Ever since we first started to build structures and objects out of multiple pieces of wood, we have had to find innovative ways of binding the pieces together. Enter joinery - various joining methods that utilize shapes, wedges, and bindings to apply enough force/pressure to hold two or more different pieces of wood together. Skilled carpenters of old were able to craft beautiful structures and objects all by hand. Many of these carpenters were skilled enough to even be able to create works of … [Read more...]
How to Tell If Your Rocking Chair is An Antique
One of the best ways to determine if your rocking chair is an antique, a reproduction or a replica. Is to not just looking at its design, but to also by look at the materials it is made from, and the techniques used in its construction. This approach can be used to determine the age of many types of furniture. … [Read more...]
Wedgwood Markings
Josiah Wedgwood was a famous manufacturer of porcelain and earthenware. While many of his earlier works prior to 1781 may be unmarked, Josiah was the first potter of note to mark his wares with his own name, at a time when other potters were using easily forged marks such as the Sevres double L mark, the Meissen crossed swords mark, or the Chelsea Potteries anchor Mark. The Wedgwood marks have gone through several iterations over the years, as the company struck up partnership deals, … [Read more...]
Lladro Identification Marks – A History of Lladro Markings
The Lladro company, created by brothers Juan, José and Vicente Lladró began with their first porcelain creation in 1953. It wasn't until 1958 that the brothers moved their company to a warehouse near Tavernes Blanques and began working full-time on their porcelain ornaments. This further investment of time by the three brothers, lead to the expansion of their company and a Lladro identification mark was officially introduced in 1960. Identifying the Age of a Lladro Ornament Although the … [Read more...]
Auction Houses in Southern California that Specialize in Antiques
I had a reader ask for a list of auction houses in Southern California that deal in antiques. I have done some research and provided a list of auction houses that seem to fit the bill. I have given a brief summary of the services they offer. Southern California Auction Houses That Specialize in Antiques: Don Presley located in Santa Ana, Ca. www.donpresley.com Don Presley's services include live in house auctions, live online auctions and consignment sales. Their consignment business offers … [Read more...]
How to Identify Your Hummel Figurine
In this article you will find 2 list to help you identify your Hummel figurines. Identify Your Hummel By Number Identify Your Hummel By Name The one of the most common question I am asked is: How can I identify what Hummel I have so I can find the value of my Hummel? There are a few ways to identify which Hummel figurine you have. … [Read more...]
How to Understand Common Record Grading and Notations
There are many factors in the price of a record as I explaind in "Things you Need to Know When Buying and Selling Vinyl Records/Phonographs". One of the major factors in the value and/or loss of value of a record/phonograph is damage or defects. In this article I will cover some of the common record notations (Also know as the short-hand notation system). This is used by many collectors, dealers, and auction houses to describe the condition, special notations or damage of … [Read more...]
How to Understand the Hummel Numbering System.
Hummel figurines can have a variety of numbers on the bottom. Each number refers to specific information about that figurine. In this article I will explain what each number is used for and what information this number refers to. The HUM number is one of the most important numbers on your figurine, this is the model number and it identifies what the Hummel is. This number is called the HUM number. … [Read more...]
7 Antique Questions You Need to Know the Answer to
As a Personal Property Appraiser I get asked many questions about antiques. In this article I have answered 7 of the most commonly asked questions. These questions come up at almost every appraisal I have done.  How old does an item have to be to be an antique? There is a great debate about how old an item has to be to be considered an antique. The standard is 100 or more years. There are some antique dealers out there that like to say 50 years. This is so they can sell more items as antiques … [Read more...]
How to Identify the Wood Used to Make Antique Furniture
There are many different woods used to make antiques. It can be difficult to tell these woods apart and if the wood has been stained or painted it can be even harder to identify them. Many times lesser value woods will be stained to look like expensive woods. In this article I have provided some information to help you identify the wood used regularly to make antiques. Here is some basic information about wood: There are two kinds of wood, soft and hard: … [Read more...]
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