NEW YORK — Leaving his home in Sweden at 15, Edward H. Bohlin (1895-1980) arrived in New York City in 1910 but soon developed a passion for the Wild West. Within two years, he was participating in cattle drives in Montana and worked on Buffalo Bill’s ranch for some time. He opened a leather shop in Cody, Wyo., in 1920, but because he had an overactive temper, he was repeatedly in trouble with local law enforcement. He ultimately decided to get out of Dodge by joining a Wild West show headed to California.
Bid Smart: Harley-Davidson: more than just America’s motorcycle
NEW YORK — Detroit may have been the birthplace of the American automotive industry, but when it comes to motorcycles, the locus shifts about 300 miles west to Milwaukee, Wisc. While the latter city is perhaps most famous as the beer capital of the world, it’s also where the iconic Harley-Davidson brand sputtered and rumbled into life.
Bid Smart: Antique bell toys possess unmistakable ap-peal
NEW YORK — Toys that make noise are not new. The beeping, squawking, headache-inducing modern renditions are invariably made from plastic, but antique pull toys featuring bells seem (and sound) positively sedate by comparison, and the passage of time has rendered them charming rather than annoying. Examples fashioned from cast iron or tin call to mind the times when such things were handmade, and their craftsmanship and sense of whimsy renders them delightful to collectors.
Bid Smart: Greta Magnusson Grossman’s brilliant design vision
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NEW YORK — A pioneering woman architect and designer whose contemporaries were mostly men, Greta Magnusson Grossman (1906-1999) applied traditional Swedish sensibilities to design. In doing so, she became well-known in Sweden and even more popular in California, where she settled in 1940. In her newfound home, she grew her reputation and legacy, and her work is now recognized as a bridge between European culture and California modernism.
Bid Smart: Taylor Swift – a passionate collector who is also ‘collected’
NEW YORK — It’s no secret that music superstar Taylor Swift has a passion for antiquing. Growing up in Berks County, Pennsylvania, before moving to a Nashville suburb at age 14 to pursue music, she was surrounded by antiques. Anyone familiar with the area knows it’s the unofficial antiques capital of Pennsylvania. The region is packed with antique shops, auctions, and shows, offering an endless supply of vintage goods dating back to the Keystone State’s colonial days.
Bid Smart: Flag jewelry: Three cheers for the ruby, diamond and sapphire
NEW YORK — Today is Independence Day, a federal holiday commemorating the approval of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, marking the United States of America as its own nation. The holiday is celebrated with parades, fireworks, BBQs, picnics and carnivals, and an easy and fun way to express national pride is to wear patriotic jewelry featuring an American flag design. This trend became common during World War I and World War II, and jewelry in the form of the American flag has been a popular niche in fine and costume jewelry ever since.
Bid Smart: Faberge compacts – good things come in small packages
NEW YORK — Faberge began as a jewelry firm in 1842 in St. Petersburg, Russia, and is famous for its Imperial Easter eggs. These jeweled and opulent works of art were mostly made between 1885 and 1917, with slightly more than 50 examples surviving today. While it has changed hands and now only focuses on jewelry and gemstones, the House of Faberge was also once well known for its luxury accessories, which ranged from clocks and silver trophy cups to smalls such as snuff boxes and compacts.
Bid Smart: Hubley toy vehicles get collectors’ motors running
NEW YORK — When John E. Hubley began his company in Lancaster, Penn., in 1894, he set his sights on the model train industry. Hubley produced model trains for about 15 years, but stiff competition from Lionel and advancements in electric model train technology became too much. By 1909, the company had begun specializing in cast-iron toys, mechanical banks and doorstops.
Bid Smart: Sports-themed jewelry has won a growing legion of fans
NEW YORK — Jewelry provides the finishing touch for all occasions, from fancy dinners to a trip to the mall. While these pieces, whether they’re for daily wear or strictly for gala functions, reflect prevailing jewelry styles and materials, they can also say something about the wearer’s hobbies and interests. Sports-themed jewelry is a distinctive niche that has a growing legion of fans.
Bid Smart: Like the race itself, 24 Hours of Le Mans posters endure
NEW YORK — Automobile racing enthusiasts are spoiled for choice nowadays, able to cheer their favorite drivers on in person or from the comforts of home. One of the greatest automotive contests has to be the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, and posters for the annual event never fail to capture its romance and its drama.