Fresh Type

Everything You Know About Corsets Is False

The corset has a bad reputation. And unfairly so, according to Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, who says this undergarment of centuries past is not nearly as evil or confining as modern folks have come to believe.

With the Edwardian Balls just around the corner, we started ogling gorgeous antique corsets on Collectors Weekly Hall of Fame … (continue reading)

Rockin’ at the Rollarena, Pre-Summer of Love

If you were in a rock band in late-1960s San Francisco, the world beat a path to your garage door. Record executives walked the length of Haight Street and saw dollar signs instead of peace symbols, signing bands to fat contracts as fast as they could.

But if you wanted to rock ’n’ roll in the East Bay, particularly in that no-man’s land between Oakland … (continue reading)

Do Not Bid Until Christmas: What People Are Watching on eBay

Usually when people watch items on eBay around this time of year, it’s because they have a special gift in mind for a certain someone. But we’ve noticed a surprising number of auctions with scores of watchers that don’t end until Christmas day. Will a lot of certain someones be getting slips of paper in their stockings with a URL written on them? If so, good luck with that. So for … (continue reading)

During the Civil War, Some People Got Rich Quick By Minting Their Own Money

When coins were withdrawn from circulation in the northern states during the Civil War, opportunists began minting private pennies that became de facto legal tender throughout the Union. The coinage of a few cents may seem like small change, but in 1863 alone, almost 9,000 different token designs, depicting everything from patriotic flags to beer barrels, were struck. Some so closely resembled … (continue reading)

The High Price of a Funky Christmas

When it comes to Christmas albums, the top dogs on our Christmas records page are usually The Beatles, which mailed flexi-discs to its fans from 1963 to 1970, and Pearl Jam, which has been pressing 45s and 10-inch vinyl for members of its Ten Club since 1991 (skipping a year in 1994). … (continue reading)

The Most Expensive Purse in the World

On Tuesday, Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas, sold a red Hermes Birkin handbag to an anonymous bidder for $203,150, including the buyer’s premium. This price dwarfs the previous record for most expensive handbag—last year in England, a Birkin went for the equivalent of $77,000. At the auction Tuesday, not one, but four, Birkins busted this record, the cheapest selling for $80,663.

Handmade from start to finish … (continue reading)

The 12 All-Time Ugliest Christmas Sweaters

Every December, people of all stripes make the rounds of their neighborhood Christmas parties decked in their ugliest Christmas sweaters. Prizes are often offered at these seasonal soirees for the tackiest v-neck or wool knit, sparking fierce competition among family and friends.

If you haven’t snagged your piece of atrocious holiday outerwear yet, we know where you can glory in the gaudy, revel in the revolting, and win that coveted prize: … (continue reading)

Why the ‘Native’ Fashion Trend Is Pissing Off Real Native Americans

Tis the season for buying presents. As you peruse your local mall, you might find yourself drawn to beautiful geometric patterns in vibrant colors, long associated with Navajo rugs, Pendleton “Indian trade” blankets, and Southwest Native American pottery. They’ll be everywhere you look, on sneakers, pricey handbags, home decor, and high-fashion … (continue reading)

Goodbye Steuben Glass

Today the Steuben glass factory in Corning, New York, closed its doors (see local news report below). Although the name was sold for an undisclosed sum to Corning Incorporated, which once owned Steuben, it’s unclear if crystal objects such as the Gazelle Bowl (the 1935 example above is from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art) will ever be produced again…. (continue reading)

At Home with the Maharajas

If you collect or admire Indian art and antiques, you owe it to yourself to see “Maharaja: The Splendor of India’s Royal Courts,” now through April 8, 2012, at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the almost 200-piece exhibition features fashions and furniture, paintings and fine jewelry, and plenty of weaponry, … (continue reading)

Photos From the Front: Veterans You Love

Today, America honors its military veterans, who have served our country in times of war and peace. If you want to delve in the human side of our U.S. military history, look no further than Show & Tell, where militaria collectors like scottvez and AR8Jason share their collections and knowledge about hats, medals, and badges, as well as photos, letters, … (continue reading)