Frankoma Pottery Mayan Dishware
If you have a flare for the southwest and enjoy natural earth tone colors, you would love Frankoma Pottery Mayan dishware to grace your dinner table and enhance any meal. Frankoma Pottery Mayan dishware is a southwestern line of dinnerware that was founded by John Nathaniel Frank. John Frank opened a pottery store in Norman Oklahoma and combined his name and the state he lived in to form Frankoma Pottery in the early 1930’s. It was an art teacher’s life long dream to have his pottery in every home. He moved his family and business to Sapulpa Oklahoma. After a fire that burnt his business to the ground he had to start all over again. His business really started to boom when he introduced Frankoma Pottery Mayan dishware in 1947. Frankoma pottery Mayan dinnerware has many lovely pieces for the whole world to enjoy.
What makes Frankoma Pottery Mayan dishware unique from other Frankoma lines of pottery is its Mayan-Aztec design and wonderful colors. The colors used by Frankoma Pottery Mayan dishware include wonderful earth tones such as Prairie Green, White Sand, Desert Gold, and Onyx Black. The colors that inspired many of his pottery line are the colors found in nature. A little bit of Oklahoma is in each and every piece of pottery. The vintage pieces can be identified by the Mayan Sequence around the edges of the pottery and by its trademark of random brushstrokes. It has the look and the design of the Aztec from a time long ago.
The most valuable Frankoma Pottery, the Pot & Puma, was made 50 years ago and can be identified by an “O” on the bottom of the pottery. The Pot & Puma is a trademark to represent both the artistic and also the sculptures of his craft. In order to find out the age of the pottery, look at the unglazed bottom of the pieces of his pottery. A light tan color, or Ada clay, is an indicator of pre-1955 pottery. A brick red or reddish color, know as Sapulpa clay, is post 1955 pottery. An easy way to identify if your pottery piece is a Frankoma Pottery Mayan dishware is by the stock number on the bottom (Only for pieces made after 1955). The stock numbers begin with a number, which identifies the different style of Frankoma pottery, followed by one or two letters. If the stock number begins with a 94, the piece is the Wagon Wheel pattern; if it begins with a 4, the piece is Lazybones pattern; if it begins with 5 it is Plainsman; if it begins with a 6 it is the Westwind pattern; and 7 is the Frankoma pottery Mayan-Aztec pattern.
To find your own Frankoma Pottery Mayan dishware, you have many choices. The vintage pieces are available on many auction sites that have antiques or collectibles. Many other pottery replacement websites also carry an inventory of Frankoma pottery Mayan dishware. For new pottery, Frankoma Pottery has a website where orders can be placed and pottery can even be custom designed. The new pottery pieces are all dishwasher safe, microwave save and oven proof. It is even used by celebrities like Food Network’s Paula Deen.
The earth has many beautiful secrets hidden within it. Thanks to John Frank and his Frankoma Pottery Mayan dishware, we now have the ability to bring some of this beauty into our homes. If you like to enjoy the natural beauty of the earth, especially the warm tones of the southwest, you must have Frankoma Pottery Mayan style dishware gracing your table. The unique style and colors will brighten any kitchen and add some visual spice to any meal!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
DALVEY PLAYING CARDS
DALVEY PLAYING CARDS
Dalvey is a well-known company. Dalvey is a name that stands for the utmost quality and craftsmanship. The Dalvey playing cards are very unique in appearance and styling. It is also one of the most exquisite accessories to own or to give as a gift that will last a lifetime. I have only seen the Dalvey playing cards once, while I was traveling on a trip. The playing cards were very odd looking at first glance because of their round shape and many markings around the edge. I soon discovered they were made to look that way. The Dalvey playing cards were kept in a beautiful stainless steel case made of the finest quality. When the case was opened and the cards put away, I noticed an atlas on the inside top of the case lid. I wondered if it was a trademark for a world class product.
The Dalvey playing cards are derived from all ages of history and many cultures around the globe. Cards can be traced back to China. It was thought that sometime in the 10th century, the playing cards were used for entertainment and passing the time. The earliest versions of cards were very different from that of cards today. Many cultures around the world had a hand in the evolution of the Dalvey playing cards. Some of the characteristic of the playing cards came from Europe, Italy, Germany and France. The early European cards had a fifty-two card count in the deck. They had four suits, but had very different symbols on the cards. Europeans also used royalty for the figures used on the highest cards in the deck.
The Italians had a playing card that was hand painted with the utmost detail. The cards were very expensive and required a vast amount of time to make. The shape of the cards where round very much like the Dalvey playing cards. The cards resembled a small, precisely hand painted saucer. The circular shape of the cards aided in the ease of holding a large amount of cards, as well as ‘fanning’ them out, so they can only be seen only by the viewer. The hand painting of the cards later became a problem due to the rough texture on the cards. They were hard to shuffle and pass out to the other players. Later in time, the Germans figured out how to engrave the cards for manufacturing to produce vast amounts of the playing cards, which in turn, lessen the cost of the cards. The cards were printed on paper and were tested for their durablity. The plastic coating on the cards came at a later time. The German cards had symbols of acorns, bells, leaves, and hearts that were later made into hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades, just like the Dalvey playing cards of modern times.
The Americans soon discovered the playing cards. The cards begin appearing in all parts of the country. The Americans’ contribution to the deck was adding the joker. Maybe it was for one more chance to get that better hand in poker. Many of the card games that we still play today originated from games from centuries ago. The Dalvey playing cards are very similar to the round cards that were used by early travelers. Their circular shape and elegant travel cases helped the travelers carry their cards with them on long and short journeys alike. The round shape also helped in the ease of picking up the cards if they were dropped on the floor or table. The card game of poker is the game that comes to mind when we think of American card games. One can just picture a group of men sitting in a saloon with a hand of cards. This could have been the earliest version of the Dalvey playing cards. There are so many different card games to choose in playing. Anyone can vision a time when cards playing was a way to past the time and enjoy the company of others. One can also vision children playing cards on a wooden floor, which helped offset the time when chores were not needed to be done; however, they always had time for a quick game of rummy before lights out.
With all the centuries and cultures adding to the development of the playing cards, the Dalvey playing cards are truly a world-class card. We should have no doubt in our mind that the Dalvey playing cards will continue to be cherished for many, many years. To sum it all up, the Dalvey playing cards have a certain style and charm, which plays a part in the HAND on my HEART and is a DIAMOND in my eye that will SUIT me for a lifetime.
Dalvey is a well-known company. Dalvey is a name that stands for the utmost quality and craftsmanship. The Dalvey playing cards are very unique in appearance and styling. It is also one of the most exquisite accessories to own or to give as a gift that will last a lifetime. I have only seen the Dalvey playing cards once, while I was traveling on a trip. The playing cards were very odd looking at first glance because of their round shape and many markings around the edge. I soon discovered they were made to look that way. The Dalvey playing cards were kept in a beautiful stainless steel case made of the finest quality. When the case was opened and the cards put away, I noticed an atlas on the inside top of the case lid. I wondered if it was a trademark for a world class product.
The Dalvey playing cards are derived from all ages of history and many cultures around the globe. Cards can be traced back to China. It was thought that sometime in the 10th century, the playing cards were used for entertainment and passing the time. The earliest versions of cards were very different from that of cards today. Many cultures around the world had a hand in the evolution of the Dalvey playing cards. Some of the characteristic of the playing cards came from Europe, Italy, Germany and France. The early European cards had a fifty-two card count in the deck. They had four suits, but had very different symbols on the cards. Europeans also used royalty for the figures used on the highest cards in the deck.
The Italians had a playing card that was hand painted with the utmost detail. The cards were very expensive and required a vast amount of time to make. The shape of the cards where round very much like the Dalvey playing cards. The cards resembled a small, precisely hand painted saucer. The circular shape of the cards aided in the ease of holding a large amount of cards, as well as ‘fanning’ them out, so they can only be seen only by the viewer. The hand painting of the cards later became a problem due to the rough texture on the cards. They were hard to shuffle and pass out to the other players. Later in time, the Germans figured out how to engrave the cards for manufacturing to produce vast amounts of the playing cards, which in turn, lessen the cost of the cards. The cards were printed on paper and were tested for their durablity. The plastic coating on the cards came at a later time. The German cards had symbols of acorns, bells, leaves, and hearts that were later made into hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades, just like the Dalvey playing cards of modern times.
The Americans soon discovered the playing cards. The cards begin appearing in all parts of the country. The Americans’ contribution to the deck was adding the joker. Maybe it was for one more chance to get that better hand in poker. Many of the card games that we still play today originated from games from centuries ago. The Dalvey playing cards are very similar to the round cards that were used by early travelers. Their circular shape and elegant travel cases helped the travelers carry their cards with them on long and short journeys alike. The round shape also helped in the ease of picking up the cards if they were dropped on the floor or table. The card game of poker is the game that comes to mind when we think of American card games. One can just picture a group of men sitting in a saloon with a hand of cards. This could have been the earliest version of the Dalvey playing cards. There are so many different card games to choose in playing. Anyone can vision a time when cards playing was a way to past the time and enjoy the company of others. One can also vision children playing cards on a wooden floor, which helped offset the time when chores were not needed to be done; however, they always had time for a quick game of rummy before lights out.
With all the centuries and cultures adding to the development of the playing cards, the Dalvey playing cards are truly a world-class card. We should have no doubt in our mind that the Dalvey playing cards will continue to be cherished for many, many years. To sum it all up, the Dalvey playing cards have a certain style and charm, which plays a part in the HAND on my HEART and is a DIAMOND in my eye that will SUIT me for a lifetime.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
VINTAGE REDWING CROCKS
VINTAGE REDWING CROCKS
The vintage Redwing crocks are a very collectible item to have in your treasure cove of antiques. There usefulness today is as plentiful as in years gone by. Many Redwing collectors use the vintage Redwing crocks for planters, kitchen utensil holders, umbrella holders and of course to make pickles and a vast array of other uses for this distinguished crock. The vintage Redwing crocks of long ago were used as mainly storage for foods that had to be kept for a lengthy period of time. The knowledge of refrigeration and preservatives was not even known about when the vintage Redwing crocks were being used for food storage. The crocks where often put in the cellar to help keep food from spoiling. The vintage Redwing crocks come in many different sizes and styles. The Redwing crocks have withstood many hardships of use and abuse and are still very plentiful to find in many collectors’ homes. This heavy clay pottery will be here for many more years to come so that we can past them down to our children to cherish.
The Redwing Stoneware Company in Redwing, Minnesota started in 1877. It was one of the largest pottery and ceramic plants in the area. In 1883 another stoneware company started to make pottery and it was the Minnesota Stoneware Company, and then in 1892 yet another pottery company was formed and it was called North Star. Three pottery companies in the area were just too much competition for the pottery business. The three companies decided to merge into one unified pottery company in1894 and they were called Union Stoneware Company. Even though the three companies united in business they still retained their own business names under the Union Stoneware Company. North Star closed shop in 1896 and the other two united as one and became the Red Wing Union Stoneware Company. Red Wing Potteries, Inc. was the final name change for the company in 1936. The vintage Redwing crocks have several different markings on them that changed with the history of Redwing. The vast majority of the Redwing crocks have “Red Wing” written on them as an identifying mark. Other Redwing crocks may have the name Union Stoneware Co. and Minnesota Stoneware Co. as a mark. “RWSW Co.” was yet another type of mark that was found on many of the vintage Redwing crocks. The one mark that is truly the mark of a vintage Redwing crock is the stamped “wings” that is so familiar to all that collect antiques crocks.
Salt glaze was a very common glaze used on the antique Redwing crocks. It is one of the earliest glazes used on many of the potteries found in the history of the crock. Salt glazes came from Germany in the early 1500. The rock salt that was used on the clay reacts with the silica in the clay and the high heat of the kiln seals the crock. The crocks are then water tight and will not leak or become porous. The vintage Redwing crocks made before the 19th century are some of the best example of the salt fired or the salt glazed method. The cobalt slip was a way of applying a decoration to the “green ware” before the firing of the crock. A slip is watered down clay that is very thin and can be applied like a glaze. The slips on the inside of the crocks made a smooth and easily cleaned surface. The salt glaze used on the vintage Redwing crocks made an orange peel like texture that varied to some degree by the amount of salt that was applied. The different clays used to make the crocks also made a slight change in the coloring of the crocks. All of theses characteristic make the vintage Redwing crocks so popular with collectors of today.
The vintage Redwing crocks will always have a heritage in the history of crocks. They were made for everyday use in the early homes of long ago and have also earned a place in homes of today as collectors seek to find them. As you look at each crock you have to wonder what tales could be told about the history of each vintage crock. A treasure worth hunting to find and displaying in your home can only be a vintage Redwing crock and that is “NO CROCK”.
The vintage Redwing crocks are a very collectible item to have in your treasure cove of antiques. There usefulness today is as plentiful as in years gone by. Many Redwing collectors use the vintage Redwing crocks for planters, kitchen utensil holders, umbrella holders and of course to make pickles and a vast array of other uses for this distinguished crock. The vintage Redwing crocks of long ago were used as mainly storage for foods that had to be kept for a lengthy period of time. The knowledge of refrigeration and preservatives was not even known about when the vintage Redwing crocks were being used for food storage. The crocks where often put in the cellar to help keep food from spoiling. The vintage Redwing crocks come in many different sizes and styles. The Redwing crocks have withstood many hardships of use and abuse and are still very plentiful to find in many collectors’ homes. This heavy clay pottery will be here for many more years to come so that we can past them down to our children to cherish.
