There are a few things in this world people agree not to mess with.
Grandma’s recipe. A man’s fishing spot. And, apparently, Banksy’s anonymity.
Reuters decided to test that last one.
They published an investigative piece aimed at identifying the world’s most famous anonymous artist, Banksy, and in doing so kicked off a debate that has less to do with spray paint and more to do with art, money, privacy, and curiosity.
Then, one of the journalists took to Reddit for a live Ask Me Anything (AMA).
It did not go well. Read more
When Eternity Drew Near: Christianity and the Civil War Soldier
On the afternoon of July 2, 1863, Father William Corby climbed onto a granite boulder along Cemetery Ridge at Gettysburg and raised his right hand. Read more
How Civil War Railroads Helped Win the War
A railroad spike doesn’t look like much.
It is not as sleek as a cavalry officers sword made by renowned jeweler Tiffany & Co., as deeply personal as a soldier’s ID tag, or display-worthy as a rare Confederate belt plate. Most are heavy, scarred, rust-pitted, and beautifully plain. The kind of relic you might pick up at an artifact show, turn over in your hand, and think, “Well, that’s neat,” before drifting toward the table with the gold gilded buttons, brass buckles, and other things that look better under glass.
But that piece of iron points to one of the most overlooked reasons the Union won the Civil War. Read more
Banksy Identity Revealed: When the Story Becomes the Story
There are a few things in this world people agree not to mess with.
Grandma’s recipe. A man’s fishing spot. And, apparently, Banksy’s anonymity.
Reuters decided to test that last one.
They published an investigative piece aimed at identifying the world’s most famous anonymous artist, Banksy, and in doing so kicked off a debate that has less to do with spray paint and more to do with art, money, privacy, and curiosity.
Then, one of the journalists took to Reddit for a live Ask Me Anything (AMA).
It did not go well. Read more
Inside Relic Collectors Anonymous: Where Collectors Seek “Help” They Don’t Actually Want
By 7:00 p.m., the parking lot behind the little brick church was full of pickup trucks, aging SUVs, and one nervous sedan sagging suspiciously in the rear. The sign on the door read “Fellowship Hall,” but the people filing in were carrying Riker cases, ammo cans, and cardboard boxes that clinked with the unmistakable sound of “don’t tell my spouse.” Read more
Temperance Tokens: Collecting Memorabilia from the Prohibition Era
History is full of ironies, but few are as deliciously contradictory as Prohibition (1920–1933). The U.S. government declared alcohol illegal, yet America somehow managed to drink more than ever. ‘Merica! Speakeasies thrived, bootleggers got rich, and law enforcement often looked the other way (or raised a glass of their own). But the real survivors of the “Noble Experiment” weren’t just Al Capone and bathtub gin, they were the tokens that told the story of a dry nation thirsty for loopholes, independence, and the occasional bit of debauchery. Read more
The Science of Patina: When to Clean and When to Leave It Alone
Every collector eventually faces the same gut-check moment. You stumble across a piece that looks… let’s call it, sultry in its age. And if you’ve ever read the descriptions from some of my favorite historical artifact dealers, you know they could moonlight as trashy romance novel authors. They wax poetic about patina in ways that could make your grandmother blush: “a satisfying deep, dark, chocolate, forest brown patina” or “an irresistible swirl of lustrous olive-gold toning that dances across the surface.”
Sounds like Fabio should be on the dust jacket, right? But flowery words aside, the question comes fast and hard: Leave it, or clean it?
Read more
No Bango, No Pay
The first settlers in Hawaii introduced sugarcane to the islands around 600 A.D. Natives harvested sugarcane, or kō in Hawaiian, and consumed it as food and medicine. They chewed it for its sweet juices and the coarse stalk helped to keep their teeth and gums clean. Other parts of the plant were used as food additives, clothing dye, and thatching for shelter. However, Native Hawaiians never cultivated sugarcane directly for its sugar. That changed with the arrival of Europeans.
Read more
Tobacco Tags
At the intersection of advertising, tobacciana, and numismatics, tobacco tags, also known as tobacco tin tags or tobacco can tags, are a collector’s delight. Read more
Majestic Tourmaline Crystals
Digging bucket and gear in hand, I took a moment to enjoy the expansive views from atop the northeastern slope of Chief Mountain, a stone’s throw away from scenic Pala, California. I was there to rummage through old mine dumps from the Pala Chief Mine and its various nearby prospects. Specifically, I was on the hunt for some of the world’s most prized tourmaline, known for its rich colors and clarity. The ol’ Pala Chief didn’t disappoint. Read more
South Carolina Dispensary
While Tennessee toasts Jack Daniel’s Whiskey, and Kentucky cheers Jim Beam’s Bourbon, neighboring South Carolina runs dry on notable liquor royalty. As America’s whiskey and bourbon men were mashing their way to fame and fortune at the turn of the 20th century, a conniving, one-eyed politician was cooking up his own elixir: a state-run monopoly on all alcohol bottled and sold within the borders of the Palmetto State, South Carolina. Read more