Sunday, November 11, 2012
Dr. Lori, in this second of a two-part series, continues the historical tour of the White House, highlighting when it was burnt in the War of 1812 and the redecoration styles of Jacqueline Kennedy.
The White House was designed by James Hoban, an Irish born architect. He won a competition organized by President George Washington in 1792. The inspiration for the White House was based on a villa in Dublin, Ireland called Leinster House. The building was completed in 1794. Today, the White House is held as property #1 in the National Park Service’s hierarchy. President Thomas Jefferson made changes to the White House when he assumed the presidency. While James Madison was President from 1809 to 1817, the White House was burned by the British during the War of 1812. Hoban was invited to Washington to restore the White House. After this re-construction was complete, the famous building was painted its characteristic white and thereafter …
Sunday, October 7, 2012
It may look as good as the original, but it’s no authentic Duncan Phyfe.
A question about one of the most common names in antique furniture came to my attention recently. At one of my antiques appraisal shows, I was asked about a Duncan Phyfe dining room set. First, I had to explain the difference between an actual Duncan Phyfe set and a reproduction set in the style of Duncan Phyfe. There is a big difference. You may have heard the word style used after the description of many objects — Tiffany style, Victorian style, etc. For instance, a Duncan Phyfe style dining room set (emphasis on the word style) differs from an original Duncan Phyfe dining room set. Many furniture makers worked in the manner of the late 18th-century craftsman, Duncan Phyfe. Think of it this way — It’s like contemporary singer Michael …
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Not all antiques are considered rare, but those that are become highly valuable.
For years, I have presented appraisal events to live audiences across the country. I tell people the truth about their antiques. I don’t hold back my opinion either. I just say it … ”it’s a wonderful, rare antique or it’s a piece of junk.” One of the most common statements I hear is that an audience member’s object is rare. Rarity is an important and complex concept. The interest and related value of something rare can spike once that object comes to the market. What constitutes rarity? Many factors constitute rarity including but not limited to provenance or the history of the item. Age can impact rarity. For instance, there aren’t a lot of ancient Egyptian mascara jars hanging around today so that makes such an object rare. The mold …
Sunday, August 26, 2012
When it comes to knowing the worth of signed collectibles, content is king.
I am often asked to evaluate autographs of famous people. Some autographs are found on a personal letter or note, on a glossy photograph, or even on a piece of scrap paper. There are some rules of thumb when it comes to assessing autographs. For instance, content is always king. With all autographs, value is increased if the autograph is accompanied by some content relating to the famous person who signed their name. To have content that relates to the signer with an authentic autograph is more valuable to collectors than just a simple autograph. For example, a letter signed by Marilyn Monroe complaining about her failing marriage to husband and baseball great Joe DiMaggio is much more valuable than just a cocktail napkin with Marilyn …
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Pablo Picasso lived a personal life that's as interesting as his art.
Picasso's life story offers nearly as much adventure, excitement, and intrigue as the tales surrounding his works of art. Comparatively, Pablo Picasso's social antics of the 1910s through the 1970s would make the likes of Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, and Lindsay Lohan seem angelic. Picasso's various relationships contributed not only to his star status in the art world but also to his use of personal subjects in his long artistic career. Born in Malaga, Spain in 1881, Pablo Picasso moved to Paris to study art. In 1904, after establishing a career as an artist there, Picasso began a long term relationship with Fernande Olivier. Olivier became a model for his Rose period paintings completed between 1904 and 1906. This relationship ended …
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Bakelite to Mickey Mouse Gas Masks, Dr. Lori explores some weird and interesting 20th-century collectible wonders
Since I appraise all types of antiques, I provide a variety of information about a wide array of objects. I try to dispel the myths that are notorious in my field. Here, I’ll share some antiques information from diverse areas of the collecting field. Did you know these facts about art, antiques, and collectibles from the 1900s? In the early years of the 1900s, gathering in the parlor around the hearth was a longstanding tradition in many American homes. This cultural phenomenon inspired the architectural designs of the famed architect, Frank Lloyd Wright who reminded us to focus on family and the fireplace. Many of Wright’s famous buildings were focused on a design element centering on the hearth. In fact, this idea dating back to the …
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Sports memorabilia breaks auction records.
Those of you who regularly read this column know that I am a tremendous sports fan. My family legacy connects with professional baseball as my father played for both the New York Yankee and Philadelphia Phillies organizations as a left-handed pitcher in the 1940s. My Dad struck out Mickey Mantle in the minors (Mickey was a mere teenager at the time) and regularly exchanged pitching tips with Satchel Paige. I grew up learning sports history and I enjoy evaluating sports memorabilia now at my appraisal shows and on Discovery channel’s Auction Kings. While I tour the country appraising America’s antiques and providing tips on how to sell them at auctions and in other venues, I take in a lot of sporting events. A few weeks ago, sports …
Sunday, June 3, 2012
A museum exhibit displaying the art, technology and American culture of motorcycles.
I went to a fabulous museum show recently. This exhibition featured the work of master artists, highlighted aspects of American culture, traced the history of the entire 20th Century, and focused on advancements in technology. It had everything you’d expect from a great museum exhibition. What I didn’t expect… it was all about motorcycles. In Indianapolis, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art is a world class museum that tells the American story through objects on a daily basis. Housing an impressive collection of Native American objects and western art, the Eiteljorg organized a special exhibition dedicated to American motorcycles dating back to the early 1900s. The exhibit included a 1905 Harley Davidson, Evel Knievel…
Sunday, May 27, 2012
How to identify authentic Martinez blackware pottery.
Marie/Maria Martinez (Maria Montoya Martinez) and her husband, Julian were the leaders of the modern potters at the San Ildefonso pueblo near Santa Fe, NM. The pair is credited with developing and implementing the key techniques and designs of both San Ildefonso and Santa Clara black ware or black on black pottery. Their work featured carved and matte decorations monochrome, polychrome, and black on black pottery. Once Maria and Julian discovered how to produce the now-famous black-on-black pottery in 1918, the couple spent the remainder of their careers perfecting their technique and producing it for museums and collectors worldwide. This style of blackware is achieved by using a polishing stone to smooth over a glossy finish prior to the…
Friday, May 25, 2012
Lori brings extensive experience and award-winning appraising to the show's third season.
Adding to an already stellar career in the world of antique appraisals, syndicated antiques-columnist Dr. Lori will join the cast of Discovery's hit television series "Auction Kings", which documents the day-to-day operations of Atlanta-based auction house, Gallery 63. “It’s a recurring role,” said Lori. "It may not be every episode, but whenever they need me, they'll give me a call." Lori, who received her doctorate in art history from Penn State University, will lend her extensive appraisal experience throughout the third season of the series, appearing on camera and pricing various rare items as they make their way through the gallery. “One of the items that we have coming up in this season is a rare piece of memorabilia relating to …
Rhonda Hipskind
2:09 pm on Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Do original Duncan Phyfe tables and chairs have his name/stamp on them? How do we tell the difference between the real deal and "style"? more ›