ANTIQUES Archives - Page 4 of 5 - Chicago's 1893 Worlds Fair

Japanese Vase from 1893 World’s Fair Was Hiding in Plain Sight
Gallery
Japanese Vase from 1893 World’s Fair Was Hiding in Plain Sight

ANTIQUES, NEWS

Japanese Vase from 1893 World’s Fair Was Hiding in Plain Sight

A rare Japanese vase made especially for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago has been hiding in plain sight in a California restaurant, reports the Chicago Tribune. The beautiful piece of World's Fair history will go up for auction next month. The recently identified Japanese vase from the 1893 World’s Fair, showing a dragon (symbolizing China) over waves. The vase decorated Spenger’s Fish Grotto in Berkeley, California, for many years. [Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.] Dragon [...]

By Scott|2022-04-29T18:39:46-05:00January 9th, 2019|Categories: ANTIQUES, NEWS|Tags: Japan, Palace of Fine Arts|1 Comment

Columbian Coin Collectors
Gallery
Columbian Coin Collectors

ANTIQUES

Columbian Coin Collectors

Ginger Rapsus's article "Key year for coin collectors is 1893" in Numismatic News (posted November 17, 2018) states that among the many souvenirs produced for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, "perhaps the best known of the souvenirs are two of the first classic commemorative coins." About the Columbian half dollar, Rapsus writes that "a good number of these coins did not sell and eventually were melted or entered circulation, sometimes turning up in change or in a bank roll. I know of [...]

By Scott|2024-09-23T08:20:15-05:00November 26th, 2018|Categories: ANTIQUES|Tags: coins, Columbian half dollar, Isabella quarter|0 Comments

Sept. 25, 2018: World’s Fair Auction #32 closes
Gallery
Sept. 25, 2018: World’s Fair Auction #32 closes

ANTIQUES, EVENTS (past), NEWS

Sept. 25, 2018: World’s Fair Auction #32 closes

Columbian Exposition collectors may be interested in World’s Fair Auction #32, now open for preview. Online bidding closes on September 25th, 2018, at 10:00 PM EDT. The auction catalog can be viewed at: http://www.worldsfairauction.com/cgi-bin/CATALL.CGI. Lots 14 through 57 relate to the 1893 World’s Fair, and include: a rare 14-by-11-inch poster of the Viking Ship; a milk glass tumbler depicting the Illinois State Building; a jig-saw puzzle picturing Horticultural Hall; a "Chicago Exposition 1893" globe inkwell; an ornate "Columbian Fair Souvenir" [...]

By Scott|2021-05-05T14:19:42-05:00September 7th, 2018|Categories: ANTIQUES, EVENTS (past), NEWS|Tags: auction, Horticultural Building, Illinois State Building, Viking Ship|0 Comments

1893 World’s Fair Commemorative Postage Stamps and the (Alleged) Death of Stamp Collecting
Gallery
1893 World’s Fair Commemorative Postage Stamps and the (Alleged) Death of Stamp Collecting

ANTIQUES

1893 World’s Fair Commemorative Postage Stamps and the (Alleged) Death of Stamp Collecting

"The report of my death was an exaggeration.” -- Mark Twain (June 2, 1897) In his July 23, 2018, “U.S. Stamp Notes” column at Linn’s Stamp News, John M. Hotchner describes the birth of World’s Fair philately at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. His article “World’s fair philately: 19th and early 20th centuries” explains how the set of 16 commemorative postage stamps, which at the time cost $16.34 (roughly $444 in 2018 dollars) “caused the philatelic press of the time [...]

By Scott|2018-08-05T17:53:32-05:00August 10th, 2018|Categories: ANTIQUES|Tags: stamps, United States Post Office|0 Comments

Columbian Half-Dollar Coins Plummet in Value
Gallery
Columbian Half-Dollar Coins Plummet in Value

ANTIQUES

Columbian Half-Dollar Coins Plummet in Value

Coin Week on June 28, 2018, published an article on changes in the market value of collector’s coins from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. “The Rise and Fall of the Columbian Half Dollar: A Commemorative Story” by Q. David Bowers reports that 1892 and 1893 Columbian commemorative half dollars have fallen from a high of $3,850- $5,000 in 1990 to only $310 in 2018. The answer has more to do with general trends in coin collecting than anything specific [...]