The Redwing Stoneware Company in Redwing, Minnesota started in 1877. It was one of the largest pottery and ceramic plants in the area. In 1883 another stoneware company started to make pottery and it was the Minnesota Stoneware Company, and then in 1892 yet another pottery company was formed and it was called North Star. Three pottery companies in the area were just too much competition for the pottery business. The three companies decided to merge into one unified pottery company in1894 and they were called Union Stoneware Company. Even though the three companies united in business they still retained their own business names under the Union Stoneware Company. North Star closed shop in 1896 and the other two united as one and became the Red Wing Union Stoneware Company. Red Wing Potteries, Inc. was the final name change for the company in 1936. The vintage Redwing crocks have several different markings on them that changed with the history of Redwing. The vast majority of the Redwing crocks have “Red Wing” written on them as an identifying mark. Other Redwing crocks may have the name Union Stoneware Co. and Minnesota Stoneware Co. as a mark. “RWSW Co.” was yet another type of mark that was found on many of the vintage Redwing crocks. The one mark that is truly the mark of a vintage Redwing crock is the stamped “wings” that is so familiar to all that collect antiques crocks.
Salt glaze was a very common glaze used on the antique Redwing crocks. It is one of the earliest glazes used on many of the potteries found in the history of the crock. Salt glazes came from Germany in the early 1500. The rock salt that was used on the clay reacts with the silica in the clay and the high heat of the kiln seals the crock. The crocks are then water tight and will not leak or become porous. The vintage Redwing crocks made before the 19th century are some of the best example of the salt fired or the salt glazed method. The cobalt slip was a way of applying a decoration to the “green ware” before the firing of the crock. A slip is watered down clay that is very thin and can be applied like a glaze. The slips on the inside of the crocks made a smooth and easily cleaned surface. The salt glaze used on the vintage Redwing crocks made an orange peel like texture that varied to some degree by the amount of salt that was applied. The different clays used to make the crocks also made a slight change in the coloring of the crocks. All of theses characteristic make the vintage Redwing crocks so popular with collectors of today.
The vintage Redwing crocks will always have a heritage in the history of crocks. They were made for everyday use in the early homes of long ago and have also earned a place in homes of today as collectors seek to find them. As you look at each crock you have to wonder what tales could be told about the history of each vintage crock. A treasure worth hunting to find and displaying in your home can only be a vintage Redwing crock and that is “NO CROCK”.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
MARSHALL POTTERY BUTTER CHURNS
Marshall Pottery Butter Churns
Part of the fun of collecting an antique such as a Marshall Pottery Butter Churn is the rich and storied history you'll uncover as you begin your search. Marshall Pottery Butter Churns pre-date the rise of electricity and are a window back to simpler times when you didn't go out and buy your groceries but instead made them by hand. Marshall Pottery Butter Churns are not only works of art but testaments to expert craftsmanship that will be a welcome addition to your treasure of collectibles. While simple in its design, form and function, the charm of a Marshall Pottery Butter Churn isn't easily matched as you'll soon discover.
Marshall Pottery Butter Churns date back to the late 19th century when W. F. Rocker, a Kentucky native, moved to the East Texas town of Marshall to found Marshall Pottery Works. One of the reasons he chose this part of the country was because it was rich in the two ingredients needed to produce pottery: white clay and water. A man by the name of Sam Ellis bought the company from Rocker years later, expanded its production line and put his family to work making canning jars, crocks, syrup jugs, and of course, Marshall Pottery Butter Churns. Marshall Pottery Butter Churns belong to the family of hand turned pottery. Molding clay from a spinning wheel then firing it in a kiln goes back hundreds of years. Today, the process of making pottery has been modernized and updated with new processes and technologies, but this age-old practice of hand turning pottery is what the company became famous for. Marshall Pottery passed down the tradition of making pottery from master to apprentice and its Marshall Pottery Butter Churn is no exception. Still open to the public and operating out of East Texas today, Marshall Pottery and its skilled artisans are transforming the white clay of the region into treasured heirlooms.
At the height of its use, no one probably thought of a Marshall Pottery Butter Churn as a work of art. They were a simply a necessity in the making of butter, mostly on rural family farms. Churning is the process of shaking up whole mile (or cream) to produce butter. In essence, butter is the fat of milk. From the middle ages until the Industrial Revolution, this was accomplished by placing the milk into a container then agitating it by hand. Many configurations of churns have been used throughout history: end-over-end churns, the barrel churn, and the Scottish churn which employed a plunger, often called a dasher, to be moved vigorously up and down by hand. Like other churns, Marshall Pottery Butter Churns were crafted to physically agitate the cream until it was broken down to form fat or butter grains. Butter was then made from the cream that had been separated and then cooled. The creation of butter was an arduous task, requiring sturdy craftsmanship that Marshall Pottery Butter Churns provided.
By the 1950s and the advent of electricity, the need to make your own butter was pretty much relegated to the pages of history. Large company creameries took over the process, and instead of churning your own butter, now you simply buy it at the local grocery store. But the butter churn's obsolescence is what makes Marshall Pottery Butter Churns such highly prized collectibles. Because they are no longer used in the making of butter, Marshall Pottery Butter Churns are sought after treasures that harkens back to the days of the American pioneer. While some collectibles appeal to the eye, you'll find that Marshall Pottery Butter Churns most definitely appeal to the heart.
Part of the fun of collecting an antique such as a Marshall Pottery Butter Churn is the rich and storied history you'll uncover as you begin your search. Marshall Pottery Butter Churns pre-date the rise of electricity and are a window back to simpler times when you didn't go out and buy your groceries but instead made them by hand. Marshall Pottery Butter Churns are not only works of art but testaments to expert craftsmanship that will be a welcome addition to your treasure of collectibles. While simple in its design, form and function, the charm of a Marshall Pottery Butter Churn isn't easily matched as you'll soon discover.
Marshall Pottery Butter Churns date back to the late 19th century when W. F. Rocker, a Kentucky native, moved to the East Texas town of Marshall to found Marshall Pottery Works. One of the reasons he chose this part of the country was because it was rich in the two ingredients needed to produce pottery: white clay and water. A man by the name of Sam Ellis bought the company from Rocker years later, expanded its production line and put his family to work making canning jars, crocks, syrup jugs, and of course, Marshall Pottery Butter Churns. Marshall Pottery Butter Churns belong to the family of hand turned pottery. Molding clay from a spinning wheel then firing it in a kiln goes back hundreds of years. Today, the process of making pottery has been modernized and updated with new processes and technologies, but this age-old practice of hand turning pottery is what the company became famous for. Marshall Pottery passed down the tradition of making pottery from master to apprentice and its Marshall Pottery Butter Churn is no exception. Still open to the public and operating out of East Texas today, Marshall Pottery and its skilled artisans are transforming the white clay of the region into treasured heirlooms.
At the height of its use, no one probably thought of a Marshall Pottery Butter Churn as a work of art. They were a simply a necessity in the making of butter, mostly on rural family farms. Churning is the process of shaking up whole mile (or cream) to produce butter. In essence, butter is the fat of milk. From the middle ages until the Industrial Revolution, this was accomplished by placing the milk into a container then agitating it by hand. Many configurations of churns have been used throughout history: end-over-end churns, the barrel churn, and the Scottish churn which employed a plunger, often called a dasher, to be moved vigorously up and down by hand. Like other churns, Marshall Pottery Butter Churns were crafted to physically agitate the cream until it was broken down to form fat or butter grains. Butter was then made from the cream that had been separated and then cooled. The creation of butter was an arduous task, requiring sturdy craftsmanship that Marshall Pottery Butter Churns provided.
By the 1950s and the advent of electricity, the need to make your own butter was pretty much relegated to the pages of history. Large company creameries took over the process, and instead of churning your own butter, now you simply buy it at the local grocery store. But the butter churn's obsolescence is what makes Marshall Pottery Butter Churns such highly prized collectibles. Because they are no longer used in the making of butter, Marshall Pottery Butter Churns are sought after treasures that harkens back to the days of the American pioneer. While some collectibles appeal to the eye, you'll find that Marshall Pottery Butter Churns most definitely appeal to the heart.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
VINTAGE BULLARD HARD HATS
Vintage Bullard Hard Hats
The art of collecting is all about finding those rare treasures that catch the eye when a guest enters your home. Vintage Bullard Hard Hats are just such a unique item. Vintage Bullard Hard Hats are like a time capsule that will accent your home and won't go unnoticed. Vintage Bullard Hard Hats make a bold statement and have a rich history that represents a real slice of Americana that will become a savvy collector's most prized possession.
You can trace the history of America's growth as a country with a vintage Bullard Hard Hat. A hundred years ago, the hard hat didn't even exist. The steel helmet Edward Bullard, the founder of Bullard Hard Hats, brought back home after serving in World War I was far more than an interesting keepsake. In fact, his war-time headgear would become the inspiration for a revolution in worker safety. For two decades, starting in 1898 and based out of San Francisco, Edward Bullard's father had been selling his wares to brave men working in gold and copper mines. The miners would wear leather headgear that looked more like caps professional baseball players wear. Obviously, they didn't provide much protection from falling debris. But in 1919, Edward Bullard found inspiration, patenting a “hard boiled hat.” Thus, the Bullard Hard Hat was born. Later that same year, the U.S. Navy asked the Bullard Company to develop protection for shipyard workers. As you can see, vintage Bullard Hard Hats roots run deep.
Bullard Hard Hats also played an important role in the building of one of America's most significant landmarks: San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge in 1933. This was the first construction site in America that required all workers to wear hard hats, taking the workplace to new heights of worker safety. Later, in 1938, Bullard designed and manufactured the first aluminum hard hat that would become the benchmark for head protection. In the 1940s, the aluminum construction was replaced by fiberglass. Then in the 1950s and 1960s, Bullard Hard Hats began using thermoplastics which would replace the fiberglass design because the groundbreaking material was less costly and better suited to modern day construction sites. In 1982, Bullard Hard Hats changed again. One of Bullard's major clients, Bechtel Corporation, felt that the hard hats didn't have the proper suspension for often dangerous fieldwork. Bullard Hard Hats introduced a revolutionary new industrial helmet, marking the beginning of a new age in protection and safety. Owning a vintage Bullard Hard Hat will transport your home back in time.
Don't worry; vintage Bullard Hard Hats aren't just a one-size-fits-all collector's item. They are well worth your time to seek out because they often differ from one another, embodying unique and personal touches as well. Many construction workers throughout the years have decorated their hard hats with stickers commemorating job sites and union memberships as well as distinguishing which hard hat belongs to whom. Vintage Bullard Hard Hats have become an iconic image of the American construction worker, with its long, storied history tracing America's transformation into the modern age. Never dull, a treasure hunter will find that vintage Bullard Hard Hats also come in a variety of colors, signifying different roles the person wearing it may have held. The color white is for supervisors. Blue for technical advisors. Red for safety inspectors. Yellow for workmen. Green can signify workers who are new to the job. Having a vintage Bullard Hard Hat on display will set off any room or shelf and quickly become one of your most talked about treasures.
The art of collecting is all about finding those rare treasures that catch the eye when a guest enters your home. Vintage Bullard Hard Hats are just such a unique item. Vintage Bullard Hard Hats are like a time capsule that will accent your home and won't go unnoticed. Vintage Bullard Hard Hats make a bold statement and have a rich history that represents a real slice of Americana that will become a savvy collector's most prized possession.
You can trace the history of America's growth as a country with a vintage Bullard Hard Hat. A hundred years ago, the hard hat didn't even exist. The steel helmet Edward Bullard, the founder of Bullard Hard Hats, brought back home after serving in World War I was far more than an interesting keepsake. In fact, his war-time headgear would become the inspiration for a revolution in worker safety. For two decades, starting in 1898 and based out of San Francisco, Edward Bullard's father had been selling his wares to brave men working in gold and copper mines. The miners would wear leather headgear that looked more like caps professional baseball players wear. Obviously, they didn't provide much protection from falling debris. But in 1919, Edward Bullard found inspiration, patenting a “hard boiled hat.” Thus, the Bullard Hard Hat was born. Later that same year, the U.S. Navy asked the Bullard Company to develop protection for shipyard workers. As you can see, vintage Bullard Hard Hats roots run deep.
Bullard Hard Hats also played an important role in the building of one of America's most significant landmarks: San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge in 1933. This was the first construction site in America that required all workers to wear hard hats, taking the workplace to new heights of worker safety. Later, in 1938, Bullard designed and manufactured the first aluminum hard hat that would become the benchmark for head protection. In the 1940s, the aluminum construction was replaced by fiberglass. Then in the 1950s and 1960s, Bullard Hard Hats began using thermoplastics which would replace the fiberglass design because the groundbreaking material was less costly and better suited to modern day construction sites. In 1982, Bullard Hard Hats changed again. One of Bullard's major clients, Bechtel Corporation, felt that the hard hats didn't have the proper suspension for often dangerous fieldwork. Bullard Hard Hats introduced a revolutionary new industrial helmet, marking the beginning of a new age in protection and safety. Owning a vintage Bullard Hard Hat will transport your home back in time.
Don't worry; vintage Bullard Hard Hats aren't just a one-size-fits-all collector's item. They are well worth your time to seek out because they often differ from one another, embodying unique and personal touches as well. Many construction workers throughout the years have decorated their hard hats with stickers commemorating job sites and union memberships as well as distinguishing which hard hat belongs to whom. Vintage Bullard Hard Hats have become an iconic image of the American construction worker, with its long, storied history tracing America's transformation into the modern age. Never dull, a treasure hunter will find that vintage Bullard Hard Hats also come in a variety of colors, signifying different roles the person wearing it may have held. The color white is for supervisors. Blue for technical advisors. Red for safety inspectors. Yellow for workmen. Green can signify workers who are new to the job. Having a vintage Bullard Hard Hat on display will set off any room or shelf and quickly become one of your most talked about treasures.
GOTHIC PEWTER TANKARDS
GOTHIC PEWTER TANKARDS
Sure to catch the discerning eye and become a valued treasure, Gothic Pewter Tankards are wonderfully crafted, beautiful and a great way to make your collection like no other. For the smart and distinguished collector, Gothic Pewter Tankards make a bold statement because Gothic Pewter Tankards have a rich history and can reflect anyone's budget, taste and style. Gothic Pewter Tankards may sometimes be confused with beer steins, but as you'll soon discover, they are so much more. To begin your search, let's go back in time to the Gothic age.
