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Winter 2007

Nothing Tacky About These Souvenirs, Antique Week, Feb. 26th.

Florida Souvenirs 1890-1930, by Larry Roberts, Antiques and Arts Around Florida.

LEADING AUTHORITY ON VINTAGE FLORIDA SOUVENIRS AND MEMORABILIA SET TO SELL PERSONAL COLLECTION:  Larry Roberts, author of “Florida’s Golden Age of Souvenirs 1890-1930” will offer most of his personal collection of Florida souvenirs at Turkey Creek Auctions in Citra, FL on March 3.

For collectors of vintage Florida souvenirs, memorabilia and collectibles, the pearly gates are about to swing wide open. Larry Roberts, the acknowledged guru on the subject and the author of “Florida’s Golden Age of Souvenirs 1890-1930” and a consultant for the Florida History Museum in Tallahassee, has engaged Turkey Creek Auctions to dispose of the bulk of his personal collection as well as the inventory of his retail shop in Micanopy, FL. This once in a lifetime opportunity will start Saturday March 3 at 4:30PM beginning with the postcard collection. It will be held in the Turkey Creek Auctions barn in Citra, FL, 13 miles north of Ocala on U.S. Highway 441.

 The sale of Roberts’ collection with no additions will consist of around 25,000 – 30,000 smalls that will be offered in selected groupings and between 50,000 and 60,000 vintage  postcards, also to be offered in groups in addition to the larger single items.

 Virtually all of the items pictured in Roberts’ book will be included in the inventory. Of special interest is the large polychrome plaque by Florida artist Olive Commons. The plaque, one of Commons’ largest works, is featured on the inside cover of the book. It is conservatively estimated to sell in the $3,000/$5000 range. Other works by Commons from the 1920s and 1930s will include Florida art, jewelry and porcelain. Special creations by Stuart, FL metal smith and artist Serge Nekrassoff, including some of his trademark large pins will cross the block. Many of these items were acquired by Roberts directly from the Nekrassoff family.  Also being offered is a large collection of Florida pottery including works from Merritt Island Pottery, founded in 1937, Floramics from the 1940s  and Silver Springs pottery from the 1930s as well as hand colored photos and prints by early 20^th century Florida photographers and artists William J. Harris and Esmond G. Barnhill including many of their prints shown in the book. The auction inventory additionally will include vintage Florida fishing tackle, Indian artifacts, Seminole dolls, Florida ephemera and Florida themed shieldware.

 Robert’s collection was hand selected by him from all over the country through the years as he traveled the country, buying and bartering to augment his inventory which today includes several rare alligator steins that are expected to sell in the $400-$800 range, selected alligator carvings ranging from the 1870s to the 1920s, some very rare Florida spoons in the $200-$400 range and souvenir Florida china found in nooks and crannies all over the United States. Roberts’ authoritative book is currently available on Amazon.com with free shipping and can be found at selected bookstores.

Turkey Creek Auctions has been in Central Florida for over twenty years and conducts twelve regular monthly auctions each year in addition to special events like the Larry Roberts sale. Auction owner Charles David Glynn will be accepting absentee bids for this sale. Preview for the sale will be Friday March 2 from 5:00PM to 8:00PM at the Auction facility. Turkey Creek Auctions is located at 13939 N. Hwy 441 in Citra, 13 miles north of Ocala. Visit the website at antiqueauctionsfl.com for directions and more information or call David Glynn at (800) 648-7523 for details.-- compliments Fred Taylor

Our Florida Collectibles Auction was held Saturday, March 3rd. This auction featured many items from the collection of Jeannie and Larry Roberts including many items from his book, "Florida's Golden Age of Souvenirs: 1890-1930."

His book is described as "The first exploration of Florida’s enormous legacy of souvenirs—the material culture of tourism. Florida’s sense of place is defined through the crafts and manufactured objects that present a template of tropical paradise and natural wonder."--Robert S. Carr, The Nature Conservancy, Miami. 

Roberts of Gainesville is a consultant for the Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee and the author of articles in such publications as Antiques and Art Around Florida and has been a collector of antiques and memorabilia for more than twenty years.  

About Nekrassoff

After the Communist Revolution, Nekrassoff went to Germany and then Paris, France.  It was apparently at this time that Serge Nekrassoff began to develop a method of hammering copper that worked without the usual annealing process.The Paris pieces date from 1920. Comes to America, first to Philadelphia and then opens a shop in New York City in 1925 His designs were apparently simplified from work done in Argentina.  This would be the period when Nekrassoff was using the NEKRAS stamp on his pieces.  The majority of pieces made at this time were pewter.

