When decorating a home, the type of decor that a family or individual chooses is an intense reflection upon them, their style, and values. For that reason, many people spend hundreds of hours and thousands of...
Carvings are pieces of art that are made by removing some of the raw materials, usually with a knife or chisel, from a solid piece of wood, stone, or other medium, to create a shape or image. An authentic...
Many dealers do not know the difference between ivory and bone and therefore mistakenly list bone or resin items as "ivory". Bone has dots and dashes instead of the cross-hatching or wood-like grains of...
I wrote a guide on buying jade on line and feel i should also write one on coral and turquoise items being sold as well. Having 30+ years in the antique and estate jewelry business, especially in the area of...
WHAT IS SOAPSTONE? Although Soapstone comes from all over the world, it is primarily derived from Brazil, China, and India. Some Soapstone comes from Australia, Canada, and Germany as well. Each area has its...
THERE ARE ONLY A VERY FEW TYPES OF GENUINE IVORY THEY INCLUDE but are not limited to the most popular and noteworthy items in any collection.The balance of carved organic items include most bone , Magnesium...
One often will see listings for Northwest Native carvings made of wood or stone, bearing the name "Amos Wallace" and "Griffins Alaska." Are these native-made stone or wood carvings? No. All items marked...
Buying antique jade on eBay, especially those pieces coming from China is a losing proposition if you want real antique jade. The majority of what is being sold out of China is in fact, modern and, in many...
What are Zuni fetishes? Zuni fetishes, known to the Shiwi people as "wemawe", are small stone animal carvings that are made by the talented artisans of Zuni Pueblo. Zuni Pueblo is located in the northwest...
These sculptures are often listed on ebay as soapstone carvings; Inuit, Native or Canadian. They are actually cast items, made of a plaster-like compound with a top-coat to give gloss and hardness. Usually...