What is Gothic you may ask? Generally when you hear the word Gothic it pertains to a literary style of fiction, a type of architecture, personal item or dress from the late 18th and 19th centuries. Often in works of that era, grotesque, mysterious and medieval elements were utilized and that's no different with Gothic Pewter Tankards. However, don't be mislead. Gothic Pewter Tankards are breathtaking in their myriad of designs and centuries old craftsmanship. Obviously what makes them so unique is the pewter itself.
Before the mass production of glass and china, pewter was the primary material used in tableware. Workers throughout the ages have sculpted and molded functional works of art with this beautiful metal alloy. Today, Gothic Pewter Tankards are still created using traditional techniques passed down through generations. Traditionally, pewter is between 85 and 99 percent tin, with the remainder consisting of anywhere between 1 and 15 percent copper that acts as a hardener. Older and lower grades of pewter sometimes contain lead and these pieces can be identified by their bluish tint. However, modern Gothic Pewter Tankards are mixed with tin and copper but don't contain lead, employing antimony or bismuth. Physically, pewter is a bright, shiny cousin to silver but is much less expensive. But be warned, pewter will tarnish to a dull gray over time if left untreated. Gothic Pewter Tankards aren't for those who don't like to polish every now and then.
To make sure you find the Gothic Pewter Tankard you're looking for we should spend some time elaborating on what a tankard is. A tankard by definition is a large drinking cup, featuring a single handle. It's this handle that many times will be the signature piece that makes a Gothic Pewter Tankard truly special. Etchings will often be found on the side of the large cup and can reflect the tankard's gothic roots or from which country it was made in. You can bring a piece of Scotland, or Wales, or England into your home when you find the Gothic Pewter Tankard that's right for you. Another distinguishing characteristic you'll often discover on many tankards is a glass bottom. History tells us that the glass bottom was used as a means to refuse the King's shilling and not serve in his army or navy. The drinker could see the coin in the bottom of the glass and refuse the drink, thus refusing to be a member of the King's military.
As you can imagine, adding one or a series of Gothic Pewter Tankards to your home will make for many an interesting conversation. As you begin to dig around, you'll find Gothic Pewter Tankards range in price, size and of course by brand, but you can't go wrong. Uncovering a Gothic Pewter Tankard that's as unique and varied as your individual tastes won't take long. What are you waiting for?
Sure to catch the discerning eye and become a valued treasure, Gothic Pewter Tankards are wonderfully crafted, beautiful and a great way to make your collection like no other. For the smart and distinguished collector, Gothic Pewter Tankards make a bold statement because Gothic Pewter Tankards have a rich history and can reflect anyone's budget, taste and style. Gothic Pewter Tankards may sometimes be confused with beer steins, but as you'll soon discover, they are so much more. To begin your search, let's go back in time to the Gothic age.
What is Gothic you may ask? Generally when you hear the word Gothic it pertains to a literary style of fiction, a type of architecture, personal item or dress from the late 18th and 19th centuries. Often in works of that era, grotesque, mysterious and medieval elements were utilized and that's no different with Gothic Pewter Tankards. However, don't be mislead. Gothic Pewter Tankards are breathtaking in their myriad of designs and centuries old craftsmanship. Obviously what makes them so unique is the pewter itself.
Before the mass production of glass and china, pewter was the primary material used in tableware. Workers throughout the ages have sculpted and molded functional works of art with this beautiful metal alloy. Today, Gothic Pewter Tankards are still created using traditional techniques passed down through generations. Traditionally, pewter is between 85 and 99 percent tin, with the remainder consisting of anywhere between 1 and 15 percent copper that acts as a hardener. Older and lower grades of pewter sometimes contain lead and these pieces can be identified by their bluish tint. However, modern Gothic Pewter Tankards are mixed with tin and copper but don't contain lead, employing antimony or bismuth. Physically, pewter is a bright, shiny cousin to silver but is much less expensive. But be warned, pewter will tarnish to a dull gray over time if left untreated. Gothic Pewter Tankards aren't for those who don't like to polish every now and then.
To make sure you find the Gothic Pewter Tankard you're looking for we should spend some time elaborating on what a tankard is. A tankard by definition is a large drinking cup, featuring a single handle. It's this handle that many times will be the signature piece that makes a Gothic Pewter Tankard truly special. Etchings will often be found on the side of the large cup and can reflect the tankard's gothic roots or from which country it was made in. You can bring a piece of Scotland, or Wales, or England into your home when you find the Gothic Pewter Tankard that's right for you. Another distinguishing characteristic you'll often discover on many tankards is a glass bottom. History tells us that the glass bottom was used as a means to refuse the King's shilling and not serve in his army or navy. The drinker could see the coin in the bottom of the glass and refuse the drink, thus refusing to be a member of the King's military.
As you can imagine, adding one or a series of Gothic Pewter Tankards to your home will make for many an interesting conversation. As you begin to dig around, you'll find Gothic Pewter Tankards range in price, size and of course by brand, but you can't go wrong. Uncovering a Gothic Pewter Tankard that's as unique and varied as your individual tastes won't take long. What are you waiting for?
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
ROOKWOOD 1321 JAR
ROOKWOOD 1321 JAR
The Rookwood 1321 jar is a small pottery jar that was made by the Rookwood Pottery Company. The 1321 is the mold number that this incredible little clay jar came from. The height of the jar is about 4 inches and the width is about 3 ½ inches. This mold pattern consists of a small rimmed jar with a lid and a small inner lid. The outer lid of the Rookwood 1321 jar is embroidered with dainty little flowers that surround the rim of the lid. The use of floral decorations was commonly used on this type of jar mold. The markings on the bottom of the Rookwood 1321 jar will help to identify the many attributes of its origin.
The Rookwood Pottery Company was located in Cincinnati, Ohio in the year 1879. Maria Longworth Nichols Storer was the founder of the company. One of the many employees that Maria hired was Laura Fry. Laura Fry invented the patent in 1884 for the air brush blending process that was used on many of the Rookwood pottery pieces. The air brush styling was used to blend the many colors into the pottery. One of the first unique pottery lines made by Rookwood was the Standard Ware in 1884. The Standard Ware is a brown pottery that has an underglaze slip. In the following year 1885, Karl Langenbeck was hired as the chemist to supervise the mixing of the clay to make the perfect pottery clay used in the Rookwood 1321 jar. In 1894 the Sea Green and Iris lines were being produced and in 1904 the Vellum. Also the Ombroso in 1910 and the Soft Porcelain was the next arriving in the pottery line being made.
Many of the production pottery came from the molds that were being used in the 20th century. One of the markings on the Rookwood pottery may be a reverse RP design. The first of many markings on the bottom of the Rookwood 1321 Jar. The reserve RP monogram was introduced in the year 1886 and a flame point was included above the RP for each additional year until 1900. After 1900, the Roman numerals were used below the RP to indicate the year that each piece of pottery was made. Letters were molded into the pottery pieces to signify the types of clays that were being used. A letter G was for ginger, R for red, O for olive, Y is yellow, W is white and S is for sage green. The Rookwood 1321 jar is almost always a signed piece of pottery.
By the year 1904 the common use of the Standard Ware line were starting to diminish in popularity. The Matt finishes and Vellum glazes were the more popular as the company continued to grow. Both of these finishes are used on the Rookwood 1321 jar. The Rookwood Company was expanding to large architectural murals, tiles and large wall plaques. By the 1920’s the pottery was being made in master molds with the artist’s initials. The matt finish was largely used to help lower the cost of their production. With hard times setting in and World War II the Rookwood Company was in financial troubles. By 1967 the Rookwood pottery was forced to close its doors. With the closing of the Rookwood Company and the pottery no longer being made it only helped to increase the value of the Rookwood 1321 Jar.
As we look back to the history of the Rookwood 1321 jar it is easy to see how this beautiful small jar has become a true treasure to possess. With all the many colors and different finishes that are used to individualize this antique piece of pottery. The high value is a small price to pay for a work of art from some of the masters of the pottery industry from a time long ago. It would be a treat to say that I have a Rookwood 1321 jar setting in my display cabinet.
The Rookwood 1321 jar is a small pottery jar that was made by the Rookwood Pottery Company. The 1321 is the mold number that this incredible little clay jar came from. The height of the jar is about 4 inches and the width is about 3 ½ inches. This mold pattern consists of a small rimmed jar with a lid and a small inner lid. The outer lid of the Rookwood 1321 jar is embroidered with dainty little flowers that surround the rim of the lid. The use of floral decorations was commonly used on this type of jar mold. The markings on the bottom of the Rookwood 1321 jar will help to identify the many attributes of its origin.
The Rookwood Pottery Company was located in Cincinnati, Ohio in the year 1879. Maria Longworth Nichols Storer was the founder of the company. One of the many employees that Maria hired was Laura Fry. Laura Fry invented the patent in 1884 for the air brush blending process that was used on many of the Rookwood pottery pieces. The air brush styling was used to blend the many colors into the pottery. One of the first unique pottery lines made by Rookwood was the Standard Ware in 1884. The Standard Ware is a brown pottery that has an underglaze slip. In the following year 1885, Karl Langenbeck was hired as the chemist to supervise the mixing of the clay to make the perfect pottery clay used in the Rookwood 1321 jar. In 1894 the Sea Green and Iris lines were being produced and in 1904 the Vellum. Also the Ombroso in 1910 and the Soft Porcelain was the next arriving in the pottery line being made.
Many of the production pottery came from the molds that were being used in the 20th century. One of the markings on the Rookwood pottery may be a reverse RP design. The first of many markings on the bottom of the Rookwood 1321 Jar. The reserve RP monogram was introduced in the year 1886 and a flame point was included above the RP for each additional year until 1900. After 1900, the Roman numerals were used below the RP to indicate the year that each piece of pottery was made. Letters were molded into the pottery pieces to signify the types of clays that were being used. A letter G was for ginger, R for red, O for olive, Y is yellow, W is white and S is for sage green. The Rookwood 1321 jar is almost always a signed piece of pottery.
By the year 1904 the common use of the Standard Ware line were starting to diminish in popularity. The Matt finishes and Vellum glazes were the more popular as the company continued to grow. Both of these finishes are used on the Rookwood 1321 jar. The Rookwood Company was expanding to large architectural murals, tiles and large wall plaques. By the 1920’s the pottery was being made in master molds with the artist’s initials. The matt finish was largely used to help lower the cost of their production. With hard times setting in and World War II the Rookwood Company was in financial troubles. By 1967 the Rookwood pottery was forced to close its doors. With the closing of the Rookwood Company and the pottery no longer being made it only helped to increase the value of the Rookwood 1321 Jar.
As we look back to the history of the Rookwood 1321 jar it is easy to see how this beautiful small jar has become a true treasure to possess. With all the many colors and different finishes that are used to individualize this antique piece of pottery. The high value is a small price to pay for a work of art from some of the masters of the pottery industry from a time long ago. It would be a treat to say that I have a Rookwood 1321 jar setting in my display cabinet.
JEMEZ CLAY POTTERY
JEMEZ CLAY POTTERY
Jemez clay pottery is a product of the Towa or Jemez Native American Indian tribes. The making of clay pottery is one of the oldest crafts known to man. Many of the ancient clay pots have been put in museums for display of this most ancient art form. Clay pots have been used for centuries. The pottery was used for carrying water, storing food and gathering seeds for next years planting of crops. This age old craft has been handed down from one generation to the next. The Jemez clay pottery is a very distinctive pottery that has many traits that identify it as one that belongs to the Jemez Indians.
The Jemez Indians lived in a region called the Northern Four Corners. The Jemez tribes lived mostly in the mountains of the San Juan River basin. They lived up in the mountains or on the plateau of the high cliffs. The Towa natives were sometimes called the cliff dwellers. The building of their homes high among the mountains and cliffs helped to keep them safe from other tribes or the Spanish that has settled into this area. One of the early traits of the Jemez clay pottery is the black on white of Rosa clay pots. The clay pottery is white or a dull gray with black lines or markings that has a design used by the Towa natives. The pottery is painted with a vegetal paint that was made by a mineral pigment common to that region. As the Towa natives moved southward through the mountains they took their pottery with them. As a result of their movement the clay that they used to make theirs pottery changed also. The clay pottery was then called black on red. The Towa tribes came to settle in the Jemez Mountains that has clay that is a reddish-brown in color and very rich looking. In the early to the middle of the 18th century the Jemez Indians came into conflict with the Spanish who had moved into their territory and fighting broke out among them. The Towa natives destroyed the Jemez clay pottery so that the Spanish could not have possession of their valued heritage. As a direct result of the shattering of the pottery the making of Jemez clay pottery was a lost craft for many centuries.
The making of the Jemez clay pottery is a very long and tedious task. Once the clay is gather from the right source it is then soaked for the cleaning and removal of stones and twigs. The clay is then dried in the sun and ground into a fine powder to be mixed with sand if needed. The clay is then tempered and stored in tightly sealed containers to be used later. One of the methods that the Jemez clay pottery is made by is the coil method. The potter takes the clay and rolls rope coils with the clay and starts to form his shape for his unique piece of pottery. Once the shape is achieved he then begins to hand smooth the clay to its rich luster. The slab technique is much the same as the coil method but slabs of clay are used instead of coils. Once the perfection of the pottery is attained it is then dried to a hard leathery condition. It is sanded, decorated or carved with the many different designs use for Jemez clay pottery. Some of the images that are put on the pottery are images of corn which mean life, health or happiness. Eagle feathers may also be carved or painted on a clay pot that can symbolize power. The Jemez pots can have a series of lines that look like stair steps. Perhaps this is from the times of living in the mountains and using stairs as a way to get into their homes. A clay slip is placed upon the pot and while the slip is still wet it is burnished using a round stone. The art work is then painted with the natural paint of choice. The last of the process is to fire the piece of art work in a kiln. The modern day potter has two options. He can use an electric kiln or a much older method that is still used today which is the open kiln method. The firing of a piece of pottery is what oxidizes the pot so that it will become hard. This is a very skilled process to achieve the right hardness and color that the potter is hoping to acquire. The many hours of crafting this beautiful piece of art work is what makes the Jemez clay pottery a tradition that has come down through history.
