When is a knife more than a knife? Outdoor expert Zeb Casperson knows, and he tells all when he discusses fine outdoor knives from Thomaston Place Auction Gallery's North American Collection Auction in the latest edition of Auction Waves

From the familiar over-and-under splint baskets common to the peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands of North America, to the ornate, tightly woven designs characteristic of the native peoples of the Pacific Coast, indigenous basketry offers a fascinating scope of variations.

What is it about turquoise? On our latest edition of Auction Waves, Elizabeth McLeod explores these and other questions with jewelsmith Laura Anderson of the Thomaston Place Auction Galleries team, who shares a lifetime of experience working with this fascinating mineral, and some of the unique lore surrounding its production and appreciation.

What factor most drove the colonization of North America by England, France, and Spain? The answer to that question might surprise you. Vital to this effort was the widespread distribution of trade goods among the Indigenous peoples with whom these traders dealt.

Delicate, refined, and evocative of the past, yet with an appeal that transcends generations. Cameo jewelry is one of fashion's constants, its popularity rising and falling with the trends of the moment, yet never truly out of style.

You can't keep a good trend down, and that's especially true when it comes to jewelry. Certain styles, certain fashions, certain ideas return again and again to the public consciousness. But others reappear because they carry a continuing emotional connection that bridges generations. A prime example? The eternal popularity of the charm bracelet.

In this latest release from Thomaston Place Auction Galleries' popular podcast, Sylvia joins host Elizabeth McLeod to review unusual and spectacular pieces in the April 24th sale, with particular emphasis on an impressive assortment of Victoriana and more.

It's an art nearly as old as human civilization itself -- the transformation by blazing heat of simple mineral dust into works of beauty and utility. Fine glassmaking begins with the careful selection of those materials.