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 …
Benjamin Franklin’s Book, in Defense of Cougars, 1745
Dr. B. sends me a photograph of a little book by Benjamin Franklin titled The Old Mistresses’ Apologue, a 1956 printing of a letter Franklin wrote in 1745. I see …
Midcentury Cool Chord Organ
JS sent a photo of a Thomas Organ Company model C-12 “Multi-chord” mini organ, late 1950’s, manufactured in Italy. They made this little gem for tabletop performances, but you can …
The Art of Connoisseurship
Last week I met with a bank representative in charge of major collections of art about the options that collection offers the connoisseur in regard to financial planning. We call …
What’s a Temple Lion, and Why a Lion?
Apologies to FK, who sent me a photo of her Temple Lion sometime in the deep past. She asked if her Chinese ceramic was in fact late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) …
An Early Boob Tube (1958) Folks Called the Cyclops
Since JP sent me a photo of a 1958 Philco TV set which looks like an incredible dinosaur, I found some quotes about inventions thought improbable in their time: Charles …
Confessions of a Misguided Maximalist
I received an interesting email from a Solvang reader, PF. “Elizabeth, are you a minimalist or a maximalist? Since you constantly write about the glories of STUFF, I fear you …
Magical Birdstones
Timothy writes that his 83 year old aunt owns something he thinks might be a Native American club. I don’t think anybody elver used this as a weapon, Timothy. I …
American Folk Pottery Redware – Easy to Ignore in a Thrift Store
JE found this colorful bowl for $2.50 in a Lompoc thrift store, lucky hunter. We consider this American folk pottery at its best, called redware, with crimped edges, yellow lead …