When I think of Prohibition, I don’t think of ready access to whiskey, but of a time when the government tamped down on the stuff. I’ve read about this era in the country’s history, and…
Month: January 2013
I was listening inattentively as the auctioneer announced the contents of the next auction (ephemera and documents). Then he mentioned that the cabinets in the furniture room would be sold today at 1 p.m. Then I perked up. I hadn’t…
Readers ask about pecking chickens & vintage hair salon
Posted in Halloween, Reader questions, and Toys
Friday at Auction Finds is readers’ questions day. I try to guide readers to resources for them to determine the value of the items that they own. I’m not able to appraise their treasures, but…
The gun crowd hadn’t arrived yet. They still had at least two hours to go before the firearms auction was to get started. The auction house opened the door to the gun room for the…
Didn’t see Obama, but inaugural trip was worthy
Posted in Black history, history, and Politics
The two women had a glow about them. They sat across from my friend Valorie and me on the Washington, DC, subway headed to President Barak Obama’s swearing-in on the National Mall. I had driven…
As I stood there staring at the two photographs on the top of the glass case, I felt a bit disappointed. I had seen them listed as Negro League photographs on the auction-house website, and…
Reader asks about Zippo lighter
Posted in Military, Personal items, and Reader questions
Friday at Auction Finds is readers’ questions day. I try to guide readers to resources for them to determine the value of the items that they own. I’m not able to appraise their treasures, but…