ON THE COVER -
May Issue 2005
Memorial Day In The Old Confederacy....by Roy Nuhn
Shortly after 1900, Memorial Day became an occasion for the exchange of patriotic postcards among friends, relatives and neighbors. A solemn yet often festive day, it was not recognized for a long time as a national holiday. Well into the 20th century, the states of the South publicly and vigorously celebrated their own Confederate Memorial Days on different dates, some of them still legal holidays below the Mason-Dixon Line.

Gainesville Women's Club Spring Antiques Show & Sale...by Linda Becnel
Housed in its landmark colonial style building at the top of the hill on University Avenue, the Gainesville Women’s Club (GWC) held its annual Antiques Show and Sale on April 15-17th.  The annual event, organized by King Antique Shows, Inc. of Orange Park, brings antique dealers and other related vendors from around the country to help the GWC to raise money for its local charities. This year, 19 dealers and vendors from around Florida, Texas, Alabama, South Carolina, Colorado, and Tennessee participated. 

Q. My husband was given a turn of the century oak sideboard by a member of his family. It appears to have the original finish on it but the top has a great many scratches in it, none very deep just a lot of them. The piece is not one of the golden oak pieces that are so popular. It has more of brown tone to it and I am guessing it is darker now than when it was new. I want to use a scratch cover polish on the top to make it look better but my husband says it will turn the whole piece even darker than it is which we do not want since its already too dark in my opinion. What do you think?

THE ANTIQUE DETECTIVE
Old Garden Catalogs, Labels of Growing Interest

Tis the season for garden catalogs to arrive in mailboxes. For the last few years many purveyors of seed catalogs, such as Ferry’s have been reproducing old tins as collectibles, and with good reason. The early catalog drawings are considered works of art and the  seed boxes and tin containers are being snapped up by collectors and interior decorators.

SECOND CITY FURNITURE..by Fred Taylor
Chicago is frequently referred to as America's "second city" although most Chicago residents probably don't feel that way. But where the subject of older furniture is concerned Chicago is often overlooked. New England is viewed as the bastion of so-called "real" antiques with Boston, Philadelphia, Newport and the like getting most of the glory for their 18th century treasures.

Big Antiquarian Book Fair for St. Petersburg....by Carol J. Perry
The 2005 Florida Antiquarian Book Fair took place at the Coliseum Ballroom in St. Petersburg, Florida. The event marked the 24th anniversary of this internationally famous show. Ninety-six dealers took part in the three-day fair which ran from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon. There was, as always, an excellent mix of types of books, with widely varied values and vintages.

Teddy Bears in Print....by Judy Penz Sheluk
The ticking of valuable timepieces increases audibly in Florida in February. Part of the increase is due to the peak of the winter tourist season but most of it comes from the Florida Mid-Winter Convention of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors and from the annual antique clock and watch auction conducted by Palmetto based Mark of Time. Owner Mark Peer regularly schedules his annual affair in Orlando to coincide with both of the other events.

Miniature Painted Ponies....by Ann Brandt
It was a simple idea, combining common salt with intense heat for a special effect in ceramics. The result was remarkable. Salt thrown in a kiln and  then superheated virtually vaporized in the process settling  and fusing on the enclosed ware in tiny droplets.. The droplets become a thin glaze. To the eye the glaze was gleaming but transparent. To the touch the surface was smooth but imperfect, like that of an orange.

The Salt Cellar's.. Honored Place at the Table....by Robert Reed
Time was when the salt cellar or salt dish honored the table on which it sat, and also honored the person who sat before it. Centuries ago salt was considered a very valued item. It was costly, but considered a choice seasoning for meals. Typically the salt sat in a single dish at the head of the table.