Moorish Box Spans Cultural Loop
HH owns a large jewel box that encompasses three cultural styles across ten centuries. Yet it’s neither rare nor particularly pricey. This vintage handmade inlaid box draws from the traditions …
Bracelet with a Wonderful Background
Historian BG sent me a bracelet passed down from a friend of her grandmother’s whose husband served in North Africa during WWII. This bangle comes from Egypt. I know by …
Quaint Legacy Chairs
RR inherited a chair with a four-post back. Her grandmother called the chair Amish. She asked me to verify the origin. The form shows some Shaker or Amish elements, but …
The Color Yellow
A matched pair of glass lamps standing three feet tall combines the history of glass, the color yellow, and the 20th century stylish designer lighting. An object contains worlds! Two …
Ramona’s Chain Links to Pirates
A remnant called “Ramona’s Chain” presents a fantastic range of possible histories. The card beneath four links states: “Rusted and Corroded Chain from a Pirate Ship Washed up on the …
Animal Feet On Furniture
MS sent me pictures of a table she felt compelled to buy because of its unique feet shaped like paws with toenails. Animalistic feet are the most common body part …
Rustic Fireplace: Arts and Crafts or Deco?
PE recently purchased a tiny “fixer-upper” cabin in the San Bernardino Mountains near Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake. During the remodel he discovered the 1,660-square-foot cabin originally built in …
Crystal Bird Figurine “Made in China”
AF owns a small clear crystal bird figurine on a frosted glass base. The underside shows a label “Made in Taiwan R.O.C.” (Republic of China). The phrase “Made in” helps …
Carved Meerschaum Pipe A Nod To Turkish Tobacco
LS wrote to ask if his vintage pipe is ivory. If so, can he sell ivory? First question: it’s not ivory. If made of ivory, LS would need to donate …
Painting Depicts US Maritime History
DF, a former servicemember, a U.S. Marine, sent this 20th century painting and brought a tear to my eye. This painting shows a tall ship by an amateur, signed in …