This rare surviving wooden panel from a historic American carousel features a majestic moose in a lakeside landscape.

This impressively large bentwood box with an elaborately embellished top is known as a Mi’kmaq bride’s box. We explore the context of its origins in Nova Scotia in the early 1800s, and describe how its form and decoration relate to other examples of early Mi’kmaq craftsmanship.

Often the specific historical story of an antique gets lost over time. But not so with this wooden wannigan. Embedded within it are the place and date of a particular fishing trip, the signatures of two renowned fishing guides, and the exquisite artwork of one of them.

This birch bark canoe model was made over 100 years ago by a Native American man who not only skillfully replicated a traditional form of tribal watercraft, but also graced it with his own distinctive artwork. This article describes the canoe model in the context of what is known about its maker and his larger cultural context.

Living with antiques is one of life’s pleasures, whether you enjoy them primarily from an aesthetic, functional, historic, or social perspective. We advocate enjoying antiques in these ways well into old age instead of letting concerns about their ultimate dispersal taint your enthusiasm for antiquing.

This article presents details about a Vivian Akers lake painting, and explores the biographical and regional contexts that shaped and inspired Akers and his art.

These 19th century miniature canoe paddles are models of Eastern Cree paddles that were used by voyageurs to transport furs for the Hudson’s Bay Company.

In this follow-up to our previous article on Cabinets of Curiosities, we discuss what makes an object “curious” and present some natural and ethnographic objects that fit within categories that have been of interest to curiosity collectors—and rusticators—throughout the ages.

There is a continuity across centuries of people who admire fish living in wild waters, including anglers who like the sport of fishing and those who just appreciate fish as wildlife. The community of fish enthusiasts has also always included artists, who scrutinize the astounding physical characteristics of fish more closely than most observers.

Pictorial etchings that decorate a birch bark backrest made in the early 20th century by Passamaquoddy artist and guide Tomah Joseph document aspects of his tribe’s lifestyle, including their interaction with non-native rusticators—represented as passengers sitting in his canoe as he paddles them to see an offshore attraction.

In the 16th to 18th centuries, cabinets of curiosities celebrated the mysteries of nature and culture in grand exhibits that filled entire rooms. A book about these extravagant displays has inspired our exploration of the topic.

“Camp Dudley” was a private fishing and hunting club established in 1908 on Deer Lake in Quebec. Its rustic sign and photo album survive as artifacts of the sportsmen’s happy haven.

This 1873 engraving of a Frances Anne Hopkins painting titled Canoes in the Fog, Lake Superior is a rare find that accurately captures the magic of the original painting depicting voyageurs paddling fur trade canoes.

Antiques last for generations, so they typically go through many cycles of ownership. This article explores the life occurrences (all beginning with the letter “D”) that underlie how and why antiques change hands.

This is a stunning and rare bedroom set made by an artisan with an amazing ability to create intricate geometric patterns using just the natural features of a simple gift of nature: tree twigs.

We explore the topic of nesting from both figurative and literal perspectives, as a phenomenon that happens both inside and outside of our homes.

This super rare, highly functional hickory case piece was made in LaPorte, Indiana nearly 100 years ago by Rustic Hickory Furniture Company.

An 1891 painting by the artist Charles George Copeland depicts Native guides, fishermen, and birch bark canoeing scenes. It has inspired us to learn more about the artist, and to delve into history to interpret the story the painting tells.

This article presents a gallery of images of antiques that incorporate hearts in their design. It surprised us to find so many heart designs within our past inventory of rustic antiques, and in our related specialty areas of folk art and Native American art.

As ice fishing season approaches here in the Northeast, we're remembering long-ago summer fishing seasons with these three commemorative fish plaques that date from 1905 & 1906.

From the mid-19th to early-20th centuries, craftsmen made and sold rustic furniture in resort regions across the U.S. One of those regions was the Southern Appalachians, and that furniture has several distinguishing characteristics.