In 1931, Nekrassoff shop moved to Darien, Connecticut. By this time, pieces being produced were made in pewter, copper, and a combination of pewter and copper pieces. At this time, his son, Boris, joined him to design and make these decorative items.  The shop appears to have employed up to 18 craftsmen in this period.  Each piece was stamped in script, "Nekrassoff" in the back and the later bird plates were hand-signed "Nekrassoff" on the front.

Nekrassoff pieces were sold around the world, from the US, Canada, South Africa, and London, England. This market ended at the time of WWII and the focus became US shops.

After World War II, copper was the basic metal used, perhaps due to the prohibitive cost of pewter.  It appears there were 7 master craftsmen employed after WWII in the shop. By the late 1940's, he is "painting" with fine powdered glass on copper, (enameling process).  He is apparently one of a few artists working with enamels at that time.

Many enamel pieces at this time were copper/enamel plates with hand-painted bird scenes. (See Image of Cardinal Plate below for a sample piece). These bird designs included: Goldfinches, Cedar Waxwings, Cardinals, Scarlet Tanagers, Chickadees, Quail, Pelicans, Bald Eagles, Gulls, Robins, and others).

 These Bird designs were produced through several decades and were sold through department stores such as Abercrombie & Fitch Co. The shop moved to Florida, and was then called "Serge S. Nekrassoff and Son."  Serge Nekrassoff retired in 1979 and Boris took over the shop. He closed the shop in 1982.  Apparently, all American made pieces date from ca. 1925 - 1982. It was in this later period, when pewter and copper pieces were stamped with 'Nekrassoff' and a shield, or crest, design.

Buell Whitehead (Fort Myers, Florida, 1919 - 1993)

A fine American lithographer and painter, Buell Whitehead belongs to that unfortunate list of artists who are mainly 'discovered' after their death. He received little or no artistic training and graduated from a Ft. Myers high school in 1937. In his early years it is interesting to note that Whitehead worked in the Ft. Myers laboratory of the famous inventor, Thomas Edison. As a boy he actually assisted Edison in his experiments on the development of the nickel battery.

Buell Whitehead used his own inventing skills to create, design and lithograph a board game from which he hoped to earn a good livelihood. Parker Brother's, however, launched a law suit, claiming the game bore some similarities to Monopoly, forcing him to abandon this pursuit. He then turned his attention to artistic lithography and during the 1940's traveled to the American west on several occasions, where he actually sold his art door to door.

Sometime in the 1950's Buell Whitehead returned to Florida where he established and owned a trailer park. He died there in 1993.

Buell Whitehead created lithographs in both color and black and white. The subjects range from stylized landscapes of Illinois, Colorado, New Mexico, Florida and elsewhere to pure fantasy scenes with processions of fantastic figures. Regardless of the work, there are always amazing, surreal elements that challenge and expand our imagination within a Buell Whitehead lithograph.

• History of the Spinet Piano

• The Maxfield Parrish House

• About Cybis Porcelain

• About Bob Scriver, Bronze Artist

• Signs of the Times, by Debra Muller Price, in Country Living Magazine. Cherished as much for their unassuming charm as for their straightforward graphic appeal, one-of-a-kind signboards have become valuable pieces of Americana...

• Coca-Cola Antiques: Make sure it's the real thing! by Antique Talk.Com. Visit the Coca-Cola Collectors Club website for tons of interesting Coke lore and information.

• About St. Gaudin's Gold Coins. 

• The C.F. Monroe Wavecrest Story, by R. Shawn Bradway.

• A fine exhibition standard bronze by M. Guiraud-Riviere (1881-1967) sold at Bonhams.

2006 Auction Themes

About St. Gaudin's Gold Coins

Considered by many to be America's most inspired and beautiful coin, its creation stems directly with President Theodore Roosevelt's contempt for the bland designs of his day. He was inspired by ancient Greek coins he saw while visiting the Smithsonian in 1905 and became determined that the United States needed coins befitting its status in the world. Augustus St. Gaudens, one of America's greatest sculptors, was commissioned to create the new designs and he began with the highest denomination, the Double Eagle or Twenty Dollar gold piece. The finished product, while not entirely true to the artist's conception, is nonetheless a tremendous work of art and today the $20 'Saint' is among the world's most popular and sought-after coins. It was minted from 1907 through 1933, with the latter date presently holding the world's record price for a single coin at $7,590,000 in July of 2002.

