Don’t Fear the Ghost in Your Piano
People often ask me to appraise their piano. Since with great pleasure I do this for the Music Academy of the West, I’ll discuss the value of a reader’s piano. …
The Most Horrible Collectible
SG from Rancho Cucamonga sent me two doll photographs. I thought this a joke from my best friend Eli, who trained as a psychiatrist and knows about my rare phobia …
Simoncini’s Arte Etrusca and the Tradition of Knocking off Etruscan Art
In Tuscany, in the Province of Pisa in Etruria, lies the ancient city of Volterra. In the 8th century BCE the city operated as an important Etruscan center. Many today …
Why you should know about the theory of cross collectibility
What do I mean by cross collectible? And why should you know about this if you want to sell an object? Because online platforms usually ask you to list an …
Beloved Huckleberry Hound Evokes Memories
JT, with tongue in her cheek, sends me two of her husband’s favorite toys: a 1959 Huckleberry Hound, marketed by the Knickerbocker Toy Co., and a Knickerbocker Pouty Bear, from …
Gate Leg Table, Jacobean or not?
Featured at the Unity Shoppe’s second hand furniture shop on State Street, P sends me a photo of a table she’s considering buying. She wonders about the period, the style, …
A Medieval St. Catherine Figure Discovered in Santa Barbara
LS attended a financial planning seminar lead by the great Santa Barbara money guru JP. JP suggests to her clients that they contact me to establish the value of their …
How much are vintage Barbie Dolls worth?
In this video I talk about the vintage line of dolls in the Barbie series, including Midge, Skipper, Ken, and the accessories that go with them. Watch to find out …
Beginner’s Luck Ends in a Huge Find
Today Mr. R. came into my office with a drawing he found in Singapore. Turns out this is a significant drawing by Ole Johnsen, born and active in Seboy, Denmark …
Camel Flask a Midcentury Icon of Hong Kong
TE asked, “What midcentury collectibles come from the famous place called Hong Kong?” TE recently found, in a local thrift store, a thermos tea or coffee flask, with distinctive rings …