Hailing from New York, the Madame Alexander Doll Company holds a special place in the world of dolls. The company was founded by Beatrice Alexander, along with her sisters, in 1923. The girls grew up around gorgeous dolls as their father owned the first "doll hospital" company in the United States! The Madame Alexander Doll Company initiated many new and lasting doll trends and innovations. ... Read More
APRIL SHOWERS BRING LIMOGES FLOWERS
May 7, 2019 Michelle MillerHow To Ensure A Porcelain Piece Is A True Limoges Limoges...what is it? Those porcelain dinnerware sets, trinkets boxes, and tea sets adorned with fluffy, pink, cabbage-style roses, tend to be categorized as examples of the "Limoges" porcelain. Limoges, however, is not a company, but rather a term which has come to encompass a variety of porcelain pieces produced in a specific area. Limoges ... Read More
Rookwood Pottery: An American Heritage
January 11, 2019 Michelle MillerRookwood pottery was one of the most illustrious American pottery manufacturers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Winning awards at several international exhibitions and world's fairs, such as the 1893 Columbian Exposition of Chicago and the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris, Rookwood pottery also garnered international acclaim. Pottery as an art form blossomed during the ... Read More
A Very Merry (Holt-Howard) Holiday To You!
December 16, 2018 Michelle MillerLooking for a fresh way to bring that winter magic to your own holiday "tablescape?" How about giving some vintage Holt-Howard holiday ceramic decorations a try! Holt-Howard was a ceramics company that manufactured adorable (and cheeky) kitchenware during the 1950s and 1960s. The company popped with its "Pixieware" line: little imp faces decorated the tops and lids of a plethora of condiment ... Read More
Q & A With Founder Carrie Gough
September 21, 2018 by Michelle MillerHow did the idea of What's It Worth come about? I have been a professional fine art appraiser for over ten years. With this, I noticed a consistent "gap" in the market with clients who had inherited a vase, stumbled across a painting, or had been sitting on an antique lamp who had no idea where to go to explore the value. Most of these clients do not need formal art appraisals (AKA appraisals ... Read More
Can I Really Appraise My Art Online?
November 1, 2017 by Carrie GoughWhat is my art worth? What are my antiques worth? Where can I value my art and antiques? As the art world remains opaque, these questions become more prevalent. There are very few industries out there that have not been affected by technology and the art world is certainly no exception. These days we can easily capture high quality digital images of our art, antiques and collectibles and ... Read More
Is a Free Appraisal Really Free?
by Carrie GoughWhere can I get a free art appraisal? Buyer beware - why free appraisals are not really free and why consumers should choose an unbiased source like What’s it Worth when valuing their art, antiques and collectibles. If you google “free art or antiques appraisal” plenty of options can be found. But if the consumer digs a little deeper, they will soon discover that the entity advertising a ... Read More
The Thrill of Discovering Without Paying a Fortune.
April 4, 2016 by Carrie GoughThe idea behind founding What's it Worth - a streamlined, high quality online art and antique appraisal website. “My grandmother gave me this antique furniture over 40 years ago and even though she told me it was valuable, we never had it appraised.” “These paintings have been in my family for years and while we've always admired them on or wall, we know nothing about them.” Where can I ... Read More