Kovels’ Top 11 Picks for Fun and Exclusive Handbags!

This week we celebrate National Handbag Day with a wide-eyed look at some of the top exclusive and expensive designer purses on record. The term “purse” originally referred to a small bag for holding coins. We’ve certainly come a long way from that! The word handbag began appearing in the early 1900s. Now, handbags, purses and […]

Online Buying and Selling 

Online marketplaces are a great place for finding or selling collectibles, unique furniture or toys and games of your youth. Some websites — like The RealReal, Poshmark and ThredUp — are excellent sources of couture and high-end fashion. Vintage fashion, name brand purses (i.e. Coach, Judith Leiber) and even Hermès scarves are selling well. A […]

What’s In and What’s Out? Terry Kovel Knows

What are the top collectible trends of 2020? The top collectible is almost-new, limited-edition sneakers autographed by an important player or worn in a special game. While sneakers are tops, here are our personal Top 5 “In” collectibles for 2020, based on auction prices and decorating trends. And while we are at it, we will […]

Judith Leiber Purses: A Marriage of Sparkle, Imagination

Handbags by designer and businesswoman Judith Leiber (1921-2018) are unique in both shape — often mimicking animals, toys, food items, and even buildings — and whimsy. Most were made with a rigid metal shell, often encrusted with Swarovski crystals, rhinestones and semi-precious stones. A selection of Leiber’s small conversation-piece purses, called “minaudières” meaning “to be […]

Judith Leiber Purses

Q: When did Judith Leiber start making her jeweled purses. I have my mother’s purse that looks like a pile of books. Is it valuable? A: Judith Leiber purses were first made in 1963. She sold the company and the name in 1993 but continued designing until 2004. Her jeweled handbags in great condition sell […]