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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 …

F from Santa Barbara once owned a large collection of art glass, now mostly sold. But he saved a little glass pitcher with “Gladys” written on it in enamel pant. …

JS owns a painting on porcelain of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French (1769-1821), not painted in the way we usually picture the Emperor. Here we see a sad little …

I own a household of ‘orphan’ works of art untracible to an artist. I judged them to be very fine pieces. This checklist gives you six steps to understand the …

I received an overwhelming response to my article “How to Judge a Thrift Store Painting.” One reader asked if I owned an ‘orphan’ painting in my home. She wants me …

GM asked me to write about her deepest fear as an avid collector. She asked, “Am I a Hoarder? Or just a collector? Or maybe a hoarder in collector’s clothing?” …

JF sent me a photo of an intricately beaded and sequined banner (Drapo Vodou) on silky fabric that pictures a faded red heart with blue accents to the center. He …