• The Highwaymen Phenomenon, by Gary Monroe for Arts & Antiques Around Florida.

• Folk Art Weathervane Tops the $5.8 Million Record at Sotheby's

• "Dating VanBriggle Pottery" from Just Art Pottery online

• "Impact of Damage on American Art Pottery Values" from Just Art Pottery online

• Nutting's Finest Piece of Furniture Sells for Record Price, by Maine Antiques Digest. 

• Furniture Timeline–Maltwood Art Museum & Gallery, University of Victoria, British Columbia.

• Antique Automobile Club of America is dedicated to perpetuating the memories of early automobiles by encouraging their history, collection and use.

• Visit Ford Fair Lane Estate

• About Hammacher Schlemmer (1848)

• History of Bohem Porcelain Figures

• The April 2006 Florida Collectibles and Vingage Memorabilia Show Review

• About Antique Clocks, from Antiques Digest

• Porcelain Bits & Pieces:  General Rules for Dating Porcelain and Pottery Marks

• Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks, and Maker's Marks.

• Link to a great page with lots of articles about antique glass. Also check out Post War British Glass Hallmarks Online,

• Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks, and Maker's Marks.

   

Litherland, Davies & Co. was in business in Liverpool from 1816 to at least 1877, as a watch, clock, and chronometer maker.

About Pin Cushion Dolls

Pincushion dolls are not really dolls and often were not even pincushions. Some collectors use the term half-doll. The top half of each doll was made of porcelain. The edge of the half-doll was made with several small holes for thread, and the doll was stitched to a fabric body with a voluminous skirt. The finished figure was used to cover a hot pot of tea, powder box, pincushion, whisk broom, or lamp. They were made in sizes from less than an inch to over 9 inches high. Most date from the early 1900s to the 1950s. Collectors often find just the porcelain doll without the fabric skirt.--Kovels

About William Fisher (1891-1985)

William Fisher was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1891. He studied at the Brooklyn Institute of Art and Science and at Pratt Institute. Following service as an ambulance driver in WWI, he remained in Europe after the war and studied painting in Rome, Italy for one year. Upon his return from Rome, to New Jersey, he pursued his painting and began to teach small art classes.

In the 1920's Fisher became a successful illustrator. His work appeared in Saturday Evening Post, Mc Calls, Harpers and other magazines.

Edmund Osthaus Painting Scores Night of World Series.

About Edmund H. Osthaus (1858-1928)

About Leon Herbo

Leon Herbo was a Belgian genre and portrait painter, born in Templeuve on October 7, 1850. A pupil of Legendre and Stallaert at both the Academies of Tournai and Brussels, Herbo mastered the art of fine detail. He then continued his studies in France, Germany and Italy before returning to settle in Brussels. His debut exhibition was in 1875, and he took part in exhibits throughout Europe. He was a prolific artist and it is believed that he produced over 1200 paintings during his lifetime.

In 1876, Herbo, Julien Dillens and Emile Namur founded L’Essor, the Belgian realist school. The group’s members were concerned with realism, each of them, however, finding their own style and emphasizing their varied personalities. The Brussels based group organized annual exhibitions from 1876 – 1881, as well as later exhibitions for its members in Oestde, Antwerp and London. In 1891, on the occasion of the group’s 15 year anniversary, the “Essorians” opened at the Brussels Museum with a historic retrospective exhibition of the works of their founding members; among them were a number of works by Herbo. In 1889 Herbo received an Honorable Mention at the Universal Exposition in Paris and was made a Knight of the Order of Leopold. He continued working in Brussels and began teaching at the Academy, where he would soon take over as Director. Today, examples of his work can be found in both public and private collections.

Frank H. Shapleigh was born in Boston and studied painting at the Lowell Institute of Drawing.  In 1867-1868, he sailed to Europe where he studied in the studio of Emile Lambinet (1815-1877).  Shapleigh painted throughout New England, in St. Augustine, Florida, California, and in Europe.  From 1877 to 1893 he was artist-in-residence at the Crawford House in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.He wintered at the Ponce de Leon Hotel, St. Augustine, in 1886-1887, and he became the artist-in-residence at the hotel from 1889 until 1892.  After a trip to Europe in 1896, he built a summer home and art studio in Jackson, New Hampshire, which he called "Maple Knoll." Today Shapleigh is best known for his well-executed White Mountain landscapes which include all of the major tourist attractions and personal, intimate landscapes of New Hampshire.  Shapleigh painted Mount Washington and the other well-known mountains from dozens of different locations. Shapleigh often inscribed the location of his painting on the back of his canvas, providing an invaluable record of the subjects of his works.

