Innehållsförteckning för May 2025 från Kovels Antique Trader

Abrand-new exhibit curated by Anthony J. Cavo, 200 Years of Childhood In America, opened Saturday, March 8th, running until December 21, 2025, every Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Sundays from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Housed in a charming one-room schoolhouse dating back to 1872, the Schoolhouse Museum offers a glimpse into Ridgewood’s vibrant history. Once known as District School No. 45, the building educated local children until 1905. This fascinating exhibit is an exploration of the evolving nature of childhood in the United States from the late 18th to the mid-20th century. Through carefully curated displays, visitors will witness the transformation of the child through the centuries, highlighting play (toys, dolls and games), appearance (clothing, jewelry), education (classroom), superstitions, child labor, slavery, illness, morbidity & mortality,…

Perhaps you’ve heard that brooches are having another fashionable moment of late. For many of us who blaze our own trails when it comes to accessorizing, they never went out of style. Nevertheless, this seems like a great time to circle back to Trifari’s amazing figurals. Let me preface this by recalling a past feature covering some of Trifari’s all-star favorites, where I promised to get back to you on this topic. At that time, I mentioned the company’s oh-so-popular “jelly belly” designs. Those animals fitted with Lucite bellies are indeed collector favorites, usually selling from several hundred to several thousand per piece. In addition to jelly belly designs, there are many other examples of Trifari figurals selling for similar sums, so you can certainly sink a big chunk of…

For the late fashion icon Iris Apfel, more was more. After her death in 2024 at 102, the BBC called her “the matriarch of maximalism.” Apfel was famous for her transcendent spirit and for embracing bold color choices, daring patterns, and copious accessories like oversized glasses, chunky statement necklaces, and an armful of bangles. Apfel, a textile entrepreneur, interior designer, and trendsetter who became a model at age 97, proved that a signature look is always in style. She celebrated artistry, creativity, and self-expression and inspired people worldwide and across generations. Unapologetically Iris: The Personal Collection of Iris Apfel, an online auction at Christie’s that closed on February 13, offered more than 200 lots that showcased the style-maker’s legendary flair over an 80-year career. Collectors were so eager to buy…

My lifelong passion for all things old and beautiful was born in a thrift store. My hometown store provided an education around every corner: vintage books, sturdy secondhand clothing, unique furniture, and decorative objects I had never encountered. A thrift store is a three-dimensional library. The curious mind never stops learning about unusual (or mundane) items and the people kept them. Every pair of designer jeans has a cousin a few aisles over in the form of a mint mid-century vase or a rare first edition—and at prices that make precious objects affordable to the rest of us. In early March, credit card issuer CapitalOne released its “Thrifting Statistics,” which show 16 to 18 percent of Americans, or about 59 million people, shop at thrift stores each year, and a…

With a touch of color and eye-catching graphics, Lucienne Day’s (1917 - 2010) artwork defined affordable mid-century design. The British designer grew to fame in 1951 after she released Calyx, an abstract hand-screen linen print of an autumnal-colored, semicircular pattern that reflected a post-WWII Modernist spirit. Day crafted with her customers in mind, particularly those wanting to infuse artistic trends into their homes on an affordable budget. “My aim is to design for manufacturers who produce big, inexpensive ranges because I am interested in designing for young people who haven’t very much money but want good things,” she once explained. A celebration of Day’s work took place on March 19 at The Lucienne Day Collection online auction hosted by the Chicago-based Wright Auction. Although the artist’s wares were once sold…

Andrew Biggio served as a United States Marine Corps infantry rifleman during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He is the founder of Boston’s Wounded Vet Run and also wrote his two books on the history and evolution of the M1 Garand. Dr. John B. Kubisz was commissioned into the U.S. Army as a caption in the veterinary corps and requested deployment to Vietnam, where he became the commanding officer of the 764th Medical Detachment at Cam Ranhn Bay. His animal patients included scout dogs and even a tiger cub. He is the author of Paper Dog: The True Lifestory of a Vietnam War Dog. Joseph Anthony Petersburs served in the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, during the Second World War, piloting a P-51 Mustang. On…

