Scott Davis Prior to the invention of the electric light, most lighting was achieved using portable oil lamps and candles that lit a small area, but larger spaces needed to be lit by chandeliers and sconces that were mounted to the ceiling and walls. These fixtures could be fitted with multiple lamps or candles. Around the middle … Read more
While predecessors to what we know as today’s automobile were being developed as early as the 1600s, the first modern automobile with an internal combustion engine was produced by Karl Benz in 1888. Ever since, many folks have had a love affair with cars and just about everything related to them. Today, we call that … Read more
It’s probably safe to say that virtually every little girl in the world has had a doll of some kind. In America and other prosperous countries, most little girls probably had many over the course of childhood. More privileged children had elaborate dolls, while less fortunate kids may have had a simple rag doll, but … Read more
People have always had a fascination with death and the “dark side” of human nature. When it comes to antiques and collectibles, the term “macabre” refers to disturbing objects, usually of a frightening or gruesome nature. Who among us has not partaken in the guilty pleasure of a good scary Vincent Price or Alfred Hitchcock … Read more
Let’s start out with a question that many people think they know the answer to: Who invented the lightbulb, and when? If your answer was Thomas Edison around 1880, then you’re off by a country mile. The first lightbulb was invented in England in 1809, long before Edison’s birth, and Edison purchased the patent for … Read more
RIAM does several estate or downsizing house calls per week, and while each visit is unique, one thing remains remarkably consistent. In preparation for the visit, virtually everyone covers their dining room table with dozens of pieces of unwanted glassware. It’s hard to understand why we and our ancestors all had such an obsession for … Read more
One of the big lures of antique hunting and ownership is the memories they help us recall and recreate. For most of us, special holiday moments with family and friends are among our warmest and most cherished memories. Somehow all of the reality of family fights, crying children, dry turkeys, unrequited gifts and Uncle Tony … Read more
One of the most commonly misunderstood categories of antiques is books. Once again, it all comes down to the law of supply and demand. Considering just how many books there are in the world (how many have you bought in your lifetime compared to any other durable item?), it shouldn’t be hard to understand that … Read more
As the world gets more and more hectic every day, folks of all ages are becoming more nostalgic about the simpler things in life. Some people are purchasing second homes as a way to get away from it all. Others who can’t or don’t want to literally escape to the seaside or the mountains are … Read more
Most people own at least one framed print of some kind, and many people own more than that. In the antiques world, finding the value of anything will always come back to the law of supply and demand. Too much supply can kill the value of even the most interesting items, unless the demand for … Read more