About F. Ballard Williams (1871 - 1956)

A painter of romantic and decorative canvases, Frederick Williams began his career by painting with rich, thick pigment, landscapes with women, usually in gorgeous 18th-century gowns of brilliant color. These works reflected his exposure to French rococo painting of Antoine Watteau. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was educated in the public schools of Bloomfield and Montclair, New Jersey, and took night art classes in New York City at Cooper Union.

About Marie Osthaus Griffith (1855-1927)

Toledo painter and wife of Edmund H. Osthaus. Griffith painted flowers and landscapes, and was a member of the Athena Society (Toledo).

About Paul Bernard King  (1867-1947)

Paul King's versatility, artistic maturity and mastery of technique and medium are hallmarks of Paul King's art. His diverse works of portraits, landscapes, rural scenes and illustrations establish his reputation in the first quarter of the century. From 1906, when his oil painting "Hauling in the Anchor Line" (date and location unknown) captured the Salmagundi Club's top two prizes, King regularly received recognition.

2005 Auction Themes

About John Francis Murphy

(b Oswego, NY, 11 Dec 1853; d New York, 10 June 1921). American painter. A self-taught artist, he depicted the coastal flatlands of New York and New Jersey and similar countryside in New England. His early work until c. 1885 was based on direct observation of nature and was often small-scale, for example Summer Afternoon (1875; Salt Lake City, U. UT, Mus. F.A.). In middle-period works, such as New England Landscapes (n.d.; Springville, UT, Mus. A.), Murphy was influenced by A. H. Wyant, George Inness, Homer Dodge Martin and the Barbizon school painters Corot, Rousseau and Daubigny. He spent summers at Arkville in the Catskill Mountains from 1887, and Wyant’s presence there between 1889 and 1892 had a pronounced influence on Murphy’s developing Tonalist style. His work of this time consists of spare expressions of barren wind-blown land painted with a limited palette. Murphy typically prepared his canvases early to give time for the underpaint to dry and then applied brown and gold, which he flattened with a palette-knife as a basis for later stages of rubbing (with pumice), lacquering and glazing. After 1900 Murphy painted some of his finest oils, including Sprout Lake (1915; Washington, DC, N. Mus. Amer. A.), in which he achieved an almost pure tonal unity.-- From Artnet.com

• About the Highwaymen & The Highwaymen Revisited, by Jim Fitch in Arts & Antiques Around Florida

• Check out the A. E. "Bean" Backus Gallery and Museum Online

• List of Florida Highwaymen inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame on March 24, 2004.

• The War on the Walls: Propoganda in the Great War.  An informative essay on WWI posters from Temple University.

• ArtCyclopedia:  About Howard Chandler Christy, including Museum Holdings.

• Historical Weaponry: Krieger's The Collection of Primitive Weapons and Armor of the Philippine Islands in the United States National Museum, Smithsonian Institution; United States National Museum (1926).

• Miniature Portraits on Ivory--The portrait miniature developed from the miniature illustrations of illuminated manuscripts.

• History of Newcomb College Pottery. About Sadie Irvine.

• Dennos Museum in Michigan: Collection features native Woodlands Indian Art

• Player Piano History and Evolution, An Essay on the History and Principles of the Automated Piano, by Bill Edwards

• Ticket to Ride:  Collecting Carousel Art, by the New England Antiques Journal

• National Imperial Glass (Candlewick) Collector's Society Page

• The International Guild of Lamp Researchers Ltd. has a very informative site with a searchable patent database.

• Check out Savage & Polite's Antique Clocks--Identification and Price Guide.  This is one of the best sites for resources on history, hallmarks, patent numbers, clockmakers, an illustrated searchable clock photo glossary, and more.

• Did you know that the U.S. State Dept deemed Pickard as the official china service used in all American world embassies and on Air Force One?

• About Royal Dux porcelain from The World Collectors Net.

• History of Royal Worchester.

