Mary Shustack of The Journal News writes about her trip to an antique shop in South Salem called Cottage Antiques:
Lisa Miller-Pozniak’s offerings at the Chappaqua Outdoor Antiques Show earlier this month were so enticing that a trip to her home base, Cottage Antiques, seemed in order.
Summer is the perfect time to wander through the antiques and collectibles that the shop’s card describe as “part garden, part shabby chic and part plain old Americana.”
Anne-Marie Smolski of The Wellesley Townsman reports on an exhibit now being shown at the Wellesley Free Library of Arabian collectibles:
The president of the Wellesley Arab American Cultural Society, Sajida Khudairi is also curator of “Collectibles from the Arab World – Remarkable Miniatures and Talismans.”
She has created a half dozen still lifes of items that include musical instruments, books, magazines, toys, jewelry and religious articles. They are made of inlaid wood with mother of pearl, ivory, ceramic, glass, silver and silk. Some of the collectibles are full-size, while others are miniature. Some are used in everyday life; others are just decorative.
Judy Penz Sheluk writes this article for The Antique Shoppe about the history of wicker furniture in the United States:
Although the origins of wicker can be traced back to 4000 B.C. Egypt, the oldest known piece of American wickerwork came aboard the Mayflower in 1620. Folk lore has this wicker cradle being used to rock Peregrine White on the journey to the New World.
In the 17th and early 18th century, trading of rattan was primarily between China and England. The outer cane was used to weave the backs and seats of wooden chairs, with the center reed treated as waste. Although early examples of this technique were wide and bulky, by the end of the 17th century fine cane chair seats were being crafted in England and France.
Elisabeth Townsend writes this article for Unravel the Gavel about AuctionByEmail:
“Tired of being outbid at the last second?” That’s the question posed on the website AuctionByEmail that offers “live, on-line, weekly auctions with 100+ great items each week.”
Each auction lasts seven days, beginning and ending on Saturday. Owner Fred R. Tousignant, 54, promises that goods will be “truly sold to the highest bidder by continually extending bidding beyond the auction end date.”
Southeastern Antiquing and Collecting Magazine publishes this article by Allan Koskela on how you can save money on antique and collectible repairs:
A good, inexpensive repair, has become an oxymoron. China and pottery repairs have become expensive. The reason is the same reason that most things become expensive-its what the market will bear. Quality restoration is somewhat rare, and demand is high, so prices go up. There are however some ways to beat this high cost. This is especially important when you have inexpensive pottery that needs repair. With a little knowledge you can bring down those prices and in some cases even make them disappear by doing some of them yourself.
Amy L. Zitka of The Herald Press reports on a collection of Afro-Americana collectibles which has sparked some controversy:
“African American Collectibles: Historical Treasures or Shameful Legacy?” is a forum that is free and open to the public on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Russell Library’s Hubbard Room.
The Afro-Americana, which includes figurines, dolls, knick-knacks and lawn decorations, are considered by some to be historical artifacts, while others believe the items are stereotyping a racial group and promoting biases against Blacks.
Jack Horan of the Charlotte Observer writes this article about the rise in prices for sporting collectibles:
A longtime Charlotte hunter has sold a decades-old S.C. wild turkey call for $55,000 at private auction, which collectors say is the highest known price ever paid for such a sporting collectible.
The call, a “trumpet yelper,” consists of an amplifier made of cocobolo (a tropical hardwood), a .30 caliber shell and a turkey wingbone. The 8-inch-long call has a slightly flared end and produces a “yelp” by sucking on the mouthpiece.
Michael Bazeley of the Mercury News reports on the annual three day eBay Live! convention in San Jose, CA:
For years, eBay has been defined by its uniquely loyal “community” — the enthusiastic masses of sellers and buyers who have turned it into the world’s largest online marketplace.
As the company celebrates its 10th birthday this year, it faces new challenges to keeping its community happy. Fee increases, complaints of slowing sales and growing concerns about fraud and other issues have tested the patience of many eBay loyalists.