Antique Trader March 1, 2022

While searching Devon farmland in southwest England, an amateur metal detectorist unearthed one of the country’s oldest and most valuable gold coins, a discovery that turned out to be worth more than $726,000. The discovered “Henry III gold penny” was minted in about 1257. It is one of only eight such coins known to exist, many of which are in museums. What makes the find even more fun is that Michael Leigh-Mallory didn’t know what he found during his September 2021 excursion until he posted a picture of the coin on Facebook. That’s where Gregory Edmund, a numismatist with London auctioneer Spink & Son, spotted it. “This was one of his first prospecting days in many, many years, so he obviously couldn’t quite believe what he discovered,” Edmund said. The King Henry III…

BRISTOL, Conn. – Excuse Tim Chapulis, owner of Tim’s Auctions, if he’s more than a little giddy these days as he sifts through a treasure trove of antiques and collectibles left behind by a former auctioneer that has sat undisturbed for forty years. The dust and discovery put a smile on Chapulis’ face. “It’s like going under the Christmas tree every day opening up a present,” Chapulis said of poring over a lifetime collection pulled from a twelve-room home with a barn, three-bay garage, basement and attic full of goodies. The collection, with an estimated 1,000 lots, comes to auction at noon, Saturday, February 19, in person at Tim’s Auctions. The event is also open to online bidders on www.Invaluable.com or over the phone at 860-459-0964. Chapulis promises the event will be one…

Steve Little is a longtime subscriber to Antique Trader, so I give him some slack. Besides, 1977 is a long time ago. You can’t expect him to remember everything from back then. What Little does remember, however, is pretty cool viewed through a nostalgia-induced fog that makes the times when we were younger seem quaint and simple. That blessed fog can make everything appear innocent. Only this time it really was. One day in August of 1977 – and yes, Little remembers the month – while living in Indianapolis and paging through a magazine, Little sees an ad from The Laufer Company in Hollywood promising a brush with celebrity. The Laufer Company was founded by Charles Laufer who created a publishing empire out of youth-oriented magazines, highlighted by his signature magazine Tiger Beat. Laufer…

Thinking about Hobé, a brand with French roots that thrived for more than 60 years, I can’t help but remember meeting Don Hobé at a jewelry collector’s event back in the early 2000s. His appearance was striking with dark hair and an “old Hollywood” style pencil thin mustache. His gentlemanly demeanor impressed us throughout the weekend. He was also very flattered that the jewelry marketed by his family garnered so much attention among my collecting friends. Once you’ve started looking at the varied wares sold under the Hobé brand, it’s easy to understand why collectors become enamored with this particular vintage jewelry. This is especially true for the early, intricate sterling silver pieces decorated with colorful stones. But before we delve into the jewelry, a brief review of the company’s history…

Back in 2003, Paula and Harvey met with a business associate in Damarriscotta, Maine. They had been living in the mid-Atlantic region for twenty years. “When we got to Maine, we took a deep breath, looked at each other, and agreed: One day we’d live where the air is clean.” Just a year later, they moved to the Pine Tree State, where the famous bracing breeze refreshed their lungs – and an 18th-century house stole their hearts. Two shared passions came together for them at this house in southern Maine: Paula and Harvey live in environmental and historical mindfulness in a two-and-a-half story center-chimney Georgian. With telescoping ells, it’s a storybook example of New England’s attached farmhouses. It was built in 1742 at the intersection that formed the center of town. As…

A classic Georgian home is square or rectangular, made of brick, and features symmetrical windows, shutters and columns The Georgian style is one of America’s most consistently popular styles. Admired for its symmetrical design, classic proportions, and decorative elements, it was the most dominant architectural trend in the colonies between 1700 and the Revolutionary War. The style utilized many of the hallmarks of Renaissance design, only losing popularity as architectural tastes began to change with the establishment of the United States and the emergence of the American Federal style.…