|
COLLECTING Collect.com offers free classified ads
4/2/2009 -  Everyone wants to get something for nothing, and now you can, thanks to Collect.com’s free classified ads. “The classified ads are completely free — no gimmicks, no strings attached and no limit to the number of classified ads that can be placed,” said Dianne Wheeler, the community leader for collect.com. Full story
ANTIQUES Collecting Perfume Bottles
3/18/2009 -  People collect two kinds of perfume bottles – decorative and commercial. Decorative bottles include any bottles sold empty and meant to be filled with your choice of scent. Until about a hundred years ago, it was usual for a woman to bring her bottle to her favorite apothecary to be filled with her chosen fragrance. Full story
MILITARIA Collecting Sanke Cards
3/18/2009 -  The August 3, 1902, New York Times announced the death in Vienna of Dr. Emanuel Hermann, declaring him the inventor of the postcard. Hermann had been the Austrian Minister of Commerce and in 1869 had taken the idea for an inexpensive postal card from an article in the New Free Press. Full story
CARS Oklahoma Collector Goes for Best of the Brass Era
3/10/2009 -  Don Boulton has more than a dream. He has a passion for old cars, but unlike many collectors, his interest is in the oldest of the old — the horseless carriages and brass-era vehicles that launched the automotive industry. And Boulton enjoys opening the doors to his collection for visitors during the annual meet at Chickasha, near Oklahoma City. Full story
MUSIC Complete Collector: Good things Often Come in Small Packages
3/10/2009 -  The early days of portable music included the release of tiny tapes and records that featured some of the most popular releases of the day. Find out about PlayTapes, Mini Pacs, Mini-8s, and the Mighty Tiny record player—and which ones are exceedingly rare! Full story
MILITARIA Rare Piece of Military History Found at Charity Shop
3/4/2009 -  An old handgun found in a bag of clothes by volunteers at a charity shop in England has been identified as a rare piece of military history. According to online reports, an inscribed 1912 Webley revolver was discovered in a bag of old clothes that had been dumped off at the shop in Earl Shilton near Leicester. It was turned over to local police where Sergeant Rich Matlock recognized it for its rarity. Full story
ANTIQUES Tips on Buying Antique Furniture
3/4/2009 - Anybody can find antique furniture to fit any decor, from country to contemporary. Let the buyer beware: Reproductions abound in the furniture field. Do your homework to make sure you’re purchasing the real deal. Here are some tips that may help you spot what you want, and what you want to avoid. Full story
POSTCARDS 1967 The Summer Of Love
3/3/2009 -  In 1967 I was twenty years old, in the middle of college, and facing the Vietnam draft. So I have paid nostalgic attention to the 40th anniversary of one of the great cultural events of my generation. In the last couple of months I’ve seen television specials and read several articles on and offline about the notorious Summer of Love in San Francisco. Full story
TOYS Collecting Character Advertising Dolls
3/3/2009 -  Dolls may well be the most collected item in the country. Character advertising dolls are not as popular as many other types of dolls, but this is good news for those who love them. They’re far more affordable than many other dolls. The first true character advertising dolls were manufactured around 1900. These early dolls featured Aunt Jemima (pancakes), Uncle Moses (flour), Yellow Kid (chewing gum), and others. Full story
GUNS 'Made In Montana' May Trigger A Federal Lawsuit
2/26/2009 -  Under a proposed law currently being debated in the Montana Legislature, "firearms, weapons components and ammunition made in Montana and kept in Montana would be exempt from federal regulation, potentially releasing some Montanans from national gun registration and licensing laws," The Missoulian reported. "The legislation could also free gun purchasers in the state from background checks." Full story
NUMISMATICS Currency Grading Division Sold
2/25/2009 -  Collectors Universe, Inc. has announced that it has sold PCGS Currency, its currency authentication and grading division, to a new company formed for the acquisition and led by the former president of the division, Jason W. Bradford. The sale was effective Feb. 4. Full story
RECORDS Collector's Corner: The Goldmine Guide to Keeping Your Records in Tip-Top Shape
2/25/2009 -  How much is your record collection worth? It’s a question that demands some thought. Find the answers here about how to organize it, protect it, store it and display it. Full story
CARS Gulf One Corvette Z06 Nabs $1M
2/24/2009 -  With the crowd on its feet and attendees cheering with excitement, Mecum Auctions dropped the hammer on the historically significant 1963 Gulf Oil Chevrolet Corvette Z06 race car as it crossed the block at the Mecum Auction in Kissimmee, Fla., Jan. 22-24. Full story
ANTIQUES Modernism: New Era Propelled Furniture Design
2/24/2009 -  “Modernism” didn’t just one day emerge, say Jan. 1, 1950, fully realized, from the mind of its remote creators. It is the stuff of the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair “Century of Progress,” the boundless optimism of post-World War II America, the sleek comic lines and manic music of Tex Avery’s MGM 1949 “House of Tomorrow” cartoons, and the ever-present acres of the suburban ranch house that subsequently spread endlessly across the nation. Full story
COMICS Obama Spidey Soars, But January Sales Sag
2/24/2009 -  Comics sales in the first month of January reverted to historical "dead quarter" form, sinking 9% in overall dollars and in Top 300 dollars — and shaving a chilling 17% off Top 300 Unit Sales. This, despite sales of the Barack Obama Amazing Spider-Man #583, which as expected came in at almost 353,000 copies across the first three printings and one initial variant. Full story
COINS COTY Goes to Mongolia
2/24/2009 - The 26th annual Coin of the Year award winner is a 500-tugrik silver coin issued by the National Bank of Mongolia promoting wildlife protection. It portrays a gulo gulo, a wolverine-like creature depicted with diamonds for eyes. The award was given Feb. 7 at the World Money Fair in the Paris Room of the Estrel Hotel in Berlin, Germany. Full story
GUNS Colt Pistol Achieves World-Record at Greg Martin Auction
2/17/2009 -  Intended to dovetail with the Las Vegas Antique, Sporting Arms and Custom Knifemakers Show on Jan. 16-18, the Greg Martin Auctions auction was an exceptional success, realizing more than $3 million in sales. The auction featured two collections of Colts. The Buck Stevens collection offered 77 lots including one of the rarest firearms in existence – the historic Colt Single Action Army Revolver Serial No. 1. Called the “Peacemaker.” Full story
COINS Around the World in 20 Mints
2/17/2009 -  The Krause Publications delegation at the World Money Fair in Berlin – Dave Harper, Tom Michael, Lisa Bellavin and myself – was fortunate to spend quality time in individual meetings with mints and national banks representing five continents. The meetings gave us an opportunity to go in-depth on new coin technologies, trends and market conditions with some of the most innovative and well-respected mints around. Full story
CARS AC Borgata Sale to Feature Rare Packards
2/13/2009 -  Packard’s first car was built 110 years ago. James Ward Packard purchased a Winton automobile in 1898, but with his engineering background, Packard found fault with his new car, which he complained about and returned. When it was suggested that he build a better one, he brought his brother on board and attempted to do just that. They formed the Ohio Automobile Co. and, then, changed the name to Packard before moving to Detroit in 1903. Full story
ANTIQUES Haviland Butter Pats Can Say, ‘‘I love you!’’
2/13/2009 -  Flowers wilt and chocolate melts, but a romantic butter pat will be with you forever. When searching for that perfect Valentine’s gift, take a look at these diminutive china pieces. Haviland produced several that feature fairies and Cupid-like figures, as well as numerous examples in shades of pink or red roses. Full story
| 