• Destination or Pass-By Antique Shops--Advice on running both, by Ed Welch of the Journal of Antiques & Collectibles. A good, quick read for all you dealers and shop owners (or wanna-be's) out there.

• Did you know that there are more than 400 known Limoges factory marks? To answer one of the most asked questions: Many of these factory marks do not include the word “Limoges” or “France.” Read more About Limoges from the Journal of Antiques and Collectibles.

• Ever wondered how BIG the largest handmade carpet in history is? Search no more...

• The International Guild of Lamp Researchers Ltd. has a very informative site with a searchable patent database.

• The Glass Encyclopedia Online is a great resource on antique and contemporary art glass as well as this site simply called Useful and Interesting Links on Glass 

• Here's a good individual collector's page with many important and antique whale tooth scrimshaw photos and general information.

• History of the Poche Plantation--Originally located directly on the Mississippi River, the Corps of Engineers (when constructing the levee system) "rolled back" the Poche (using large pine logs) to its present position in 1920. See bed from the Poche in our upcoming auction.

• More Highwaymen in the May 21st Auction!   About the Highwaymen (Excerpt from Ocala Style Magazine)

• Arts & Crafts Furniture--A Century old style that's a favorite once again. Great info & tips.

• All About Hummels--includes a visual reference to Hummel marks.

• Info About Antique Wicker by Fred Taylor.

• Thoughts on 20th-century furniture market trends by James Zemaitis, director Sotheby's 20th-century design department.

• Ever wish you could attend a Sotheby's auction? How about visiting their website instead---black tie optional.

• Furniture Timeline–By the Maltwood Art Museum & Gallery, University of Victoria, British Columbia.  Features a  timeline of styles from the 16th through 20th centuries. A really cool reference tool!

• Top Prices from MastroNet--In the Limelight - The Best of Hollywood, TV and Rock 'n Roll--A large amount of Elvis Presley hair sold for $19,861.00; Marilyn Monroe's annotated shooting script from "Something's Got to Give" sold for $18,055.00; a lock of Marilyn Monroe's hair went for $13,255.00; a collection of 667 Hollywood autographs commanded $12,225.00; a Three Stooges 1940 "You Natzy Spy" one-sheet movie poster went for $11,112.00

• At $78,400, a Florida Collector Puts the Lid on Bids for a Rare Newcomb Canister...Read More.

• Antique & Estate Jewelry--Guide to Clasps and Jewelry Marks, Makers & Dates, and Victorian Jewelry 1837-1901, by Morning Glory Antiques. Great reference and articles.

• Read About "Wakefield Wicker" from the Wakefield Wicker Historical Society.

2004 Auction Themes

About Herman Herzog (1832-1932)

In 1876, Herzog participated in the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, showing a Norwegian scene and a Yosemite landscape, which earned him a Bronze Medal. In 1882, he exhibited two paintings of Pennsylvania at the National Academy Annual Exhibition. His last trip west was in 1905, at the age of 74. It is difficult to date Herzog’s paintings with precision. He sometimes worked directly from nature, but also recalled scenes years later to create landscape paintings.

• Dogs & Cats With Antiques

• BBC Site--Antiques and and Road Show Section is a comprehensive site with price guides, collectors guides, etc. There's also information on caring for antiques and collectables that's helpful.

About Julian Onderdonk (1882-1922)

See the Ocala Star-Banner Article.

Known as the "Bluebonnet Painter", Robert Julian Onderdonk was a Texan who spent his summer's in New York City and the remainder of the year in San Antonio. He earned his title from the many wildflower paintings he did of the flowering fields near his hometown.

Julian Onderdonk, was best known for his impressionist landscapes and bluebonnet paintings and showed a remarkable talent from his infancy. He received his early training form his father, Robert Jenkins Onderdonk and at the age of seventeen he moved to New York and studied at the Art Students League, where he studied landscape painting under William Merritt Chase, Du Mond and Robert Henri, winning recognition and always expressing individuality in his work. Onderdonk married at an early age. Living in New York and sometimes working at his art day and night to support his family.

He returned to San Antonio in 1909 and painted only what he loved and wanted to paint. The bigness of Texas with it's characteristic subjects; Hillsides covered with bluebonnets & dusty roads, which captured the atmospheric conditions of misty mornings in the bluebonnets with the full character of the twisting native oak trees & headwaters of different streams, where he found the colors wonderful in varying lights. These are the subjects Julian Onderdonk loved and longed to put on canvas.

