Innehållsförteckning för April 24, 2019 från Kovels Antique Trader

It’s hard to believe a quarter of 2019 has passed by already. Rest assured, there are still many more adventures before us this year. Beginning with this edition. Some time ago, we received the request to cover more subjects that men would find of interest. While we don’t normally think in terms of “gender-specific” subjects, you will find a hearty amount of collecting news in this edition that is more “masculine.” First up: Ron Hollander has given us permission to reprint his article “Ron’s Rooms,” which first appeared in the Train Collectors Quarterly. Ron told me in an email: “Collecting and operating model trains is 95 percent a male hobby.” This is part one of Ron’s Rooms; part two will be published in the “near-ish” future. See page 13 to…

I found the Digital Synopsis headline to be both amusing and instructive: “Why Page 2 Of Google Search Results Is the Best Place to Hide A Dead Body.” [https://bit.ly/2mOxk10] Their point, of course, is that 95% of web searchers won’t look past page one of Google results. Indeed, 67% of all clicks go to the top five listings on page one. [https://bit.ly/2ru3xe0] Getting your business on page one is increasingly difficult. A few years ago, signing up for Google’s local search feature (then called Google Places, now Google My Business) almost guaranteed that small-market dealers could be found on the first page of results. At that time, up to seven spots were dedicated to local results. This page section was known as the “seven pack.” Today, algorithm and technology changes…

Five hobby rooms. Count ’em. That’s what I have in our three-story, modern chalet, wood and glass home on Long Island, N.Y., about 74 miles east of New York City. It didn’t start out that way when we moved from the city five years ago. But like an invading army launching scouting parties to colonize new lands, as territory remained unclaimed, I’d send out probes of trains, toy soldiers, castles, sailing ships, scale cars and model buildings, and another room would fall. The fifteen-by-seventeen-foot, second-floor train room came first by design. With its two-level layout under construction, and about 400 trains ranging from Lionel 2-7/8 down to Marklin H0 on Rail Rax and Glenn Snyder Display Systems aluminum shelves on the walls, this was always designated as a train room…

I have encountered many origins of the word “cameo” and find little basis in most. One origin states the word “cameo” is Italian for “engrave.” I am not aware of any Italian word for “engrave” or “carve” or “scratch” that even closely resembles the word “cameo.” The Italian word for cameo is cammeo. Other sources have indicated the word “cameo” is derived from the old French word “camaieu” or the old Latin word “cammaeus” (I thought all Latin was old), or “khamea” from the ancient Arabic word for amulet. While the origins of the word may yet remain a mystery, the history of cameos and their popularity are well documented. Roman author and philosopher Pliny the Elder (23 to 79 A.D.) wrote about glass cameos as costume jewelry for those…

NEW YORK CITY — Art New York, presented by Art Miami, returns to Pier 94 in Manhattan for its fifth edition. A VIP Preview will be held on Thursday, May 2 from 2-5 p.m., before the fair opens to the public that evening through Sunday, May 5. In 2018, Art New York welcomed more than 32,000 collectors to view paintings, photography, prints, drawings, design and sculpture presented by 95 international galleries from 30 countries, representing more than 1,200 artists from the contemporary, modern, post-war and pop eras. The fair will once again present CONTEXT, a platform for galleries to showcase emerging, mid-career and cutting-edge talent. Pier 94 in Manhattan has become an important exhibition facility for the arts in the area. The exhibition space of Art New York will cover…

ALABAMA Apr 19-20, 2019 Selma. Historic US HWY 80 Sale Location: Angies Auction 4094 County Road 44 Selma AL. 36701 Mile Marker 78 Hwy 80 West 334-412-0263 or 334-875-3147 auctionbo@icloud.com. SH: Sunrise to sundown. ARIZONA Apr 26-28, 2019 Scottsdale. Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market, WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 N Pima Rd, Scottsdale, AZ; 480-696-4018; info@junkinthetrunkvintagemarket.com; https://junkinthetrunkvintagemarket.com/ May 16-19, Jun 20-23, Jul 18-21, Aug 15-18, 2019 Phoenix. Sweet Salvage Market, 4648 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ; 602-279-2996; info@sweetsalvage.net; sweetsalvage.net. SH: Thurs 10am-9pm; Fri-Sun 10am-6pm Jun 2, 2019 Prescott. Prescott Antique Show & Vintage Market. Historic Prescott Rodeo Grounds 840 Rodeo Dr. Prescott AZ. 3 buildings plus outdoor exhibit areas. Quality antiques and collectibles, architectural and barn relics, 50s/60s and Mid-Century Modern, vintage fashion, furniture and decor, funky stuff and lots…

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Every auction has its surprises; the prison correspondence of Boston gangster Whitey Bulger Jr. stole the spotlight at Urban Culture Auctions’ (UCA) Feb. 24 debut. The 289-lot Sunday session that piggybacked a modern design sale hosted by UCA’s parent company, Palm Beach Modern Auctions, featured a mix of what auctioneer Rico Baca called “the fun stuff – from iconic pop furniture and graffiti art to street fashion, celebrity memorabilia and Space Age electronics.” The Bulger items drew widespread interest. Bulger died at the hands of fellow prisoners within hours of his arrival at a U.S. penitentiary in West Virginia last October. Prior to that time he had maintained a correspondence from behind bars with Timothy Glass, a one-time prisoner he met years earlier while incarcerated…

