Pennsylvania flag is so obscure that many people in the state cannot identify it.” Solobay submitted a proposal to the House lawmakers which passed in June with a 164-31 vote, and has since moved on to the Senate committee for consideration. On the opposite end of the argument, former teacher Peter Malichock Jr. calls the idea of changing the flag “outrageous,” stating that “they are dumbing down the flag because they are making it easier for people to identify it.” Others have concerns that replacing all the flags in the state would be too costly. Solobay stands by his proposal, suggesting that the new flags will be phased in over time, and in the newer version, the words “Commonwealth of” would appear above the coat of arms along with “Pennsylvania” below it, all in yellow silk block letters. Of the 50 states, 28 include the name or initials of the state on their flags, making them easier to identify. Check out the original article and take the 10-flag quiz to see just how many you know.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Pennsylvania's Flag May Become A Collectible In The Near Future
Collectors have highly valued historical United States' memorabilia since the birth of our nation in 1776, including the many flags that have transitioned through the years. According to a report on Foxnews.com, the Pennsylvania flag is in talks of being updated with a more recognizable image. Democratic State Rep. Tim Solobay says that “the Pennsylvania flag is so obscure that many people in the state cannot identify it.” Solobay submitted a proposal to the House lawmakers which passed in June with a 164-31 vote, and has since moved on to the Senate committee for consideration. On the opposite end of the argument, former teacher Peter Malichock Jr. calls the idea of changing the flag “outrageous,” stating that “they are dumbing down the flag because they are making it easier for people to identify it.” Others have concerns that replacing all the flags in the state would be too costly. Solobay stands by his proposal, suggesting that the new flags will be phased in over time, and in the newer version, the words “Commonwealth of” would appear above the coat of arms along with “Pennsylvania” below it, all in yellow silk block letters. Of the 50 states, 28 include the name or initials of the state on their flags, making them easier to identify. Check out the original article and take the 10-flag quiz to see just how many you know.
Pennsylvania flag is so obscure that many people in the state cannot identify it.” Solobay submitted a proposal to the House lawmakers which passed in June with a 164-31 vote, and has since moved on to the Senate committee for consideration. On the opposite end of the argument, former teacher Peter Malichock Jr. calls the idea of changing the flag “outrageous,” stating that “they are dumbing down the flag because they are making it easier for people to identify it.” Others have concerns that replacing all the flags in the state would be too costly. Solobay stands by his proposal, suggesting that the new flags will be phased in over time, and in the newer version, the words “Commonwealth of” would appear above the coat of arms along with “Pennsylvania” below it, all in yellow silk block letters. Of the 50 states, 28 include the name or initials of the state on their flags, making them easier to identify. Check out the original article and take the 10-flag quiz to see just how many you know.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Highlighted Finds From The Antiques Roadshow
I decided to scour the internet for some feel-good antiques stories, and I found my interest faster than I had imagined when I stumbled upon the Antiques Roadshow website. They had some of their highlights posted from the last 10 years of the show, as well as the schedule for their new season starting in 2008. Check out some of these great objects! It will put you in the mood to clean out the attic and see what you find!
Chang's Chair
Chang's chair, appraised by Leigh Keno, of Leigh Keno American Antiques and Leslie Keno, of Sotheby's, both in New York City. From Charleston (2001).
The Keno brothers got a chance to see a very unusual piece of antique furniture brought in to the ROADSHOW by a South Carolina woman named Margaret. The Kenos were excited to get the chance to appraise Margaret's family heirloom. The identical brothers agreed: "Of all the different tapings we've done over the years, this is one of the most special." Why? Because Margaret is the great-granddaughter of Chang Bunker, one of perhaps the world's most famous conjoined twins. Born near Bangkok in 1811, the brothers settled in North Carolina, marrying a pair of sisters in 1843 and starting families. The two couples occupied two houses nearby one another, Chang and Eng spending half their time in each home each week. The heirloom that's found its way to Margaret is her great-grandfather's special hardwood chair, built double-wide to accommodate both brothers at once. Noting what a unique and wonderful piece it is, as well as that there has been a resurgence of interest in conjoined twins of late, the Keno brothers estimated the chair's market value at $10,000 to $12,000. Margaret was pleased but not tempted. "Well, that's interesting to know, but it will never be for sale," she said.
