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AN-TIQUE (an-teek)
An object having
special value because of its age, especially a domestic item, piece of
furniture or decorative arts object esteemed for its artistry, beauty,
mechanical ingenuity, or period of origin. |
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The
Antiques Almanac, a five-edition-per-year online magazine for beginning and
intermediate antiques collectors and those just interested in finding out about
old things, is your first stop on the Web in your search for information
about antiques and collectibles. Here, you’ll find articles on a variety
of American and international antiques, including furniture, china,
glass, silver, and other decorative arts from the Colonial, Empire,
Victorian, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco Periods, plus vintage and modern
collectibles, interesting historical facts, antique tips, and
recommendations for caring for your collections. Come back often to see
what's new. And be sure to tell your friends about us.
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This
edition's
theme:
"Victorian America"
Volume 19 No. 3
This edition features articles about
antiques and history from Federal America spanning objects and ideas
from 1790 to 1820.
Throughout 2026, The
Antiques Almanac will feature articles and photos depicting
American antiques and history to celebrate the 250th Anniversary
of the United States. Editions will each feature a major period
in U.S. history---Colonial America, Federal America, Victorian
America, Early 20th Century America, and An American Christmas. |
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A Furniture
Re-Awakening
The
Victorian Era was an age of revivals. Of the seven different
revival styles of furniture that proliferated from the 1860s
to the 1880s, the Renaissance Revival style, in use from
1855 to 1875, was one of the most popular. Renaissance
Revival was an architectural style that easily made the
transition from the custom, one-of-a-kind furniture shops in
New York and Philadelphia to the mass-production factories
of the Midwest.
More Antiques Articles |
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Longing for Home
A whaleman in the 1830s might have decorated busks for their sweetheart’s
bodice, carved and decorated pie crimpers, inspired by vision of
homemade pies, and engraved sperm whale teeth with whatever captured
their imagination. Scrimshaw became the pastime of lonely and often
dispirited seamen far from home during the early Victorian Age in
America..
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Collectibles Articles |
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Belletonte's Painted Ladies
A lot of places boast
splendid Victorian architecture. Cape May, San Francisco,
Philadelphia, Brooklyn Heights, and Baltimore all come to mind. But
no place has as many examples of every style of Victorian
architecture as does Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, a small town in the
Susquehanna Valley, a short drive north of Penn State University.
More
Special Features
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On a Bicycle Built for One or Two
Bicycles
have been an important part of American life since the first crude
one appeared in 1818. People use them for transportation, racing,
touring, as well as for everyday exercise. In China and The
Netherlands, they’re an inexpensive way to get around.
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Collecting Articles
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Caring for Antique
Washstand Sets
Wash bowls and pitchers, plus their associated accessories,
were essential additions to any washstand in the 19th and
early 20th century. Potteries worldwide produced a variety
of wash bowl and pitcher sets for use on washstands. But
because these sets were mostly ceramic, they were prone to
damage.
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Caring for Collections |
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The
2026 Summer Edition
featuring
"Victorian
America"
is here
Go through the menu and read all the
New!
articles. |
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Leave It to the Romans
by Bob Brooke
The Neoclassical style first appeared during the Federal
Period in the United States. But it re-appeared as the
Victorian Neoclassical Revival style, a substyle of
Renaissance Revival, dating from around 1870 to 1880. One of
pieces in this revival style was the Roman chair. It’s
ancient ancestor was the curule chair or sella curulis, from
the Latin currus, meaning chariot.
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The
Nation's Attic
by Bob Brooke
Where do all of the
United States’ important historical artifacts—plus thousands of art
works and everyday items—end up? At the Smithsonian Institution in
Washington, D.C., sometimes referred to as “the nation’s attic.” And
though it began as the “United States National Museum,” its shear
size has forced it to expand to 21 museums and art galleries, plus
the National Zoo, all open free to the public and open every day
except Christmas. Additionally, over 200 institutions and museums in
45 states, Puerto Rico, and Panama are Smithsonian Affiliates.
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Don't Talk to the Motorman
by Bob Brooke
“Don’t Talk to
the Motorman,” said the sign at the front of every trolley.
This plus the clang of the bell, the grind of traction
motors and the clatter of wheels as they rolled over
staggered rail joints and through the complicated switch and
crossing work prevailing at many intersections endeared the
trolley to several generations of riders.
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Home Entertainment
Victorian Style
In 1884, the Autophone
Company developed a hand-cranked roller reed organ which operated by
forcing air out through reeds under pressure with exposed bellows. The
musical notes were traditionally represented by wire bridges or staples,
which were formed by hand according to the length of each note and
inserted at the correct location around the circumference of the barrel.
As the barrel was turned, the projections operated a valve mechanism to
admit air into the musical pipes or reeds.
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How to Recognize and
Refinish Antiques for Pleasure and Profit
Have
you ever bought an antique or collectible that was less than perfect and
needed some TLC? Bob's book offers tips and step-by- step
instructions for simple maintenance and restoration of common antiques.
Read an
Excerpt |
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BREAKING
NEWS
Menagerie Wagon Rolls in at Three Times Its Estimate
Beating out its $10/15,000
estimate was an extremely rare Märklin Hagenbeck’s Menagerie
transport train wagon, in gauge 1, that featured a lid that
opened to reveal two associated composition lions in a
single-compartment gondola car. Measuring 8½ inches in
length and in exceptional condition, it finished at $33,750.
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BIZARRE
ANTIQUITIES
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Ancient Greek hand
grenades, often associated with the Byzantine
Empire, were developed around the 7th century
and utilized incendiary substances like Greek
fire. These early grenades were typically
ceramic vessels filled with flammable materials,
which were thrown during battles, particularly
in naval warfare.
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