Innehållsförteckning för January 2025 från Kovels Antique Trader

PHILADELPHIA — A sand art bottle standing 5 1/2 inches tall by self-taught artist Andrew Clemens featuring an eagle with an American flag on one side and dated 1877 on the other sold for $40,000 at Freeman's | Hindman in November. Clemens' delicate craftsmanship of his sand art, contained in small apothecary bottles, is highly desirable, with some examples selling at auction for six figures — one bottle sold for a record $956,000 in 2021. Born in 1857 in Iowa, Clemens contracted encephalitis as a young child and lost his hearing and much of his speech. Clemens started out making simple and attractive geometric designs using individual grains of sand, and as his skill and talent grew, he began crafting complex pictures including sailing ships, George Washington riding a horse,…

Famed American author Anne Rice (1941-2021) left an enduring literary legacy with her supernatural and Gothic historical fiction novels, among them her wildly popular The Vampire Chronicles series, which includes her 1975 debut novel, Interview with the Vampire, that fixated readers' attention on the undead long before Twilight. Just like the characters in her novels, Rice also loved to entertain in her iconic Greek Revival home in New Orleans and acquired a large number of flatware services for these occasions, with many of them matching the gothic aesthetic of her life and home. Collectors and fans of Rice got the opportunity to buy over 200 items from her private home and library, including some of those flatware services, at Bonhams' auction, “Elegance of the Eternal: The Anne Rice Collection,” Oct.…

The 14th-century Sarghitmish lamp from Egypt, one of the rarest and most important examples of Islamic glass ever offered at auction, sold for more than $6.5 million at Bonhams “Islamic and Indian Art Sale” in London recently, becoming the highest priced glass object ever sold at auction. Mosque lamps are considered some of the most technically accomplished examples of medieval glassware anywhere in the world. The technique of simultaneously gilding and enameling glass was almost unique to the Mamluk court, where they were produced in the 13th and 14th centuries for decoration and provision of light in Mosques. Illuminating a Mosque was considered an act of religious patronage, so Mosque lamps were usually dedicated by Sultans and Dignitaries. This lamp was commissioned by the Mamluk Emir Sarghitmish, a powerful chief…

What? No glittery rhinestone Christmas tree pins for the holidays? I know you love all those vintage beauties, and I do, too. But when it comes to the volumes written about Christmas jewelry, other equally fun designs meant to be worn during the holiday season often get left out in the winter cold. This month I'm giving them some love focusing solely on Christmas jewelry deserving of a little more attention, if I do say so myself. In the process, I'll share some of my all-time favorite brands and designers with you. My hope is to inspire you to hunt down a few pieces for your own jewelry wardrobe—or someone on your nice list—to make this the most festive season ever for you and yours. Santa Claus Favorites While I…

Before the 19th century, wireless radios seemed like a far-fetched concept until physicist Reginald Fessenden changed that on Dec. 24, 1906, when he sent the first long-distance transmission of human voice and music from his station at Brant Rock, Mass., and set the stage for commercial broadcasts. A steady stream of inventions from then on changed the way the world connected and communicated, and radios eventually became a staple in homes everywhere. More than 100 years old, the radio is still a powerful force in American life. Antique and vintage models are also avidly sought after by collectors for their historical appeal and cool aesthetics. One consummate collector was Bob Lane, who amassed a “thinking man's” collection over 50 years. “Doc Lane,” as he was known by many, co-founded the…

A Major League Baseball weighs about five ounces, is roughly nine inches in circumference and has a leather cover held together by 108 stitches. If you want to buy one, it will cost you about $25. Of course, if you want to buy a historic Major League Baseball, it will cost you more. A lot more. The baseball (below) Los Angeles Dodgers superstar SHOHEI OHTANI hit for his historic 50th home run during the 2024 season sold for a record $4,392,000 in October at Goldin Co. In September, Ohtani became the first MLB player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season. The previous record for most valuable baseball was $3.05 million paid in 1999 for Mark McGwire's 70th home run. “I would like to…

from the editor Through the years, Michael Polak sent me coffee beans from Hawaii, a souvenir coffee cup from Hawaii and an old bottle from the Soda Water Works Co. in Waialua, Oahu, he dug up while vacationing in Hawaii. Just so you don't think Mike only traveled to Hawaii from his home in Long Beach, Calif., he also sent me a bottle of tequila from a trip to Mexico. I still have the Soda Water Works bottle and the coffee cup … and, more than 10 years later, the occasional shudder when recalling the hangover caused by that souvenir from Mexico. But I guess there are far worse ways to remember a friend than by nursing memories of a fading tequila sunrise. Mike, a driving force in the bottle…

Collector's Gallery Q: Is there any way to date and identify this small statue? Any help would be appreciated. A: Your figurine, aptly called “Mare and Foal,” was made by Echt Altmann, a name associated with porcelain figurines, particularly those depicting horses and dogs. The term “Echt” is German for “genuine” or “authentic,” suggesting that these pieces are authentic works by Altmann. However, the exact origins of the Altmann brand are somewhat ambiguous. Some collectors believe that Echt Altmann was an early name used by the renowned German porcelain manufacturer Kaiser. According to discussions in collector communities, these figurines were produced in Japan for the European market by a factory known as Seven Pines, one of Japan's oldest earthenware producers. While Echt Altmann's precise history remains somewhat unclear, it is…

Stormtroopers were part of GEORGE LUCAS' earliest concepts for Star Wars and played prominently in each film of the original Star Wars trilogy. This stormtrooper helmet from Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) sold for $409,500 at Propstore Auction in November. The helmet is of particular fan interest, having been worn by an Imperial Stormtrooper, or desert stormtrooper, stationed on Luke Skywalker's home planet of Tatooine. The helmet screen-matches to the trooper that Obi-Wan Kenobi performed the “Jedi mindtrick” on. If you are a Star Wars nerd, you know what we're talking about. If not, watch the movie – with a big bowl of popcorn. The antiques and collectibles world can be a strange place sometimes. Consider BOB ROSS (above), TV's most mellow and famous painter who believed painting could…

To list your antiques-related event (show, auction, convention, etc.) for free in Kovels Antique Trader, and on our website, antiquetrader.com, email event information (date, location, contact information, times) at least six weeks in advance to: ATNews@aimmedia.com. Listings will be included on a space-available basis. Kovels Antique Trader assumes no responsibility for any show not listed in our print editions, but it will be listed in our online calendar. CALIFORNIA Every first Sunday of the month, Alameda. Alameda Point Antiques Faire, 3900 Maine St., Alameda, CA. The Alameda Point Antiques Faire is the largest antiques show in Northern California, boasting 800 dealer booths. All items 20 years old or older. For more info, visit alamedapointantiquesfaire.com. Every second Sunday of the month, Pasadena. World's largest flea market at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena.…