Somali Neck Rest
Somali neck rest, appraised by John Buxton, Dallas, Texas. From Birmingham (2000).
A sixth grade teacher from Geraldine, Alabama, brought a neck rest he'd bought for $2, wondering if it was real or a reproduction. "When my class studied African or Asian countries that use neck rests," he said, "I let my students pass it around and look at it so they could be familiar with what a neck rest is." First, appraiser John Buxton explained what he had on his hands. "A neck rest is actually a pillow. Women with elaborate coiffures would place this under the back of the head as they slept to keep their heads off the ground and their coiffures intact." Then, John gave him the good news: "This a real piece, and let me tell you why. It was made in Somalia in the 1920s or 1930s and has a wonderful patination where it's been used. The designs on the side are a wonderful blending of African and Islamic pattern. It's a fine example in excellent condition and would be worth $500 to $700 — a pretty good investment."
Skull Humidor
Skull humidor, appraised by Riley Humler, of Cincinnati Art Galleries in Cincinnati, Ohio. From Columbus (2000).
When a creepy skull showed up on his appraisal table, Riley Humler took it as a good omen. The skull, actually a humidor, was used to store smoking tobacco and was made by the famous Weller Pottery in Zanesville, Ohio, 30 miles east of Columbus.
"My father collected Weller pottery for 30 years," said the man who brought it in. "He bought this at an estate sale 20 years ago for $85." His father was not only a pottery fan but also a distant relative of Sam Weller, who had started the family business. "This skull is the rarest of all Weller humidors," Riley revealed. "In addition, Weller produced an admiral, a Turk, a Chinese man, and Irishman. Although those aren't all that common, they can't hold a candle to the skull. Only five or six of these are known to exist." Riley appraised the rare piece at $2,000 to $3,000, remarking that the skull was "quite unique and interesting — although you wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley."
Victorian Insect Collage
Victorian insect collage, appraised by Gary Espinosa, of Bonhams & Butterfields in Los Angeles, California. From Los Angeles (2006).
Appraiser Gary Espinosa had never seen anything like it! He examined what appeared to be several shiny, iridescent glass beads arranged within a mahogany case. A closer look revealed that those bead-like items within the display case were actually exotic beetles and scarabs placed atop a wallpapering of moths and butterflies. The owner of this one-of-a-kind insect collage had purchased it in London in 1991 along with a book of pressed flowers and a copy of Spenser's The Fairy Queen. He paid $400 for the group of items. Though Gary had never encountered a piece like this insect collage, he was very familiar with the culture that inspired its creation. "This was made during the Victorian period in England. ... They had a tremendous culture for nature at that time." Stuffed exotic fish and birds were also very popular. Gary compared the piece to a Sailor's Valentine: a similar Victorian collectible made with seashells arranged in a circular pattern. Though in "remarkable condition," Gary noted that the delicate insect collage would preserve longer if it was resting flat rather than hanging and subjected to gravity: "As you can see, we've got a couple of little scarabs here that are falling off and dropping down into the case here." Despite Gary's efforts at researching and consulting with other appraisers, he was unsure of how to determine a fair market value for the piece. He proffered, "I would say fair market auction value between $2,000 to $3,000. But, we think that ... at a natural auction for exotic nature things, this might even do considerably better." The owner was clearly delighted, and Gary was truly appreciative for such an intriguing and fun piece to appraise.
19th-century Folk Art Whirligig
19th-century folk art whirligig, appraised by H. Peter Curran, of Wilton, Connecticut. From Dallas (1998).
A woman brought in a piece of folk art originally from her great-aunt's barn in Connecticut. Upon the death of the great-aunt about 25 years ago the piece had been valued at $1,500 and given to the current owner. Appraiser Peter Curran identified the piece as a fine example of a mid-19th-century whirligig, designed to scare away crows. Much to the owner's astonishment, Curran estimated the whirligig's worth at between $20,000 and $25,000.
Lake Breeze Fan
Lake Breeze Fan, appraised by Gary Piattoni, of Gary Piattoni Decorative Arts, Inc. in Chicago, Illinois. From Savannah (2004).
