Living with antiques is one of life’s pleasures, whether you enjoy them primarily from an aesthetic, functional, historic, or social perspective. We advocate enjoying antiques in these ways well into old age instead of letting concerns about their ultimate dispersal taint your enthusiasm for antiquing.
Read MoreIn this follow-up to our previous article on Cabinets of Curiosities, we discuss what makes an object “curious” and present some natural and ethnographic objects that fit within categories that have been of interest to curiosity collectors—and rusticators—throughout the ages.
Read MoreIn the 16th to 18th centuries, cabinets of curiosities celebrated the mysteries of nature and culture in grand exhibits that filled entire rooms. A book about these extravagant displays has inspired our exploration of the topic.
Read MoreAntiques last for generations, so they typically go through many cycles of ownership. This article explores the life occurrences (all beginning with the letter “D”) that underlie how and why antiques change hands.
Read MoreWe explore the topic of nesting from both figurative and literal perspectives, as a phenomenon that happens both inside and outside of our homes.
Read MoreThis article presents a gallery of images of antiques that incorporate hearts in their design. It surprised us to find so many heart designs within our past inventory of rustic antiques, and in our related specialty areas of folk art and Native American art.
Read MoreFrom the mid-19th to early-20th centuries, craftsmen made and sold rustic furniture in resort regions across the U.S. One of those regions was the Southern Appalachians, and that furniture has several distinguishing characteristics.
Read MoreThis article explores some of the motivations that drive people's love of antiques and antiquing. It also provides self-ranking scales so that you can discover which motivations play a greater or lesser role in your own pursuit of antiques.
Read MoreWe've been exploring the philosophy behind the "slow movements" that have taken hold in many areas of contemporary life, inspiring us to coin the term "slow decor," and propose how it applies to antiques and antiquing.
Read MoreIn this article we trace the connections among humans' hard-wired responses to nature, the biophilic design movement in architecture, and people's attraction to rustic antiques.
Read MoreA camping excursion to explore a new National Monument in northern Maine inspired our musings on moose—both the outdoor and indoor varieties.
Read MoreAt the heart of our musings this month is the question of what drives collectors of antiques. We explore that question in the context of a family collection that we know well—surprisingly not a collection of rustic antiques, but of tennis antiques.
Read MoreAs sellers of antiques, we get miffed when new merchandise shows up for sale at Antiques Shows. Buyers who attend antiques shows should also be frustrated by, and wary of, this increasingly common occurrence.
Read MoreInterested in enhancing the aesthetic appeal of your garden? We present ideas for making wattle plant surrounds, as well as rustic trellises and tuteurs.
Read MoreHave you ever headed out into nature to revitalize your mind, body, or mood? If so, then you might be interested in what current research is revealing about why nature makes us feel good.
Read MoreWhat role will robots and artificial intelligence systems play in the future of the antiques business? As incongruous as the pairing of antiques and robotics might seem, their potential future relationship is actually not so far-fetched.
Read MoreJust as the rusticators of past eras sought both nature and luxury in remote destinations, so, too, do modern-day "glamping" aficionados.
Read MoreSporting antiques are one of our areas of interest, so a tennis tintype from our recent inventory inspires these musings on tennis history, culture, and collecting.
Read More