The Jemez clay pottery is an art from the past. It has survived many centuries of hardship and was almost lost forever. The Jemez American Indians have preserved this rich cultural heritage to bring the people of today the clay pots of centuries ago. The Jemez clay pottery is crafted to be as unique as the potter who is sculpting his clay pot. Time will never be able to undo what the ancient Towa natives have crafted into their pottery.
Jemez clay pottery is a product of the Towa or Jemez Native American Indian tribes. The making of clay pottery is one of the oldest crafts known to man. Many of the ancient clay pots have been put in museums for display of this most ancient art form. Clay pots have been used for centuries. The pottery was used for carrying water, storing food and gathering seeds for next years planting of crops. This age old craft has been handed down from one generation to the next. The Jemez clay pottery is a very distinctive pottery that has many traits that identify it as one that belongs to the Jemez Indians.
The Jemez Indians lived in a region called the Northern Four Corners. The Jemez tribes lived mostly in the mountains of the San Juan River basin. They lived up in the mountains or on the plateau of the high cliffs. The Towa natives were sometimes called the cliff dwellers. The building of their homes high among the mountains and cliffs helped to keep them safe from other tribes or the Spanish that has settled into this area. One of the early traits of the Jemez clay pottery is the black on white of Rosa clay pots. The clay pottery is white or a dull gray with black lines or markings that has a design used by the Towa natives. The pottery is painted with a vegetal paint that was made by a mineral pigment common to that region. As the Towa natives moved southward through the mountains they took their pottery with them. As a result of their movement the clay that they used to make theirs pottery changed also. The clay pottery was then called black on red. The Towa tribes came to settle in the Jemez Mountains that has clay that is a reddish-brown in color and very rich looking. In the early to the middle of the 18th century the Jemez Indians came into conflict with the Spanish who had moved into their territory and fighting broke out among them. The Towa natives destroyed the Jemez clay pottery so that the Spanish could not have possession of their valued heritage. As a direct result of the shattering of the pottery the making of Jemez clay pottery was a lost craft for many centuries.
The making of the Jemez clay pottery is a very long and tedious task. Once the clay is gather from the right source it is then soaked for the cleaning and removal of stones and twigs. The clay is then dried in the sun and ground into a fine powder to be mixed with sand if needed. The clay is then tempered and stored in tightly sealed containers to be used later. One of the methods that the Jemez clay pottery is made by is the coil method. The potter takes the clay and rolls rope coils with the clay and starts to form his shape for his unique piece of pottery. Once the shape is achieved he then begins to hand smooth the clay to its rich luster. The slab technique is much the same as the coil method but slabs of clay are used instead of coils. Once the perfection of the pottery is attained it is then dried to a hard leathery condition. It is sanded, decorated or carved with the many different designs use for Jemez clay pottery. Some of the images that are put on the pottery are images of corn which mean life, health or happiness. Eagle feathers may also be carved or painted on a clay pot that can symbolize power. The Jemez pots can have a series of lines that look like stair steps. Perhaps this is from the times of living in the mountains and using stairs as a way to get into their homes. A clay slip is placed upon the pot and while the slip is still wet it is burnished using a round stone. The art work is then painted with the natural paint of choice. The last of the process is to fire the piece of art work in a kiln. The modern day potter has two options. He can use an electric kiln or a much older method that is still used today which is the open kiln method. The firing of a piece of pottery is what oxidizes the pot so that it will become hard. This is a very skilled process to achieve the right hardness and color that the potter is hoping to acquire. The many hours of crafting this beautiful piece of art work is what makes the Jemez clay pottery a tradition that has come down through history.
The Jemez clay pottery is an art from the past. It has survived many centuries of hardship and was almost lost forever. The Jemez American Indians have preserved this rich cultural heritage to bring the people of today the clay pots of centuries ago. The Jemez clay pottery is crafted to be as unique as the potter who is sculpting his clay pot. Time will never be able to undo what the ancient Towa natives have crafted into their pottery.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
GREEN BURBLE DEPRESSION GLASS
GREEN BURPLE DEPRESSION GLASS
A colorful treasure awaits your home in the form of green Burple Depression Glass. As the name implies, green Burple Depression Glass was borne out of the trying times of America's Great Depression. Intriguing, inspiring, whimsical, functional and definitely eye-catching, green Burple Depression Glass is a nostalgic testament to American can-do spirit and perseverance. If you're old enough to have beloved relatives who endured those difficult years of the late 1920s to the early 1940s, you'll discover that green Burple Depression Glass brings back wonderful memories of simpler times and of them as well.
Depression glass is clear or colored translucent glassware that was often distributed for free, or at low cost, in the United States during the Great Depression. Many food manufacturers and dime stores would include a piece of glassware in boxes of food as an added incentive to keep purchasing their wares and maintain brand loyalty. Green Burple Depression Glass was even handed out at movie theatres and department stores just for simply stepping inside their door. As like most glassware of that era, green Burple Depression Glass was manufactured in the central and mid-west regions of the United States where access to raw materials and manufacturing was relatively inexpensive. The charming thing about green Burple Depression Glass is that it came in almost every color imaginable and numerous patterns to fit most everyone's taste. More than two dozen manufacturers made more than 100 patterns, and if you dig around you'll find entire dinner sets including plates, bowls, goblets, serving trays, candlesticks and butter dishes all sharing the same beautiful pattern. Green Burple is one such pattern. Green Burple Depression Glass has gently swirled sections with “bubbles” swirled between the smooth sections. The Burple pattern can also contain a series of these “bubbles” rising from small to larger.
Because of its rural American roots, Depression glass has become a very popular collectible and green Burple Depression Glass is no exception. Today, the most popular colors with collectors are pink, cobalt and green. Among the more popular patterns you'll find are Mayfair, American Sweetheart, Princess, Anchor Hocking and Cameo. Sometimes the quality of the glass was less than perfect, so as you begin your search, you should be careful to note mold flaws. Mold flaws are imperfections that occurred during the manufacturing process. Most collectors can spot these flaws, but unless it is major, they won't affect the value or beauty of the glass.
It's also worth noting that Depression glass has two major categories. The first is what we've already discussed which is simply known as Depression glass. The second is called Elegant Glass which is generally fancier, looks more delicate and is often etched. Green Burple Depression Glass belongs in the first category and you'll have a wonderful time tracking down individual pieces, completing sets, and proudly displaying them in your home. And since they were sturdy, you can still use green Burple Depression Glass for serving food today, though putting them in a dishwasher is not recommended or advised.
Since green Burple Depression Glass has become so popular with collectors everywhere, the most important thing to keep an eye out for is modern day reproductions. Scarce pieces of true green Burple Depression Glass may sell for several hundred dollars and that makes knock-offs a problem. But don't let these green Burple Depression Glass reproductions discourage you. A little research goes a long way and one should check all resources and only buy from reputable dealers when choosing a color or pattern to collect. One of the most popular titles on Depression glass is The Collector's Encyclopedia of Depression Glass. You'll find the prices listed in this book very helpful and new editions will keep you up-to-date.
The rainbow of colors. The multitude of patterns. I think you'll find green Burple Depression Glass both heartwarming and breathtaking.
A colorful treasure awaits your home in the form of green Burple Depression Glass. As the name implies, green Burple Depression Glass was borne out of the trying times of America's Great Depression. Intriguing, inspiring, whimsical, functional and definitely eye-catching, green Burple Depression Glass is a nostalgic testament to American can-do spirit and perseverance. If you're old enough to have beloved relatives who endured those difficult years of the late 1920s to the early 1940s, you'll discover that green Burple Depression Glass brings back wonderful memories of simpler times and of them as well.
Depression glass is clear or colored translucent glassware that was often distributed for free, or at low cost, in the United States during the Great Depression. Many food manufacturers and dime stores would include a piece of glassware in boxes of food as an added incentive to keep purchasing their wares and maintain brand loyalty. Green Burple Depression Glass was even handed out at movie theatres and department stores just for simply stepping inside their door. As like most glassware of that era, green Burple Depression Glass was manufactured in the central and mid-west regions of the United States where access to raw materials and manufacturing was relatively inexpensive. The charming thing about green Burple Depression Glass is that it came in almost every color imaginable and numerous patterns to fit most everyone's taste. More than two dozen manufacturers made more than 100 patterns, and if you dig around you'll find entire dinner sets including plates, bowls, goblets, serving trays, candlesticks and butter dishes all sharing the same beautiful pattern. Green Burple is one such pattern. Green Burple Depression Glass has gently swirled sections with “bubbles” swirled between the smooth sections. The Burple pattern can also contain a series of these “bubbles” rising from small to larger.
Because of its rural American roots, Depression glass has become a very popular collectible and green Burple Depression Glass is no exception. Today, the most popular colors with collectors are pink, cobalt and green. Among the more popular patterns you'll find are Mayfair, American Sweetheart, Princess, Anchor Hocking and Cameo. Sometimes the quality of the glass was less than perfect, so as you begin your search, you should be careful to note mold flaws. Mold flaws are imperfections that occurred during the manufacturing process. Most collectors can spot these flaws, but unless it is major, they won't affect the value or beauty of the glass.
It's also worth noting that Depression glass has two major categories. The first is what we've already discussed which is simply known as Depression glass. The second is called Elegant Glass which is generally fancier, looks more delicate and is often etched. Green Burple Depression Glass belongs in the first category and you'll have a wonderful time tracking down individual pieces, completing sets, and proudly displaying them in your home. And since they were sturdy, you can still use green Burple Depression Glass for serving food today, though putting them in a dishwasher is not recommended or advised.
Since green Burple Depression Glass has become so popular with collectors everywhere, the most important thing to keep an eye out for is modern day reproductions. Scarce pieces of true green Burple Depression Glass may sell for several hundred dollars and that makes knock-offs a problem. But don't let these green Burple Depression Glass reproductions discourage you. A little research goes a long way and one should check all resources and only buy from reputable dealers when choosing a color or pattern to collect. One of the most popular titles on Depression glass is The Collector's Encyclopedia of Depression Glass. You'll find the prices listed in this book very helpful and new editions will keep you up-to-date.
The rainbow of colors. The multitude of patterns. I think you'll find green Burple Depression Glass both heartwarming and breathtaking.
JADITE SUNKIST JUICER
JADITE SUNKIST JUICER
The Jadite Sunkist juicer is a blast from the past. If you are old enough to know what a juicer is, then you will remember your mother using one to make you some fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast. It is a shallow glass container with a ribbed cone on the top and a shallow rimmed dish on the bottom to catch the juice from the fruit that is being squeezed. The Jadite Sunkist juicer is an antique collectible that is a real treat to find. It is also sometimes called a reamer. The meaning of a reamer is a tool used to bore out a hole into something. If you were to cut a fruit in half and place the cut piece on the juicer and began to turn and squeeze at the same time you would get some juice from the fruit. That is how it got its name, by squeezing the juice from the fruit or reaming the juice from the fruit. The Jadite Sunkist juicer was a very essential tool to have and most homes had a juicer of some form to make their breakfast juice.
The Jadite Sunkist juicer is the color of Jade. Jadite refers to the color and not a company or maker of glass products. Jadite is an opaque green luster that is like a sea-foam green. Jadite is sometimes called “clambroth”. Jadite glass was an inexpensive to make type of dinnerware. It was also a very durable and heavy glass. Jadite was made between 1930 and 1972. The Jadite was produced by many different glass companies. It may have had a slight variance in color, either lighter or darker. One of the most well known is Anchor Hocking glass company. Anchor Hocking made a line of Fire King that also had the seafoam-green color. The Jadite Sunkist juicer was made as an advertisement for the Sunkist Company. What a perfect way to advertise your fruit by giving away a Jadite Sunkist juicer.
Sunkist was first known as the Southern California Fruit Exchange in 1893. It was a cooperative of fruit growers that united to sell their fruit. The Coop was run and shared by the members of the Exchange. It became a very profitable means for the growers to all work together as a team to distribute their fruit. In 1905 the Exchange changed its name to California Fruit Growers Exchange. With all the advertising and promotions of the Fruit Growers the orange started to become a household item. The Jadite Sunkist juicer could have been one of there promotional items. Sunkist was introduced in 1907 and became the symbol of there best quality of fruit. In 1952, Sunkist Growers was the name that was used by the members of the Exchange. Oranges, grapefruit, lemons make up well over half of the citrus produced with a Sunkist label. It is a perfect job for the Jadite Sunkist juicer to harvest the vitamin rich juice from the delicious Sunkist fruit.
If collecting glass or kitchen items is of interest to you then the Jadite Sunkist juicer is a treasure worth searching for. The novelty of having the Sunkist logo and the added value of the Jadite color is worth owning such a fine collectible. We could tell the tales of a time when our mother or grandmother had to get her juicer from the cupboard and squeeze the juice from her favorite fruit to make a glass of juice. It is a reminder of times when we has to do things for ourselves. The quality and freshness of a fruit drink that has been squeezed by a juicer is pure and very good to drink. The Jadite Sunkist juicer can squeeze my fruit any day of the week.
The Jadite Sunkist juicer is a blast from the past. If you are old enough to know what a juicer is, then you will remember your mother using one to make you some fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast. It is a shallow glass container with a ribbed cone on the top and a shallow rimmed dish on the bottom to catch the juice from the fruit that is being squeezed. The Jadite Sunkist juicer is an antique collectible that is a real treat to find. It is also sometimes called a reamer. The meaning of a reamer is a tool used to bore out a hole into something. If you were to cut a fruit in half and place the cut piece on the juicer and began to turn and squeeze at the same time you would get some juice from the fruit. That is how it got its name, by squeezing the juice from the fruit or reaming the juice from the fruit. The Jadite Sunkist juicer was a very essential tool to have and most homes had a juicer of some form to make their breakfast juice.
