Ten tip for going through an elder parent’s possessions
K.K. writes: “When my mom died after living with me for over 8 years, I thought I’d prepared. NO. The next 10 months were hard, emotional. It’s one reason I …
Art Deco sofa – to reupholster or not
T. A. from Santa Barbara has an interesting quandary regarding the Art Deco sofa pictured. Is its antique value worth the cost to reupholster the piece? Or should T. A. …
Camel sculpture would see bump in value if made of different material
J.E. has a great-looking plaster sculpture of a lovely camel standing squarely on four skinny legs, bending his neck to gaze at his viewers. This 3-foot unsigned piece is painted …
Can you claim damage from the Thomas Flood on your homeowners insurance?
If the storms and mudflows in Montecito, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, and Summerland impacted you, and you have questions about your insurance, listen to this vital conversation with John J. Thyne …
My Scottish Repoussé Find
I have often been tempted to photograph an antique I myself have found, and last week, returning to Santa Barbara from an appointment in Calabasas, I stopped at an industrial …
Citrus and cyanide
J.H. sends me a ceramic fumigation pot, alongside a photo of her grandmother’s house, in the first quarter of the 20th century set in an unincorporated area of West Covina. …
Before Bread Machines We Had Dough Boxes
LS sends me a photograph of a dough box, which, in its heyday (1850) would have weekly felt the weight of “three pecks” of flour to make the family’s bread. …
Traditional (Furniture) is No Longer Popular Today
North Carolina is known for its beautiful forests, and since the 19th century was the state known nationwide to produce serviceable wooden furniture. My son lives there now, and some …
How to Protect valuable art
The week before the Thomas fire roared into Santa Barbara County, a new client asked me for an appointment for an appraisal for insurance purposes. On Dec. 5,, my photographer …
Could this old violin go for a song?
C. from Santa Barbara has an old violin bearing a paper label in the interior of the waist behind one of the F holes. I am not a violin expert, …