The All-Starr Laff-A-Lympics and The Superfriends. I mean Captain Caveman and The Teen Angels and Schoolhouse Rock. In fact, I will testify, under […]
The Rebirth of Carousel Panels
Our Saturday Estate auction showcases eight unique hand-painted carousel panels that date back several decades. Carousels became popular in American during the mid to late 19th Century, and early carousels often featured hand-painted panels, similar to these, as well as ornate and bejeweled saddles and animals for children to ride on. Carousel makers put […]
J. Walter Durbin and the Hard Men of the Frontier Battalion
I’m a native Texan through and through. I was born and raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I went to school here, and now I’m raising my children here. Growing up in Texas, it’s hard not to be inundated with tales of the Old West. Westerns were a mainstay in my house growing up. I […]