The Jadite Sunkist juicer is the color of Jade. Jadite refers to the color and not a company or maker of glass products. Jadite is an opaque green luster that is like a sea-foam green. Jadite is sometimes called “clambroth”. Jadite glass was an inexpensive to make type of dinnerware. It was also a very durable and heavy glass. Jadite was made between 1930 and 1972. The Jadite was produced by many different glass companies. It may have had a slight variance in color, either lighter or darker. One of the most well known is Anchor Hocking glass company. Anchor Hocking made a line of Fire King that also had the seafoam-green color. The Jadite Sunkist juicer was made as an advertisement for the Sunkist Company. What a perfect way to advertise your fruit by giving away a Jadite Sunkist juicer.
Sunkist was first known as the Southern California Fruit Exchange in 1893. It was a cooperative of fruit growers that united to sell their fruit. The Coop was run and shared by the members of the Exchange. It became a very profitable means for the growers to all work together as a team to distribute their fruit. In 1905 the Exchange changed its name to California Fruit Growers Exchange. With all the advertising and promotions of the Fruit Growers the orange started to become a household item. The Jadite Sunkist juicer could have been one of there promotional items. Sunkist was introduced in 1907 and became the symbol of there best quality of fruit. In 1952, Sunkist Growers was the name that was used by the members of the Exchange. Oranges, grapefruit, lemons make up well over half of the citrus produced with a Sunkist label. It is a perfect job for the Jadite Sunkist juicer to harvest the vitamin rich juice from the delicious Sunkist fruit.
If collecting glass or kitchen items is of interest to you then the Jadite Sunkist juicer is a treasure worth searching for. The novelty of having the Sunkist logo and the added value of the Jadite color is worth owning such a fine collectible. We could tell the tales of a time when our mother or grandmother had to get her juicer from the cupboard and squeeze the juice from her favorite fruit to make a glass of juice. It is a reminder of times when we has to do things for ourselves. The quality and freshness of a fruit drink that has been squeezed by a juicer is pure and very good to drink. The Jadite Sunkist juicer can squeeze my fruit any day of the week.
MAXWELL PAPERWEIGHT
The Maxwell paperweight is a rare and treasured item for any collector to have in his possession. The William H. Maxwell paperweights are one of the first to be patented in 1882. William H. Maxwell was known as a glass blower by occupation. He began to manufacture some simple items of pictures or labels that were covered in clear glass having a convex shape. Maxwell had many ideas that he was experimenting with at the time. The factory that was making the small glass Maxwell paperweights was totally lost to a fire in 1879. It was thought to be caused by an explosion from the furnace. After the destruction of his first plant William Maxwell teamed with Hartford P. Brown and opened another company called Brown, Maxwell & Co. The company was located in Rochester, Pennsylvania. Some of the glass items that were being made by Brown, Maxwell & Co. were crystal tumblers, prescription vials and lamp founts along with other glass items. One of the company’s specialties was the Maxwell paperweight. The Maxwell paperweight has many different images encased within its clear glass dome. Some are of names and dates of people, photographs of a special event, advertisements of a company or maybe a logo.
The Maxwell paperweight has three categories in which it is grouped. The first group of Maxwell paperweights is a group that includes real life pictures. The paperweight is made with a photograph embedded within the molten glass to be preserved forever. It was the only one like it to be made. A very individual paperweight made for customers. The next category of Maxwell paperweight is a paperweight that promotes a business or company. The business has an advertisement or logo encased in the paperweight to give out as a gift or promotional item. All of the advertisement paperweights were made in mass qualities. Some of the advertisement paperweights have a stamped Brown, Maxwell & Co. beneath the plaque. Variations where sometimes noted on the same company paperweight. Last is a group of Maxwell paperweights that are as individual as the person who ordered them. They are hand painted or decorated to the individual’s design. Some of the paperweights might have a name and date of that person or maybe a place of employment with a picture of some important aspect of their job. One such Maxwell paperweight has a hand painted picture of a train with the engine number painted on the train. It is as unique as the individual.
William H. Maxwell has a variety in the way that he signed his paperweights. One way that he signed his artwork was a dark blue hand written signature on the bottom of the plaque. Another version to his signature is a stamped line with his name and city of his company. Yet other Maxwell paperweights have a rubber stamped name and city with the year of his patent number either above or sometimes below his name and city. One of the earliest signatures of a Maxwell paperweight that has been found is 1882. One of the last known dates to find a signed Maxwell paperweight is in 1887. It is uncertain what happen to William H. Maxwell after the late 1880’s. One can only guess as to his fate, it is unknown if he went to work for someone else or maybe even illness or death stopped is work.
The Maxwell paperweight has many facets to this collectible item. It may be seen as just an object to hold down papers upon a desk or it may be seen as a work of beauty. The paperweights of old had a splendor that the paperweights of today just don’t seem to measure up too. The artist of each piece put his of her special talent into the center of each piece of molten clear glass that was an original art form. The Maxwell paperweight will weight heavy as a favorite of mine.
The Maxwell paperweight has three categories in which it is grouped. The first group of Maxwell paperweights is a group that includes real life pictures. The paperweight is made with a photograph embedded within the molten glass to be preserved forever. It was the only one like it to be made. A very individual paperweight made for customers. The next category of Maxwell paperweight is a paperweight that promotes a business or company. The business has an advertisement or logo encased in the paperweight to give out as a gift or promotional item. All of the advertisement paperweights were made in mass qualities. Some of the advertisement paperweights have a stamped Brown, Maxwell & Co. beneath the plaque. Variations where sometimes noted on the same company paperweight. Last is a group of Maxwell paperweights that are as individual as the person who ordered them. They are hand painted or decorated to the individual’s design. Some of the paperweights might have a name and date of that person or maybe a place of employment with a picture of some important aspect of their job. One such Maxwell paperweight has a hand painted picture of a train with the engine number painted on the train. It is as unique as the individual.
William H. Maxwell has a variety in the way that he signed his paperweights. One way that he signed his artwork was a dark blue hand written signature on the bottom of the plaque. Another version to his signature is a stamped line with his name and city of his company. Yet other Maxwell paperweights have a rubber stamped name and city with the year of his patent number either above or sometimes below his name and city. One of the earliest signatures of a Maxwell paperweight that has been found is 1882. One of the last known dates to find a signed Maxwell paperweight is in 1887. It is uncertain what happen to William H. Maxwell after the late 1880’s. One can only guess as to his fate, it is unknown if he went to work for someone else or maybe even illness or death stopped is work.
The Maxwell paperweight has many facets to this collectible item. It may be seen as just an object to hold down papers upon a desk or it may be seen as a work of beauty. The paperweights of old had a splendor that the paperweights of today just don’t seem to measure up too. The artist of each piece put his of her special talent into the center of each piece of molten clear glass that was an original art form. The Maxwell paperweight will weight heavy as a favorite of mine.
TIFFANY DAFFODIL LAMP
Tiffany Daffodil Lamp
The Tiffany Daffodil Lamp has a rich style and superb design. It is truly a lamp of all time. The lamp shade is rich in colors and flawlessly made of stained glass pieces. The daffodils seem to come to life which makes the Tiffany daffodil lamp so well known. Careful placement of each small piece of glass makes a design of daffodils growing in the wild. It would be an honor to have the Tiffany Daffodil lamp sitting on an end table in your home to show all that came to visit. The Tiffany Daffodil Lamp shade is made in a globe style that is a masterpiece all of its own. The flowered globe style of the shade has the stained glass pieces running in a vertical and also a horizontal pattern. It also has beautiful scalloped edges that soften the lines at the bottom of the shade. The artic precision of the Tiffany Daffodil lamp is what gave Tiffany the name that is so well known.
Louise Comfort Tiffany is the man responsible for the creation of the Tiffany Daffodil lamp. Tiffany made his first lamps in the late 1890’s. He had a love for interior design and was also an avid gardener. Louise Comfort Tiffany had the idea to use the small pieces of stained glass that were left over from the stained glass windows that he made. The pattern for the lamp shade is drawn precisely out and the small stained glass pieces were placed according to the patterns layout. It was a very long and tedious process to achieve the exact look of his artwork. After careful inspection of every detail the lamp was soldered together with the copper foil used to bond the Tiffany Daffodil lamp. The copper foil technique is used on all of the Tiffany lamps that Louise Tiffany created.
Over time, the Tiffany lamps that Louise Tiffany created seem to fall into seven unique and very characteristic categories. The Favrile category was one of the first lamps to be grouped in this way. The Favrile was a stamped label placed on each of his first artworks. The Favrile label came to be known as handmade. Louise Comfort Tiffany initials later replaced the Favrile trademark. The Irregular Upper and Lower Border design had a trademark of an openwork crown. It is suggested that this group of lamps simulates shrubbery or branches of a tree. The Geometric category used geometric shapes like ovals, rectangles, triangles, and squares. The many different shapes were used to create the lamp shades in this category. The Transition to Flowers category follows a design which might include butterflies, spiders, dragonflies or many of the different flowers found in a flower garden. The Tiffany Daffodil lamp would definitely fall into this category. The two subcategories are defined by the shape of the lamp shade, the flowered cone or a flowered globe shape. All of the many categories that the Tiffany lamp shades came to be known by are just a small part in the designing of the Tiffany Daffodil lamp.
The Tiffany Daffodil Lamp is just one of the many beautiful and splendid additions that any collector would cherish. It is a treasure that will light up your home with real value. Louise Tiffany created his artwork to be proudly displayed by anyone with an eye for fine art. The combination of rich colors and the tranquil effect of the flowers in the Tiffany Daffodil lamp is an ingenious work of art. The finely sculptured bronze base is used to support the Tiffany Daffodil lamp shade. Louise Tiffany crafted some of the most magnificent pieces of art for the world to enjoy. With so many choices of Tiffany lamps to choose from the Tiffany Daffodil lamp gets my vote.
The Tiffany Daffodil Lamp has a rich style and superb design. It is truly a lamp of all time. The lamp shade is rich in colors and flawlessly made of stained glass pieces. The daffodils seem to come to life which makes the Tiffany daffodil lamp so well known. Careful placement of each small piece of glass makes a design of daffodils growing in the wild. It would be an honor to have the Tiffany Daffodil lamp sitting on an end table in your home to show all that came to visit. The Tiffany Daffodil Lamp shade is made in a globe style that is a masterpiece all of its own. The flowered globe style of the shade has the stained glass pieces running in a vertical and also a horizontal pattern. It also has beautiful scalloped edges that soften the lines at the bottom of the shade. The artic precision of the Tiffany Daffodil lamp is what gave Tiffany the name that is so well known.
Louise Comfort Tiffany is the man responsible for the creation of the Tiffany Daffodil lamp. Tiffany made his first lamps in the late 1890’s. He had a love for interior design and was also an avid gardener. Louise Comfort Tiffany had the idea to use the small pieces of stained glass that were left over from the stained glass windows that he made. The pattern for the lamp shade is drawn precisely out and the small stained glass pieces were placed according to the patterns layout. It was a very long and tedious process to achieve the exact look of his artwork. After careful inspection of every detail the lamp was soldered together with the copper foil used to bond the Tiffany Daffodil lamp. The copper foil technique is used on all of the Tiffany lamps that Louise Tiffany created.
Over time, the Tiffany lamps that Louise Tiffany created seem to fall into seven unique and very characteristic categories. The Favrile category was one of the first lamps to be grouped in this way. The Favrile was a stamped label placed on each of his first artworks. The Favrile label came to be known as handmade. Louise Comfort Tiffany initials later replaced the Favrile trademark. The Irregular Upper and Lower Border design had a trademark of an openwork crown. It is suggested that this group of lamps simulates shrubbery or branches of a tree. The Geometric category used geometric shapes like ovals, rectangles, triangles, and squares. The many different shapes were used to create the lamp shades in this category. The Transition to Flowers category follows a design which might include butterflies, spiders, dragonflies or many of the different flowers found in a flower garden. The Tiffany Daffodil lamp would definitely fall into this category. The two subcategories are defined by the shape of the lamp shade, the flowered cone or a flowered globe shape. All of the many categories that the Tiffany lamp shades came to be known by are just a small part in the designing of the Tiffany Daffodil lamp.
The Tiffany Daffodil Lamp is just one of the many beautiful and splendid additions that any collector would cherish. It is a treasure that will light up your home with real value. Louise Tiffany created his artwork to be proudly displayed by anyone with an eye for fine art. The combination of rich colors and the tranquil effect of the flowers in the Tiffany Daffodil lamp is an ingenious work of art. The finely sculptured bronze base is used to support the Tiffany Daffodil lamp shade. Louise Tiffany crafted some of the most magnificent pieces of art for the world to enjoy. With so many choices of Tiffany lamps to choose from the Tiffany Daffodil lamp gets my vote.
Monday, January 28, 2008
SCHATT&MORGAN CELLULOID HANDLED KNIVES
Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knives
Here's an item that's as unique as it is stunningly beautiful -- a Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knife. Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knives are historical gems that date all the way back to the turn of the century. By the 1940s and 1950s these knives were no longer being manufactured which makes hunting down a Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knife a real find.
Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knives first became world renown for their amazing attention to detail at the end of the 19th Century. The Schatt and Morgan Cutlery Company is founded in
Gowanda, NY in 1890, eventually becoming Queen Cutlery. Queen Cutlery is still housed in the original Schatt and Morgan factory and many of the delicate hand processes and operations employed by Schatt and Morgan are being used to this day. Skilled craftsmen are essential to build a "factory knife" by hand and, while it doesn't lead to mass production or extremely low prices, the results are beautiful, functional knives. This tradition of excellence goes back to the days when Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knives began gathering a wide variety of loyal customers.
