Antique Chests

Antique Boxes, Tea Caddies, & Society 1700-1880
Antigone Clarke & Joseph O'Kelly

The box represents great temptation. "Open me" it says. The human cannot resist it; its charm is overwhelming. So too, is the charm of this remarkable book, in which antique boxes and tea caddies --- along with the people who inspired, made, and used them --- dance gracefully through the pages. The reader is guided through the aesthetic, cultural, and social influences of the years covered, accumulating a deep understanding of the form, decoration, and purpose of eighteenth and nineteenth century boxes. The extensive text covers wooden, tortoiseshell, ivory, papier-mâché, and lacquer boxes. There are chapters on Anglo Indian, Scottish, Irish, Penwork, Straw work, and Tunbridge ware boxes, as well as on boxes made for special purposes. Captions include complete descriptions, values, and circa dates for all boxes shown. The 905 images include original drawings, magnificent photographs of complete pieces, and close-ups illustrating the structure and decoration of boxes. This is an indispensable companion for box collectors and reflects fascinating information about cultural forces that shaped the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

As fake antiques become increasingly prevalent and sophisticated, it is important to know how to separate the authentic pieces from the reproductions. This guide provides side-by-side pictorial comparisons as well as sound advice on how to identify fakes. The publisher of Antique & Collectors Reproduction News here covers the most commonly reproduced items, devoting entire chapters to such topics as pottery, dishes, toys, African American memorabilia, and silver. Wondering if you have a real Roseville vase? The author describes how to check the mark on the bottom and notes that if the inside of the vase is not completely glazed, it's not the real thing. You can also use a black light to see if an image is a digitized fake (new paper fluoresces). The array of examples is impressive, but the author reminds readers that it is impossible to document every possible fake. Other guides to fakes have been published, such as The Complete Guide to Fakes and Forgeries (1988), but these guides are old and the techniques of forgers have become more sophisticated. This new volume is highly recommended for public libraries with a patron interest in antiques and collectibles. Jennifer Mayer, Univ. of Wyoming Libs., Laramie
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Involved in the antique business for more than 30 years-- restoring, refinishing, and repairing antique trunks--Pat Morse and Linda Edelstein have written a number of articles on antiques and collectibles, including trunks, fountain pens, and more. Pat and Linda have teamed up before to publish a book on trunks, and together they now operate The Trunk Shop in Barrington, New Hampshire, formerly located in Portsmouth.

One dealer's journey from the populist mayhem of flea markets to the rarefied realm of auctions reveals the rich, often outrageous subculture of antiques and collectibles.

Millions of Americans are drawn to antiques and flea-market culture, whether as participants or as viewers of the perennially popular Antiques Roadshow or the recent hit American Pickers. This world has the air of a lottery: a $20 purchase might net you four, five, or six figures. Master dealer Curt Avery, the unlikely star of Killer Stuff and Tons of Money, plays that lottery every day, and he wins it more than most. Occasionally he gets lucky, but more often, he draws on a deep knowledge of America's past and the odd, fascinating, and beautiful objects that have survived it.

Week in, week out, Avery trawls the flea and antiques circuit-buying, selling, and advising other dealers in his many areas of expertise, from furniture to glass to stoneware, and more. On the surface, he's an improbable candidate for an antiques dealer. He wrestled in high school and still retains the pugilistic build; he is gruff, funny, and profane; he favors shorts and sneakers, even in November; and he is remarkably generous toward both competitors and customers who want a break.

But as he struggles for a spot in a high-end Boston show, he must step up his game and, perhaps more challenging, fit in with a white-shoe crowd. Through his ascent, we see the flea-osphere for what it truly is-less a lottery than a contact sport with few rules and many pitfalls. This rich and sometimes hilarious subculture rewards peculiar interests and outright obsessions-one dealer specializes in shrunken heads; another wants all the postal memorabilia he can get. So Avery must be a guerrilla historian and use his hard-earned knowledge of America's past to live by and off his wits. Only the smartest survive in one of America's most ruthless meritocracies.

Killer Stuff and Tons of Money is many things: an insider's look at a subculture replete with arcane traditions and high drama, an inspiring account of a self-made man making his way in a cutthroat field, a treasure trove of tips for those who seek out old things themselves, and a thoroughly fresh, vibrant view of history as blood sport.

Easy-to-use and brimming with color photographs, Chests, Cupboards, Desks & Other Pieces is an indispensable guidebook for novice and experienced collectors alike. Featuring 334 representative examples-from Colonial, Chippendale and Victorian Revival pieces-this volume covers the entire range of American case furniture as well as other household items such as Magazine racks, umbrella stands, mirrors, and tea carts.

Expertly researched, extensive captions describe the object, its materials and dimensions, where and when it was manufactured, background information on the maker, the genre of the piece, and tips for collectors. Chests, Cupboards, Desks & Other Pieces also features a substantial reference section including, among other things, a checklist for identifying styles, a guide to furniture construction, and an extensive glossary, all illustrated with detailed line drawings. In addition, hints for buying at auction and an up-to-date price guide complete this invaluable volume.

Chests, Cupboards, Desks and Other Pieces is the companion volume to Tables, Chairs, Sofas, and Beds. Together, they cover the entire range of American furniture and are must-have reference books for anyone interested in antique furniture.

"This volume fills a critical gap in the understanding of the many varieties of brass-bound and decorated chest made in the lands that border the Indian OceanUnwin's book is the result of life-long research that for the first time allows collectors and scholars alike to understand both the features of the individual schools of production as well as the broader context for the manufacture and use of such piecesWritten in an engaging and lucid manner and richly illustratedthis book is essential [for] anyone interested in furniture and in the material culture of the Indian Ocean world. --Asian Affairs

KAZUKO KOIZUMI has been a leading scholar of traditional furniture for decades and is credited with almost single-handedly reviving study in the field. She has written more than 50 books and numerous research papers in Japanese and lectures extensively. Koizumi has also been a founder of museums that collect and exhibit traditional Japanese furniture. Her previous book in English, Traditional Japanese Furniture, was published by Kodansha International in 1986.