Antique Maps

When the world began, it looked nothing like it does today. The continents shifted, icebergs have been formed and have melted, mountains have changed their shape, but ever since the dawn of man, we have traced our world with maps. For centuries, maps have led explorers on wondrous journeys, assisted armies in war times, and helped lost souls find their way. Because our world is ever changing, antique maps are a beautiful and valuable way to preserve our history. Just like almost every other kind of antique, maps are usually valued on two basic things: the age of the map, and its condition.

Moreover, serving as the historical and scientific attractions, antique maps are usually classified as works of fine, arty worth, it's can be world maps, US State maps, European maps, various continent maps, or other sections of the world. Some can come from the last century, while others may be as old as the 1500s or even earlier. Many ancient world maps are held in museums since they are so rare, but these can stem back to 500 BC!.

The reason people love antique maps can vary greatly. Some are just particularly fond of maps that represent where they live. Many collectors love to gather up different variations of their home state’s maps. Still others enjoy them because they like travel, and are fascinated with how territories were laid out in the past. Some just like them for their beauty and aesthetic appeal. It’s a matter of taste and choice, but everyone who enjoys antique maps knows they are getting a real piece of history to hang on their wall.

Buying a Historic Home: Antique, or Just Plain Old?

Whether you're an amateur historian, love home restoration, or simply appreciate the beauty that comes with age, buying a historic property can be a dream come true. Unfortunately, it can also be a risky investment as antique properties are, well, old and susceptible to problems. According to the Historic and Distinctive Properties of New England, in order to adequately assess the value of a historic home, there are a number of things to consider during your initial inspection of the property. Verifying that everything is as it should be or can be repaired will help ensure that your investment is a wise one

It's All in the Foundation

• Ensure that there is no dirt-to-wood contact around the perimeter of the building, which can contribute to mold and pests.
• An unusually damp basement could be a sign of dry rot. Be sure there is proper ventilation.
• Many old homes have stone foundations and dirt floors, which allow water to seep through during the rainy season. Be sure your potential home is properly protected.

A Word about the Pipes

• Be sure that all pipes are fairly new and in good working order. Old, galvanized pipes may indicate an accident to come.
• Be sure that modern plumbing systems can be installed without damaging the home or generating significant expense.
• Verify that the water pressure is sufficient.

Is the Water Safe?

• Old homes with old pipes may mean the water supply is unsafe. Know whether the water is from a well or a city system. If from a well, ensure that there is a sufficient supply.
• Taste the water and note its quality
• Keep an eye out for reddish-brown rings in sinks or toilets. This is an indication of excessive iron.

An Eye for Windows

• Just as with any other home, the greatest loss of heat is typically through the doors and windows. A historic home can cost a fortune to heat or air condition if its windows are efficient.
• Screens and storm windows were created to protect a home from the elements. Be sure your potential home benefits from these.

Checking the Roof

• Most roofs only last a maximum of 25 years, so be sure to ask how long the current roof has been in place.
• Look for signs of damage or repairs, such as sagging, different colored shingles, water stains, etc.
• An abundance of peaks and valleys can spell trouble for homes in snowy regions. Excess ice and snow builds up hear, creating the potential of extensive damage. Proper water drainage is important as well, so check all gutters.

A Note About Heating Systems

• Check whether the system has been upgraded.
• Old steam systems are prone to asbestos around the pipes. For your health's sake, be sure to have this checked out.
• High heating bills are a sign of poor efficiency or insulation.

Don't Forget About the Interior!

• Cracked plaster walls may mean a house has sill problems
• Look for signs of neglect, such as rusty pipes, buckling floors, etc.