You've probably seen Celluloid and perhaps have mistaken it for plastic or mother of pearl. But the defining quality of a Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knife, the Celluloid handle itself, has a more humble beginning. Celluloid is a man-made material that was commonly used for knife handles for almost fifty years. Celluloid was the world's first successful thermoplastic substance. It was developed and patented just after America's Civil War by Alexander Parkes. Made from a combination of tree resin, camphor and a nitrate/cellulose substance, the new material -- Celluloid -- was given a name made up by Parkes. Early on, Celluloid came in only two colors and had rather limited applications. The white version was used mostly in knife handles like the Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knife and trimmings for horse harnesses. A flesh color was used for denture bases. Within a few years of its introduction, Celluloid was being made in most colors. Imitation ivory, coral and tortoise shell versions were also being used in costume jewelry. Extensive dressing table sets -- combs, hand mirrors, hair receivers, boxes -- were soon being manufactured. But Celluloid's greatest use was in the fashion industry, where artificial collars and cuffs became the standard. Even dolls were made from this fascinating substance.
So as you can see, the Celluloid you'll find on a Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knife can be clear, come in many different colors, or perhaps will have swirled patterns in it for extra decoration. Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knives hit their peak in the 1920s and 1930s, but by mid-century Celluloid's day was about over, as modern plastics came to the forefront.
While a fascinating treasure, it's worth noting that vintage Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knives require great care as the Celluloid can be problematic in its upkeep. The lighter or clearer the color of the Celluloid, the greater the tendency for the material to break down, causing the steel blade of the knife to decompose or rust. Still, a Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knife or collection of them is well worth the extra effort and upkeep. Heavy oils and protective waxes will help ensure that your Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knife stays one of your most valued keepsakes.
Here's an item that's as unique as it is stunningly beautiful -- a Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knife. Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knives are historical gems that date all the way back to the turn of the century. By the 1940s and 1950s these knives were no longer being manufactured which makes hunting down a Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knife a real find.
Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knives first became world renown for their amazing attention to detail at the end of the 19th Century. The Schatt and Morgan Cutlery Company is founded in
Gowanda, NY in 1890, eventually becoming Queen Cutlery. Queen Cutlery is still housed in the original Schatt and Morgan factory and many of the delicate hand processes and operations employed by Schatt and Morgan are being used to this day. Skilled craftsmen are essential to build a "factory knife" by hand and, while it doesn't lead to mass production or extremely low prices, the results are beautiful, functional knives. This tradition of excellence goes back to the days when Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knives began gathering a wide variety of loyal customers.
You've probably seen Celluloid and perhaps have mistaken it for plastic or mother of pearl. But the defining quality of a Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knife, the Celluloid handle itself, has a more humble beginning. Celluloid is a man-made material that was commonly used for knife handles for almost fifty years. Celluloid was the world's first successful thermoplastic substance. It was developed and patented just after America's Civil War by Alexander Parkes. Made from a combination of tree resin, camphor and a nitrate/cellulose substance, the new material -- Celluloid -- was given a name made up by Parkes. Early on, Celluloid came in only two colors and had rather limited applications. The white version was used mostly in knife handles like the Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knife and trimmings for horse harnesses. A flesh color was used for denture bases. Within a few years of its introduction, Celluloid was being made in most colors. Imitation ivory, coral and tortoise shell versions were also being used in costume jewelry. Extensive dressing table sets -- combs, hand mirrors, hair receivers, boxes -- were soon being manufactured. But Celluloid's greatest use was in the fashion industry, where artificial collars and cuffs became the standard. Even dolls were made from this fascinating substance.
So as you can see, the Celluloid you'll find on a Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knife can be clear, come in many different colors, or perhaps will have swirled patterns in it for extra decoration. Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knives hit their peak in the 1920s and 1930s, but by mid-century Celluloid's day was about over, as modern plastics came to the forefront.
While a fascinating treasure, it's worth noting that vintage Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knives require great care as the Celluloid can be problematic in its upkeep. The lighter or clearer the color of the Celluloid, the greater the tendency for the material to break down, causing the steel blade of the knife to decompose or rust. Still, a Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knife or collection of them is well worth the extra effort and upkeep. Heavy oils and protective waxes will help ensure that your Schatt and Morgan Celluloid Handled Knife stays one of your most valued keepsakes.
RS PRUSSIA VASES
RS PRUSSIA VASE
The wonderful thing about the fine art of collecting is not only finding the right pieces that suit your eye but also those pieces that suit your budget. If you're willing to spend a little more, then a remarkable treasure is a RS Prussia Vase. This company's mold designs were quite ornate and their porcelain was nothing short of exquisite. With a little research you'll soon discover that RS Prussia Vases are stunning pieces and come in many shapes, sizes and decorations. While you might be spending a little more on a RS Prussia Vase, you won't regret your decision to add one or more to your collection.
RS Prussia Vases became known as one of the premiere antique Victorian porcelains. Production began in 1861 by Erdmann Schlegelmilch. With the help of his brother, Reinhold, by the 1880s their RS Prussia Vases became very popular in Victorian America and Canada. If you've been lucky enough to come across a RS Prussia Vase, then you probably noticed the company's distinctive mark that honors their father, Rudolph. That mark today is known as the “red mark.” What makes RS Prussia Vases so highly sought after is their thin and high quality antique porcelain. Over the years the company was recognized for the variety of decal or transferware decorations against a palette of textures and vibrant colors. A plethora of RS Prussia molds are identifiable by their relief patterns of floral and geometric designs. Some of the more popular are the iris mold, the carnation mold, swag and jewel mold, hidden image mold, stippled floral and point and clover. Another sought after decorating theme depicts birds and animals as well as human portraits. Scenic transfer designs and various landscape designs are also highly desirable. While bowls may be among the most available forms of RS Prussia's wares, there is a plentiful supply of antique vases sure to capture your imagination.
RS Prussia Vases can be broken down into several categories relating to their size. Very large vases are typically less than 20 inches high. Large vases measure less than 14 inches high. Standards measure less than 10 inches. Intermediates measure less than 7 inches and finally, the miniature or small vases, coming in under 5 inches. RS Prussia Vases produced between 1900 and 1910 are probably the most sought after by collectors. Many of the designs during this period were classified as Art Nouveau and will simply take one's breath away.
RS Prussia Vases and porcelain have been popular in the United State for over a century. And while RS Prussia Vases popularity has begun to wane a bit recently, there's never been a better time to start collecting. While admittedly not cheap, RS Prussia Vases will most likely appreciate handsomely in the years to come. Prices can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on the individual item. A good rule of thumb to remember is that the more ornate the pattern or deeper the relief mold, the more the vase will be worth. Another heads up for the would-be collector are the large number of unmarked pieces that left the RS Prussia factories. Hit the books and soon you'll be able to recognize these pieces and you'll get more for your collecting dollar, especially if you're a budget-conscious shopper or dealer looking to make a profit. Still, the signed RS Prussia Vases are the safer bet when it comes to holding or appreciating in value, especially those with the common floral themes. Although they're quite popular, floral motifs are also less expensive and less difficult to come by. Among the many treasures we've discussed on this website, perhaps one of the most beautiful is the RS Prussia Vase. It captures the beauty and artistry of antique porcelain flawlessly.
The wonderful thing about the fine art of collecting is not only finding the right pieces that suit your eye but also those pieces that suit your budget. If you're willing to spend a little more, then a remarkable treasure is a RS Prussia Vase. This company's mold designs were quite ornate and their porcelain was nothing short of exquisite. With a little research you'll soon discover that RS Prussia Vases are stunning pieces and come in many shapes, sizes and decorations. While you might be spending a little more on a RS Prussia Vase, you won't regret your decision to add one or more to your collection.
RS Prussia Vases became known as one of the premiere antique Victorian porcelains. Production began in 1861 by Erdmann Schlegelmilch. With the help of his brother, Reinhold, by the 1880s their RS Prussia Vases became very popular in Victorian America and Canada. If you've been lucky enough to come across a RS Prussia Vase, then you probably noticed the company's distinctive mark that honors their father, Rudolph. That mark today is known as the “red mark.” What makes RS Prussia Vases so highly sought after is their thin and high quality antique porcelain. Over the years the company was recognized for the variety of decal or transferware decorations against a palette of textures and vibrant colors. A plethora of RS Prussia molds are identifiable by their relief patterns of floral and geometric designs. Some of the more popular are the iris mold, the carnation mold, swag and jewel mold, hidden image mold, stippled floral and point and clover. Another sought after decorating theme depicts birds and animals as well as human portraits. Scenic transfer designs and various landscape designs are also highly desirable. While bowls may be among the most available forms of RS Prussia's wares, there is a plentiful supply of antique vases sure to capture your imagination.
RS Prussia Vases can be broken down into several categories relating to their size. Very large vases are typically less than 20 inches high. Large vases measure less than 14 inches high. Standards measure less than 10 inches. Intermediates measure less than 7 inches and finally, the miniature or small vases, coming in under 5 inches. RS Prussia Vases produced between 1900 and 1910 are probably the most sought after by collectors. Many of the designs during this period were classified as Art Nouveau and will simply take one's breath away.
RS Prussia Vases and porcelain have been popular in the United State for over a century. And while RS Prussia Vases popularity has begun to wane a bit recently, there's never been a better time to start collecting. While admittedly not cheap, RS Prussia Vases will most likely appreciate handsomely in the years to come. Prices can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on the individual item. A good rule of thumb to remember is that the more ornate the pattern or deeper the relief mold, the more the vase will be worth. Another heads up for the would-be collector are the large number of unmarked pieces that left the RS Prussia factories. Hit the books and soon you'll be able to recognize these pieces and you'll get more for your collecting dollar, especially if you're a budget-conscious shopper or dealer looking to make a profit. Still, the signed RS Prussia Vases are the safer bet when it comes to holding or appreciating in value, especially those with the common floral themes. Although they're quite popular, floral motifs are also less expensive and less difficult to come by. Among the many treasures we've discussed on this website, perhaps one of the most beautiful is the RS Prussia Vase. It captures the beauty and artistry of antique porcelain flawlessly.
HONES CUCKCOO CLOCKS
HONES CUCKOO CLOCKS
Turning a house into a home requires furnishing it with the sights and sounds family members will cherish and remember forever. A Hones Cuckoo Clock is just such a memento. Expertly crafted, the Hones Cuckoo Clock epitomizes the century old tradition of clock making. Hones Cuckoo Clocks are still hand assembled, with precise movements and gorgeous wood carvings set off by a sturdy clock case that will stand the test of time.
Hones Cuckoo Clocks are produced in the German Black Forest. The first Black Forest cuckoo clock was designed by Franz Anton Ketterer in the small village of Schonwald near Triberg, Germany around 1730. Over the decades, the cuckoo clock industry developed rapidly in the Black Forest. The local citizens became world renown for their attention to detail. Hones Cuckoo Clock is a testament to the Black Forest inhabitant’s skill and dedication. Long ago, German clock makers and their families would carve and assemble the cuckoo clocks during the cold winter months when family farms were snowed in. These expert craftsmen would use a variety of woods, Linden wood being the most common, to construct their signature timepieces. Once the clocks were made, locals called “clock carriers” would fan out across the region in the spring and summer months, selling the clocks throughout Europe. Thus, the tradition was born.
Centuries later, Hones Cuckoo Clocks have endured to become some of the most popular timepieces in the world. Hones Cuckoo Clocks still use only woodcarvings and cases that are equipped with mechanical movements of the highest quality. This precision is what defines a Hones Cuckoo Clock--an attention to detail that makes its clocks cherished for a lifetime.
Like most cuckoo clocks, Hones Cuckoo Clocks employ a pendulum that strikes the hours using small bellows and whistles that imitate the call of the cuckoo bird. The cuckoo bird on which the clocks are based can still be found in Africa, Asia, and of course, inside the Black Forest of Germany. Because Hones Cuckoo Clocks are made with such expert skill, clock lovers from around the world have come to regard them as a symbol of the Black Forest.
To keep precise time, Hones Cuckoo Clocks employ weights at the bottom of the clock. The weights drop over either a one-day or eight-day period and provide the clock's functions. The first weight, along with the pendulum, provides the clock timekeeping function, the second weight controls the cuckoo and movements, and the third weight controls the music. On non-musical clocks the third weight is absent.
Hones Cuckoo Clocks utilize a combination of design, creativity and animation that are second to none. With its crafted detail and superior quality, a Hones Cuckoo Clock is a welcome addition to any home. And with one of the largest model ranges among contemporary clock makers, Hones Cuckoo Clocks from the heart of Germany's Black Forest are a treasure your home should not be without. It's a timepiece that's timeless.
Turning a house into a home requires furnishing it with the sights and sounds family members will cherish and remember forever. A Hones Cuckoo Clock is just such a memento. Expertly crafted, the Hones Cuckoo Clock epitomizes the century old tradition of clock making. Hones Cuckoo Clocks are still hand assembled, with precise movements and gorgeous wood carvings set off by a sturdy clock case that will stand the test of time.
Hones Cuckoo Clocks are produced in the German Black Forest. The first Black Forest cuckoo clock was designed by Franz Anton Ketterer in the small village of Schonwald near Triberg, Germany around 1730. Over the decades, the cuckoo clock industry developed rapidly in the Black Forest. The local citizens became world renown for their attention to detail. Hones Cuckoo Clock is a testament to the Black Forest inhabitant’s skill and dedication. Long ago, German clock makers and their families would carve and assemble the cuckoo clocks during the cold winter months when family farms were snowed in. These expert craftsmen would use a variety of woods, Linden wood being the most common, to construct their signature timepieces. Once the clocks were made, locals called “clock carriers” would fan out across the region in the spring and summer months, selling the clocks throughout Europe. Thus, the tradition was born.
Centuries later, Hones Cuckoo Clocks have endured to become some of the most popular timepieces in the world. Hones Cuckoo Clocks still use only woodcarvings and cases that are equipped with mechanical movements of the highest quality. This precision is what defines a Hones Cuckoo Clock--an attention to detail that makes its clocks cherished for a lifetime.
