CLOWNS!

All the world loves a clown they say. And clown collectibles are pretty amusing and adorable too.

Clown collectibles range from antique toys and classic cookie jars, to colorful head vases, novelty baking pans, and even postcards. Of course many of them also have a long-standing association with the circus world.

The history of clowns can be traced back to antiquity, but our modern concept of clowns started with clown-like characters who entertained in England during the middle of the 18th century and were eventually given starring roles in the Royal Circus of the 1780s.

Do you collect clowns? Stop by our little shop on the Avenue to see what we have...the cute threesome above are still available!

Collecting Old Glass

Collectors throughout the world appreciate the unique features of glass cups and saucers, not only because of their place in history, but because they offer such a diversity in style, shape and decoration. Glass collecting in the United States is one of the most popular fields of collecting. Various collector clubs are scattered throughout the country. Antique glass shows and auctions take place all year round.

Glass cups and saucers are easy to care for and store, but use a bit of caution. A glass cup not only will shatter when it is dropped, but when it is exposed to sudden changes in temperature. Never wash glassware until it reaches room temperature. It is best not to put your art glass cup and saucer in the dishwasher as the temperatures are too severe and the water pressure too great. A gentle hand washing is the best method of cleaning.

Also, take care when buying an art glass cup and saucer. Examine both pieces carefully. Check the handle as it’s very vulnerable. Glass can be repaired quite reasonably. Edges with chips can be ground. The value is lower, but not significantly. Unfortunately, there are many glass reproductions on the market today.

Is it Silverplate or Sterling?

Verifying the precious metal content of silver flatware is crucial to determining its value. It can be fairly difficult to tell if silver flatware is real silver for several reasons.

Many manufacturers market silverplated flatware. Silverplate is coated with a thin layer of silver to create the appearance of sterling silver and is popular as an inexpensive substitute. Still other flatware is made from stainless steel fashioned to look like silver.

One more point: real silver flatware is normally sterling, not pure silver. Pure silver is soft and won't stand up under heavy use. Sterling is an alloy of 92.5 percent silver plus another metal (usually copper) that is hard and durable. When people refer to "real" silver flatware, they mean sterling silver.

Brass Cleaning Hints

If your brass is simply dirty, then cleaning using nothing more than soapy hot water and a child’s toothbrush is recommended, this can be used very gently even on those pieces that have fine etchings and decoration. If the piece is only lightly tarnished, then a silver polishing cloth can be used to remove the tarnish. If however there is severe tarnishing then a brass and copper polish should be used to gently remove the tarnish and restore the original beauty.

Whenever you are cleaning brassware it is essential that you dry the piece thoroughly after washing, making sure that great care is taken to remove any cleaning materials that you have used. Residue from cleaning materials can cause pitting of the brass and this should be avoided at all costs as it distracts from the beauty of the antique.

When done correctly a piece of cleaned brass won’t need touching again for several years if it is handled correctly, you should avoid touching the actual item and instead use a cloth to hold and the place the item into place, touching it will only start the tarnishing process over again. The only thing you should need to do on a regular basis is to give the piece a quick dust over to ensure that its shine remains.

Provenance - Such a big word!

Provenance, a word that describes the history of a piece, is important in determining the value of an antique. Provenance refers to an object's history, or who owned it, when and where. Many valuable antiques have oral stories that are handed down through families but without precise documentation of a story, they do not add significant value.

So write down what you know about those family heirlooms! Tell the story that your grandpa told, with as many dates and other information that you can. Future generations will thank you for it!