Collecting

The production of Pfaltzgraff stoneware began in 1811 by George Pfaltzgraff, a German immigrant who settled in York, Pennsylvania. He began making salt-glazed jugs and crocks for food storage and...

Collecting antique beds is something that might not appeal to some, as they simply don't have enough room in their home to display the beds properly. Others like collecting the beds because such...

If you have just inherited a set of vintage dishware from your grandmother or found some beautiful dishes at a flea market, you may be interested in finding out more about them. Many older china...

Wedgwood is a well-respected ceramics firm in England that had its origins with Josiah Wedgwood in 1759. In 1987, Wedgwood merged with Waterford Crystal, becoming Waterford Wedgwood, but the...

To identify antique silver, collectors and enthusiasts examine and research their pieces to determine date, style, maker, and country of origin. Ease of identification depends largely on the...

Lefton china dates back to 1939 when a Hungarian immigrant arrived in Chicago and began importing china from Japan into the United States. Following World War II, this porcelain became even more...

Sevres porcelain was originally created during the early- to mid-part of the 18th century when a man began making pieces that mimicked the look of Saxon pieces. These pieces were popular because...

Enamelware dates back to the 1870s when it was sold in catalogs and offered for sale in certain types of shops. These pieces were used frequently because they were more lightweight and came in...

Wedgwood is one the leading producers of fine china and the company has existed in different forms since the 18th century. Today the company is well-known for bone china, which is a popular choice...

Kitchen glassware is an all-encompassing term given to any type of glass pieces used in the kitchen. If you're new to the world of collecting, you might feel confused with terms like "vasoline...

Antique hand painted Nippon China is both beautiful and fun to collect. When Japan (Nippon) opened its borders to trade with the West, in the mid 1800’s, they began producing china for export to...

Cast iron was once used in the manufacturing of everything from pans to doorstops and antique toys made from cast iron are highly collectible. The value of these toys depends on the condition of...

Ironstone, or stoneware, is made of porcelain and iron slag and was first patented in 1813 by Charles James Mason of Staffordrshire, England. Its durability and attractiveness are what made it so...

The name "Tiffany" is commonly used to refer to any lamp with a stained-glass shade, but don't be fooled. True Tiffany lamps were designed and manufactured by Louis Comfort Tiffany from 1892 until...

Rookwood Pottery, founded in 1880, produced fine-art tiles, vases, plaques and other items. The company employed its own artists who hand-decorated pieces with distinctive designs and colorful glazes.

Many times china dishes and other pieces get broken or misplaced leaving a collection incomplete. Discontinued china pieces from sets or pattern collections may be hard to find, but there are many...

Fostoria Glass Co. created elegant, brightly colored glassware, sometimes referred to as "Depression glass." These beautiful heirlooms continue to delight their owners, and collecting the elusive...

Limoges china is widely regarded as among the finest in the world. Prized for its delicate beauty and superior craftsmanship, Limoges pieces are treasured by antique collectors.

So you've inherited a crate full of Grandma Victoria's dinnerware, but you haven't a clue whether it's Wedgewood or Spode, Royal Doulton or Beleek. Time to put on your detective cap and do a...

People young and old have collected artistic crafts of earlier eras for many years. Hull pottery pieces are prized and displayed in homes around the world. This style of pottery has a distinctive...

Tiffany lamps are stained glass lamps created by Tiffany Studios that are highly sought after on the collectibles market. A large number of reproductions are on the market, which can be difficult...

Mexican pottery is a diverse kind of collection, with different sizes and shapes, colors and artwork. Whether someone has given you a gift of pottery or the beautiful bold colors have caught your...

McDonald’s announced that this year’s Monopoly game will start on October 6th and end on November 2nd. Each bag has a free promotion code, all the bags have the same code so don't get...

Antiques are generally considered to be over one hundred years old. There are a lot of pieces out there that are not a hundred years old, but are still very nice. Reproductions can be expensive...

Murano glass bowls are among the treasures of Italian craftsmanship. Produced on the Venetian island of Murano, they are known the world over for the originality of their design. Often brilliantly...

