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Compiled
by Bruce Gventer |
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What follows is
a random assortment of art and antiques related websites that
we have visited and enjoyed in the last few weeks. Your
discoveries and suggestions are always welcome. Send them to
bgventer@bcn.net |
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 Something
for Nutting |
http://www.wallacenuttinglibrary.com/
 Recognize
anyone? The Wallace Nutting Library
is trying to identify these
workers for Wallace Nutting
One of Nuttings
chairs.
Author Wallace Nutting produced fine
crafted furniture and hand painted photographs; now he even has his
own collectors club. Wallace Nutting employed as many as two hundred
girls to color his black and white photographs. The workers followed
instructions from Nutting as to which colors to apply. The Wallace
Nutting Library is trying to identify the women Nutting employed as
colorists.
The Wallace Nutting Furniture Company was very proud of its craft
work. Hung in the workshop was a sign saying "Let nothing leave your
hands til you are proud of it."
This site is very well-illustrated with photographs of Nutting's
furniture, photographs, and books. It offers many examples of
Nutting's signature and furniture markings for you to compare. You can
learn much here.
And if that's not enough...
http://www.wallacenutting.com/
An example of an authentic Nutting signature
Here is another site dedicated to Nutting. This one offers a chat
room, event listings, and links to other Nutting sites. This site has
almost 200 pictures by Nutting and offers writings from Nutting's
journals. Many other companies copied Nutting's photographs and sold
them to the public. Some sold the photographs as their own; others
gave Nutting the credit.
Wallace Nutting (1861-1941) attempted to record "that old life in
America, which is rapidly passing away." He published many books on
the subject. Complete book listings can be found on both of these
sites.
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Ask Granny |
http://www.quillantiques.com
 Granny, the sites logo
This is a good, general collectible site that offers articles, tips,
and auction information. The articles are informative and include
these subjects: the world of ANRI, Aunt Jemima, Schroeder's Medalta
(art pottery), Dragonware, Thomas Murphy Companies calendars from Red
Oaks, Iowa, Palmer Cox's Brownies, C.M. Russell (the cowboy artist),
and Punkinhead.
On the site you will find tips such as: "To test if an item is
Bakelite, try rubbing with a cotton swab dipped in a glass cleaner
containing ammonia. Bakelite will stain the swab a bright
orange/yellow color. Be sure to rinse piece afterwards." Or this one:
"If people tape prices, etc. on glass/ceramic items, the residue can
often be removed with peanut butter. Rub on with your finger, remove
with a paper towel and wipe."
Also provided are tips on auctions, along with links to auctions and
other collecting sites. Granny provides a pay for appraisal service
too. Unfortunately, Granny is in the hosptial right now, so this
service is temporarily suspended. Get well soon, Granny.
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Want
to shop and need a guide?
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http://www.acguide.com/
 This site offers listings by shop and specialties. Small
listings are free, but paid ads are accepted as well. The shop locator
provides a geographical shopping guide to antiques and collectibles
shops, malls, centers, co-ops, galleries, and other
antiques/collectibles-related businesses. You can click on an image
map of the United States or choose the state or country you want to go
to.
The specialties cover everything from advertising collectibles to
world's fair collectibles and much in between. You are sure to find
your interest here.
The site provides an events calendar and a link to another site for
collectors called
http://www.whaticollect.com/ This site is set up as a
community for collectors. You can choose the category of collectibles
you want to join, or start your own. The down side to this collectors
site is that it has those annoying pop-up windows.
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Is
it real? |
http://www.antiquesbulletin.com/
 A genuine Staffordshire piece,
sold at Sotheby's
 Genuine
Staffordshire piece, for sale by dealer John Read
The home page offers a choice of
frames or no frames, but only the framed version works right now. A
great site with tons of information, the most interesting of which are
the articles on fakes and forgeries. The articles offer insights into
how to tell whether the item is real or fake. Collectors should find
this very useful.
Another feature of this site is the searchable art prices database.
The search engine has over 16,000 art prices. The prices are gathered
from pieces sold at auction houses and searches can be by artist,
title, or subject.
Other offerings at this site include: searchable auction calendars,
searchable fairs calendars, auction news, dealers news, fairs news,
talking to the trade, a bookstore, auction reports, a buy & sell
antiques section and dealer and fair directories. I think you will
find this site useful for your research.
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