ON THE COVER -
July Issue 2005
The
American Eagle - Symbol and Treasure....by Robert Reed
At the height of the county's quest for independence and
freedom from foreign domination, America's leaders selected
the eagle as its national symbol. Historians note that the
American eagle was officially adopted in June of 1782 by an
act of the Continental Congress. It was a suitable choice. In
writing suggestions earlier to the selection committee
Philadelphia sculptor William Rush movingly endorsed the
"elegant figure" of the eagle.
Q. Can you suggest an insurance “ballpark” value for a small wooden bench with a Brown Shoe Co., decal showing Buster Brown and his dog ? It is five feet long and fragile. I found it in a turn-of-the-century mercantile/hardware store in Angleton, Texas.
The Smell Test -
Getting Good Advise...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.
Lounsbury's 4th of July Postcard
Sets....by Roy Nuhn
Of the more than 50 quality Independence Day sets of
postcards published in the early years of the 20th century by two dozen or so
American and European firms, none are more interesting or patriotic than those
by Fred C. Lounsbury and his Crescent Embossing Company. As a young man,
Lounsbury (1857-1917) spent nearly twenty years in the paper
novelty business, mainly as a salesman, innovator and
advertising specialist.
Q. In a paint store the other day the man in front of me was the owner of a sign painting business. When he got his order the clerk gave him a sheet called the "MSDS" and referred to it as the "safety sheet". When I got my order I asked if I got a "safety sheet" too and the clerk told me I didn't need one. What is a "safety sheet" and why did the business owner need one and I don't?
THE ANTIQUE DETECTIVE
Collecting Symbols of
Liberty
Hardly had the ink dried on the newly signed Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776, than artists, craftsmen and designers began using the new symbols of liberty in various ways. Even the American housewife, took whatever scraps were at hand to create quilts with stars and stripes and eagle motifs. Her husband often used the same symbols to decoratively carve humble objects such as bread boards and bowls.
Magical Music
Boxes....by Maureen Timm
Nothing is as irresistible as a music box. Filled with the
captivating charm of yesteryear, young and old alike know of its subtle, if not
magical, powers and its ability to soothe, stir the senses, and evoke memories
and emotions. The first simple musical movements were found in watches
made in Switzerland in the
16th century and the invention of the first true music
box in 1796 is credited to Antoine Favre, a Swiss watchmaker.
Collecting Nippon Porcelain....by
Joan F. Van Patten
Psychologists tell us
we're all collectors at heart, some to a greater degree than
others to be sure, and once we start most of us find we're
trapped into this predicament for life, we become addicted! "Collectoritis"
is what I've termed this
Dag Days....by Judy
Penz Sheluk
“I’m not sure what
fascinates me about daguerreotypes. Perhaps it’s because when
I look at these pictures, for a few minutes, I’m transported
into that world. For many people, this was their one and only
photograph in their lifetime and now we have the privilege of
sharing that special moment.” Gary Bart, collector. The
daguerreotype is an early photographic process which used
iodine vapors to sensitize plates of polished silver. The
invention of French commercial artist Louis Daguerre, his
discovery was France’s gift to the world in 1839.