Julain Onderdonk refused to follow his fathers vocation as a teacher, but always gave his time and influence to art interests and activities at the San Antonio Art League.  After returning from New York, He was responsible for the art exhibits for the State Fair at Dallas, collecting and arranging the canvases. Onderdonk's pictures were frequently exhibited at the National Academy in New York, where his Texas scenes were highly praised. The Texas artist Frank Reaugh praised him as one of the best foreground artists of the American School. At the time Onderdonk died, there were five of his canvases at the Howard Young Galleries in New York. His last picture "Dawn in the Hills" was forwarded to the National Academy by his wife shortly after his death. The painting is now part of the permanent collection of the Witte Museum. He was a member of the Salmagundi Club, Allied Artists of America & the San Antonio Art League.  Museums that include Julian Onderdonk's works. 

• Antique Talk's Guide to Western Furniture:  Major Furniture Period and Style Definitions.

• The Care of Antique Furniture, by John W. L. Kitchen MBE, Retired Head of Conservation, Furniture and Woodwork at The Victoria and Albert Museum

About the Highwaymen (Excerpt from Ocala Style Magazine)

"Just how hot are the Highwaymen right now? Plenty hot.

In the forthcoming movie, "Catch Me If You Can" (directed by Steven Speilberg for DreamWorks and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks), selected paintings by Highwaymen artists James Gibson and Sam Newton will set off the bank walls, according to a recent article published in the St. Petersburg Times.

And Universal Studios went with a Johnny Daniels painting for an upcoming movie, says Jean Tyson, owner of Tyson Trading Company in Micanopy.

National Public Radio recently broadcast a Highwaymen piece, and the New York Times -- the ultimate barometer of when a trend has "made it" -- recently ran a feature article in their arts section.

In 2001, the University Press of Florida published the well received The Highwaymen: Florida’s African-American Landscape Painters, and on a smaller scale, These Diamonds, a CD of Florida folk songs released by the Will McLean Foundation, features a painting of a St. Lucie inlet by Al Black on its cover. Margaret Longhill, president of the group said Black donated the painting to the foundation.

And now the Highwaymen are at the Appleton Museum of Art, gracing the same walls that not too long ago hosted Monet, Picasso, and Degas. Yes, the Highwaymen have finally arrived."

Excerpt from "About The Highwaymen Painters." From: Mallory McCane O'Connor, author of Lost Cities of the Ancient Southeast.

"The Highwaymen introduces a group of young black artists who painted their way out of despair awaiting them in citrus groves and packing houses of 1950s Florida. As their story recaptures the imagination of Floridians and their paintings fetch ever-escalating prices, the legacy of their freshly conceived landscapes exerts a new and powerful influence on the popular conception of the Sunshine State.

While the value of Highwaymen paintings has soared in recent years, until now no authoritative account of the lives and work of these black Florida artists has existed. Emerging in the late 1950s, the Highwaymen created idyllic, quickly realized images of the Florida dream and peddled some 100,000 of them from the trunks of their cars."

James Gibson, still a "Highwayman" painter, presenting Governor Bush with a painting of a Royal Poinciana. Also known as the Flame Tree, the Royal Poinciana is one of Floridians' favorite trees; it has become a trademark painting for the Highwaymen.  Highwaymen Paintings by Gibson Exhibit is scheduled for February 2003 through May 2003 for the Governor's Gallery exhibition.

Highly Collectable Highwaymen Painters Include:

• Curtis Arnett

• Hezekiah Baker

• Al Black

• George Buckner

• Ellis Buckner

• Robert Butler

• Mary Alice Carrol

• J. "Hook" Daniels

• Fox (first name unknown)

• James Gibson

• Alfred Hair, aka "A. Hare" and "A. Hir"

• Israel Knight

• Lewis McDaniel

• R. A. McClendon

• Harold Newton

• L. Newton

• Sam Newton

• Livingston Roberts, aka "Castro"

• Charles Walker

Partial List courtesy of Jim Fitch, Kissimmee Gallery, 13300 U.S. 98, Sebring, FL 33870

The following is a list of "Highwaymen" artists that were inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame on March 24, 2004--from Floridahighwaymen.com

C. Arnett
H. Baker
A. Black
E. Buckner*
G. Buckner *
R. Butler
M. A. Carroll
J. Daniels
W. Daniels
R. Demps
J. Gibson
A. Hair *
I. Knight
R. L. Lewis
J. Maynor
R. A. McLendon
A. Moran *
H. Newton *
L. Newton
S. Newton
L. Roberts *
W. Reagan
C. Smith
C. Walker
S.M. Wells
C. Wheeler

* = deceased

Short Article: Antique toys as an investment.  Check out this antique toy glossary to brush up on your toy lingo.

