Category Archives: Fine Art

Pre 1891- Items imported to the U.S. did not have to be marked with the country of their origin. Most Japanese ceramics were not stamped with any backstamp or they were marked with the Artist’s or Manufacture’s name in Japanese. 1891 – 1921 – Starting in March, 1891, after enactment of the McKinley Tariff Act, […]

The property you are considering buying has the potential to make you a lot of money. Only it has one major problem, and this problem is the reason you are able to buy this property at such a bargain. The problem is odor, odor left behind by a host of pets. Should you seal or […]

OK! It happened. In spite of your best intentions you wore buttons or belt loops into your hammock, and broke one or more of the strings. What do you do now? In this article we will cover the repairs of three of the most common mishaps that can befall the Mayan hammock. Mishap number one, […]

Collecting vintage posters has become very popular, and the reason for this is because there are only a very few genuine vintage posters available in today’s market. Many vintage posters come with a very expensive price tag while others you can find at a reasonably low price, depending on popularity and the genre. Here are […]

Transitional interiors have the best of both worlds: traditional and contemporary.Staying within the familiar realm of tradition but making it perky with fresh new ideas. Traditional architecture and designs carry a beautiful appeal and when freshened up they stand out as even more classic. An updated historic home carries its character yet the contemporary furnishings […]

A netsuke (net-skeh) is a miniature sculpture developed in Japan over a period of more than three hundred years. The kimono, the traditional form of Japanese dress, had no pockets. Men suspended pouches (inro) on a silk cord from their sash (obi). To stop the cord from slipping through the “obi”, a small toggle is […]

Vanilla is on the list of powerful ingredients that all of us use on a regular basis. However, most of us just take it for granted. In fact, it’s so popular that it’s an important part of all types of recipes. Although vanilla is ubiquitous, we don’t know about the origin of it for sure. […]

Japanese tattoos are cool. But if a personal translator is out of your league how can you avoid becoming a kanji fashion victim and get stuck with a tattoo you will really regret? 1. Know the difference – hiragana, katakana and kanji Before you talk to your tattoo artist, make sure you know what you […]

Are you considering making a living (or at least a little money on the side) doing body painting? Is it even possible to make a living doing body painting? Yes, you can make good money as a ‘pro’ body painter, and even kids as young as twelve have made good money (like $500-$400 in an […]

I read this book sitting in a Thai food restaurant on the Oregon coast. The food was outstanding and what was very interesting was the fact that at the cash register there was a book and DVD set talking about going to college for free. The author was a young guy who graduated from Harvard. […]