‘Alphabet Man’ was teaching toy

#Middlebury #Kovels Every child has to learn the alphabet before learning to read, so some toys for those under 5 years old have been “teaching toys.” Blocks were the first. The ... Continue Reading →

‘Jeweled’ Porcelain favored by collectors

#Middlebury #Kovels The “jeweled” Coalport porcelain of the late 19th century attracts buyers with its beauty and unfamiliar beading, but few know the history of the porcelain. ... Continue Reading →

Wiinblad chair is industrial designer creation

#Middlebury #Kovels Many artists don’t create just pictures or sculptures. They make furniture, jewelry, dinnerware or even kitchen tools and toys. In the 1920s and ’30s, ... Continue Reading →

Collect food-storage antiques

#Middlebury #Kovels Why not collect food-storage antiques? Food had to be specially prepared to last during the centuries before ice boxes and refrigerators. Long hours were spent ... Continue Reading →

Some metal lunch boxes worth thousands

#Middlebury #Kovels #Underdog Many comic book, movie and TV heroes are so popular they inspire hundreds of different collectibles. Often, interest in the characters dies about 25 years ... Continue Reading →

Perfume lamps were once a necessity

#Middlebury #Kovels In the unsanitary world of the 18th and 19th century, bad smells were everywhere. There was no garbage pickup, no indoor flushing toilets and no refrigeration ... Continue Reading →

Pioneers used scraps to make hand mirrors

#Middlebury #Kovels   Recycling and reusing is nothing new. Our ancestors had glass, metal and ceramic pieces that were imported, expensive and scarce. So when something broke, ... Continue Reading →

Indian toy cradle sells at high price

#Middlebury #KovelsAntiques Many American Indian tribes almost lost their culture by the 1960s because of 19th- and early 20th-century U.S government rules. American Indians could ... Continue Reading →

George Washington doll is painted cloth

#Middlebury #KovelsAntiques While Valentine’s Day is always Feb. 14, President’s Day can be any one of seven dates, the third Monday in February closest to the 20th. In ... Continue Reading →

Valentine’s Day cards began in 1700s

#Middlebury #Kovels #Valentines Day Valentine’s Day is a holiday that has its roots in ancient times. But it was celebrated with gifts until the first cards appeared about 1760. ... Continue Reading →