Category Archives: What is it?

If you guessed something from the ocean, you would be correct. The green object is a Japanese glass fishing-net float. I found it on Will Rogers State Beach after a pineapple express storm in the 1980’s. I’ve never seen another … Continue reading →

This is an old, large, copper farmhouse colander. Colanders or strainers date back over two thousand years. Roman or Pompeian commercial food shacks used ceramic ones to wash veggies. Today almost every kitchen has a strainer or colander or other … Continue reading →

One day in the 1980’s walking in downtown Nancy, France, I notice a large demolition bin outside of a well-known Patisserie that was undergoing renovation. I peered into the debris-filled bin and saw this cast-iron mold. Naturally, I climbed in … Continue reading →

Howard Yonet explained that this “What Is It?” story is bit complicated because it spans a thousand years. In the year 1007 AD the Chinese Qingming Emperor sponsored summer festivities for his citizens on a river. He was so pleased … Continue reading →

These are two American Civil War Cavalry Officer sabers. You can tell that they are sabers, not swords, because of the curved shape of the blade. Infantry officers wore straight swords with blades on both edges. This saber shape was … Continue reading →

I think this is an old bread cutting board from Europe probably France or Germany. The reason I believe that it was used exclusively for bread is because of the diagonal grooves on the surface, which are there to catch … Continue reading →

This handmade hardwood, heavy container with flat bottom was made in England, where I bought it. Or possibly made in India where the wood came from. I’ve owned it for a couple of years, and it’s on our dinette table … Continue reading →

This is a heavy weight glass cigar ash tray still sold by Comoy’s of London. (Comoy’s pipes are highly collectable and desired due to their exceptional stained finish, which highlighted the grain figuring of the briar, and for their distinctive, … Continue reading →

These are some of my antique desk ink wells and pen and nib carriers. The use of pens dates from the Second to the Sixth Century and follows the invention of paper. The early writing implements were made from reeds. … Continue reading →