For more information about purchasing or restoring a historic property, visit the Historic and Distinctive Properties of New England's official Web site, www.historicprop.com

Source : http://efinancedirectory.com

7 Tips to Care for Your Antique Furniture

During your spring cleaning, don't forget to think about your antiques. In this month's column, we'll give you seven tips to help you care for your antique furniture

1. Use paste wax
Every couple of months, wax with a good quality paste wax that can be found in any hardware store. If you wax too much, it can dull the finish and attract dust. To remove a waxy build up, apply varesol with a clean cotton cloth. Proper waxing will bring up the color and grain of the wood and protect it. Rub a small amount on a soft cloth and apply it in circular motions. Let it dry then buff with a clean cloth.

2. Don't use aerosol sprays
Avoid aerosol spray polishes because they can contain silicone oil and other agents that can be harmful to your furniture. For daily cleaning, use a clean cloth or a clean duster. For those who like to use something more, I recommend Orange Oil because it works well to clean and polish wood finishes. I like it because it doesn't leave a wax build up and doesn't contain linseed or silicone oil.

3. Use coasters
A great deal of surface damage can be prevented if you always remember to use coasters, mats and trivets and avoid placing hot and/or wet items directly on furniture.

4. Avoid scratching furniture
Never slide anything (vase, plate, serving dish etc) across a surface because it will scratch. A very light scratch can be treated with Restore-AFinish, a great multi-purpose product. Deep scratches require the skill of professional restorers.

5. Clean liquid spills
Spilled water should be thoroughly wiped up immediately. Alcohol and solvents (nail polish, nail polish remover, perfumes) should be dabbed, not wiped because they can act like a furniture stripper and damage the finish. White rings left from either a hot drink or a wet glass should be attended to right away. A little Brasso applied with a clean cloth may do the trick. Or, I have found that Restor-A-Finish works well to remove white rings. Always test on a small area first. Remove candle wax - Wait for the wax to cool then gently loosen using a fingernail to remove.

6. Draw the drapes
Just as sun damage to the skin is cumulative and permanent, its effects on wood are just as destructive. Diffused sunlight over a long period of time can be as detrimental as direct sunlight over a short period of time. Sunlight can turn a clear finish yellow.The only good news about sun damage is that it's easy to avoid. Draw the drapes, pull the blinds or have an UV-filtering film applied to your windows.

7. Don't ignore relative humidity
Central heating is the worst thing to happen to antiques. A warm inside and cold outside makes life comfortable while wreaking havoc on antiques. It's the fluctuations in relative humidity that central heating creates which cause the problem. Wood responds to relative humidity by expanding and contracting as it tries to maintain a balance with its environment. It's not the rapid changes during the course of a day that cause the most damage. It's the long-term seasonal fluctuations, which cause the serious damage.

During the dry winter months when it is cold outside and warm inside, wood tends to shrink. During hot damp summers when it is warm outside and cooler inside, wood tends to expand. Long-term exposure to these conditions leads to cracking, warping and splitting.

To guard against the fluctuations in relative humidity in your home, use a humidifier during the cold winter and a dehumidifier in the damp summer. Think twice before putting a good piece of furniture in a basement, attic, near heating vents or near fireplaces. Keep fresh air circulating. Maintain a constant room temperature and turn it low at night.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Antique car insurance

Everyone who owns a collector car has to insure it. Many owners typically add the car to their existing auto policy, a practice that has some distinct disadvantages. The premiums are usually higher and payouts for damage or loss are usually lower. The better way to go is to insure your treasure through a collector car insurance company. Such coverage is inexpensive and very easy to get as long as certain agreements exist between the companies and the owners.
Those agreements usually include storage of the vehicles in locked garages, ownership of other (everyday) vehicles and limited use of the collector cars - sometimes with a yearly mileage cap. The resultant reduced risk to the insurer allows for the low rates

All that is fine, but no insurance company can spell out specifics of coverage other than in general terms without creating a lengthy book of rules on how you can operate your collector car. Since no two people drive their cars in the same way, same geographic areas, same days of the week, etc., the insurance companies have to handle claims on an individual basis. That leaves many owners in doubt about their coverage in certain instances, sometimes making them hesitate to drive their cars.