Like most cuckoo clocks, Hones Cuckoo Clocks employ a pendulum that strikes the hours using small bellows and whistles that imitate the call of the cuckoo bird. The cuckoo bird on which the clocks are based can still be found in Africa, Asia, and of course, inside the Black Forest of Germany. Because Hones Cuckoo Clocks are made with such expert skill, clock lovers from around the world have come to regard them as a symbol of the Black Forest.
To keep precise time, Hones Cuckoo Clocks employ weights at the bottom of the clock. The weights drop over either a one-day or eight-day period and provide the clock's functions. The first weight, along with the pendulum, provides the clock timekeeping function, the second weight controls the cuckoo and movements, and the third weight controls the music. On non-musical clocks the third weight is absent.
Hones Cuckoo Clocks utilize a combination of design, creativity and animation that are second to none. With its crafted detail and superior quality, a Hones Cuckoo Clock is a welcome addition to any home. And with one of the largest model ranges among contemporary clock makers, Hones Cuckoo Clocks from the heart of Germany's Black Forest are a treasure your home should not be without. It's a timepiece that's timeless.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
McCOY MAMMY COOKIE JARS
McCOY MAMMY COOKIE JARS
The McCoy Mammy cookie jars are one of the oldest and best known cookie jars in the history of the McCoy pottery company. How could you not fall in love with such a delightful character that has the added bonus of fresh made cookies inside her? The McCoy Mammy cookie jars are made to look like an old time black mammy that is round and jovial. She depicts a perfect picture of how we would describe an old black mammy of times long ago. The McCoy Mammy cookie jars are about 11inches tall and about 8 inches wide. She is standing with her arms folded and each one resting on her robust waistline. She is wearing a long dress that buttons down the front. The dress has a wide collar that supports her round happy little black face with two big white eyes and a cherry red mouth with enlarged lips. The McCoy Mammy cookie jars also show her wearing a red handkerchief around her head. The word “Cookies” are embedded at the bottom of her puffy round skirt. This is a cookie jar to display front and center on your favorite shelf with all of the many treasures that you might be showing off to your friends.
In the late18th century, England was introducing the first cookie jars known as the “biscuit jars”. The American version of the first cookie jars were glass containers with screwed on metal lids. The glass jars were very plain and had no designs only a cylinder shape and often only found in grocery stores. During the Depression Era the American cookie jars started to gain popularity with many people. In the 1930’s the stoneware companies began to make some simple forms for their cookie containers. Brush Pottery Company is considered one of the first companies to manufacture the ceramic cookie jars. The early Brush cookie jars were marked with “Brush U.S.A.” and made in the color green with Cookies written on the front of each cookie jar. Many of the other pottery companies also began making cookie jars with unique designs and shapes to compete in the cookie jar market. The McCoy Mammy cookie jars are a good example of some of the first innovative figures to be produced. Many of the first cookies jars were “cold painted”. The paint on this type of cookie jar would wear off with too much use or rubbing on the paint. Later airbrushing the paint on the cookie jars became a more popular means of a lasting finish.
The Nelson McCoy Sanitary Stoneware Company in Roseville, Ohio was started by J.W. McCoy and his son Nelson McCoy in 1910. Besides making pottery for the area they also incorporated the mining and selling of clay to the area potteries of Roseville. Their success was a great asset to the pottery companies of this region of Ohio. The free land and the vast amounts of clay in this area was a huge factor to the growth of the McCoy Pottery Company. The Nelson McCoy Sanitary Stoneware Company was upgrading equipment and refining the production of the stoneware to a more decorative form of goods and not so much of the functional stoneware. By the mid 1920’s McCoy Pottery Company had purchased a 300 foot long tunnel kiln to make mass quantities of their wares. The McCoy Mammy cookie jar was perhaps fired in this very same kiln. The kiln was the most modern one for this region of Ohio. The Depression was having a negative impact on all of the pottery companies of the area so a co-op was formed called the American Clay Products Company. The co-op helped to unite all the marketing into one program to benefit all the pottery companies’ sales. The Nelson McCoy Pottery Company was the newly elected name for the company in the 1930’s. In the 1940’s the WWII changed the making of pottery to the making of land mines. Land mines were made of clay instead of metal so that they couldn’t be detectable with a metal detector. After the war ended the McCoy Company again went back to making the decorative and functional pottery pieces. The McCoy Mammy cookie jars was one of those artistic creations. The company ended in 1990 after a century of successful pottery manufacturing.
The McCoy Mammy cookie jars are rich in history and one of the most collectible cookies jars with the McCoy name. There are many variations on this grand old mammy but the one that has held its value throughout history is the McCoy Mammy cookie jars. It was one of the first to help evolve the cookie jars that we use and cherish today. If collecting cookie jars is of interest to you then I would highly suggest that you hunt one down for your own. My favorite cookies can only be found in a McCoy Mammy cookie jar.
The McCoy Mammy cookie jars are one of the oldest and best known cookie jars in the history of the McCoy pottery company. How could you not fall in love with such a delightful character that has the added bonus of fresh made cookies inside her? The McCoy Mammy cookie jars are made to look like an old time black mammy that is round and jovial. She depicts a perfect picture of how we would describe an old black mammy of times long ago. The McCoy Mammy cookie jars are about 11inches tall and about 8 inches wide. She is standing with her arms folded and each one resting on her robust waistline. She is wearing a long dress that buttons down the front. The dress has a wide collar that supports her round happy little black face with two big white eyes and a cherry red mouth with enlarged lips. The McCoy Mammy cookie jars also show her wearing a red handkerchief around her head. The word “Cookies” are embedded at the bottom of her puffy round skirt. This is a cookie jar to display front and center on your favorite shelf with all of the many treasures that you might be showing off to your friends.
In the late18th century, England was introducing the first cookie jars known as the “biscuit jars”. The American version of the first cookie jars were glass containers with screwed on metal lids. The glass jars were very plain and had no designs only a cylinder shape and often only found in grocery stores. During the Depression Era the American cookie jars started to gain popularity with many people. In the 1930’s the stoneware companies began to make some simple forms for their cookie containers. Brush Pottery Company is considered one of the first companies to manufacture the ceramic cookie jars. The early Brush cookie jars were marked with “Brush U.S.A.” and made in the color green with Cookies written on the front of each cookie jar. Many of the other pottery companies also began making cookie jars with unique designs and shapes to compete in the cookie jar market. The McCoy Mammy cookie jars are a good example of some of the first innovative figures to be produced. Many of the first cookies jars were “cold painted”. The paint on this type of cookie jar would wear off with too much use or rubbing on the paint. Later airbrushing the paint on the cookie jars became a more popular means of a lasting finish.
The Nelson McCoy Sanitary Stoneware Company in Roseville, Ohio was started by J.W. McCoy and his son Nelson McCoy in 1910. Besides making pottery for the area they also incorporated the mining and selling of clay to the area potteries of Roseville. Their success was a great asset to the pottery companies of this region of Ohio. The free land and the vast amounts of clay in this area was a huge factor to the growth of the McCoy Pottery Company. The Nelson McCoy Sanitary Stoneware Company was upgrading equipment and refining the production of the stoneware to a more decorative form of goods and not so much of the functional stoneware. By the mid 1920’s McCoy Pottery Company had purchased a 300 foot long tunnel kiln to make mass quantities of their wares. The McCoy Mammy cookie jar was perhaps fired in this very same kiln. The kiln was the most modern one for this region of Ohio. The Depression was having a negative impact on all of the pottery companies of the area so a co-op was formed called the American Clay Products Company. The co-op helped to unite all the marketing into one program to benefit all the pottery companies’ sales. The Nelson McCoy Pottery Company was the newly elected name for the company in the 1930’s. In the 1940’s the WWII changed the making of pottery to the making of land mines. Land mines were made of clay instead of metal so that they couldn’t be detectable with a metal detector. After the war ended the McCoy Company again went back to making the decorative and functional pottery pieces. The McCoy Mammy cookie jars was one of those artistic creations. The company ended in 1990 after a century of successful pottery manufacturing.
The McCoy Mammy cookie jars are rich in history and one of the most collectible cookies jars with the McCoy name. There are many variations on this grand old mammy but the one that has held its value throughout history is the McCoy Mammy cookie jars. It was one of the first to help evolve the cookie jars that we use and cherish today. If collecting cookie jars is of interest to you then I would highly suggest that you hunt one down for your own. My favorite cookies can only be found in a McCoy Mammy cookie jar.
HUMMEL SPICE SET
HUMMEL SPICE SET
The Hummel spice set will make any collector’s mouth water with envy. The sheer beauty of each and every spice container is a link to the history of the enchanting artwork that was made by M. J. Hummel. The Hummel spice set is a twenty-four piece set of spice jars. Each of the spice containers are covered in an ivory glaze and trimmed in a magnificent 24K gold border. As you look at each spice jar you will see that each container has a different Hummel work of art placed on one side of the spice jar. The artwork is a picture of a small child in a setting that will melt your heart and warm your soul. As you turn the Hummel jar around you will notice a history of each spice that is printed on every jar of the Hummel spice set. It is a brief description of the spice and its origins. The Hummel spice set has the cutest little lids that rest on top of each Hummel piece in the set. The lids also have rubber seals around the rims so that the spices will retain there freshness and flavor. If you pick-up one of the jars from the set just look at the bottom to ensure that it is stamped with the real M. J. Hummel trademark. The M. J. Hummel spice set is usually displayed in a beautiful wood spice rack that holds all twenty-four spice jars to proudly display on any wall or counter top.
As you go back in time you will discover what makes the Hummel spice set such a valuable treasure to possess. M.J. Hummel or (Berta) was born in Bavaria, Germany in 1909. She started school at age six and amazed her teacher with her artistic talents for such a young girl. When Berta became twelve, she was sent to Merianhoehe, the Institute of English Sisters. With the religious influence of the Sisters at the school and the talented teaching of Sister Stephania in her art studies, Berta was becoming quite the artist. At age eighteen Berta moved to Munich to get professional training at the Academy of Applied Arts. After graduating with top honors from the Academy Berta Hummel declined to stay and teach at the school. Her love of god and the friendship of two Sisters helped in her decision to pledge her life to the Convent of Siessen.
Berta has a love for children. She enjoyed teaching her art classes to the girl’s at a school named St. Anna in Sauigau. Many of the families that resided at Sauigau would have Berta paint a portrait of their child. Is it possible that some of these portraits are the ones on the Hummel spice set? As Berta finished her novitiate in 1931 she took the name Maria Innocentia Hummel. Sister Maria Hummel continued to draw and her artwork was placed on cards and published in books. Franz Goebel, is renowned for his fine quality porcelain company. After tracking down Sister Hummel, Franz convinced the Sister to have her drawings of the children made into porcelain figurines. An agreement was reached between the two parties and the papers were signed on January 9th 1935. It was the beginning of the first M.J. Hummel figurines. The Hummel figurines quickly took the hearts of all who looked upon them. They spread through out Germany and the US. M. J. Hummel died in1946 at the age of 37.
The Hummel spice set is designed from the artworks of a Sister who loved the children in her drawings. She captured their youthful entices in her drawing that would become a collectible to cherish. The Hummel spice set gives us twenty-four of her masterpieces to look at as we use the spices in the rack to enhance our meals and our lives. God gave her this gift to share with the world. It is truly a blessing to have a Hummel spice set sitting on a kitchen counter filled with the spices that make it so complete.
The Hummel spice set will make any collector’s mouth water with envy. The sheer beauty of each and every spice container is a link to the history of the enchanting artwork that was made by M. J. Hummel. The Hummel spice set is a twenty-four piece set of spice jars. Each of the spice containers are covered in an ivory glaze and trimmed in a magnificent 24K gold border. As you look at each spice jar you will see that each container has a different Hummel work of art placed on one side of the spice jar. The artwork is a picture of a small child in a setting that will melt your heart and warm your soul. As you turn the Hummel jar around you will notice a history of each spice that is printed on every jar of the Hummel spice set. It is a brief description of the spice and its origins. The Hummel spice set has the cutest little lids that rest on top of each Hummel piece in the set. The lids also have rubber seals around the rims so that the spices will retain there freshness and flavor. If you pick-up one of the jars from the set just look at the bottom to ensure that it is stamped with the real M. J. Hummel trademark. The M. J. Hummel spice set is usually displayed in a beautiful wood spice rack that holds all twenty-four spice jars to proudly display on any wall or counter top.
As you go back in time you will discover what makes the Hummel spice set such a valuable treasure to possess. M.J. Hummel or (Berta) was born in Bavaria, Germany in 1909. She started school at age six and amazed her teacher with her artistic talents for such a young girl. When Berta became twelve, she was sent to Merianhoehe, the Institute of English Sisters. With the religious influence of the Sisters at the school and the talented teaching of Sister Stephania in her art studies, Berta was becoming quite the artist. At age eighteen Berta moved to Munich to get professional training at the Academy of Applied Arts. After graduating with top honors from the Academy Berta Hummel declined to stay and teach at the school. Her love of god and the friendship of two Sisters helped in her decision to pledge her life to the Convent of Siessen.
Berta has a love for children. She enjoyed teaching her art classes to the girl’s at a school named St. Anna in Sauigau. Many of the families that resided at Sauigau would have Berta paint a portrait of their child. Is it possible that some of these portraits are the ones on the Hummel spice set? As Berta finished her novitiate in 1931 she took the name Maria Innocentia Hummel. Sister Maria Hummel continued to draw and her artwork was placed on cards and published in books. Franz Goebel, is renowned for his fine quality porcelain company. After tracking down Sister Hummel, Franz convinced the Sister to have her drawings of the children made into porcelain figurines. An agreement was reached between the two parties and the papers were signed on January 9th 1935. It was the beginning of the first M.J. Hummel figurines. The Hummel figurines quickly took the hearts of all who looked upon them. They spread through out Germany and the US. M. J. Hummel died in1946 at the age of 37.