1. Charles Addams sold his first cartoon to The New Yorker in 1933. The magazine hired Charles ‘Chas’ Addams (American, Jan. 7, 1912-Sept. 29, 1988) in 1935 as a regular cartoonist. The first Addams Family cartoon appeared in the magazine in 1938. The television series debuted on Sept. 18, 1964. 2. In 1920, Charles Addams and his family took up residence on Elm Street in Westfield, New Jersey. The house is one on which the cartoon Addams Family house is based. 3. Addams’ friends nicknamed him “Chill.” At Westfield High, he drew cartoons for the school’s literary magazine, Weathervane. 4. Each year for Halloween, Westfield, New Jersey, transforms itself during AddamsFest to “all things Addams Family.” The town hosts family themed events, movie screenings, and art exhibits. Visit www.addamsfest.com for…

Francis Olivo A porcelain pitcher from way back American occupation 1900 of the Philippines it’s about 120 yrs. Is this considered antique? It’s still very intact.. Anybody interested? Rhonda Smith I have a “Mom box” I have all kinds of goodies in there and my boys are 35 & 33 Kathy Williams Timonen My mama’s wave clips from the ’50s. They’re a memory... they’re small... and unique. Jennifer Smalley Pate My children’s and grandchildren’s art papers or other things they made. Nyjiona Stephens Johnson I have my Mommas blue carnival glass and Daddy’s leather belt with buckle that’s holds two Kennedy half dollars. None of it is probably worth a dime but to me it’s worth all the money in the world. Jasmine Mandevilla My feelings exactly. No body wants…

Back in the Dark Ages of the 1970s my wife and I bought our first house. An old house built in 1928. A big house. And as apartment and dorm dwellers for many years, we had a very miniscule accumulation of furniture: the odd chair, a sewing machine cabinet and, of course, a homemade wine rack but little of real use. After we moved into our new old house – in one trip in two cars – we realized we didn’t quite have enough “stuff” to fill that 2,400 square foot space. What we especially didn’t have was furniture. We furnished the bedroom from a junk store with what later turned out to be a pretty decent 1940s vintage Colonial Revival Federal style mahogany suite. Not bad for a first…

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Turner Auctions + Appraisals is offering a Fine Mélange: Art, Decorative Arts & More on Saturday, April 20, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. PDT. Featuring more than 260 items, the sale presents a wide range of artworks, decorative arts and more from the 17th through the 20th centuries. Highlights include a Chinese porcelain Xiangqi game, a 19th-century portrait of a gentleman, a carved gilt wood peacock, an etching of three horsemen by Edward Borein (1873-1945), and a 19th-century silver compact by Donadio. Artworks include oils, watercolors, etchings, lithographs, ink on paper, pastels, prints and photographs of diverse eras and subject matter. Other items going up for bid include sculptures and figures of bronze, copper and porcelain; boxes and compacts of sterling, porcelain or agate; a selection…

NEW JERSEY — A little known art form gained notoriety during National Button Week, March 17-23, according to the National Button Society (www.NationalButtonSociety.org). Not just of utilitarian value, many vintage buttons were miniature works of art. Many made by hand, they are unique pieces. The older buttons were made of bone, shell, antler, plaster, glass, hoof and many other substances. “Check out your mother’s or grandmothers’ button tin and see what treasures you can find,” says Lorraine Grinka, member of the New Jersey State Button Society (NJSBS, newjerseystatebuttonsociety.com). “They all had button tins because the buttons were a commodity too precious to waste.” Grinka cautions, however, that tightly closed tins and jars may harm some of the buttons. Celluloid buttons in airtight compartments have the telltale smell of moth balls;…

NEW YORK CITY — The Art Show, organized to benefit Henry Street Settlement by the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA), closed its 2019 edition March 3 with ADAA members, collectors, museum leaders, and visitors alike voicing enthusiasm for the fair’s curated presentations, intimate scale, and welcoming atmosphere. Mounted annually at the Park Avenue Armory by the ADAA, a nonprofit membership organization of the leading art dealers from around the country, The Art Show 2019 matched its reputation as a distinct fair experience that encourages active conversations with gallerists and close looking at works of the highest quality by artists from the 19th century to today. Kicking off the spring art season in New York, The Art Show opened with the annual Gala Preview on Wednesday, Feb. 27, welcoming some…

