History Happy Hour at Home: “No Thanks Mom”
Presented to the Santa Barbara Historical Museum May 21, 2020. I give suggestions on how to document your objects, talk about the importance of the process, and I reflect upon …
Fireplace Screen, Noble or Not?
KO sent me a photo of a fireplace screen he lived with for 65 years. He wants to know who owned it originally. Perhaps the family was noble? The screen …
Appraising the Big and the Small
I think about big and small these days. My world has become smaller. I packed up thousands of my reference art books and left my office because of health concerns. …
Ballroom Chairs Led to Flirting
JT sent me photos of two antique metal folding chairs. She uses them for conversation starters in her bedroom. She picked them up for $10 each at a thrift store …
700lb Bronze Horse at Ms. McK’s Little House
Ms. McK writes that one day about 15 years ago she spied a near 6 foot tall bronze horse in a shop window. Ms. McK always loved horses, so she …
Skeleton Sketch of Lucy Bronze Figure
EF sent me a canvas giclee by the Colombian artist Nano Lopez. Nano used this sketch as a study for a bronze figure titled Lucy. The image size (without the …
Found Secret of the Knights Templar?
Of all the great stories, this story involving a Knights Templar document, particularly touched me. BB’s mother taught English as a Second Language at UCSB until well into her 90’s. …
Psychedelic Poster Artist Moscoso
Lucky KK sent me a signed lithograph she found by the famed psychedelic poster artist Victor Moscoso. He signed it in pencil, dated 1964, and wrote the title in the …
Don’t Ditch Laszlo Credenza Too Quick
Paul Laszlo designed this credenza or sideboard in America circa 1940-50’s. Made by Brown Saltman of California in bleached ribbon mahogany veneer it sports what I call “crazy” handles. Brown …
Abstract Red Painting – To Toss or Not?
PJ, like so many of us, went through her house looking for stuff to toss. She discovered a pile of paintings her dad left to her in a box in …