Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2024 i Kovels Antique Trader

DAVENPORT, IOWA — To many viewers, Frank Fritz, the scruffy sidekick and longtime friend of co-host Mike Wolfe, was the secret sauce that made “American Pickers” a hit when it debuted in 2010 on the History Channel. In their white cargo van, Fritz and Wolfe traveled the backroads of America to rummage through garages and old barns for buried-in-dust treasures. Known as the “bearded charmer” for his ability to persuade hesitant sellers on the reality TV show, Fritz died Sept. 30 in his hometown of Davenport, Iowa. He was 60. Through hundreds of episodes and more than 20 seasons together, Fritz and Wolfe shared a passion for the past, especially, in the case of Fritz, old signs and motorcycles. Unlike the more reserved and dignified “Antiques Roadshow,” “American Pickers” mixed…

Born on George Washington's birthday during the American Revolution, artist REMBRANDT PEALE (1778-1860) was destined to create the ultimate portrait of Washington, which he believed would be the “standard likeness” of the nation's first president. Taught to paint by his father, Charles Willson Peale, Rembrandt Peale painted a life portrait of Washington in 1795 at the age of 17, the first of many he would do of the president. Indeed, he supported himself later in his career by making copies of his Washington portraits. He completed at least 79 replicas of his first portrait, Patriae Pater, which in 1832—the centennial of Washington's birth—was purchased for the U.S. Capitol. Peale's portrait of Washington, c. 1846, recently sold for $492,000 at Cottone Auctions. In his work, Peale created a composite image of…

Since ancient times, artists have utilized wood's natural beauty to create decorative objects, furniture, sculptures and other carvings. Wood carving reached its peak during the Renaissance, with artists creating elaborate altarpieces and other religious objects, and while materials like bronze and marble later replaced wood for sculptures, contemporary artists in the American Studio Woodturning movement reintroduced it as a medium, exploring its beauty and unique qualities in new ways. This fine woodworking art was in the spotlight at Rago's “Crafted in Wood: Including Works from the Collection of Ken Spitzbard” auction on July 17, featuring pieces by some of the foremost woodworkers of the 20th and 21st centuries, including William Hunter; Ed, Matt and Philip Moulthrop; J. Paul Fennell; and Hans Weissflog. Many of the pieces set new world records,…

For an artist with such a prominent place in the American pantheon of poster designers, very little biographical information exists about the life of Leslie Ragan (1897-1972). He is best known for his exceptional poster design work for the New York Central Lines railroad. For them, he designed one of the most highly regarded and recognized American train posters, a glorious Art Deco, Machine Age image of The New 20th Century Limited, the Henry Dreyfuss-designed streamlined train, which was the pride of the New York Central fleet. History of Designing for Railways The only brief biography of Ragan's life comes from a 1946 book, “Forty Illustrators and How They Work” by Ernest Watson, Watson Guptil, 1946, and is excerpted below: “The 35-story New York Central building straddles Park Avenue just…

Aventure into any children's literature section of a bookstore will immerse oneself into what appears like a never-ending array of fantasy worlds occupied by the zip zaps of superheroes, the hijinks of inquisitive lead characters, and much more. But among this dizzying selection, customers may spot a thin, small book with a golden spine and instantly return to the soothing memories of their own childhood: Little Golden Books. Since releasing its first collection of twelve titles at the beginning of World War II in 1942, Little Golden Books has served as a children's literature mainstay from Baby Boomers to Generation Alpha. The series is prized for its catchy stories, durable binding and colorful illustrations, and is credited by many as the catalyst for their lifetime passion for reading. Many fans…

from the editor We are hot and heavy into the gift-buying season. And with that in mind, might I suggest something from Hans and Margret Rey. If you know of Hans and Margret Rey, it's probably because you liked to read as a child. It could also mean you have children of your own you like to read to. Or maybe you have grandchildren, books, and a lap with nothing better to do than to be shared with a young one. Or perhaps, like me, you simply like monkeys. Not the scary flying monkeys of The Wizard of Oz fame, but the non-winged, friendly yet mischievous scamps we all wanted as a kid. It's the tail, am I right? The strange thing is, the Reys' most famous monkey, Curious George,…

Collector's Gallery Q: Dear Dr. Cavo: Enclosed are pictures of what appears to be a stoneware storage jar I found in my great aunt's basement. They lived in Byesville, Ohio, in a house my great grandfather built in 1910. They were of French/German descent. I don't have any information regarding the piece. The urn is 18 inches high. The opening is 8 1/2 inches in diameter. It's about 41 inches around just below the handles and 31 1/2 inches around at the base. The interior has no apparent damage or cracks. I've looked around on the web and wondered if it could be Edgefield Pottery. I am interested in what you think it is. Who could have made it? What the markings represent and possible value? Thank you for your…

Comedian and actor Bob Hope (1903–2003) may have ended his nearly 80-year career as something of a cliché, but long before that, he essentially invented modern stand-up comedy and became a Broadway star, had the highest-rated radio and television programs, entertained generations of military personnel with his popular USO tours, and commanded the movie box office for decades. Hope was such a big star, that he even headlined his own comic books. Published by DC Comics, The Adventures of Bob Hope was a mainstay for nearly 20 years, running from 1950 to 1968, and featured 109 issues. These comics are now avidly collected and nearly 20 were offered during Heritage Auctions' “Good Girl Art and Romance Comics Showcase Auction” Oct 3-5. The top lot was The Adventures of Bob Hope…

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio - A giant prototype Marx robot proved to be more than pretty in pink, stealing the spotlight at Milestone's Premier Vintage Toy Auction in October. The more-than-700-lot event realized a robust $861,000. Even those with little knowledge of robots could have taken one look at “Charlene” - the auction's top lot - and recognized that she was something quite special. Uniquely historical and with provenance from the Frank Bartzyel collection, the robot sold for $21,600 against an estimate of $10,000-$15,000. A prototype made by Marx, the 38-inch-tall plastic robot was designed by Harry Evanhoff in 1963 as a “wife” for the legendary toy manufacturer's male robot named Big Loo. Like her hubby, Charlene was designed with a green plastic body and cone-shaped head, but her eye-catching color scheme…

Way back in 1993 when I attended my first event for costume jewelry collectors, I saw designs I could onlv dream about owning at the time. Many of the collectors attending had been enthusiasts for quite some time already, and I was a newbie just discovering the best of the best, after all. One of the names bantered about was de Lillo, and when I saw the jewelry that went with the moniker, it was an eye-popping experience. A few years after that, I ran across a wide de Lillo hinged bangle bracelet at an antique mall near Williamsburg, Va., while taking a sightseeing break. The most amazing part—other than the extremely reasonable price point—is that it was sitting on an end cap display among a bunch of other miscellaneous…