RIAM Blog

Musical instruments date back to prehistoric times. Musicologists have records of groups in China playing orchestral music as early as the 4th century CE. Through the ages since, countless billions of people have enriched their lives, and the lives of

The use of tools has separated us from other species since the dawn of humanity. Anthropologists tell us that each advance in the sophistication of man’s tools contributes to our continuing evolution. No wonder collectors have such a fascination with

Among the most common items to find their way to the second-hand market are sets of china. While that’s not surprising considering that most folks own multiple sets of dishes, what might surprise you is just how few of these

Up until the 15th century, time was tracked primarily by sundials. One of the most important milestones of modern civilization was the advent of weight- and spring-driven mechanical clocks. These made it possible for people to improve their personal and

Individuals and companies have been advertising their products and services for centuries. Rarely found today, the oldest examples of advertising are usually the most desirable. However, items from the 1950s and 60s are often sought after as well, making advertising

There is nothing more plentiful in the average American home than clothing and textiles. Despite the fact that we regularly wear only a small fraction of what we own, when you take into account seasonal clothing, stored pieces that are