Article Archives: Bumps in the Night

Statuary Myths and Urban Legends, Part 2

October 1, 2020 | by Al Hunter

If you are a fan of Victorian decor, or if, like me, you find yourself haunting antique malls and shops, you’re probably familiar with the work of sculptor John Rogers. Commonly known as “Groups” for their routine use of more than one subject per sculpture, Rogers’ work is distinctive for … Read More

Monopoly: the Hoosier Connection, Part 2

September 17, 2020 | by Al Hunter

This column first appeared in the Aug. 2, 2013 issue. The game of Monopoly was patented 80 over years ago on July 30, 1933. The official Parker Brothers line is that the popular board game was solely created by an unemployed salesman and heating engineer named Charles Darrow. Last week … Read More

Monopoly: the Hoosier Connection, Part 1

September 10, 2020 | by Al Hunter

This column first appeared in the July 26, 2013 issue. Last winter, hundreds of thousands of voters in 180 countries elected a new “Monopoly” token that was added to the game earlier this year. The cat token won the race and replaced the iron, an original piece from 1933. By … Read More

The 1952 Presidential Conventions Revisited

September 3, 2020 | by Al Hunter

Many readers will recall that I have a minor obsession with old paper. Photos, brochures, booklets, newspaper, documents, letters… PAPER! Sometimes I run across an item that illustrates things really haven’t changed that much. During a recent trip to Lexington, Kentucky, I found a box of paper in an antique … Read More

Elvis Presley — are you kidding?

August 27, 2020 | by Al Hunter

This column first appeared in August 2010. Recently the Leslie Hindman auction house in Chicago caused a flap when it was announced that they would be auctioning off the instruments used to embalm Elvis Presley after his untimely death at the age of 42. The auction house was planning to … Read More