While the Peridot, with its distinctive green color is most widely associated with the month of August as a birthstone, there are widely and long accepted alternatives.

QUESTION: I have two forks and a teaspoon from the Waldorf-Astoria. I bought them in a secondhand shop fifteen to twenty years ago. I did some research on the Internet and found that Peer Smed designed the pattern and Victor manufactured it. These pieces are in moderately good condition. What is their value? – KH, South Lyon, MI, E-mail Question

Hi ,

Debbie

There are days when nothing goes right. The pictures turn out fuzzy, the listings seem uninspired. Why, you wonder, did I get myself into this?

Want to find out the more information on vintage fashion labels, check out the Label Resource by the Vintage Fashion Guild.

Marla Mallet has beautiful photo of antique and vintage lace along with descriptions of each type of lace displayed on her website, http://MarlaMallet.com . If your interest is in woven fibers then check it out, she specializes in antique flat woven tribal Oriental rugs, kilims, and bags, but also handles tapestries, embroideries and other ethnic textiles.

I bought an antique helmet at auction for $900 plus $90 buyer’s premium. However, $990 is not the total amount of money I have invested.

I first saw the helmet a week before the auction. In my opinion, it was not a reproduction. It was in excellent condition for an iron antique that could be three or four hundred years old. The helmet brought to mind a painting by Rembrandt in which the setter is wearing a similar but much finer-crafted helmet.

It’s July and the holiday season is months away. According to the experts, the online shopping season for e-commerce businesses officially begins in October. However we also know that many veteran shop owners start planning for the winter selling season in early July. In fact, many are planning all year long. Why?

Vintage Lace By Pauline Weston Thomas for Fashion-Era.com describes the different types of vintage lace and gives pictorial examples for many. A must read for anyone interested in buying or selling vintage lace and clothing.

If you are like me and love fine porcelain, I am sure that my frustration when finding a great piece with the “beehive” mark is all too familiar. Over the years I have seen so many versions and on so many lovely pieces, it is hard to keep those creeping doubts from screaming at you: Fake!! Fake!!