By Henry J. Pratt Nearly 170 years ago, a Vermont fisherman—Julio T. Buel—accidentally dropped a kitchen spoon in a near-by river, only to watch in awe as a pan-sized trout swallowed it and swam merrily away. Just exactly when fishing-lure manufacturing got started in the U.S. is unknown, but Buel received the first fish-lure patent in 1852. His breakthrough in […]
By Robert Reed Centuries ago, mahogany was considered almost magical. Elegant but not expensive, it added an entirely new dimension to fine Colonial furniture and furniture made elsewhere. During what some consider the Age of Mahogany, amid the 18th and 19th centuries, the amazing wood cast its charm in America, as well as England, France, Italy and Spain. It was […]
We had several correct answers to our August’s What Is It. The objects, pictured above, are needlecases. These are all late-19th Century needlecases. They include: a wooden carved fish, fluted silver; wood topped with silver, carved ivory; Irish milk glass with English oak leaves and acorns; and a chased silver case that stores needles in compartments graded according to size. […]
Dozens of booksellers from around the country will be offering their most interesting, most memorable, and most hard-to-find books for two days this September at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 200 Fairgrounds Rd., Castle Rock. The Rocky Mountain Book and Paper Fair, now in its 39th year, is a delight for booklovers of all ages, tastes and budgets. It’s a chance […]
By Maureen Timm Buckles have been used by both men and women since ancient times. History and archeology books tell of buckles used to fit harnesses on animals and to hold weapons and garments in place. The popularity of buckles as adornments fluctuated according to fashion and politics. Archaeologists have discovered primitive belts with buckles dating back to the Bronze […]
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