A Look Inside of the April Issue of Kovels Antique Trader

Hang onto your hat! The April issue of Kovels Antique Trader is here.

And while it’s always exciting to share a new issue, we are particularly pleased to share it with that expression – Hang onto your hat! – which also serves as the headline for our cover story on the history of women and hats by one of our favorite contributing editors, Dr. Anthony Cavo, a man who is known to wear many hats.

Throughout history, hats have indicated a person’s religion, occupation, and social status. Many of us, Cavo points out, were born at a time when people typically wore hats every day. The culture of hats is so deeply established in our ethos that we are still able to recognize and identify different types of hats and associate them with a specific country, job, or faith. Cavo, you might say, pulls an entertaining and informative story out of his hat, one you’ll enjoy in the April issue of Kovels Antique Trader.

Speaking of holding onto your hat, contributor Wayne Jordan takes readers on an incredible antiquing adventure to Branson, Missouri. This beautiful Ozark destination captures the heart of Americana. From the “chicken-pickin” of country guitar to the nostalgic treasures found in antique shops, every corner of Branson echoes with stories of the American journey.

Costume jewelry expert Pamela Wiggins Siegel provides readers with a hot collectible tip: Kramer of New York costume jewelry. A growing base of costume jewelry fans are now snatching up Kramer of New York. And for good reason. Some of the lines the company marketed in the 1950s are over-the-top gorgeous and many are undervalued today in comparison to rhinestone pieces sold by other companies. Even if you don’t collect, you’ll love the look of Kramer of New York.

This month’s Sales Reports focus on three diverse and interesting collecting categories at auction: Railroadiana, artists of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), and items made in Mexico. You won’t want to miss these stellar reports. In our Collector’s Gallery, readers share a glass vase received as a gift more than 20 years ago. It turns out, that wonderful gift was made by Charles Schneider, a French artist whose work is now prized by collectors. Not to be outdone, a reader is curious about the value of an original four-pack of Guinness Stout unopened from 1969. And while the Guinness is well past its drinkable age, it does have collectible value – as well as offering a great story about an important year in the Irish brewery’s history.

Finally, we highlight the history of Rookwood Pottery. Founded by Maria Longworth Nichols Storer in 1880, Rookwood became one of the most significant and longest-surviving American art potteries. Gone but not forgotten, Rookwood Pottery left behind an impressive legacy that collectors continue to appreciate more than 140 years later. This story, and much more, is yours to appreciate in the April issue of Kovels Antique Trader.

Paul Kennedy, Editor