Field Notes
Practical writing on identity, construction, surfaces, regional attribution, estates, Ohio objects, and market language.
What Makes an Antique “American”?
Made, used, retailed, imported, adapted, or documented in America are different claims. Learn to state each precisely.
Why Original Surface Matters
Surface can preserve age, use, construction and repair evidence. Refinishing may erase more than color.
Why One Old Nail Does Not Date a Whole Object
Fasteners move, repairs happen, and old parts get reused. Date the construction system, not a single clue.
How Regional Schools Are Attributed
Form, woods, construction, decoration, maker networks and provenance work together.
Build an Ohio Stoneware Research Record
Photograph the stamp, cobalt, handles, base, clay and repairs before chasing a potter name.
Do Not Break Up the Estate Group Yet
Labels, photographs, correspondence and objects can authenticate one another when kept together.
Period Style or Later Revival?
American buyers repeatedly revived older styles. The label Queen Anne or Colonial does not itself supply a production date.
The Famous Maker-Mark Trap
A real label can be moved, copied, misunderstood or attached to an altered object. Validate the object and mark together.
An Auction Estimate Is Not a Value Certificate
Estimates serve a sale strategy. Compare the exact object, condition, venue, fees and result.
The Twelve Photographs Every Seller Should Provide
Front, back, sides, top, bottom, interior, marks, hardware, joinery, surface, damage and scale.