In order to help get to the nitty-gritty of coverage I came up with a "real-world" set of situations wherein coverage might be in doubt. These are taken from actual stories I've heard from owners, by the way. The situations were presented to a number of the major collector car insurers and their responses were synopsized. Since the purpose of this article is one of clarification and not one of comparison, I've omitted the names of the companies. They are easy enough to get by searching on the internet.

Questions And "Typical" Replies:

Do you pay out the agreed-upon value of the car even though it is aging?
Yes. Your policy is an "agreed value" contract that guarantees the insured they will receive full reimbursement of insured value in the event of a total loss.

What is your maximum allowable yearly mileage for the insured vehicle?
Some companies want you to limit use to less than 2500 miles per year, but most are quite flexible. Vehicles insured must be used on a limited basis consistent with the operation of something valuable, such as club functions, exhibitions, meets, tours and limited pleasure driving.

To what extent can I modify my car? (Engine, Body, etc.)
Most Street Rod, Custom and Muscle car modifications are acceptable. The only major concern is that the vehicle be kept in a safe operational configuration. Racing is a no-no that requires separate insurance coverage.

Can I insure a vehicle under restoration? If so, how is value calculated?
Yes. Value is based on the vehicle's current market value, taking into consideration the amount spent on materials and labor to date.

Do you require periodic safety inspections? Some states do not require them for vehicles licensed under "antique" status.
There are no additional safety inspection requirements other than those specified by the states.

Under which of the following scenarios would you NOT pay out for a stolen or severely damaged vehicle?

I parked the car in the lot of an upper-scale restaurant in the suburbs on the way back from a weekend car show. The loss occurred while I was in the restaurant.

I parked in the lot of a chain restaurant on a weekday evening, during which the loss occurred.

I parked the car in the lot of a B&B in a small town during a driving tour with members of the local club. The loss occurred there. I parked the car in the hotel garage in a city our club driving tour was visiting.

The car was hit while I was driving it on a Sunday afternoon.

The car was hit while I was testing repairs on a weekday afternoon.

The car caught fire and was totaled while I was making repairs to the fuel system.

The car's electrical system shorted out and the fire destroyed the car.

The car was vandalized while being shown at a car show. I wasn't on hand at the time.

A tree fell and crushed my garage, severely damaging my insured vehicles.

I drove the car to my office during the week and parked it in the garage. It was side-swiped by some other vehicle but there were no witnesses.

I loaned the car to a friend for a school reunion. It was damaged in the parking area.

Answers:
Believe it or not, the companies responded that they would most likely cover the loss in every one of the scenarios listed above. However, specific circumstances surrounding the loss might alter their decisions in those cases where the car was clearly not being used for "pleasure" driving. If you're planning to use the car for any other purposes be sure to consult the company.

When purchasing insurance for your antique or classic car, these are the kinds of questions you need to ask your insurance agent. Also read the policy carefully for any exclusions or other rules that may apply. Enjoy driving your classic. As long as any damage or loss occurs in any reasonable set of circumstances the insurance company usually will pay out. By the way, it wouldn't hurt to take yearly photos of your car and keep them on file. That way there won't be any arguments as to its overall condition in the event of a claim

About the authors :
Les Jackson, Gearhead and radio host Les Jackson hands-on restored 17 classic cars and taught automotive theory for decades. His articles have appeared for over 20 years in hundreds of newspapers and magazines. Check out www.cruisecontrolradio.com and www.secondchancegarage.com

Expensive Antiques.

An antique (Latin: antiquus; old) is an old collectible item. It is collected or desirable because of its age, rarity, condition, utility, or other unique features. It is an object that represents a previous era in human society. These antiques are NOT your usual flea market items -- Look at the prices these antiques and collectibles sold for!

