Antique Discovery

The inkwell was a small jar or container made of various materials — such as porcelain, silver, pewter, brass or another metal — which held ink for writers to dip their quills or pens into when scribing a note or letter. They have a fascinating and practical history...

Mirrors are often thought of as haunted, disturbing, and makes the gazer uneasy. Why are mirrors surrounded by superstition and haunted tales, and what is the history behind the looking glass unease? The ancient Romans believed that mirrors or any reflective surface...

Collectors in the nautical antiques market love to obtain a ship’s figurehead. The figurehead of a ship is the carved wooden decoration, usually a person or deity, found at the bow of the ship, designed in relation to the name or idea of the ship. Ship figureheads...

Postcards became very popular in the early 1900s, as people living in the industrialized age were able to print tangible goods like a postcard and also travel more readily, due to locomotives and better roadways. They sent back short messages to friends and relatives...

Many people read, collect and obsess over antique and vintage comic books. There are many genres, types and characters in these artistic worlds drawn for story and content. What agendas or ideas started the comic book, and why are they one of the most valuable...

Lapis Lazuli means stone of blue in Greek and Latin roots, and Lapis Lazuli is a compound made up of lazurite, a feldspar silicate. It originates in Afghanistan and is known for its blue color. Lapis has been used in pigment paint coloring, inlay on antique furniture,...

Bakelite was invented in the early 1900s by a Belgium-American chemist and inventor named Leo Hendrik Baekeland, in Yonkers, N.Y. Known as the world’s first plastic, Bakelite transformed how things were constructed, and forever changed the concept of technology,...

The oyster plate is collected by many antique aficionados who enjoy the beauty, elegance and nautical lure of such an object. There is a rich Victorian past with the oyster plate, as well as hostess rules and impressing affluent guests with these little wonders of...

As the breezes of early spring blow into March, one’s mind turns to flying kites. What is the history of kites, and why do we fly them? It all began in Asia, particularly China, and had many versatile uses through the years. Kites were invented in Asia, most likely...

Sailor’s valentines were shells arranged in intricate, symmetrical designs, encased in glass cases, hinged in the middle, so when you opened them, it was a sort of “valentine” made of shells. They were marketed to sailors as gifts to bring home after long voyages in...