Historic Magrath Mansion Open House
There are so many events going on over the next few weeks that celebrate our country’s 150th birthday that it’s very hard to fit even a small number of them […]
Why the Huge Difference in Values between Two Teacups?
A reader recently contacted me with a photograph of a gorgeous tea cup that she owns. (Unfortunately I did not save her photo because I hadn’t planned on writing a […]
Arts and Crafts Furniture- A Great Compromise
There are many reasons for partners, married or not, to disagree, but what kind of furniture to have in one’s home doesn’t have to be one of them. Since I […]
To Restore or Renovate – That is the question
Why did you choose to live in your current home? What was there about the house that made you realize that this was the right place for you? Beyond its […]
Furniture Grime versus Patina
What exactly is patina? This is a question I get asked fairly often when I do talks about antiques. I have to answer honestly and tell the person that patina […]
5 Steps to Cleaning Grimy Antique Furniture
Years ago a client of mine purchased a dining room suite at an auction. It had seen better days to be sure and she was understandably concerned about the high […]
10 Things You Should Know about Selling your Antiques on Consignment
There comes a time in every one’s life that it is necessary to sell belongings – your own or someone else’s. Garage sales are one way but what if your […]
The Parlour
The Evolution of a Room Is the parlour just another Victorian room that is totally irrelevant to today’s homes? To understand how this room evolved into today’s living room and […]
When is a Marriage not made in Heaven?
Seeing as I deal with antiques, and have never had experience as a marriage counsellor, what I’m talking about today is what is called, in the antiques trade, a “marriage.” […]
Memories of Christmas in an Old House
Time marches on and at some point in one’s life the decision to downsize comes up. This is what we did two Decembers ago and although it was a good […]
An Unusual, Slightly Creepy, Antique
One of the most exciting things about what I do for a part time living is that I never really know what I’m going to find when I go somewhere […]
A Craftsman from Times Past
One of the most common complaints, amongst serious collectors of antiques and people who own heritage homes, is that there are few craftspeople that know about, or even have, the […]
Memories of My Home Town
What do you remember of your childhood hometown? Here’s some memories of mine in Ponteix, Saskatchewan and the heritage buildings that were so important.
When Hardware is Like Jewelry
If you walked into Spec Hardware in Edmonton you’d be forgiven for thinking that you were in a jewelry store. The only difference is that the products are displayed on […]
Antique Expert #6 – What is it?
Antique Expert Tip #6: Do you know what a prie-dieu is? Or a barley twist? Read and find out.
Antique Expert Tip #5 – What is it?
Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to go into an antique shop or antique mall, peruse the objects the dealers have for sale, and not have to wonder about where they come from, how old are they, or how were they used?
Small is Big Business
I have always been fascinated by miniatures. They have always appealed to the kid in me, but of course, being me, the miniatures needed to be or look antique. Make no mistake, however – collecting these small objects is big business.
What’s It Worth Today?
We are living through strange times and there is nothing about the worldwide present situation that hasn’t been said before or better by someone else so let me stick to […]