Olyphant
Price : $17,000,000+
the highest price for a work of art ever sold in Scandinavia!
Possibly the world's most expensive antique... An Olyphant is a hunting - or battle horn made of carved ancient ivory. It was produced during the 11th century A.D. and only six copies with the same ornament group are known to the world.



Chippendale antique secretary
Price : $12,100,000

originally made by the Goddard-Townsend family of cabinet-makers. Estimates are that no more than 7 were ever made. A very similar piece (a Nicholas Brown antique secretary) made around 1760 sold at a Christie's auction

source: wikipedia & antique-antiques.com

Antique

The definition of antique varies from source to source, product to product and year to year. But, some time-tested definitions of antique deserve consideration.

An item which is at least 50 to 100 years old and is collected or desirable due to rarity, condition, utility, or some other unique feature. Motor vehicles, power tools and other items subject to vigorous use in contrast, may be considered antiques in the U.S. if older than 25 years, and some electronic gadgets of more recent vintage may be considered antiques

antique (noun) - Any piece of furniture or decorative object or the like produced in a former period and valuable because of its beauty or rarity

In the United States the 1930 Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act defined an antique as "works of art (except rugs and carpets made after the year 1700), collections in illustration of the progress of the arts, works in bronze, marble, terra cotta, parian, pottery or porcelain, artistic antiquities and objects of ornamental character or educational value which shall have been produced prior to the year 1830." 1830 was roughly the beginning of mass production in the U.S.

Antique Tool
An antique tool is generally defined as a tool over 100 years old[citation needed], but often this definition is used more loosely to refer to any tool manufactured before World War II.

The use of tools is one of the primary means by which humans are distinguished from animals. Tools are the parents of all other antiques. Most manmade objects were made with the use of tools and great effort goes into the creation of newer and better tools to solve the production problems of the day. The study of antique tools provides a glimpse of human development and cultural preferences through history. People collect and use antique tools for a variety of reasons - some say they are better made than modern tools, and perform their jobs better. Others appreciate the handcrafting that went into their manufacture or their rarity or aesthetic value. Informally, those preferring hand tools to power tools are sometimes referred to as galoots.

The creation of a tool often makes possible the creation of more advanced tools. Advanced tools made possible the manufacture of internal-combustion engines, automobiles, and computers. In the future new devices will come along. But even the most advanced of these owes tribute to the most basic hand tools for their existence. Among those who like to collect, some may do so as part of a rigorous study program - they want to catalog all types of a specific tool, for example. Some collectors may wish to preserve some of the past for future generations. Some may collect as a financial investment. Some collect tools to use them - to be able to create things with them. Others perceive tools as works of art, or as fascinating mechanical design specimens

Source : Wikipedia

The Best Of The Best Classic Cars

Bonhams Puts The Best Of The Best Classic Cars Into The Spotlight At Retromobile In Paris


Bonhams will offer great cars from leading classic car marques at Retromobile on 7 February 2009 (starting 6pm) – these iconic cars include a 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante (estimate Euro 2.75m-4m), a 1913 Bugatti Type 18 (Garros) `Black Bess’, Pebble Beach Concours, ‘Best of Show’ 1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupé (Euro1.5m-2m) and a 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB (Euro 1.6m – 1.8m)

Source : http://www.bonhams.com

Katong Antique House

The 25 year-old Katong Antique House is a veritable museum, filled with every type of traditional Peranakan costumes, crockery and furniture. Meet Mr. Peter Wee, a fourth generation Baba Peranakan, who will regale you with stories of his heritage. A little gallery sits on the top floor of the two-storey shophouse, which Mr. Wee inherited from his maternal grandfather, Mr. Tan Cheng Kee. Marvel at the intricately woven kasut manek or beaded slippers, charming furniture and wedding costumes.

Address:
208 East Coast Road, Singapore 428907

Tel
6345 8544

Fax
6345 1220

Contact Us

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AntiqueALL is a antique site that provide usefull informations about antiques and others from various sources.