"So really, what we have here, is really like the great-grandfather of jet engine technology," explained appraiser Gary Piattoni to Evelyn from Savannah who brought in a fan that needn't require electricity. This Lake Breeze fan, named after its Lake Breeze motor, ran on the hot air created by a flame from a kerosene lamp. It came out in 1919 and sold for $22.50, but unfortunately never found great favor in the market due to its rival, the electric fan. The electric fan won out for perhaps obvious reasons pertaining both to safety and the primary function of the fan. The hot open flame created by the kerosene lamp was dangerous — never mind counterproductive to the cooling process. Nonetheless, Gary said, the fan is an excellent example of a piece made obsolete by improved technology — and it even still works. These fans are fairly rare today, and many collectors thrive on all kinds of fun pieces of outdated technology! With that in mind, Gary surmised that a keen collector might pay between $1,500 to $2,000. And that's no hot air.
Well, I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am off for the rest of the week and will continue blogging on Monday. Don't forget to use iTaggit to manage your holiday collectibles.
Chang's Chair
Chang's chair, appraised by Leigh Keno, of Leigh Keno American Antiques and Leslie Keno, of Sotheby's, both in New York City. From Charleston (2001).
The Keno brothers got a chance to see a very unusual piece of antique furniture brought in to the ROADSHOW by a South Carolina woman named Margaret. The Kenos were excited to get the chance to appraise Margaret's family heirloom. The identical brothers agreed: "Of all the different tapings we've done over the years, this is one of the most special." Why? Because Margaret is the great-granddaughter of Chang Bunker, one of perhaps the world's most famous conjoined twins. Born near Bangkok in 1811, the brothers settled in North Carolina, marrying a pair of sisters in 1843 and starting families. The two couples occupied two houses nearby one another, Chang and Eng spending half their time in each home each week. The heirloom that's found its way to Margaret is her great-grandfather's special hardwood chair, built double-wide to accommodate both brothers at once. Noting what a unique and wonderful piece it is, as well as that there has been a resurgence of interest in conjoined twins of late, the Keno brothers estimated the chair's market value at $10,000 to $12,000. Margaret was pleased but not tempted. "Well, that's interesting to know, but it will never be for sale," she said.Somali Neck Rest
Somali neck rest, appraised by John Buxton, Dallas, Texas. From Birmingham (2000).
A sixth grade teacher from Geraldine, Alabama, brought a neck rest he'd bought for $2, wondering if it was real or a reproduction. "When my class studied African or Asian countries that use neck rests," he said, "I let my students pass it around and look at it so they could be familiar with what a neck rest is." First, appraiser John Buxton explained what he had on his hands. "A neck rest is actually a pillow. Women with elaborate coiffures would place this under the back of the head as they slept to keep their heads off the ground and their coiffures intact." Then, John gave him the good news: "This a real piece, and let me tell you why. It was made in Somalia in the 1920s or 1930s and has a wonderful patination where it's been used. The designs on the side are a wonderful blending of African and Islamic pattern. It's a fine example in excellent condition and would be worth $500 to $700 — a pretty good investment."Skull Humidor
Skull humidor, appraised by Riley Humler, of Cincinnati Art Galleries in Cincinnati, Ohio. From Columbus (2000).
When a creepy skull showed up on his appraisal table, Riley Humler took it as a good omen. The skull, actually a humidor, was used to store smoking tobacco and was made by the famous Weller Pottery in Zanesville, Ohio, 30 miles east of Columbus."My father collected Weller pottery for 30 years," said the man who brought it in. "He bought this at an estate sale 20 years ago for $85." His father was not only a pottery fan but also a distant relative of Sam Weller, who had started the family business. "This skull is the rarest of all Weller humidors," Riley revealed. "In addition, Weller produced an admiral, a Turk, a Chinese man, and Irishman. Although those aren't all that common, they can't hold a candle to the skull. Only five or six of these are known to exist." Riley appraised the rare piece at $2,000 to $3,000, remarking that the skull was "quite unique and interesting — although you wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley."
Victorian Insect Collage
Victorian insect collage, appraised by Gary Espinosa, of Bonhams & Butterfields in Los Angeles, California. From Los Angeles (2006).