This article explores some of the motivations that drive people's love of antiques and antiquing. It also provides self-ranking scales so that you can discover which motivations play a greater or lesser role in your own pursuit of antiques.

This antique birch bark canoe is only 12’ long—a desirable size for displaying indoors. It was made in the 1920s by an Eastern Cree canoe builder in the James Bay region of Quebec.

Every so often we acquire an antique that completely beguiles us. That is what happened the moment we saw this circa 1900 rustic planter whose elaborate decoration includes 12 bird figures.

This yellow birch and cherry center table has a significant Adirondack history. It was made by rustic craftsman Elmer Patterson in the 1920s.

In this article we trace the connections among humans' hard-wired responses to nature, the biophilic design movement in architecture, and people's attraction to rustic antiques.

We were drawn to this figural carving the moment we saw it, compelled by the synergy of its subject matter, size, patina, and spare aesthetic style. Discovering that it is signed and dated was an additional bonus.

This small (3” x 5”) leather-bound journal documents a canoe trip taken by five men in two birch bark canoes in the Moosehead Lake region of Maine during the Civil War.

A camping excursion to explore a new National Monument in northern Maine inspired our musings on moose—both the outdoor and indoor varieties.

We were thrilled to acquire this rare find: three large-scale animal carvings by the esteemed 19th century folk carver Noah Weiss. The set of carvings includes a White-tailed Deer buck, doe, and fawn.

At the heart of our musings this month is the question of what drives collectors of antiques. We explore that question in the context of a family collection that we know well—surprisingly not a collection of rustic antiques, but of tennis antiques.

This impressive painting turns a typical theme of sporting art on its head, since it is the fish that is doing the catching rather than being caught. It was created in the 1870s by the respected Dutch American artist Arnoud Wydeveld.

As sellers of antiques, we get miffed when new merchandise shows up for sale at Antiques Shows. Buyers who attend antiques shows should also be frustrated by, and wary of, this increasingly common occurrence.

In their 1942 catalog, Old Hickory Furniture Company of Martinsville, Indiana introduced several creative new furniture designs, including this hinged-back daybed.

Interested in enhancing the aesthetic appeal of your garden? We present ideas for making wattle plant surrounds, as well as rustic trellises and tuteurs.

Have you ever headed out into nature to revitalize your mind, body, or mood? If so, then you might be interested in what current research is revealing about why nature makes us feel good.

This charming small artwork was created by Henry B. Kane, an illustrator of many beloved nature books.

This hand-decorated table hails from an era when nature imagery was a popular motif in both rustic and formal homes.

Just as the rusticators of past eras sought both nature and luxury in remote destinations, so, too, do modern-day "glamping" aficionados.

We acquired this 1920s hickory armoire directly from a home in the Adirondacks. It is a spacious cabinet made for storing clothing and linens, or alternatively for sports equipment and board games.

Although these particular spring arrivals are bookends made of cast iron, they do an excellent job of evoking the living essence of the two song birds they portray: a Blue Jay and an Eastern Towhee.

Before those of us who live in a land of four seasons say goodbye to ice and snow, we present a winter reflection inspired by a pair of antique ice skates.

These two accessories were created by a rustic craftsman working during the early 1900s near Blowing Rock, NC where he sold such pieces to rusticators visiting the region's mountain resorts.

This cabinet is one of the most creatively conceived and constructed pieces of rustic furniture that we’ve had the pleasure of handling during our career as antiques dealers.

As nature enters a season of dormancy in colder climes, our thoughts turn to bringing reminders of the outdoors in.

These ash splint baskets were made by Penobscot basket makers in the mid-19th century, yet are in remarkably good condition.

We are pleased to present interior photos of the modern home of dedicated collectors of hickory furniture, art pottery and rustic accessories.

These late-19th century fish paintings capture the beauty of a landlocked salmon and a brook trout, while celebrating the sport of angling.

The main lodge at Nominigan Camp was once the home of three excellent rustic tables that were made onsite from local cedar and pine.