After nearly three decades in the publishing world, Paul Kennedy is hanging up his editor’s hat—and what a legacy he leaves behind. From his early days at Krause Publications in 1997 to guiding Kovels Antique Trader through industry changes with F+W Media and now Active Interest Media, Paul has been a steady, inspiring presence through it all. He’s taken on many roles including book acquisitions expert, sharp-witted writer, and for the past five years, the editor-in-chief who brought energy, creativity, and a clear editorial voice to every page of this magazine. Paul is one of those rare individuals who’s probably forgotten more about antiques and collectibles than most of us will ever know—and he’s shared that knowledge generously, with humor, patience, and unmistakable passion. In the “From the Editor” feature…

As I write this, spring has sprung here in Texas—at least this week. Next week, we could be back in the 20s, but my hope springs eternal. With the promise of renewal in the air, it feels somehow fi tting that this is my fi rst issue as editor of Kovels Antique Trader. If you’d told my 13-year-old self—whose weekly chore it was to dust my mom’s McCoy pottery with minimal breakage—that I’d someday be writing this column as the new editor of a national antiques magazine, I probably would’ve rolled my eyes and sprayed you with Pledge. At the time, I was determined to become an equine veterinarian. Old furniture and cracked pottery weren’t even on my radar. But sometimes, the things our parents collect have a way of…

At The Benefit Shop Foundation’s Odds N Ends auction on February 19, collectors had 750 lots of antiques and decorative art pieces, estate jewelry, luxury fashion, and many other eclectic items to choose from at all price points. The top lot was a group lot of vintage baseball trading cards from the 1970s and 1980s that hammered for $650 against a high estimate of $60. Various teams were represented, including the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and the New York Rangers, displayed in a binder with protective sleeves. Small decorative pieces caught buyers’ eyes, including a variety of sculptures and figurines. Top sellers included two cutlery sculptures by French artist Gerard Bouvier, who started designing abstract and figurative pieces made of cutlery parts in the 1970s: a grasshopper…

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 are 20 years old or older. For more info, visit alamedapointantiquesfaire.com. Every first Sunday of the month through May, Palm Springs. Palm Springs Vintage Market, PS…

There are pictures of flowers, and there is botanical art. The latter requires a scientific eye for detail as well as artistry. Scottish artist Rory McEwen (1932–1982), considered the most significant botanical artist of the twentieth century, had both. Most of McEwen’s paintings of tulips feature a single blossom on its stalk—rendered in watercolor on vellum with vibrant color and vivid detail—and are considered by some to be quintessential works of modern botanical art. McEwen lived a life as bold and colorful as his art. His governess taught him to draw from nature at a young age. He studied at Eton and Cambridge and played folk and blues music with his brother, Alex, before turning to a career as a visual artist. His paintings enthrall viewers not only for their…

Art has traced humanity’s love and devotion to our canine companions throughout history. A universal genre that has fl ourished over the centuries, dogs have been artists’ muses, included in artworks as symbols of love, faithfulness, guardianship, and wealth, and used as subjects for noble commissions. During the sale, Best in Show: Interiors, Featuring a Collection of Canine Art From the Estate of Ruth Havemeyer Norwood, that closed on February 14, Freeman’s I Flindman offered dog lovers and collectors alike regal portraits and other charming depictions of man’s best friend. The top lot was the oil on canvas Circus Dogs by Lilian Cheviot (British, 1840-1932), which sold for $21,760—almost three times its high estimate of $8,000. Though she painted other animals, including cats, horses, and tigers, Cheviot was primarily known…

Though many find ironing clothes relaxing, it’s a safe bet that tons of people throughout history would have agreed with Bombeck. Before the modern convenience of merely plugging an iron in and having it remain hot until you finish pressing all your clothes, ironing was once an incredibly laborious process that people spent an exorbitant amount of time doing. It was common to devote Tuesdays to ironing everything washed on Mondays. A typical household might have had as many as ten different types of irons to accommodate the variety of clothing and other items that needed pressing. Some of these irons were heavy, dirty blocks of metal that risked ruining clothes just freshly laundered. Women in the late 19th century also took their lives into their own hands when using…