Appraiser Gary Espinosa had never seen anything like it! He examined what appeared to be several shiny, iridescent glass beads arranged within a mahogany case. A closer look revealed that those bead-like items within the display case were actually exotic beetles and scarabs placed atop a wallpapering of moths and butterflies. The owner of this one-of-a-kind insect collage had purchased it in London in 1991 along with a book of pressed flowers and a copy of Spenser's The Fairy Queen. He paid $400 for the group of items. Though Gary had never encountered a piece like this insect collage, he was very familiar with the culture that inspired its creation. "This was made during the Victorian period in England. ... They had a tremendous culture for nature at that time." Stuffed exotic fish and birds were also very popular. Gary compared the piece to a Sailor's Valentine: a similar Victorian collectible made with seashells arranged in a circular pattern. Though in "remarkable condition," Gary noted that the delicate insect collage would preserve longer if it was resting flat rather than hanging and subjected to gravity: "As you can see, we've got a couple of little scarabs here that are falling off and dropping down into the case here." Despite Gary's efforts at researching and consulting with other appraisers, he was unsure of how to determine a fair market value for the piece. He proffered, "I would say fair market auction value between $2,000 to $3,000. But, we think that ... at a natural auction for exotic nature things, this might even do considerably better." The owner was clearly delighted, and Gary was truly appreciative for such an intriguing and fun piece to appraise.19th-century Folk Art Whirligig
19th-century folk art whirligig, appraised by H. Peter Curran, of Wilton, Connecticut. From Dallas (1998).
A woman brought in a piece of folk art originally from her great-aunt's barn in Connecticut. Upon the death of the great-aunt about 25 years ago the piece had been valued at $1,500 and given to the current owner. Appraiser Peter Curran identified the piece as a fine example of a mid-19th-century whirligig, designed to scare away crows. Much to the owner's astonishment, Curran estimated the whirligig's worth at between $20,000 and $25,000.Lake Breeze Fan
Lake Breeze Fan, appraised by Gary Piattoni, of Gary Piattoni Decorative Arts, Inc. in Chicago, Illinois. From Savannah (2004).
"So really, what we have here, is really like the great-grandfather of jet engine technology," explained appraiser Gary Piattoni to Evelyn from Savannah who brought in a fan that needn't require electricity. This Lake Breeze fan, named after its Lake Breeze motor, ran on the hot air created by a flame from a kerosene lamp. It came out in 1919 and sold for $22.50, but unfortunately never found great favor in the market due to its rival, the electric fan. The electric fan won out for perhaps obvious reasons pertaining both to safety and the primary function of the fan. The hot open flame created by the kerosene lamp was dangerous — never mind counterproductive to the cooling process. Nonetheless, Gary said, the fan is an excellent example of a piece made obsolete by improved technology — and it even still works. These fans are fairly rare today, and many collectors thrive on all kinds of fun pieces of outdated technology! With that in mind, Gary surmised that a keen collector might pay between $1,500 to $2,000. And that's no hot air.Well, I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am off for the rest of the week and will continue blogging on Monday. Don't forget to use iTaggit to manage your holiday collectibles.
Barry Bonds Memorabilia Value In Question
The saga of Barry Bonds took another turn last Thursday. The Giants'
power hitter who surpassed Hank Aaron last year to become the home run king was charged with four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice after a four-year investigation by federal prosecutors. If found guilty, he could serve a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison along with countless hours of community service, probation, and fines. He is just one of several elite U.S. athletes who are being sought for questioning about their involvement with BALCO, the company responsible for the production and distribution of an untraceable steroid known as “the clear.” It is unknown at this time how the allegations will affect his baseball card's value. I personally believe that his sports memorabilia, especially the autographed ones, will rise in value, not because of the record that he set, but because of the infamy that will forever surround the era he rose in. He could very well be the proverbial figurehead in the record books of the darkest moment in baseball history. Leave your comments as to how you feel the whole situation is being treated, and be sure to value your collections of Bonds' cards, etc. with iTaggit so everyone can see how the market reacts to his downfall from the top.
power hitter who surpassed Hank Aaron last year to become the home run king was charged with four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice after a four-year investigation by federal prosecutors. If found guilty, he could serve a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison along with countless hours of community service, probation, and fines. He is just one of several elite U.S. athletes who are being sought for questioning about their involvement with BALCO, the company responsible for the production and distribution of an untraceable steroid known as “the clear.” It is unknown at this time how the allegations will affect his baseball card's value. I personally believe that his sports memorabilia, especially the autographed ones, will rise in value, not because of the record that he set, but because of the infamy that will forever surround the era he rose in. He could very well be the proverbial figurehead in the record books of the darkest moment in baseball history. Leave your comments as to how you feel the whole situation is being treated, and be sure to value your collections of Bonds' cards, etc. with iTaggit so everyone can see how the market reacts to his downfall from the top.
