By Robert Reed  That grand American holiday Thanksgiving had long been celebrated, but it really wasn’t until the 20th century that it came with commercial table decorations.  Before the elegant turkey dinner was mostly fine. A colorful touch direct from the family’s garden harvest might be added.  “Decorations from the earliest (19th century) celebrations were usually homegrown fruits and vegetables […]

 Freedom comes at a high price when men and women have to risk and sacrifice their lives for the nation we have built and way of life we have come to enjoy. The men and women who have served our country in times of war and peace are some of our nation’s best citizens. We justly honor them on Veterans […]

By Robert Reed  People would probably guess that Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanac is one of the most prized of historic almanacs in the country. And they would be right. A 1749 issue recently brought $3,000 at a leading auction gallery.  However a great many advertising almanacs are still out there – if not undiscovered at least at relatively reasonable […]

By Robert Reed  Over a period of approximately 15 years, from the late 1940s into the 1970s, military playsets were one of the nation’s most popular and prolific toys. Scores and scores of the sets were produced by the Louis Marx Company which was the leader in playset manufacturing and marketing. Military sets in particular probably outdistanced their space, farm […]