Table of contents for January 15, 2023 in Kovels Antique Trader

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – It's official! The ancient top, cultural phenomenon Masters of the Universe and the beloved Lite-Brite have been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong National Museum of Play. The honorees were chosen from a field of twelve finalists that also included bingo, Breyer Horses, Catan, Nerf, pinata, Phase 10, Pound Puppies, Rack-O and Spirograph. Since ancient times, the spinning top has been a childhood staple of cultures in Asia, Europe, the Americas and Australia. The toy form has entertained adults, too. (Ancient Greek pottery shows women playing with tops more than 2,000 years ago!) Special eight-sided tops called tee-totums supply the element of chance in board games and similar pastimes. Modern kids play with this classic toy still, calculating the placement, centrifugal force,…

A classic cocktail dress is a garment worn for occasions that typically take place in the early evening. Although its name Stems from “cocktail party,” these dresses are suitable for other events and are generally paired with high heels. Cocktail dresses first rose to prominence in the 1920s and progressed onward, with each era giving its spin to the fashionable and practical attire. For collectors, this leaves many vintage options and contemporary ones if that's more to your taste. Designs vary, but the hemline of most cocktail dresses. falls near the knee or calf; some designs from the 1930s are ankle-length. They have also been made in an array of colors. Common fabrics include silks and satins, which distinguish cocktail dresses from day dresses, typically made of gabardines and wool…

Mazer and Jomaz are both well-known names in the world of costume jewelry, and remarkable examples are found bearing each of these marks. Their histories are intertwined in terms of Joseph Mazer's involvement in both businesses, hut there's more to the story. Learn about how Jomaz came about and some of the fabulous jewelry marketed by the company for more than three decades. JOMAZ HISTORY Joseph Mazer went into business with his brother, Louis, in 1923. Their company produced shoe buckles at first, and then began making costume jewelry later in the decade. Some say that move was made due to the apt urging of Marcel Boucher, who worked as a designer there from 1930 through 1937 before starting his own costume jewelry manufacturing company. Some resources state that the…

“You know, my motto is ‘Excelsior’” said Stan Lee, who created or co-created some of the most important comic book characters of all time. “That's an old word that means ‘upward and onward to greater glory.’ Keep moving forward, and if it's time to go, it's time. Nothing lasts forever.” Well, almost nothing. One gets the feeling that the genius of Lee, who on December 28, 2022, would have turned 100, will last a very long time. Lee, who died November 12,2018, at the age of 95, revolutionized the comic book world in the 1960s and had an even greater impact on the pop culture landscape of today thanks in large part to his superhero creations – Spider-Man, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, the X-Men, Black Panther, the Avengers – redefined…

Mike Wolfe's story is one bound together with arcane tales of the hunt—a quest to locate and rescue some of the most legendary and long-forgotten relics of yesteryear, uncovering motorcycles and bicycles hidden in fields, cellars and rafters that were unknowingly designated as time capsules, their archaic badges and worn rubber waiting to be uncovered and itching to see the light of day—and potentially pavement—once again. Some of these motorcycles, such as the Harley-Davidsons and Indians, are legends among the antique and vintage motorcycle-collector community, existing as hallowed machines that give a reason for the hunt and an excuse for Wolfe to feed his obsession with the lost and obscure. What has evolved from one curious young child roaming the back alleys of Bettendorf, Iowa, into a massive collection of…

Tough economy? Please. In 2022, if you were in the high-end art market then the sky was the limit. Nothing illustrated that better than the staggering sale of paintings and sculptures from the collection of Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen at Christie's New York in November. Fueled by record-breaking masterworks spanning 500 years, the 155-piece collection became the most valuable private collection of all time, totaling more than $1.6 billion. The sale shattered a six-monthold record of $922 million set at Sotheby's for art from Harry and Linda Macklowe, squabbling spouses whose divorce settlement included the sale of their collection. Of the evening sale, Max Carter, Vice Chairman, 20th and 21st Century Art, said, ‘Never before have more than two paintings exceeded $100 million in a single sale, but tonight…

Farewell Elmer's Auto & Toy Museum Known worldwide as an authority and collector of pedal cars, the late Elmer Duellman purchased his first pedal car in 1971 and ultimately amassed one of the world's largest and most encompassing collections of its kind. Elmer and his wife, Bernadette, opened Elmer's Auto & Toy Museum in 1994 in Fountain City, Wisconsin. Elmer died in 2019 and the museum's contents, including 800 pedal cars and 250 bicycles, were auctioned off in September. The Mecum Auction event saw $8.5 million in total sales on a vast array of incredible items. Just like Elmer, the one-of-a-kind museum will be sorely missed.…

YORK, Penn. – The Original 180th Semi-Annual York Antiques Show & Sale swings into action February 3-4 at the York Fairgrounds Convention & Expo Center, Memorial Hall East, 334 Carlisle Ave., York, Pennsylvania. The event features 65 exhibitors selling 18th and 19th century American, English, Primitive and Period furniture and accessories, as well as fine early china and glassware, silver, Chinese Export porcelain, antique toys, Oriental rugs, fine antique jewelry, American and English samplers, textiles, early kitchen and fireplace accessories, and more. Admission is $10. Parking is free. For more information go to www.theoriginalyorkantiquesshow.com or call 717-718-1097 or 302-542-3286.…