One intriguing type of rustic furniture whose origins have not always been recognized was that made by Native American and First Nations men in the late 19th to early 20th centuries.

Our discussion of this early 20th century painting by Maine artist Seth Steward sets his work within broader cultural and historical landscape contexts, as well as provides samples of this well-listed artist's additional work.

This large, late 19th century root burl frame attains not only rustic allure, but also folk art appeal by incorporating a figural element - an iconic antlered buck.

We've written reviews of two books about the creative and ambitious Durant family who developed the first Great Camps and established the standard for elegant Adirondack style that is still aspired to today.

This substantial sign dates from the 1890s, so was made during an era of widespread enthusiasm for the new sport of recreational canoeing. We present some history on the sign, plus insights into the early days of canoe club establishment around the country.

We took photos at an Adirondack antiques show that illustrate 20 categories of rustic antiques within 5 genres of decor.

This 19th century oil painting is brimming with biodiversity, creating a colorful and inspiring nature vignette.

Will you be attending an antiques show or auction in the near future? If so, have a look at our list of tips that you might find worth considering while shopping.

This finely hooked mat was made with strips of "repurposed" silk stockings and dates from the 1930s. It was created by local women working under the auspices of the Grenfell Mission in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Not all antique hickory pole furniture was made by Old Hickory Furniture Company, although that is the name people are most familiar with. Here is an information-packed overview of six different hickory furniture manufacturers.

This early Native American feast ladle incorporating a carved hawk effigy is an artifact of Iroquois ceremonial culture which embodies clan identity and symbolic meaning.

These Tlingit snow shoes were acquired by an explorer during an adventure in the Pacific Northwest Coast in 1897.

It is good to leave one's regular antiquing neighborhoods occasionally to gain perspective on the field as a whole. In this journal entry, we report on our Pacific coast excursions to two urban flea markets.

This early 20th century photograph is dramatic both in subject matter and scale. It has inspired us to trace and recount the three strands of historical associations it evokes.

Six species of trees that were less commonly used during the original eras of rustic furniture design are elm, black willow, diamond willow, mountain laurel, striped maple and tamarack.

These two signs hold historic significance not only because they advertised the shop of a long-gone boat maker, but also for the Revolutionary War era event that the name of the shop commemorates.

Traditional rustic furniture was typically crafted from trees found right in the furniture builders' local woods. We describe the habitats and ranges of five tree species, and present examples of rustic furniture made from them.

This expertly carved caribou makes quite a table-top statement with its accurately represented large antlers, square snout, and lighter fur around its neck and rump.

While eco-touring in Belize, we enjoyed seeing native plant materials that are used in the built environment also growing in their natural habitats.

These smoothly-shaped and well-patinated wooden forms have a surprising connection to the turn-of-20th-century rusticator movement, as well as to Native American history.

Antiques dealers are becoming increasingly concerned about the lack of young collectors in their fields. But there is a potential audience of antiques appreciators that is not often considered.

These circa 1900 polychrome wrought iron andirons are an uncommon and jubilant form. They are expertly crafted to bring the presence of summer flowers indoors year round.

An array of spring colors and imagery decorate this masterful example of Iroquois beadwork in the form of a calling card wallet. As with all native American artwork, this example from the 1840s was created in a social and cultural context that creates an intriguing historical narrative.

During the first half of the 20th century, hickory furniture manufacturers used quite a variety of weave materials and patterns. Here is an illustrated overview of these weave varieties for people who collect and decorate with hickory furniture.

The creator of this hooked rug had an excellent eye for graphic design and color, overcoming some of the limitations of working with wool as an art material.

We’ve been catching up on reading, including two books about antique art forgery and theft, one account imagined and one account real.

This stand is a rare form of Old Hickory that was made in the 1930s within a line of pine and hickory furniture that was not produced for as long as other Old Hickory designs.

Families typically lead leisure lifestyles in their vacation homes, and furnish them accordingly. So furniture such as game tables that may seem outdated in modern homes still contribute function and style to rustic retreats.

