Identifying antique glass can be hard

#MiddleburyCT #AntiqueGlass #Ivory Identifying antique glass isn’t always easy. If you’re lucky, a piece may be marked, like the pictured Phanomen vase, which is signed ... Continue Reading →

‘Union Made’ is a point of pride

#MiddleburyCT #UnionMade #LaborDay Trade unions played a crucial role in establishing Labor Day as a holiday. “Union Made” has long been a point of pride for American industries, ... Continue Reading →

Artistic lamps included a parrot

#MiddleburyCT #ArtisticLamps #Wedgwood #Antiques Before the use of electric lights, lamps were designed to cast as much light as possible. With the introduction of electric light bulbs, ... Continue Reading →

Modern art embraces enamel art

#MiddleburyCT #ModernArt #EnamelArt #Coins Enamel has been used in decorative arts since at least the Middle Ages. It was especially popular in Europe and Asia in the 18th and 19th ... Continue Reading →

Mechanical banks have high value

#MiddleburyCT #MechanicalBanks #Furniture A mechanical bank like the pictured “Two Frogs” bank used to put on a show for as little as a penny. Place the coin on the flat ... Continue Reading →

Advertising icons include spool cabinets

#MiddleburyCT #SpoolCabinet #MerrickThread #J&PCoatsLtd In the old days when clothes were sewn and mended at home, spools of thread were household essentials. You would see a spool ... Continue Reading →

Industrial signs are popular collectibles

#MiddleburyCT #IndustrialSigns #NormanRockwell  Antique advertising and store signs are popular collectibles and decorations. Sometimes, the makers are as interesting as the subjects. ... Continue Reading →

Butterfly jewelry appears often

#MiddleburyCT #Antiques #ButterflyJewelry #WoodenChest In North America, summer, especially late summer, is butterfly season. Multiple generations hatch as caterpillars grow, pupate ... Continue Reading →

Van Briggle Pottery made decorated tiles

#MiddleburyCT #Antiques #VanBrigglePottery #AntiqueCocoCola Artus Van Briggle and his wife, Anne, were decorators at the Rookwood Pottery in Ohio. They moved to Colorado after Artus ... Continue Reading →

Art Nouveau shows scientist’s influence

#MiddleburyCT #Antiques #ArtNouveau #FurbyBaby In design, the line between art and science isn’t always clearly drawn. This has been true for centuries. One of the most influential ... Continue Reading →