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 […]
Appraising for Provenance
Occasionally an appraiser is required to appraise an object that belonged to a well known individual, alive or dead. Determining value for said object presents a conundrum for the appraiser on many levels.
What’s in a Rock? Why, a Bear of Course!
For the last six months, since Christmas, I have been obsessively involved in doing renovations at our new place in St. Albert (small city close to Edmonton). Therefor it was […]
The Prairies UnLike You’ve Ever Seen
Every once in a while I’m asked to do something special. In this case I’m talking about a student of mine, Judy Weiss, who chose me as her mentor for […]
Art Week 2019
For the first time in three years, landscape artist Jim Davies has decided to hold another Art Week in one of my favorite places in Alberta – Drumheller. This is […]
When and If You’re an Executor of an Estate
February has been a tough month – not only does the cold weather make me a bit miserable, but I’m also feeling sad because two people that I liked and […]
Due Diligence worth Du-ing
Embarrassing, but it happened – I bought the vase you see above and listened to the dealer wax on about this well known Canadian female potter that created it. […]
In Flanders Field, the Poppies Grow…
One of the most emotional and poignant experiences of our trip to Belgium this June was a guided tour of the town of Ypres, Menin Gate, the Passchendaele Museum and […]
Antique Sale in the Highlands Oct. 27th
Our home, aka the “Bell Residence” in the Highlands of Edmonton, has been sold. Now comes the not-so-much-fun part – moving. I have been collecting antiques for many years. Although […]
1912 Heritage Home for Sale in the Highlands, Edmonton
The Bell Residence, as it is known in historic circles, is for sale. The 1912 house, located in the Highlands community (voted one of the top five communities to live […]
Art Nouveau Style Very Unique
Some styles of decor are so out there that they become associated with only a small segment of society and fizz out of favour quickly. Art Nouveau is such a […]
