Watering cans evolved over the years

#Middlebury #Antiques Ever wonder who invented the first watering can? When were small gardens numerous enough to have customers willing to pay for a better way to carry water to their ... Continue Reading →

‘Pile-O-Gold’ paperweight given as gift

#Middlebury #Antiques A paperweight that looks like a forgotten mound of gold coins is a vintage puzzle that has been solved. A pristine example was offered for sale recently with the ... Continue Reading →

Tazza celadon often used at dinner parties

#Middlebury #Antiques There are many unfamiliar names for antiques and even vintage collectibles. What is a collectible “dumbwaiter,” a “finger vase” or a “swift”? And what ... Continue Reading →

Glass pyramid was sailing ship deck prism

#Middlebury #Antiques A 4-1/2-inch-high heavy glass pyramid was in a recent house sale. It was inexpensive, but no one knew what it was used for. It was almost too heavy to lift, so ... Continue Reading →

Stumpwork box more than 400 years old

#Middlebury #Antiques Ever notice stumpwork in an antiques auction or shop? It is a type of early embroidery that makes raised designs on a flat textile to make a three-dimensional ... Continue Reading →

Surfer Girl toy rare and valuable

#Middlebury #Antiques Surfing is a popular worldwide sport today, but when did it start and what is collected? People have been swimming and bodysurfing by riding the waves since ancient ... Continue Reading →

Fourth of July inspires Chinese punch bowl

#Middlebury #Antiques Be careful when using old reference books. Modern research methods, excavations and old documents that were unknown for years have led to changed histories. The ... Continue Reading →

Rookwood fountain a valuable garden piece

#Middlebury #Antiques Flowers were an important part of the lives of Americans from the 1880s to 1950s. Technology had advanced to a time when pottery could be made in multiples in ... Continue Reading →

Seashell sofa proves valuable

#Middlebury #Antiques “I’ve never seen one before, so it must be valuable!” is a common comment made by collectors. But rarity doesn’t always add to the price. Fame, ... Continue Reading →

Globe vase dates to 1930s

#Middlebury #Antiques The ancient Greeks figured out that Earth was round in about 500 B.C. But the oldest surviving globe showing our planet was made in 1492 by Martin Behaim of Germany. ... Continue Reading →