The usage of the word “titanic” accurately classified the luxury and grandeur of the White Star Line’s most famous vessel, and later the magnitude of the disaster that struck the “unsinkable ship.” UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) estimates that around 3 million shipwrecks lie in the depths of the oceans, but unlike […]
Walking Sticks, Figureheads and Longhorns – Oh My!
Four times a year, Heritage Auctions hosts a Fine & Decorative Arts auction alongside our specialized Signature Auctions. Each Fine & Decorative Arts auction hosts a myriad of gorgeous antique furniture, museum quality art, decorative art pieces, and a conglomeration of somewhat off-the-wall collector items. In past years, this specific line of auctions has hosted […]
Five for Friday: First Baseball Cards Offered With Gum were in 1933 Goudey PSA Set
Enos Gordon Goudey opened the Goudey Gum Company in 1919 in Boston. Although he sold the company in 1932, Goudey stayed involved as a consultant. Today, the company is known best for its association with collectible baseball cards, which it introduced in 1933. After years of being available with the purchase of cigarettes or certain […]
Wine Regions of the World: Spotlight Burgundy
Burgundy, at its roots, is the motherland of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In modern times, it has become one of the singularly important zones of the wine world, and one that seems to be the driving force of the wine auction world. Over many generations, the parcels of land have been divided among siblings into […]
Five for Friday: Chinese Snuff Bottles
After being introduced to the court at Beijing by the Portuguese in the mid- to late-18th century, the use of tobacco spread among the upper class until it became a social ritual, first among the social elite and eventually through all classes. As its popularity grew, snuff bottles became a symbol of status and wealth. […]
Seldom Seen Selections: 1879 Flowing Hair Stellas struck in Aluminum and Copper
In an effort to provide yet another outlet for the vast quantities of silver being mined in the western United States, John Adam Kasson proposed a four dollar gold piece, or Stella, which would be struck in a metric alloy containing 10% silver. The Stella was also one in a long line of ultimately futile […]
Furnishing Your Home with Collectible Investment Pieces
They say that buying a house is one of the most stressful events a person can experience in their lifetime. Recently, I decided to rush a few of these milestone moments into a span of about three weeks. My schedule included packing and shipping the contents of my small apartment to Dallas, getting married, starting […]
Five for Friday: Rare Artifacts from American Literature
The scope of American Literature encompasses more than just the books written by our most famous American authors; it also includes the personal artifacts belonging to these authors that give insight into their personal lives. Our September 14 Rare Books Signature Auction offers meaningful and unusual lots from these American authors that provides a deeper […]