Watch papers have long
been neglected by collectors, but now they’re becoming popular.
Originally used as a packing
between the inner and outer case of a watch to protect its works, they
became keepsakes in the mid-18th century.
Read More
Jade,
ivory, horn, and marble should be lightly dusted with a soft brush or
dry, soft cloth. Keep these objects out of direct sunlight, since they
may dry out and become brittle. Always handle these objects with care
when moving them. More Tips
Got a tip you'd like to share? E-mail
me
The
ABC’s of Collecting Online
by Ray Boileau
If
you’re like many collectors today, you’ve already discovered the
Internet, specifically eBay, for buying and perhaps selling antiques and
collectibles–for good or bad.
More Books
I
have a one-armed chair passed down to me and I'm interested in knowing
what it is and what it was used for, besides sitting. It is very
delicate and sits low to the ground, it also only has one arm.
Helen Read more
EARLY TECH AUCTION OFFERS
RARITIES
Cologne, Germany - We
live in an age of technology, so it’s fitting that pieces of early
technology should be high on collector’s lists of most wanted items.
On June 18, Auction Team Köln, the premier specialty auction of
technical items since 1987, headed by Auction Team Breker, held it’s
quarterly Science & Technology, Office Antiques, and Toys and Tin
Toys auctions in Cologne, Germany.
Read
More
An
acanthus is:
a plant or shrub
an ornamental motif
the Greek god of harvest
a finial To see the answer
Instructions
on sending photographs of your pieces.
Updated October 2, 2007
Chocolate table
I
purchased a reproduction "chocolate table" at an antique store
in Savannah, Ga.. I thought it was unique and well suited to a
particular area of my home. I've had it for about two years and am
curious about it's origins. The store said she had never seen an
original, and the ones she had heard about were astronomically
expensive. It is oval, with glass sides framed in wood. It has a door on
each side, with which to gain entrance to the interior. The top has a
removable serving tray. What information can you give me about my little
table?
Tammy Schmidt
What
Tammy has is formally called a chocolate display table. According to Fay
Spencer, one of the owners of Spencer's Antiques of Waynesville, Ohio,
it was also called a tea table. Most have a tray as the top of the
table, which can be removed to serve guests the beverages. These were
popular around the early to mid-19th Century. Spencer also noted that in
the pre-Revolutionary War days it was common to serve hot chocolate
instead of tea, so as not to support the British Government's tax laws.
So that's probably why the term chocolate table and tea table are
interchangeable. Most likely the cabinet had been used to store tea or
hot chocolate related serving items, such as cups and saucers, small
plates for cakes, spoons, etc.
Tammy's
particular model was most likely similar to this one, made in Indonesia
by Furniture World. The one
owned by Spencer Antiques
is a half-round model made of mahogany with beveled glass and priced at
$225.
If anyone knows
anything more about this type of table, please send me an E-mail
with your comments.
If
you’re like many collectors today, you’ve already discovered the
Internet, specifically eBay, for buying and perhaps selling antiques and
collectibles–for good or bad.
I
purchased a reproduction "chocolate table" at an antique store
in Savannah, Ga.. I thought it was unique and well suited to a
particular area of my home. I've had it for about two years and am
curious about it's origins. The store said she had never seen an
original, and the ones she had heard about were astronomically
expensive. It is oval, with glass sides framed in wood. It has a door on
each side, with which to gain entrance to the interior. The top has a
removable serving tray. What information can you give me about my little
table?
What
Tammy has is formally called a chocolate display table. According to Fay
Spencer, one of the owners of Spencer's Antiques of Waynesville, Ohio,
it was also called a tea table. Most have a tray as the top of the
table, which can be removed to serve guests the beverages. These were
popular around the early to mid-19th Century. Spencer also noted that in
the pre-Revolutionary War days it was common to serve hot chocolate
instead of tea, so as not to support the British Government's tax laws.
So that's probably why the term chocolate table and tea table are
interchangeable. Most likely the cabinet had been used to store tea or
hot chocolate related serving items, such as cups and saucers, small
plates for cakes, spoons, etc.