Table of contents for February 1, 2023 in Kovels Antique Trader

DENVER, Pa. - Just when Star Wars collectors thought they had seen it all, along comes The Morphy Find. That's the name that has been given to a recently unveiled trove of rare, high-condition Star Wars toys that sat undisturbed in original Kenner shipping cartons, largely forgotten, since the 1970s and 1980s. The collection of more than 400 Star Wars action figures still in the original Kenner factory shipping boxes surfaced as most discoveries do - unexpectedly. Its pristine contents had been stored in a closet, out of sight and out of mind, by an Illinois gentleman who is a collector of antique coin-op machines. The collection, an absolutely fresh-to-the-market early Star Wars will be auctioned by Morphy Auctions on Wednesday, February 1. The session is enhanced by 148 select…

Nearing the end of the 19th century, urban homes in the United States were introduced to electricity on a large scale. This was an illuminating development for decorative lamps, which not only provided light but became a focal point for rooms in homes of the upper class. This convergence of modernization and art - as well as an influx of wealth during the Gilded Age - played a critical role in the emergence of the most prominent name in decorative lighting: Tiffany Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933) established himself as the dominant figure in decorative lighting history, combining artistic talent, innovation and the fortuitous access to wealthy clientele who would embrace not only an emerging technology but his formidable artistic talents. The son of Charles Lewis Tiffany, the founder of Tiffany…

CALIFORNIA Every first Sunday of the month, Alameda. Alameda Point Antiques Faire, 3900 Maine St., Alameda, CA. The Alameda Point Antiques Faire is the largest antiques show in Northern California, boasting 800 dealer booths. All items 20 years old or older. For more info, visit alamedapointantiquesfaire.com Every first Sunday of the month through May, Palm Springs. Palm Springs Vintage Market, PS Cultural Center at the Camelot Theater, 2300 E Baristo Rd, Palm Springs. For more info, visit palmspringsvintagemarket.com. Every second Sunday of the month, Pasadena. World's largest flea market at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena. More than over 2 million items offered for sale by more than 2,500 vendors. Shop for rare and unusual, vintage collectibles, antiques, new items, arts and crafts and second-hand items. SH: early birds, 5-9am; regular admission:…

Squeezed in the icy grip of winter, who among us hasn't fantasized about getting away from it all? This circa 1938 travel poster, one of the most iconic and desirable of all the early Pan Am flying boat posters, certainly offers a reprieve. The image of the Boeing 314 Flying Clipper landing in a tropical lagoon still captures the imagination of travelers. The location on the poster is an imaginary composite of several renowned bays throughout the South Pacific. Artist Paul George Lawler likely worked from photographs to create a fantasy location. The poster sold at a recent Swann Auction Galleries event for $40,000 against an estimate of $8,000-$12,000.…

Fine cut glass has been a stalwart of the antiques and collectibles field seemingly forever. The point was made crystal clear throughout 2022 with four major cut glass sales at Woody Auctions, Douglass, Kansas, highlighting the popularity of this timeless collectible. “Cut glass auctions are always a thing of beauty, and when longtime collections come together and are combined, the splendor can be overwhelming,” said Jason Woody, a co-owner of Woody Auction and a third-generation auctioneer. A selection of pieces from Woody follows.…

Annie Leibovitz is one of America's most famous portrait photographers. Her iconic pictures of celebrities first appeared in Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair in the 1970s and by the 1990s were the subject of museum exhibitions worldwide. During her massively influential career, Leibovitz has photographed John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Queen Elizabeth II, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Whoopi Goldberg, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Meryl Streep, Mikhail Baryshnikov and a host of other stars. In 1978, she photographed Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi at the height of their comedic powers. In a brilliantly conceived bit, Belushi and Aykroyd performed as the lead vocalist and harpist/vocalist, respectively, fronting The Blues Brothers Band, which was composed of renowned musicians. The band made its debut as the musical guest on the April 22, 1978, episode…

My wife is amazingly organized. I am not. When we started dating, she mentioned she had her car maintenance schedule on an Excel spreadsheet so she could better track such things as oil changes, tire rotations and windshield wiper replacements. I thought she was joking. She wasn't. Sheepishly, I told her that I once pulled into a gas station and asked the attendant - remember those guys? - to fill ‘er up and check the oil. He did. Only thing is, he didn't find any oil. He emerged from under the hood with a dry dipstick in his hand. There was nothing to wipe clean. Then he glared at the dipstick behind the wheel. How many miles I had driven without any measurable oil in my car, I didn't know.…

How do you stay excited about a hobby year after year? Learn something new! When it comes to jewelry, I never feel like I've seen it all and discover new things that interest me continually. This includes jewelry on the newer side of the collecting spectrum. Like many of my jewelry collecting friends, I tend to buy vintage pieces or jewelry crafted by artisans rather than scouring racks in traditional stores. A downfall of this procurement method is that I sometimes miss great things when they're becoming trendy. One of the brands I discovered long after it was already being sold at retail is Maximal Art. I first found the vintage-inspired, romantic elements used in Maximal Art designs to be intriguing, and then noted some features that fervently appealed to…