BlackHawk Indian Liniment, Rattlesnake Oil, 5 ½”, Clear, 1890-1900, $175 (July 2018) Royal Cough Cure, Cold Expeller, 6 ¾”, Clear, Dill Medicine Co., Norristown, PA, 1900-1905, $80 (July 2018) De Witt’s Colic & Cholera Cure, 5”, Aqua, E.C. De Witt & Co., Chicago, 1890-1900, $55 (July 2018) Dr. Shoop’s Fever Remedy, 6 ½”, Aqua, Dr. Shoop’s Family Medicines, Racine, Wis., 1885-1900, $80 (2018) Wilbur’s Pink Eye Cure, 6”, Clear, 1890-1905, $275 (March 2018) Wm. Radam’s Microbe Killer, Germ Bacteria or Fungus Destroyer, 10 ½”, Square Shape, Amber, 1890-1910, $250 (March 2018) Dr. Fenner’s Kidney and Backache Cure, 8 ½”, Amber, Fredonia, N.Y. U.S.A., 1872-1898, $190 (March 2018) Gargling Oil Liniment, Man or Beast, 5 ½”, Green, Lockport, N.Y., 1885-1910, $75 (March 2018) Prof. Deans King Cactus Oil Company, Healing Oil…

DALLAS – More than 150 images from a collection regarded as one of the most important of its kind will be featured in Heritage Auctions’ Illustration Art Auction April 23 in Dallas, Texas. The collection comes from Investment Rarities Incorporated founder Jim Cook and his wife, Diane, who have forged a reputation as elite collectors in numerous categories, including Fine Art, Comic Art, Sports and Entertainment. The Cooks are shrewd collectors with an innate ability to spot quality and rarity, and the 158 lots from the collection in the sale include images by renowned illustrators whose works usually generate high demand, including Alberto Vargas, Gil Elvgren, Peter Driben, Harry Lemon Parkhurst, Charlie Dye and Arthur Sarnoff. “This is an exceptional collection that reveals the foundation of knowledge and experience that…

Spinelli vase holds value of up to $100 Q Can you tell me what this is? It is marked on the bottom: GALLERIA SPINELLI ROMA and a hallmark. Thank you. — R.M. A R.M. sent a photo of a brass vase made in the Galleria Spinelli studios in Rome, Italy. This studio might have a connection to Gaetano Spinelli but he was active primarily in Florence. The theme is obvious: a cracked egg shell with fluted and floral motif on three bird legs and feet. This is a typical item in the 1950s and after. Although fairly well made the overall assembly is not polished leading me to believe this was a hand assembled piece with many copies. The value, because of the artistic appearance is probably $80-$100 unless a…

“Gather around my friends. Yes, Sir. What I have here is my magic elixir with secret ingredients known only to the Medicine Men of the fierce Cheyenne warriors. It will fix whatever ails you. Be it the scurvy, stomach ailments, a weak heart, obstinate coughs, or the gout. My magic elixir makes it all go away. Step right up. Buy two bottles and get one free. Only a dollar a bottle.” We all grew up watching western movies with the Snake Oil Doctor making his pitch. Remember, it was the Wild West. Leading up to, and at the turn of the 20th century, there weren’t any federal regulations preventing the mixing of potent dangerous drugs in medicine from being sold to the public. It’s amazing the users didn’t die from…

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Rock Island Auction Company (RIAC) has been hinting since late last year that 2019 promised to be a special year. A quick glance at the special items in the firm’s May 2019 Premiere Firearms Auction confirms it. The collectible and antique, the high condition and historic will all be available en masse in the firearms specialist’s May 3-5 sale. Leading the pack will be continued offerings from the collections of Robert M. Lee, Larry Jones, Allan Cors, and Robert E. Petersen, but also featured are noteworthy collections from Dr. Richard Kobetz, Robert Ferro, Dick Salzer, G. Thomas Puett, The NRA Whittington Center, the Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection, and an anonymous collection presented as The Southwest Collection. One of the sources of massive interest in RIAC’s record-breaking 2018…

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Spring is just around the corner and the May Gold Rush at the Olmsted County Fairgrounds (also known as Graham Park) in Rochester, Minnesota, is setting the stage for spring picking May 10-12, 2019. The public is welcome to come shop during the dealer set-up on Friday. The Olmsted County Fairgrounds is located at the Hwy. 63 South and 16th Street SE intersection. The first show of the 2019 Gold Rush season promises unique antiques and vintage items presented by dealers from around the country. Expect to find vintage and antique lighting, textiles, furniture, primitives, folk art, art glass, art pottery, bronzes, fine art, china, porcelain, silver, lamps, clocks, Depression glass, jewelry, perfume bottles, salt dips, children’s dishes and children’s items, bookends, door stops, bottle openers, advertising,…

Lindsey, Bill. Historic Glass Bottle Identification & Information Website, ONLINE, 2010. Society for Historical Archaeology and Bureau of Land Management. Available: http://www.sha.org/bottle/index.htm (Bottle Typing/Diagnostic Shapes, Medicinal/Chemical/Druggist Bottles – Page 2 of 52 and Page 3 of 53) Torbenson, Michael and Erien, Jonathon. A Case Study of the Lash’s Bitters Company — Advertising Changes after the Federal Food and Drugs Act of 1906 and the Sherley Amendment of 1912, Pharmacy in History, Vol 45,, No.(2003) pp. 139-149, Published by: American Institute of the History of Pharmacy, https://www.jstor.org/stable/41112177, Page Count: 11 Meadows, Michelle. Promoting Safe & Effective Drugs for 100 Years, FDA Consumer Magazine, the Centennial Edition/January-February 2006…