NEW YORK — Cheese keepers come in a variety of forms and with all manner of decoration, but they are arguably at their best when they are bold and lavish. Among the most beloved styles of these covered cheese dishes, aka Stilton dishes, are examples made in majolica. As a ceramics form, majolica was highly popular in the Victorian era — it was more affordable than porcelain, so it was accessible to more homes. By the early 20th century, it was supplanted by more modern materials as consumer tastes changed and as the dangers posed to workers who applied the colorful lead glazes became known. Today, majolica cheese keepers remain highly prized by collectors and those who appreciate fine ceramics.
Richard Zane Smith ceramics unite past and present
NEW YORK — Contemporary Native American ceramicist Richard Zane Smith (American, b. 1955-) hails from the Wyandotte nation, based in Oklahoma, which has a strong cultural heritage and artistic tradition. Smith sets a high bar for any artist working in clay today and is celebrated for his technique and imagination.
Raising a toast to the charm of British pub signs
NEW YORK — The pub, a shortened term for “public house,” ranks among Great Britain’s finest cultural contributions, providing a convivial setting for socialization that is hard to equal. Far more than a place to order a pint and a meal, pubs are as much a part of the landscape as red double-decker buses are in London.
Revolutionary War artifacts: American storytellers
NEW YORK — The nearly 60 men who made up the Continental Congress gathered in the Pennsylvania State House (now called Independence Hall) in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776 to formally adopt the Declaration of Independence. This was no simple vote. Of this group, about a third had served in the Revolutionary War as militia officers and had seen firsthand the horrors of the war that began in April 1775. In this momentous act, which was considered treason against Britain, Colonial America renounced England and declared it was its own country: The United States of America.
The Fourth of July holiday presents the perfect opportunity to consider collecting artifacts from the Revolutionary War and explore why interest in this material only continues to grow.
Loving the luxurious, glittering design vision of Jay Strongwater
NEW YORK — After 15 years of playing with design on a small scale by making jewelry, Jay Strongwater moved on to statement mirrors, fanciful figurines, ornate picture frames and even small furnishings — all bejeweled.
Music boxes signaled age of mechanical entertainment
NEW YORK — Music boxes, the iPods of centuries past, come in a variety of shapes and styles, from large, upright coin-op examples that were designed for boardwalks, arcades and other public venues, to smaller, more delicate models ideal for boudoirs and other private spaces.
Antique and vintage fishing reels hook collectors
NEW YORK — Fishing is a quiet pastime that allows people to commune with nature as well as procure their dinner. Vintage fishing gear, from lures and flies to rods and reels — especially reels — is coveted. Whether outfitting a vacation home in the style of an old-fashioned Adirondack fishing camp or just putting together a small collection that brings on waves of nostalgia for childhoods spent fishing on riverbanks under the watch of beloved relatives, fishing gear is a popular collecting genre.
Leland Little embraces auction spaces, both digital and physical
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. – Leland Little, founder and president of his eponymous auction house Leland Little Auctions, specializes in selling the past but is forward-facing. His auction house delivers high-end items in a wide range of categories. While much of the selling takes place online, five years ago, Little envisioned a gallery-like space that would embody a 21st-century model for bringing collectors, buyers and sellers together under one roof to learn as well as buy and sell. The expansion was designed by architect Richard Gurlitz. This is all part of Little’s vision to build his business and anticipate future needs while tackling the day-to-day business of running an auction house.
The peony and the peacock: classic motifs in Asian art
NEW YORK — Asian art and antiques are rich in symbolism. Among the most beloved fauna and flora motifs in this region and culture are peacocks and peonies — so much so that the two have even become fixtures in Western art.
Jurassic Park spurs new generation of fossil collectors
NEW YORK — Dinosaurs have not walked the earth in millions of years but they remain a source of fascination. People of all ages still dig them, literally and figuratively. Not only are dinosaur fossils of high interest, they are pop culture icons. On the eve of the 29th anniversary of the release of Jurassic Park, which debuted on June 11, 1993, and in anticipation of the June 10, 2022 release of Jurassic World Dominion, it makes sense to look at collecting dinosaur fossils. While it’s highly unlikely that serious collectors who drop hundreds of thousands for a fossil will be influenced to collect by a new movie, dinosaurs’ starring role in an endless parade of hit TV shows and movies should encourage the next generation of natural history collectors.