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JF sends me this image of what she thinks is a guard for Chinese fingernails, smuggled out of China by her great aunt in the 1950’s. JF wonders what it …

JE sends me this delightful 1950’s ceramic dachshund, which she received as a gift. She asked me what it actually represents in the history of American TASTE. Because I am …

Imagine you’re an appraiser and TB sent you what appeared to be a copy of a famous painting “Caught in the Circle” by Frederic Remington (1861-1909)? TB’s painting sports a …

SP owns a primitive ceramic sculpture of a recumbent lion at 5” x 10”. Is it a bookend? No, it’s a sewer tile, although not a tile at all. This …

MP might purchase a lovely piece of late 19th century pottery, which looks quite modern. It could have been potted yesterday. She found it for sale at Punch on State …

Mary Anne sent me photographs of a collection of dolls she wants to sell. She packaged them up in original boxes. The dolls are part of the “Victorian Collection” by …

What are these “little disks?” wrote VA, a reader all the way from South Africa. She said her Uncle collected these odd tiddlywinks. She has no idea where he got …

CH sent me a photograph of a ladderback rocking chair given (tradition has it) to CH’s great-grandparents as a wedding gift from CH’s great-great-grandfather in Ohio. Let’s describe the rocker …

I snapped up this illustration of a tiger observing a singing bird on a branch, at Destined for Grace Thrift Store in Goleta. The signature reads “F S CHURCH.” One …