Secrets of the Blue Note Vault: Rediscovering Monk, Blakey, and Hancock

What if you were given the keys to Blue Note Records’ legendary tape vault? In 1975, that’s exactly what happened to three-time Grammy Award winner Michael Cuscuna. There, the record producer and co-founder of Mosaic Records discovered hundreds of hours of unreleased—and undocumented—sessions, which he diligently pieced together before releasing. This sleuth work made him an expert on Blue Note, from label founder Alfred Lion’s obsession with jazz in the 1920s to Blue Note’s heyday in the 1950s … (continue reading)

Your Turntable Is Not Dead: Inside Jack White’s Vinyl Record Empire

Vinyl isn’t just for collectors; it’s a way for digital music lovers to reconnect with their analog roots. In this interview, Ben Blackwell, the head of vinyl production at Jack White’s Third Man Records, explains how a record is made—from vinyl pellets to the final product—and explores the medium’s perennial allure. He also talks about the history of Third Man, its store in Nashville, and fun oddities like multicolored vinyl. You can find out more about Third Man … (continue reading)

The Best Cowboy Boots in Texas: Window Shopping with Author Jennifer June

Jennifer June doesn’t just collect boots—she collects the stories behind the boots and makes regular pilgrimages to meet their makers. In this interview, June explains the history of the cowboy boot and how Hollywood changed its appearance. She also gives us a rare look behind the scenes as she visits the shops of such important boot makers as Tex Robin and Alan Bell. June’s book “Cowboy Boots: The Art & Sole” was published in … (continue reading)

Boston vs New York: Appraiser Leila Dunbar Talks Sports Memorabilia and Rivalries

As an appraiser, Leila Dunbar knows Yankees memorabilia is king, but as a sports fan who grew up outside of Boston, her heart remains with teams like the Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins. In this interview, the former auctioneer for Sotheby’s discusses some of her favorite sports items, from the bat Babe Ruth used to hit his first homer in Yankee Stadium to the Boston Garden’s famous parquet floor. She also explains the methodology she uses to appraise … (continue reading)

Fightin’ Femmes: Unmasking Comic Book Superheroines

Are female superheroes stronger than their male counterparts? According to Mike Madrid, author of “The Supergirls: Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy and the History of the Comic Book Heroines,” they’re mentally tougher and less vengeful, but still know how to whack the bad guys. In this interview, he discusses rare ’40s superheroine titles like “Phantom Lady” and “Lady Luck,” as well as the drastic changes to Wonder Woman’s appearance and story since her debut in 1941. … (continue reading)

Stephen M. H. Braitman on the British Invasion, from the Beatles to the Sex Pistols

Stephen M. H. Braitman has had a lifelong love affair with music, and has more than 20,000 vinyl records to prove it. In this interview, he discusses the British Invasion from a collector’s perspective, and explores the evolution of the technology behind the tunes—from 78s to 45s to LPs, from mono to stereo to quadrophonic. Braitman, who is both a music appraiser and collector, can be reached via his website, MusicAppraisals.com.

I was a Hollywood kid. My father … (continue reading)

Hawaiian Style: The Roots of the Aloha Shirt

In this interview, author and scholar Dr. Linda Arthur talks about the evolution and history of the aloha shirt. She discusses such important designers as Alfred Shaheen and explains when and how the shirt became a fad on the U.S. mainland. Arthur’s numerous books include “The Art of the Aloha Shirt” and “Aloha Attire: Hawaiian Dress in the Twentieth Century.” Arthur can be reached via Washington State University, where she is a professor … (continue reading)

Native American Jewelry Lowdown: The Story Behind Turquoise and Squash Blossoms

In this interview, author and collector Mark Bahti shares his lifelong appreciation for the artistry of Southwest Native American jewelry. Bahti has written numerous books on Native American culture and crafts, and he’s the proprietor of Bahti Indian Arts based in Arizona and New Mexico.

Thanks to my father, I basically grew up involved with Indian arts and culture. He was a graduate of the University of New Mexico and wrote the first popular … (continue reading)

Japan’s Best Postwar Export? Tinplate Cars

In this interview, “Vintage Slot Cars” author Philippe de Lespinay talks about his collection of Japanese tinplate automobile toys. He discusses manufacturers such as Marusan, Bandai, and Alps, and explains how the export of these tinplate toys gave a major boost to Japan’s post-World War II economy. De Lespinay can be reached via his website, tsrfcars.com/toys.html…. (continue reading)

The Quilts of Winterthur

In this interview, Linda Eaton discusses her role as the textiles curator of Winterthur, the Delaware museum that was once the estate of Henry Francis du Pont and now showcases American antiques. The author of “Quilts in a Material World: Selections From the Winterthur Collection,” Eaton recently curated a traveling exhibition of Winterthur’s quilts. She can be reached via winterthur.org.

I started at Winterthur in the summer of 1991 as the head of the … (continue reading)

Legendary Luthier Rick Turner on Howe-Orme Guitars

A co-founder of Alembic Inc. and a maker of instruments for such artists as Lindsey Buckingham and the Grateful Dead, Rick Turner is also a collector of Howe-Orme guitars. In this interview he explains how these rare but undervalued instruments have been overlooked in the guitar collectors market, and sheds some light on the Elias Howe Company’s largely unknown history. Turner can be contacted via Rick Turner Guitar Company.

I first started coming across Howe-Orme … (continue reading)

Ukulele Collector Andy Roth: An Interview with Collectors Weekly

In this interview, vintage ukulele collector Andy Roth explains the different styles of the instrument produced by the C.F. Martin Company, Gibson, and early Hawaiian makers. Roth also gives an overview of the instrument’s history and music, and provides a detailed look at koa wood and other ukulele manufacturing materials.

When I was living in Hawaii in the late ’80s, I’d get together with friends and have music jams. One night I was playing the piano, … (continue reading)

Pelikan Pen Collector Rick Propas: An Interview with Collectors Weekly

In this interview, history teacher and avid fountain pen collector Rick Propas talks about his evolution as a pen collector, the history of Pelikans, and some of his favorite specimens. Propas runs The PENguin, a website devoted to Pelikans, Parkers, and other German and American pens.

It was back in 1997 that I first got interested in Pelikans. That was in the early days of Internet boards and discussion groups, … (continue reading)

Sex, Power, and High Heels: An Interview with Shoe Curator Elizabeth Semmelhack

Ever wonder how high heels became so important to women’s wardrobes? What do they say about power and gender in our society? In this interview, shoe expert Elizabeth Semmelhack traces the evolution of heels, from 9th-century Persian footwear to the designs of Roger Vivier and Manolo Blahnik. Along the way, Semmelhack explains how influences and innovations such as erotica, extruded steel, and “Sex and the City” have made high heels the cultural icons they are … (continue reading)

Abigail Rutherford on the History of Vintage Handbags

In this interview, Abigail Rutherford, director of vintage couture and accessories at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago, talks about high-end vintage handbags by such designers as Hermès, Chanel, and Wilardy. Along the way she discusses Lucite and leather and clears up some misconceptions about the meaning of “couture.” She can be reached at lesliehindman.com.

Even as a young girl, I was interested in the historical aspect of handbags. I probably started collecting in … (continue reading)