Article Archives: What’s in the Attic?

The Gift That Starts The Home

August 24, 2023 | by Linda Hamer Kennett

This column first appeared in June 2015. The first years were a struggle for Edward Lane. The small furniture factory that he had started in Alta Vista, Virginia sat at the junction of the Virginian and Southern railways, making for an excellent source of transportation of materials to the factory … Read More

Once Upon a Time

August 17, 2023 | by Linda Hamer Kennett

This column first appeared in September 2013. The growth of the middle class in the mid-1800s saw an increased demand for children’s books. Recognizing this need, publishers encouraged their writers and artists to develop well illustrated books with interesting story lines. As the century progressed, technical advances in both printing … Read More

Kitschy and Collectible — The 1950s TV Lamp

August 10, 2023 | by Linda Hamer Kennett

This column first appeared in March 2013. With the war years behind her and the hope of good times to come, America headed into the 1950s. A new spirit of optimism and a zeal for material comforts prevailed. The average household income was $2,992, gas was 27 cents a gallon, … Read More

A Family Tradition

August 3, 2023 | by Linda Hamer Kennett

This column first appeared in September 2011. I remember when my husband gave our son Sean his first pocket knife the Christmas he was twelve. “This Case knife was carried by my grandpa, then my dad, and I have carried it for thirty years” he told him. “Now it is … Read More

Button It Up!

July 27, 2023 | by Linda Hamer Kennett

This column first appeared in August 2011. It is one of little things that we never take much note of, but how many times a day do we rely on the efficiency of the tiny little disc we call a button? Unlike many collectibles that take years to become established, … Read More