Monday, November 19, 2007
iTaggit Announces "Gone Wishing" Contest
Make your wish come true by entering iTaggit’s Gone Wishing – longest wish list contest. Add the things you wish for to your public wish list during Nov. 19, 2007 – Dec. 26, 2007 and compete to win $300, $200, or $100 towards the purchase of an item on your wish list. Don’t forget to send your list out to all of your family and friends to be sure you get the hottest holiday gifts this season!
To Win the Gone Wishing - Longest Wish List Contest
1. Add items to your public wish list. The length of the wish lists are based on the number of items you have in your list.
2. For each item to qualify, it must have at least one picture and a title.
3. For wish lists to qualify, they must be public and be the original wish list provided when the iTaggit account was created.
4. Users may only have one wish list for the contest.
5. Have your list complete by 12pm CST on December 26.
Prizes:
1st place: Up to $300 towards an item on your Wish List.
2nd place: Up to $200 towards an item on your Wish List.
3rd Place: Up to $100 towards an item on your Wish List.
*Items must be in the user’s wish list BEFORE the conclusion of the contest.
Quick Tip:
With “Black Friday” and the holiday season fast approaching, we want to help you get what you want this holiday season. Use iTaggit’s “Send This Collection To a Friend” tool to e-mail your collection to your friends and increase your collection views. To do this:
1. View your collection;
2. Click on the item actions menu AND choose “Send This Collection to a Friend”
3. Enter as many email addresses as you would like and include a personal message to be sure you get what you want over the holidays!
Rare American Coin Collection Sold For $30 Million
According to an article from the Associated Press, an anonymous buyer has paid more than $30 million for a collection of rare U.S. Prototype coins, some from the 1700s, that never went into circulation, according to Laura Sperber, a partner in Legend Numismatics, who brokered the deal. The collection consists of around 1,000 coins that collectors refer to as pattern coins. They all have trial designs on them that never went into production because the U.S. Mint chose others. Gathering such a large collection of pattern coins is difficult because so few were created in the first place, and they were usually supposed to stay in the possession of the Mint, since they were, after all, the rejects. It took the seller about ten years to assemble the coin collection, which spans the period from 1792 to 1942. Highlights of the collection include test designs for the first pennies made in 1792 and six coins from 1872 that are often referred to as “Amazonian” patterns because the female figure portraying liberty is much stronger and regal looking than in earlier versions.Until 1909, when Abraham Lincoln's face was immortalized on the penny, presidents weren't allowed on coins because, at the time, putting the nation's leader on a coin seemed too similar to the practice of kings being displayed on European coins. “To put an individual on coinage was considered very unrepublican because the people have the power in a republic,” said Douglas A. Mudd, Curator of the American Numismatic Association Money Museum. That wasn't considered the best example for a country less than a decade removed from the Revolutionary War. For more information, check out the original article.
Perhaps the new buyer, who preferred to be referred to as Mr. Simpson for security reasons, will post his new collection to iTaggit and let us help him organize his valuable pieces. 'Til then, be sure to post your coin collection to our gallery, and if you need help with appraisal estimates, enter them into our “What's My Item Worth” collection.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Coins Are A Common Language
If you collect coins, I found this great blog called World Coin News. Jolan is from Bilbao, Vizcaya, Spain and writes “the aim of this blog is to inform about the releases of New World Coin Types. I will post information about legal tender coins only.” As I scrolled through several of his posts, I noticed the striking differences between countries' chosen images on their new coins. Some have animals, others have figures of royalty or of great importance, and still others simply have the monetary value on them. Click here to check out Jolan's blog and let iTaggit help you organize your coins to share with the world.
World War II Artifact Unearthed
Due to unusual weather last summer, the sand began to shift and erode, revealing the long-forgotten WWII relic. The Lockheed “Lightening” fighter has a distinctive twin-boom design and based on its serial number as well as other records, “the fighter is arguably the oldest P-38 in existence, and the oldest surviving 8th Air Force combat aircraft of any type,” said Ric Gillespie, who heads a U.S.-based nonprofit group dedicated to preserving historic aircraft. Check out the original article for more details about the plane and the only remaining Elliot family member who learns more about his namesake.
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