Playful and innocent, Hummel figurines are a favorite with collectors. Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel began producing whimsical drawings of country children in 1930s Germany. These pictures became...

Many beautiful pieces of extremely rare paper currency fill individual collections throughout the world. The value of these collections, and the individual notes themselves, varies. The most...

Murano glass is known for its high quality and imaginative design. The island of Murano, in Venice, has been home to glassmakers since the Middle Ages. It was glassmakers from Murano who carried...

In a world of air conditioning, few among us need to protect our papers from the wind. Yet not so long ago, hot summer days meant open windows--and a good gust can easily upset loose papers....

Chalkware is a type of pottery art made from gypsum plaster. The art of making chalkware pieces has been around for centuries and continues today. Artisans mold and paint fine details on each...

Chippendale is one of the most famous names in antique furniture. Based on the designs of English cabinetmaker Thomas Chippendale, this particular style set the tone for much 18th century British...

Carlton Ware began as a partnership between the Robinson brothers and J.F. Wiltshaw in Stoke-on-Trent, England. They were determined to create colorful and functional pottery pieces with a high...

Ever since the first discoveries of glass beads were uncovered in 2450 B.C., people have continued to work with this material to produce decorative glass. You can find these works of art in...

Fenton glass is a type of handmade colored glass. The glass is turned into striking art pieces and functional home decor, such as vases, lamps and candy dishes. Fenton glass is collectible, but...

Just as there are distinct schools and styles of fine china, there are distinct styles of stoneware pottery. Unikat pottery, made in Boleslawiec, Poland, is a superb quality, high-fired stoneware...

Defining milk glass is easy; it's deciding which pieces to collect that becomes perplexing. For many people, milk glass brings happy memories of Grandma's house, or perhaps of the covered hen dish...

Pottery and/or antique collectors who want to expand their interest should consider starting a collection of Red Wing Salt Glaze Pottery. Manufactured in the earliest days of Red Wing Potteries,...

Frankoma was first produced in 1933 by John Frank, a university ceramics professor and pottery designer, who left teaching to produce pottery full time. After a fire destroyed the company kilns in...

Glassware, ranging from the practical to the decorative, is highly collectible. A number of factors play into determining the value of glassware, including maker information, period of...

A gun case is used to both store and display a sportsman or collector's guns. The gun case can be made with glass windowpanes, for display purposes, or solid wood, for safekeeping. You can also...

Identifying a piece of glass as white used to be the best way to categorize milk glass. However, not all white glass is milk glass. The term now applies to colors with an underlying milky or...

Goofus glass is a funny name referring to a pressed-glass product manufactured during the early part of the 1900s. It was made and sold cheaply, used for carnival prizes, business promotions and...

Finding affordable signed vintage jewelry requires some diligence and hard work. It isn't that it isn't available many places, but you need to know what you're looking for and realize that many...

Goofus glass is decorative glassware produced in the early 19th century that was sold very cheaply or used as carnival prizes or for promotional giveaways. It predates carnival glass, but it was...

The Fostoria Glass Company produced the American pattern from 1915 until 1986. Its raised pyramid design is the most commercially successful pattern ever produced, according to Ann Kerr, author of...

There are generally two ways to take apart a pocket watch. Most likely your pocket watch has screws in the back. Sometimes, pocket watches just snap together, but it is uncommon. Whether you...

Collecting designer jewelry can be fun and profitable. Some of it pulls in an astounding amount of money on the secondary market. That is somewhat attributable to the designer's name, but it also...

If you have vintage guns you want to display, a wooden display case is a great way to do it. Building your own as opposed to buying one can save you money, and making one is quite simple. Only a...

A collectible soccer ball can be displayed, protected and preserved with a special case for it. If you are skilled at cutting hard plastic and don't want to spend money on an expensive commercial...

Buying antique Stanley tools in itself is an art. It requires some amount of identification skills to know which ones are authentic historical pieces. You will get better at it as you learn...