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…
Tag: auction
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…
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…
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,…
It’s been a couple years since I’ve been to the Philadelphia Auto Show. It was in the city over the last week and closed yesterday amid the 28 inches of snow that trounced the place.…
Faux wood furniture
Posted in Home
I was walking among the furniture pieces at auction this week, turned a corner and stopped in my tracks. There they were, ghosts from my bedroom past. Those chunky faux-wood bedroom sets with the carved designs. I…