Adventures in Antiquity

18th century English Secretary
Two people who often show up on the Antique Road Show the Keno Brothers understand the historical value and context of antique furniture. Leigh Keno’s description of a secretary in the 18th century and its function creates a connective tissue between life today and life in the 18th century:

‘In the 18th century, a secretary-bookcase was the nerve center of the home,’’ said Leigh Keno, the dealer in American antiques. ‘’Everything valuable was kept there: cash, account books, receipts, treasured volumes. It was like a computer is to us today, but instead of a password, you opened it with a key.’’
The secretary featured in this article played the same role in an 18th century household.

Temperature is the difference between ordinary pottery and porcelain, as noted in the UNESCO Courier in Oct 1988. Ordinary pottery is “baked in a kiln at temperatures rang, from 500 degrees C to 1150 degrees C, and is called earthenware”. Porcelain is an utterly different animal and that difference rests entirely in the temperature at which it is fired, around 1280 degree C. Between 1369-1644, the Mung Dynasty developed the best quality blue and white porcelain.
Although the date has not been confirmed for these particular chinese blue & white porcelain jars, they have been hand painted.

Jack L. Gray (1927 - 1981) is recognized as one of the foremost Canadian painters of the 20th century. This painting Running Free is a fine example of the challenges at sea. The gray clouds off to the right show an ominous change in the weather. The setting for this painting also marks a distinct period in his work.