Bookends are useful, cast iron is collectible, but owls reign supreme. These owls are an uncommon, mint pair of bookends made by Albany Foundry circa 1925.

Seeing Snowy Owls up close, in daylight, in the wild is a fantastic experience that could easily inspire one to become a collector of antique owl artifacts.

This sturdy and comfortable lounging chair is a form of Old Hickory furniture that rarely comes on the market.

Room layout design tools, as well as augmented reality software, can be useful tools for virtually placing furniture in a room before making a purchase.

This 6’ long early 20th century Abnaki birch bark canoe is an unusually large size for a scale model, so draws positive attention as a component of rustic room decor.

Here is a review of an online tool we tried out to see if could help buyers who want to figure out if a piece of antique furniture will fit in their room before they purchase it.

This mid-19th century Mik’maq quillwork seat panel is not only an excellent example of the form, it also carries the provenance of a distinguished British collector.

An off-the-grid vacation inspired our musings on rustic architecture in a majestic setting.

These ornate early 20th-century Eastern Cree snow shoes have three classic types of decoration: pulled warp, wool tufts and colorful paint.

Even though rustic resorts of the late 1800s to early 1900s were in remote locations, they offered their affluent guests all the comforts of an upper-class home, including sumptuous meals.

The Native American game of snow snakes is centuries old, but is still enjoyed by tribes living in regions with snowy winters where they use snow snakes much like these antique versions.

What makes us “love” an antique? We contemplate this question with help from a psychologist’s book on the concept of emotional design.

This multi-color, hand-painted, wooden sign dates from the 1920s and was made to beckon early automobile travelers towards a lodging house.

Rustic architecture from the late 1880s into the 1900s is still highly valued, preserved and enjoyed at an historic summer colony in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

Functional garden ornaments such as fences, gazebos and obelisks, have been made from bark-on wood in geometric rustic motifs for over a century.

In the late 1800s, women of leisure were enjoying the freedom to pursue genteel sporting activities such as canoeing. These same women popularized fabric lithographs like this one, which were often made into pillows that celebrated their outdoorsy pursuits.

This tall wooden water-skiing board is a piece of aquatic sports history. But it is its graphic red, white and blue paint decoration that puts it over the top as stunning decor for a lakeside home.

Carefully packing a load of (often heavy) antiques into a large truck and traveling half way across the country may seem like a crazy way to do business, but as this article describes, it can also be a fun and lucrative endeavor.

Etching designs and pictorial stories onto birch bark is a traditional technique that Native American woodlands tribes used to decorate objects they made to sell to white settlers and tourists.

We review two entertaining books about antiques dealers. One is a contemporary mystery novel set in Maine, and the other documents the daily preoccupations and work of a real-life antiques dealer.

Although this circa 1880s Woodlands crooked knife was made to be used as a woodworking tool, its human hand shape transcends its utilitarian purpose, making it an exquisite example of Native American art.

This article delves into the phenomenon of posting photos of antiques to online social sharing sites such as Pinterest, and explores the trend of collecting antiques in a virtual rather than physical reality.

This framed early 20th century photo captures a classic scene of a solo paddler in a wood-and-canvas canoe on a serene northern lake.

Even though we’re antiques dealers, when it comes to buying antiques for our own home that are outside our specialty area, we face the same question that many antiques buyers do: How do we know that the price is fair?

Canoe cups are a popular rustic collectible, especially those with carved or painted decoration of scenes and animals encountered in northern woods and waterways.

Does the term “antiques” evoke fusty and outdated elements of home decor? That is not the association we want people to have with the types of antiques we deal in, so this article explores alternative terminology for good, old things.

Alpheus E. Keech (1855-1926) was a skilled artist who preserved idyllic images of the 1000 Islands region of northern New York on hundreds of souvenir canoe paddles that he sold for a living.

What type of antiques buyer are you? Explore three categories of buyers to see which best describe you.