Contemporary Archaeology

Antique gramophone lovers beware of crap-o-phones and franken-phones

Recently on one of our "antiquing" excursions, we came across a wonderful looking "external brass-horn gramophone". To our delight it actually worked! We knew nothing about gramophones. The antique dealer confessed she had never sold one before, it had only been in her shop for about 10 days and declared $350 a "fair" price. My wife cooed about how nice it would be to play her mother's beloved old 78s on a vintage gramophone, so we bought it on the spot. >> [more]
By Cameron Freeman,

Majolica: A Portuguese Palissy Ware Charger

Majolica: A Portuguese Palissy Ware Charger with a central application of a crab surrounded by sea life, F. Mendes, LDA, Portugal, Caldas de Rainha. Diameter 12 inches. >> [more]

Paul Beau Metalwares - Gothic Jardiniere

Paul Beau Gothic Jardiniere in Brass & Copper, 1910-1920 >> [more]

Lingard Pottery: Humpty-Dumpty Teapot

Originally promoting themselves as "The Teapot Specialists of England Since 1867", the small Staffordshire firm of Lingard Webster & Co was founded in 1900 and operated from the Swan Pottery in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent. They were noted for producing everyday tea service products and associated teawares. >> [more]

Royal Doulton Character Jug, The Old Curiosity Shop Pitcher

Dickensware pieces by Royal Doulton were produced, based on the writings of Charles Dickens, from 1911 to the early 1940s. >> [more]

Lion Glass Covered Compote

"Atlanta," or "Frosted" and "Clear Lion's Head," (pictured here) is usually characterized by bull's-eyes and scallops which separate lion's heads located on each of the four corners. Some pieces also have a scalloped top edge, while remianing ones are somooth-rimmed. Exceptions the square sides are the drinking vessels. The pattern was manufactured by the Fostoria Glass Company, Moundsville, West Virginia in 1895. Some pieces also have etching or engraving. This pattern is certainly considered very collectible >> [more]

Victorian Artist, Abraham Solomon

Recently, my wife and I acquired an 1860 London engraving by W.H Simmons, published by Graves & Co. of an oil painting created by Abraham Solomon, entitled "The Lion In Love". My wife and I loved it and immediately bought it for our Victorian parlor. >> [more]

Come into my parlor for afternoon tea and listen to my "authentic" Victor Victrola

As an addendum to my article, "Antique gramophone lovers beware of crap-o-phones and franken-phones", the antique dealer who sold us the machine was shocked to find out it was a crap-o-phone, saying "She had no idea that it was a fake" and promptly refunded our money. >> [more]
By Cameron Freeman,