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 […]

By Les Stewart  I struggled with the name for this article.  I wanted to call it “When is Moroccan Amethyst really Moroccan Amethyst?” That is because collecting Moroccan Amethyst can be quite frustrating.  Amethyst means purple in color, but, not all purple glass is Moroccan Amethyst.  A lot of the glass listed for sale on web sites such as EBAY […]

By Barry Krause  If the hurricane season has ever seriously damaged your family or property, you may not be in a mood to “collect” any hurricane memorabilia, preferring not to be constantly reminded of your personal loss with such artifacts sitting around forever. However, a fascinating range of objects can be collected and studied as hurricane-themed collectibles, not because we […]

By Carol J. Perry  I was a lucky little kid. My Dad worked for Parker Brothers, the famous Salem, Massachusetts game manufacturer. I was raised, it seems now, amidst a cheerful, colorful clutter of wonderful games.  Sometimes I was allowed to visit the big old rambling factory where Daddy was foreman of the Box Department. I watched, fascinated, as bright, […]