How to spot fakes and antique restoration with black light

Unfortunately, although most antique dealers and collectors are honest, you always have to keep an eye out for fakes, reproductions and antique restoration when buying. As time has passed, the forgeries have gotten better and better while many of our eyes of gotten worse and worse. Aside from using only REPUTABLE DEALERS AND AUCTIONEERS, your best bet is to familiarize yourself with a black light and a few basic techniques to detect any potential problems. The Ultra Violet or “UV” light that is ...

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Roly Poly Tin History and Guide

Roly Poly Tins (The Little Round People) One of the most novel and among the most collectable of all tobacco tins is a series of six little people known to collectors and “Roly Polys”. Each of these little characters is 7 inches tall, by 6 inches in diameter at the widest point. Each is multicolored and carefully lithographed. They were manufactured by combining 3 pieces of metal, two of which were seamed at the beltline to form the body, and a separate piece which formed the head which lifts ...

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Antique Country Store

The formation of the antique country store began soon after the American Civil War, people started moving around and settling their own small communities all over the country. Most of these settlements were far away from the big cities. So each small town needed a doctors office, and maybe a dentist, a blacksmith, a veterinarian, and of course food and drinking establishments. But, also arose a need for people supplies. Small general stores sprang up everywhere. The store was a place that anybod...

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