I was browsing an antiques store near the Jersey Shore when this book cover caught my attention: “The Shocking Secret (The Content Assignment),” by Holly Roth. Looking at the cover, the drama is hyped up: this woman is tied to a chair, her head thrown back … is she in pain? Struggling to break lose … Read more
I was browsing Shore Antiques in Allenhurst, NJ, when I spotted this ususual painting. The first question is: why is there a painted ceramic out in the middle of a landscape? How did it end up near some rocks and a small body of water? And why did a real bird set up a nest … Read more
I’m heading out to Santa Fe next week on some family business, and I have to admit, something I saw during my last visit 3 years ago popped into my mind recently: retablos. I was at an antiques and home furnishings store in Santa Fe in the fall of 2022, and remember happening upon these … Read more
I was in Lambertville, NJ over the weekend, exploring some of the antique stores, art galleries and book stores. When I was in one of the antique stores (it was either “A Touch of the Past” or “The People’s Store,” I don’t recall which one), I saw this unusual piece tucked away on a shelf … Read more
I was driving up to Rhode Island for the Newport Jazz Festival, and got off the highway to get some lunch near Clinton, Connecticut. But before I got a bite to eat, I found my attention pulled into the parking lot of the Key to the Past Antique Center. There were a lot of interesting … Read more
I saw these two wooden carved figures on a shelf at the Rhinebeck Antique Emporium, and found them interesting. A look at the accompanying tag had them labeled as “19th Century carved Punch + Juds puppets,” and not knowing what that meant, did a search for “Punch and Juds.” It would seem either poor handwriting … Read more
Let me start my story with an explanation of where I was: exploring Ellenville, NY, at the recommendation of a friend who moved to nearby Wurtsboro and was giving me suggestions on interesting Catskills-area towns. I was walking around New York State Route 52 in the middle of town (as seen below), and was checking … Read more
As I was exploring Hastings-on-Hudson over the weekend, I saw this colorful desk in the store window at “Suburban Renewal,” an antiques store on Main Street. It’s clearly sized for little kids, and the Mondrian design and color scheme seems perfect to inspire young artists, don’t you think? My kids are grown now, so I … Read more
I decided to take a day trip down to Lambertville, NJ today – I was last there in 2014, and thought it would be fun to visit again. My memories of it were a nice location along the Delaware River on the edge of New Jersey across from New Hope, Pennsylvania, and a charming town … Read more