One of the highlights of auctions for me is stumbling across history of the contributions of black people to this country. I react with sheer joy because much of it was never written or was…
Auction Finds Posts
James Van Der Zee’s photos of Harlem
Posted in Photos
No one quite captured the culture, the love and the beauty of the people of Harlem like photographer James Van Der Zee. We all can conjure in our minds his iconic 1932 photo of a…
Privy to slop jars, chamber pots and the past
Posted in collectibles, and Home
“Maybe they cleaned it,” I said to the buyer slightly to the front of me as she hugged the slop jar/chamber pot she’d just gotten at auction. “They” were the previous owners who had once used…
The glow of aurora borealis jewelry
Posted in jewelry
In the back of my mind, the words “Northern Lights” triggered a memory when my auction buddy Janet mentioned them in referring to some jewelry she had just bought at auction. Alaska, North Pole, Northern sky.…
I believe I have gremlins in my house. Some months ago, I cleaned up and left on my kitchen table three small vintage Coca Cola collectibles I had just gotten in a box lot at…
Early black portraits: A rare find
Posted in Photos
I’ve learned that you don’t have to make important finds at auctions. Sometimes, museums themselves can discover treasures among their troves of donated and purchased items. That was the case recently at the Philadelphia History…
Through an artist’s eyes
Posted in Art
I was at the tail end of an auction a couple years ago, waiting around for some artwork that had captured my eye. I was there with my art-loving friend Kristin, it was late and…
A few weeks ago, I was walking among the tables at one of my favorite auction houses, not finding too much that struck my fancy. Then, on a far table I saw a box of…
Illustrator Jerry Pinkney gets his due
Posted in Books
Jerry Pinkney is one of my most favorite illustrators of children’s books. The man is awesome. I’ve never come across any of his books at auctions, but I’ve purchased a few on my own. Last spring,…