By Scott|2023-08-05T08:37:31-05:00July 24th, 2018|Categories: ANTIQUES|Tags: coins, Columbian half dollar|0 Comments

Columbian Exposition Stamp Collecting … and Complaints
Gallery
Columbian Exposition Stamp Collecting … and Complaints

ANTIQUES, REPRINTS

Columbian Exposition Stamp Collecting … and Complaints

Of the many “firsts” associated with the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, the issuing of the first commemorative postage stamps by the United States Post Office became philatelic history. The set of sixteen stamps are among the most sought-after by collectors of stamps and Columbiana. In the winter of 1892, Postmaster-General John Wanamaker reported on the Columbian series: The introduction of the Columbian series of postage stamps will contribute in a marked way to the great recognition given by the [...]

By Scott|2018-06-10T10:39:42-05:00June 10th, 2018|Categories: ANTIQUES, REPRINTS|Tags: John Wanamaker, stamps, U.S. Government Building, United States Post Office|2 Comments

May 20: Auction of original columns from Ceylon Building
Gallery
May 20: Auction of original columns from Ceylon Building

ANTIQUES, EVENTS (past)

May 20: Auction of original columns from Ceylon Building

Columns from the Ceylon Building [Image from Clars Auction Gallery.] Remnants from an original 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition building come up for auction on May 20, offering a rare opportunity to own a piece of the Fair. Clars Auction Gallery (5644 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, California) will auction a set of hand-carved pillars that were part of the original Ceylon Building on the fairgrounds. Their auction 598 “Art, Furniture, Jewelry, Asian” on Sunday, May 20, starts at 11:30 AM [...]

By Scott|2024-01-28T11:58:25-06:00May 11th, 2018|Categories: ANTIQUES, EVENTS (past)|Tags: Ceylon Building, Harry G. Selfridge, Lake Geneva|0 Comments

April 16, 2018: World’s Fair Auction in Cleveland
Gallery
April 16, 2018: World’s Fair Auction in Cleveland

ANTIQUES, EVENTS (past)

April 16, 2018: World’s Fair Auction in Cleveland

A large collection of 1893 World’s Fair antiques and collectibles will be going under the hammer on Monday, April 16. Gray’s Auctioneers “World's Fair Memorabilia and Collectibles” live auction in Cleveland, Ohio, starts at 11 AM (EDT) and features more than thirty Columbian Exposition items. Lots 20 through 51 include … • numerous pieces of decorative glassware, pottery and porcelain, including set of beautiful Libby glass peachblow rose bowls and a pair of ornate vases featuring images of the [...]

By Scott|2018-04-22T15:25:14-05:00April 3rd, 2018|Categories: ANTIQUES, EVENTS (past)|Tags: Art and Architecture, auction, Book of the Fair, Electricity Building, U.S. Government Building|0 Comments

Rare Saint-Gaudens Columbian Exposition Medal Sells for $45,600
Gallery
Rare Saint-Gaudens Columbian Exposition Medal Sells for $45,600

ANTIQUES, COLLECTING

Rare Saint-Gaudens Columbian Exposition Medal Sells for $45,600

A medal described as the “holy grail of Columbian Expo numismatics” sold at auction on March 21, for $45,600. Stack’s Bowers Galleries offered a rare example of Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ Columbian Exposition award medal with his original--and ultimately rejected--reverse side image of a nude male youth. Each exhibitor at the 1893 World’s Fair received an award medal, meaning that 20,000 or so such medals were minted, and many still circulate among collectors. At any given time, several typically are for [...]

By Scott|2024-09-23T08:13:10-05:00March 31st, 2018|Categories: ANTIQUES, COLLECTING|Tags: Augustus Saint-Gaudens, award medal, Christopher Columbus, U.S. Mint|0 Comments

April 22, 2018: World’s Fair Memorabilia Show
Gallery
April 22, 2018: World’s Fair Memorabilia Show

ANTIQUES, EVENTS (past)

April 22, 2018: World’s Fair Memorabilia Show

The 24th annual World's Fair Memorabilia Show will be held on Sunday, April 22, 2018 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Holiday Inn at 1000 Busse Road (Rt. 83 and Landmeier Rd.) in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. Collectors and dealers will meet to buy, sell and trade items related to World's Fairs from 1876 to the present. Although the main focus will be on the 1933/34 Chicago World's Fair, there will also be items from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago and other Chicago-related [...]

By Scott|2023-12-17T08:05:42-06:00March 22nd, 2018|Categories: ANTIQUES, EVENTS (past)|Tags: collecting|0 Comments