Here's help in identifying toy molds with a list of companies that manufactured and/or sold metal molds in the US. If you have the boxes your antique toy trucks came in, you can use bar code and ZIP Codes. Here is how: 5 digit ZIP codes were first implemented by the US Post Office in 1963. In 1983 the Post Office implemented ZIP + 4. So if your antique toy trucks have a ZIP code of 5 digits, it dates between 1963 and 1983. If it has a 5 digit code followed by a 4 digit code, it dates from 1983 or later. 

New abbreviations for states became prominent around 1963. Between 1943 and 1963, the largest U.S. cities used "postal zones." These postal zones can date major centers, such as Houston, as being in that twenty year period (1943 to 1963). If your antique toy trucks have a postal zone number following the state in the address, it dates between 1943 and 1963. 

If your antique toy trucks have boxes, the bar code method of pricing began use in mass commercial applications around 1975. So if your antique toy trucks boxes have bar codes on them, figure a date after 1974 and most likely after 1981. 

If your antique toy trucks were made in Japan or China here is some more information: Antique Toy Trucks marked "Made in Occupied Japan" date from the U.S. Army's years of occupation after World War II, being 1945 - 1952. More rare are antique toy trucks marked "made in Nippon". These was made in Japan between 1891 and 1921. If marked "made in Japan" it's after 1921. 

Toys marked "Made in China" or "Made in the Peoples Republic of China" most commonly date after the U.S. and China Trade Agreement of 1979. From:  Antique-Antiques.Com.

• Antiques Roadshow summer 2004 tour destinations include stops in: St. Paul, Minnesota (June 26); Omaha, Nebraska (July 10); Memphis, Tennessee (July 31), Reno, Nevada (August 14), and Portland, Oregon (August 21). These shows will be broadcast in 2005.

• All About Cloisonné --"The making of Cloisonné involves quite elaborate and complicated processes: base-hammering, soldering, enamel-filling, enamel firing, polishing and gilding..."

• Did you know that a Mennonite quilt with double nine-patch design from the late 1930s recently sold for $5,290? 

• Great Old Cars--Classical information, photos, great tips and guidelines.

• Antique Automobile Club of America is dedicated to perpetuating the memories of early automobiles by encouraging their history, collection and use.

• Classic Car.Com--Where Car Lovers Meet--Keep up on the latest information on and what's new around the web with Classic Cars.

• How Bronze Sculpture is Made:  A Step-by-Step Look on What it Takes to Cast a Piece of Bronze Sculpture.

• Check out Savage & Polite's Antique Clocks--Identification and Price Guide.  This is one of the best sites for resources on history, hallmarks, patent numbers, clockmakers, an illustrated/searchable clock photo glossary, and more.

• High-caliber and highly collectible toys, doorstops, banks and dolls comprised a recent sale at Bertoia's. A cast-iron Four Seat Brake, circa 1800, (Above) by Pratt & Letchworth, went to a West Coast Internet bidder for $22,000. Read More...

2003 Auction Themes

• List of National Depression Glass Clubs by State

• The Antiquarian Book Sellers Association of America--Site has lots of good information on rare and antique books and collection lingo.

• Antique Cloth Doll Site--Has lots of excellent photos of all types of cloth and antique models.

• Neophyte Doll Collectors' Glossary--Are you new to antique and vintage (pre-1960's) doll collecting? Here are some of the buzz words and definitions to help you get started.

•  "Rustic Accessories the New Buzz in Home Decor." Decorating with rustic antiques, collectables or primitives? Why not hybernate for the winter in style.

•  Overview of Scrimshaw:  The Whaler's Art by The New Bedford Whaling Museum--Really great short article about you what you need to know about this fascinating art form  See the About Artist George Twok Aden Ahgupuk website maintained by Ahgupuk's grandchildren and family. 

• Antiques and the Internet by Ian Langmann, Vancouver Sun --"The art and antiques trade has traditionally been, and probably always will be, a hands-on and personal business."