The Hummel spice set is designed from the artworks of a Sister who loved the children in her drawings. She captured their youthful entices in her drawing that would become a collectible to cherish. The Hummel spice set gives us twenty-four of her masterpieces to look at as we use the spices in the rack to enhance our meals and our lives. God gave her this gift to share with the world. It is truly a blessing to have a Hummel spice set sitting on a kitchen counter filled with the spices that make it so complete.
Monday, January 21, 2008
HEADS UP NOTICE TO ALL
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Sunday, January 13, 2008
ANTIQUE KEWPIE DOLLS
ANTIQUE KEWPIE DOLLS
Antique Kewpie Dolls have been capturing the hearts of collectors around the globe for almost one hundred years. Beloved Antique Kewpie Dolls have been remembered in song, cherished by many, and now are highly sought after by treasure hunters everywhere. Antique Kewpie Dolls, often referred to as “Kewpies,” were adored by little girls years ago because so often this was the very first doll given to them. You'll fall in love too once you've laid eyes on a precious Antique Kewpie Doll.
Antique Kewpie Dolls were first mere illustrations made by a woman named Rose O'Neill, drawing them for Ladies' Home Journal in 1909. O'Neill once described how these Kewpies came to her -- in her dreams. The name Kewpie, she said, was derived from Cupid, the Roman God of Love. Rose O'Neill quickly realized her creations potential as toy dolls and soon her lovable creatures became paper doll cut-outs. These were the first double-sided paper dolls produced in the United States. Not long after, with their popularity growing stronger, Kewpie Dolls would soon find their way into the bedrooms and play houses of little girls everywhere. Manufactured in 1912, Antique Kewpie Dolls were made in Germany. Joseph L. Kallas designed the first Kewpie doll and O'Neill was so pleased she gave him exclusive rights to her beloved Kewpies. Made from bisque, these dolls came in various sizes all modeled on O'Neill's designs. Kallas' company, Came Doll Products, continues to make Kewpies and many other dolls to this day.
Bisque Antique Kewpie Dolls are known for their molded and painted topknot hair, expressive painted eyes, and adorable smiles and in some cases, a pair of tiny blue wings. Finding such a doll in good condition might easily fetch more than a thousand dollars. These cute moppets have been produced in nearly every size imaginable -- anywhere from 1 inch to 3 feet in height. Antique Kewpie Dolls were also made out of wood pulp and chalk, though the bisque models tend to be the more highly prized. Because of the Kewpie Dolls growing popularity, of course imitations flooded the market place. The most popular of these knock-offs was a doll made from celluloid -- what we now know is a highly unstable compound widely used during World War I.
Today's Kewpie Dolls are crafted out of vinyl and one of the more well-known manufacturers is the Charisma Company owned by Marie Osmond. There's nothing wrong with owning and loving a modern day Kewpie, but one should know what it is they are buying. Obviously, a collector must be careful not to bid on a reproduction, thinking it is in fact an original Antique Kewpie Doll. Most O'Neill Kewpies have labels, but to be sure you have a bisque original, Rose O'Neill's name should appear on the bottom of the doll's feet. To learn more about Antique Kewpie Dolls, you can join various Kewpie Doll clubs. There are also many books to help a new collector find the Antique Kewpie Doll of their dreams. Two very good resources are Kewpie Dolls & Art With Value Guide and Rose O'Neill Kewpies and Other Works.
Very few collectibles bring such joy and warmth as an Antique Kewpie Doll. Rose O'Neill created timeless treasures that are as lovable today as they were a century ago. Remarking about her adorable creations, O'Neill described her Kewpies as, “always searching out ways to make the world better and funnier.” Track down an Antique Kewpie Doll for yourself and you'll soon see why.
Antique Kewpie Dolls have been capturing the hearts of collectors around the globe for almost one hundred years. Beloved Antique Kewpie Dolls have been remembered in song, cherished by many, and now are highly sought after by treasure hunters everywhere. Antique Kewpie Dolls, often referred to as “Kewpies,” were adored by little girls years ago because so often this was the very first doll given to them. You'll fall in love too once you've laid eyes on a precious Antique Kewpie Doll.
Antique Kewpie Dolls were first mere illustrations made by a woman named Rose O'Neill, drawing them for Ladies' Home Journal in 1909. O'Neill once described how these Kewpies came to her -- in her dreams. The name Kewpie, she said, was derived from Cupid, the Roman God of Love. Rose O'Neill quickly realized her creations potential as toy dolls and soon her lovable creatures became paper doll cut-outs. These were the first double-sided paper dolls produced in the United States. Not long after, with their popularity growing stronger, Kewpie Dolls would soon find their way into the bedrooms and play houses of little girls everywhere. Manufactured in 1912, Antique Kewpie Dolls were made in Germany. Joseph L. Kallas designed the first Kewpie doll and O'Neill was so pleased she gave him exclusive rights to her beloved Kewpies. Made from bisque, these dolls came in various sizes all modeled on O'Neill's designs. Kallas' company, Came Doll Products, continues to make Kewpies and many other dolls to this day.
Bisque Antique Kewpie Dolls are known for their molded and painted topknot hair, expressive painted eyes, and adorable smiles and in some cases, a pair of tiny blue wings. Finding such a doll in good condition might easily fetch more than a thousand dollars. These cute moppets have been produced in nearly every size imaginable -- anywhere from 1 inch to 3 feet in height. Antique Kewpie Dolls were also made out of wood pulp and chalk, though the bisque models tend to be the more highly prized. Because of the Kewpie Dolls growing popularity, of course imitations flooded the market place. The most popular of these knock-offs was a doll made from celluloid -- what we now know is a highly unstable compound widely used during World War I.
Today's Kewpie Dolls are crafted out of vinyl and one of the more well-known manufacturers is the Charisma Company owned by Marie Osmond. There's nothing wrong with owning and loving a modern day Kewpie, but one should know what it is they are buying. Obviously, a collector must be careful not to bid on a reproduction, thinking it is in fact an original Antique Kewpie Doll. Most O'Neill Kewpies have labels, but to be sure you have a bisque original, Rose O'Neill's name should appear on the bottom of the doll's feet. To learn more about Antique Kewpie Dolls, you can join various Kewpie Doll clubs. There are also many books to help a new collector find the Antique Kewpie Doll of their dreams. Two very good resources are Kewpie Dolls & Art With Value Guide and Rose O'Neill Kewpies and Other Works.
Very few collectibles bring such joy and warmth as an Antique Kewpie Doll. Rose O'Neill created timeless treasures that are as lovable today as they were a century ago. Remarking about her adorable creations, O'Neill described her Kewpies as, “always searching out ways to make the world better and funnier.” Track down an Antique Kewpie Doll for yourself and you'll soon see why.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Heisey Orchid Glass
When one thinks of the word elegant, Heisey Orchid Glass easily comes to mind. Heisey Orchid Glass has been finding its way into hearts and homes all over the world since the dawn of the 20th Century. The quality of the glass and its inspirational etchings has made Heisey Orchid Glass a hard to find item because it is sought after by collectors everywhere. Heisey Orchid Glass was some of the finest tableware ever produced in America and you'll soon know why once you've obtained your first piece. Surely, it won't be your last.
Heisey Orchid Glass owes its name to A. H. Heisey who was born in Germany. His family settled in the United States and as a young man he became a glass clerk with the King Glass Company. The Civil War interrupted his career, but soon thereafter he returned to what he loved best, selling glassware. In 1895 Heisey moved to Newark, Ohio and the very next year he opened the glass factory that would bear his name. One of the company's most popular pieces was his Heisey Orchid Glass.
All Heisey glass was marked with either a raised “Diamond H” directly in the glass or with a paper sticker. Each etching produced by the company was given a number. Heisey Orchid Glass bears the number #507 and depicts in fine detail and stunning clarity the beautiful orchid. The number of Heisey Glass Orchid items is endless: candlesticks, crimped bowls, cocktail stems, water goblets, sugar and creamers and floral bowls to name just a few. Once you've seen the Heisey Orchid Glass pattern #507 in person and familiarize yourself with its amazing design, you'll know it's like no other. As a collector you'll need to learn what reproductions look and feel like so you won't be fooled by an imitation. You can find a very helpful book on Heisey Orchid Glass and other Heisey glassware in Heisey Glass 1896-1957 Identification and Value Guide by Neila and Tom Bredehoft.
From 1896 through 1957, the superb glassware produced by A.H. Heisey and company found its way into discerning American homes and endures as a fine collectible to this day. The company's etchings continue to be extremely popular because they are nothing less than breathtaking. One example of Heisey Orchid Glass's popularity -- it was a staple of bridal registration choices for so many young couples starting out. Most dealers classify Heisey Orchid Glass as “elegant” Depression era glass. But unlike most Depression Glass, once you've held one of the company's signature pieces in your hand, you'll feel that it's heavier. Run your finger across Heisey Orchid Glass and you'll notice the fine finish. Heisey Orchid Glass is remarkable because each and every piece that left their factory was simply... flawless.
Unfortunately, Heisey glassware failed to spark hold America's interest. By mid-century the days of the formal dinner party were ending as America invaded the suburbs. Soon, economy replaced elegance and Heisey closed its doors for good. Luckily, collector interests in their creations have only increased with time. Heisey Orchid Glass has never been more popular which makes hunting down each piece an authentic treasure.
When one thinks of the word elegant, Heisey Orchid Glass easily comes to mind. Heisey Orchid Glass has been finding its way into hearts and homes all over the world since the dawn of the 20th Century. The quality of the glass and its inspirational etchings has made Heisey Orchid Glass a hard to find item because it is sought after by collectors everywhere. Heisey Orchid Glass was some of the finest tableware ever produced in America and you'll soon know why once you've obtained your first piece. Surely, it won't be your last.
Heisey Orchid Glass owes its name to A. H. Heisey who was born in Germany. His family settled in the United States and as a young man he became a glass clerk with the King Glass Company. The Civil War interrupted his career, but soon thereafter he returned to what he loved best, selling glassware. In 1895 Heisey moved to Newark, Ohio and the very next year he opened the glass factory that would bear his name. One of the company's most popular pieces was his Heisey Orchid Glass.
All Heisey glass was marked with either a raised “Diamond H” directly in the glass or with a paper sticker. Each etching produced by the company was given a number. Heisey Orchid Glass bears the number #507 and depicts in fine detail and stunning clarity the beautiful orchid. The number of Heisey Glass Orchid items is endless: candlesticks, crimped bowls, cocktail stems, water goblets, sugar and creamers and floral bowls to name just a few. Once you've seen the Heisey Orchid Glass pattern #507 in person and familiarize yourself with its amazing design, you'll know it's like no other. As a collector you'll need to learn what reproductions look and feel like so you won't be fooled by an imitation. You can find a very helpful book on Heisey Orchid Glass and other Heisey glassware in Heisey Glass 1896-1957 Identification and Value Guide by Neila and Tom Bredehoft.
From 1896 through 1957, the superb glassware produced by A.H. Heisey and company found its way into discerning American homes and endures as a fine collectible to this day. The company's etchings continue to be extremely popular because they are nothing less than breathtaking. One example of Heisey Orchid Glass's popularity -- it was a staple of bridal registration choices for so many young couples starting out. Most dealers classify Heisey Orchid Glass as “elegant” Depression era glass. But unlike most Depression Glass, once you've held one of the company's signature pieces in your hand, you'll feel that it's heavier. Run your finger across Heisey Orchid Glass and you'll notice the fine finish. Heisey Orchid Glass is remarkable because each and every piece that left their factory was simply... flawless.
Unfortunately, Heisey glassware failed to spark hold America's interest. By mid-century the days of the formal dinner party were ending as America invaded the suburbs. Soon, economy replaced elegance and Heisey closed its doors for good. Luckily, collector interests in their creations have only increased with time. Heisey Orchid Glass has never been more popular which makes hunting down each piece an authentic treasure.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Antique Collecting
ANTIQUE COLLECTING
Antique Collecting can be a great hobby for anyone. It can cost as little or as much as you want to spend. Antiques come in every size and shape and some are little known about or very well known. Antique collecting can be glass items, pottery, clothing, tools or just about anything that has value from times long ago. If you have a love for the old items that may have been used by your grandmother or great grandmother then this may be a hobby for you. Antique collecting does take a certain amount of learning and research to understand and learn about the value of real antiques from fake ones. Doing some reading about antique collecting can greatly improve your learning curve to help you find that perfect antique to display.
After you have done your research on some antiques that you may want to find now is a good time to try and attain some. Antique collecting can be a fun and exciting adventure. A good source to locate some quality antiques is through online auctions such as Ebay. There are thousands of listings for almost any item that you could be searching for. Another good source of obtaining some antique collectibles is estate sales or yard sales. One never knows if there is a treasure to be found in a box of so-called junk. I have found some great items in junk boxes. Some people have no idea what the value is or what they may be giving away as mere junk. That is the fun of going on a treasure hunt for an antique to put in your collection. You may even find something that you were not even looking for but it was just to good of a value to pass by.
Antique malls are another good way to find and buy some antique collectibles. You may be paying a higher price for the antiques that you may find here because the finders fee is already included. Antique malls are still a great way to shop and look and learn about antique collecting. Shopping in an antique mall is another great source of adding a value to items that may be of interest to you. It never hurts to hunt around and get a real value of your antiques. An antique price guide book is another good source of information to have at your side where deciding a price to pay for an antique.
Antique collecting is a wonderful hobby for people of all ages. The enjoyment of the hunt and the treasures that can be found make this a grand sport. Antique collecting may be a very addictive hobby to get into but one that I wouldn't give up for the world. I love the challenge of the hunt and the quest to have an item that is totally unique and might only be a handful left in the world. Antique collecting is a passion that will grow as you begin your hunt for that rare treasure to display in your home.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Please look at my new Website!
HAVE A LOOK AT MY NEW WEB SITE AND SEE WHAT YOU THINK. IF ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES ARE YOUR PASSION THEN PLEASE COME AND CHECK ME OUT .
http://www.oldtreasurecove.com
http://www.oldtreasurecove.com
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