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The notion of retrieving a bit of the past-by owning a material piece of it-has always appealed to humans. Often our most prized possessions are those that have had a long history before they came into our hands. Part of the pleasure we gain from the encounter with antiques stems from the palpable age and the assumed (sometimes-imaginary) cultural resonances of the particular object. But precisely what is it about these objects that creates this attraction?...

Spring has sprung a major leak in far-from-serene Serenity, as the Mississippi River drops in for an extended stay. With homes and businesses flooded, how better to help the town recover than by staging a church bazaar? Brandy Borne knows her mother Vivian's plan, however, is more likely to lean toward bizarre, especially when she hears Mother wheedle a reclusive Russian heiress into donating the last Faberge egg ever created! When the winning bidder...

"Brandy Borne and her suspiciously well-informed mother, Vivian, have the winning bid on an abandoned storage unit's "mystery" contents, which they discover includes a vintage cornet. But when they arrive to claim the rest of their loot, the space is empty-except for the recently stowed body of Big Jim Bob, Vivian's tipster-a.k.a. former flame. Only one thing is certain: someone has definitely put the "rage" in storage! Murder turns to mayhem when...

"The votes are in! Eccentric seventy-something Vivian Borne--elected county sheriff, to everyone's amazement but her own--springs into action. In her new role, the community playhouse diva appoints daughter Brandy reluctant deputy and makes their spunky shihtzu Sushi a K-9 unit of one. Soon the amateur-sleuths-turned-pro have a challenging case to solve as a series of creepy crimes plague an ill-fated Edgar Allan Poe festival, where a fiend is misguidedly...

When her "charmingly eccentric" mother Vivian is accused of killing mousy-haired busybody Connie Grimes after they were both involved in a bit of a scuffle, Brandy Borne must find the truth, which immerses her in a scandal involving questionable antiques and dark family secrets.

"When "The Russian Pink" -- a stunningly large rose-hued diamond -- makes a surprise appearance around the neck of Honey Li, the wife of surging presidential candidate Harry Nash, Alex Turner, an investigator for the Treasury Department's diamond division and former C.I.A. agent, finds himself spiraling down a seemingly endless rabbit hole. A diamond like that always carries secrets, but the web of mystery behind "The Pink" is more complex than Alex...

Collecting Japanese Antiques is an excellent overview of the uniquely Japanese aesthetic and how it relates to Japanese culture. From the time Japan started trading with the West in the sixteenth century, Japanese arts and crafts have intrigued and delighted Westerners, especially lacquer, screens, swords and porcelain. Antique hunters will benefit from the practical and cautionary advice in this book; newcomers will appreciate information on the...

Get the inside scoop on every aspect of antiquing - buying, cleaning, repairing, embellishing, refinishing, restoring, and selling. You'll find expert advice for getting great deals at auctions, flea markets, and shops, and you'll learn how to spot items that can be repaired to increase their value. Advice for selling antiques at flea markets, on consignment, and in shops is included.

History, old-style wool blankets, changes brought about by traders, symbolism of design and color, a Navajo weaver at work, more. Emphasis on Navajo. Includes information on the Bayeta blanket, squaw dresses, dyeing, belts, garters, hair braids, imitation blankets, the Chimayó blanket, and reliable dealers. 254 illustrations, 32 in color.

The samurai sword: a symbol of the spirit of old Japan, it embodies the samurai's steel discipline, unswerving devotion and peerless skill. With its creation, a feat of craftsmanship passed down by generations of artisans, the samurai sword is generally considered to be superior even to the famed blades of Western Damascus and Toledo. The Samurai Sword Handbook is a precise exploration of the samurai sword designed for sword collectors as well as...