In 1939 a new car could be purchased for less than a thousand dollars and its tank filled with gasoline at 10 cents a gallon. With the Great Depression lingering, but waning, and the war in Europe not yet a grim reality, that year arrived on a quiet tide of hope. It carried optimism for the future in tow, as brighter days seemed to beckon. The Bureau of Public Roads encouraged local road building projects during the Depression.

1960S FASHION & TEXTILES - History of 1960s Fashion and Textiles

The 1960s was a decade of sweeping change throughout the fashion world generating ideas and images which still appear modern today. Whereas fashion had previously been aimed at a wealthy, mature elite, the tastes and preferences of young people now became important. At the beginning of the decade, the market was dominated by Parisian designers of expensive haute couture garments.

The following is the latest scam example we received from a Ruby Lane shop owner. In this instance the scammer actually threatens legal action if the shop owner does not cash the check and complete the transaction. One can also see from the correspondence that the amount due for the item was much less than the amount of the check that was sent which is the common key to this type of scam.

‘The Jewelry Diva’ by Ruby Lane shop owner Cindy Amirkhan - A Twinkle in Time. Cindy shares her extensive knowledge of vintage and costume jewelry with you, including historical information, styles, designers and more. We are certain you will enjoy her monthly column as much as we do. The Editors of Notes from the Lane.

 Red Gold - The Coral of Native American Jewelry

QUESTION: I own a framed Maxfield Parrish “Daybreak” print. The frame measures 20in by 12 1/4in. A label on the back indicates it was purchased from the Art Department of A. S. Johnson & Co. in Tacoma, Washington. What is my print worth? – BS,, Wescoesville, PA

ANSWER: Maxfield Parrish (July 25, 1870-March 30, 1966) is one of America’s best known artists and illustrators. Born Frederick Parrish, he added Maxfield, the maiden name of his paternal grandmother, as a middle name, using it professionally as his “first” name.

I have been blessed with many family heirlooms. Now where do I put them? I recently started to bring them out and display them through out my house. My favorite is a display of dishes from past grandmothers, great grandmothers and aunts and my mother. I had only one plate or cup, so I found some plate hangers and started to place them on the wall in my dining room. I “piggy backed” some to make them look more 3-dimensional. I found cup and saucer wall holders that work great.

While we have an occasional April cold snap, for the most part we've seen the last of old man winter here in Texas. It's time to put away the quilts, sweaters, and other cold weather gear for another season. If you're wondering about the best way to store your vintage quilts when the time's just right for you too, take a look at this step-by-step guide: How to Store an Antique Quilt.

Antique and vintage cookbooks not only provide recipes but give us insights to what was going on in the home at the time and in some cases, present us with a whole new vocabulary to explore . For those of you who love to cook you will enjoy looking through the  online collection, "Feeding America: The Historic American Cookbook Project".

Hi,
I'm having a difficult time trying to figure out who made this little spill
vase. It's a circular mark, with "Made in" at center and "USA" on the bottom. The maker's name appears at the top inside of the circle, but is too smudged to make out. The first letter appears to be a C or G, there are 8 letters or characters. The third looks like it might be an ampersand.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

As I slowly rub my hands over the large crystal ball in my office, the mist inside begins to clear. I am searching for a word, a word that will tell me what everyone in the antiques and collectibles trade wants to know: What is the next hot collecting trend? If I am lucky and a word appears, its validity will have an accuracy level equivalent to that of the answers provided by Mattel’s Magic 8 Ball.