• Internet Auctions:  Bargain Hunters Beware! by the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office.--"There are bargains to be had on Internet auctions sites but deal hunters should also beware of scam artists and fraud when surfing what has been described as some as a world-wide garage sale."

• Proceed with Caution on the Information Superhighway by Jennifer DuMont, Elburn Herald.-- "Of all Internet fraud reported, 87 percent of Internet fraud comes from online auctions."

• Beware of Scams in Online Auctions by Capt. Douglas W. Chicka, Hilltop Times.  A great outline of common scams, schemes, fraud tactics, lingo, and ways to protect yourself.

• How to Clean Toy Trains by Terry Gibbs.  An avid collector gives tips on cleaning and caring for your new and antique trains.

• Some people collect the oddest things! And there are odd names for the art of collecting things. See if you can guess what these are. Click on the name to find out more. (Click on "Back" to return here) Scripophily, Numismatics, Philately,  Breweriana (too easy) 

• A Brief History of Flow Blue China

• A Brief History of Moorcroft English

• Pottery from Antiquecollector, UK

• A History of Pairpoint Glass

• Rene Lalique produced produced beautiful glass from the 1890's to the 1940's in an Art Nouveau and later in Art Deco style. Lalique's creations are "highly collected" by all levels of collectors and Rene Lalique glass has been exhibited in numerous museums all over the world.  Brief bio of Rene Lalique.

• Wanna hear an early Edison recording?  You'll need a free media player to cut a rug.  Click on WAV icon below.  From 1897, the Liberty Bell March by the Edison Concert Band (89k) For more sounds of the Early 20th century go here.

• Furniture Timeline–Presented by the Maltwood Art Museum & Gallery at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, this timeline of styles from the 16th through 20th centuries.

2002 Auction Themes

• "Yellow ware: A Brief Article on Today's Hottest Collectable" from Suite 101.

• See "A Brief History of English Flow Blue China" with interesting photos.

• Read About "Wakefield Wicker" from the Wakefield Wicker Historical Society.

• See "About Heisey Glass" compliments of the National Heisey Glass Museum in Newark, Ohio, and "Hopelessly Devoted to Heisey."

• Here's a good article in Country Living online that gives quite a bit of insight.

• Good Article:  "Antique Wear and Tear," by Michael Donahue, Scripps Howard News Service, Home & Garden TV.

• The Care and Cleaning of Cut Glass from the Hobstar Magazine.

• Article on "American Brilliant Period Cut Glass, 1876 – 1917" from the American Cut Glass Association, Inc.'s website which has a complimentary  matching service for members.

• Short Article: Antique toys as an investment.  Check out this Antique Toy Glossary to brush up on your toy lingo. Here's help in identifying toy molds with a list of companies that manufactured and/or sold metal molds in the US

• Roseville Identification & More-- Compliments of the Wisconsin Pottery Association.

• The History of the Edison Cylinder Phonograph--The phonograph was developed as a result of Thomas Edison's work on two other inventions - the telegraph and the telephone. (from, HowStuffWorks.Com)

• Gustav Stickley (1858-1942) achieved success as the leader of the Arts & Crafts Movement in America... Read more about Stickley.

• Cleaning and Restoring Buttons--Examples of types of button materials and how to clean and store. 

• Seth Thomas is well known for their “Adamantine” black mantel clocks, which were made starting in 1882.  Here's some history. 

• Tips on Cleaning Oil Paintings

• Are you new to antique and vintage (pre-1960s) doll collecting?  Don't be lost--here are all the buzz-words and definitions you'll need to talk like a pro! 

• The Famed 1933 Double Eagle Brings $7.6 Million at Auction:  Making it the Most Valuable Coin in the World. -- Sotheby's Press Release

• Fast Fact:  The original Winchester Model "94" lever action, introduced  in "1894," was called "The Gun that Won the West."  Its design and effectiveness is so superior that it remains one of the most popular  rifles in world history. 

Did You Know?

Did you know that King James II took the drastic measure of banning golf  in 1457? He feared regular golfing would interfere with archery skills, the main form of warfare at the time. Obviously, THAT didn't work. Here's a brief article about collecting golf antiques and memorabilia.

One of the entertaining aspects of antiquing and collecting is reading real life stories of treasure hunting in dusty attics, the deals and steals, the rare finds, and the little and BIG "boo-boos" often learned the hard way!  -- Antiques Road Show Website

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