Collecting guides, market insights, hallmark and maker identification, and auction commentary from our specialist team. Showing the 24 most recent articles — use the pagination at the bottom of the page to browse all 689 published articles.
Most old leaded and decorated lamps are not Tiffany, and many are worth serious money anyway. A Limbert Arts and Crafts lamp brought $6,750 at our sale, and a pair of Art Nouveau bronze lamps estimated at $1,000 to $2,000 sold for $6,500. Here are the makers to know and what drives value.
Some Edward S. Curtis pictures are original photogravures or orotones worth thousands of dollars. Many more are later prints or posters. A Curtis orotone of The Rush Gatherer that we estimated at $8,000 to $10,000 sold for $11,000. Here is how to tell what you have before you sell.
Gorham Martelé is some of the most valuable American silver ever made, and it still turns up mixed in with ordinary sterling. A Martelé water pitcher we estimated at $3,000 to $5,000 sold for $7,000. Here is how to spot it, what drives its value, and what to avoid before you sell.
Estate sales and local auctions are great at clearing a house. An auction house is built to find the buyer who wants your best piece most. Here is how each option works, where the value usually is, and how we help you use all three together.
A real Tiffany Studios lamp can sell for five figures or more. A lamp with a Tiffany stamp on it may be worth a few hundred dollars. Here is how we tell them apart, what drives value, and how to handle your lamp before you sell it.
A gold buyer pays you for weight. A bidder pays you for the piece. A 14K gold and ceramic link bracelet we estimated at $200 to $400 sold for $1,400. Here is how to tell which of your jewelry belongs at auction and which belongs on the scale.
Squash blossoms, turquoise cuffs and Zuni inlay turn up in Minnesota houses far more often than geography would suggest. We have sold thousands of pieces of Native American jewelry out of Twin Cities estates — a plain-looking Navajo cuff estimated at $50–100 recently made $2,300. Here is what the market actually pays, what drives the number, and what to look for before you sell.
Vickrey painted 78 Time covers and became the leading modern practitioner of egg tempera. At auction the medium is everything: a five-inch tempera made $10,625 while a 32-by-48-inch oil failed to sell at a $7,000 estimate. And the worst thing you can do to one is clean it.
In one afternoon in May 2026, Allan Houser's auction record was broken twice — finishing at $243,200. That headline does not lift every Houser. Scale, edition size and whether a work is unique matter more than the name, and the unique stone carvings may be the most underrated thing he made.
Wright designed the only gas station he ever built in Cloquet, and his largest Minnesota house was dismantled by the Metropolitan Museum in 1972 — its windows are still in private hands here. A guide to what he built in this state, what the Prairie School left behind, and how to tell a $20,000 window from a $200 reproduction.
Two federal duck stamps, five-time Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year, and a Long Lake studio. Maass originals sit among the stronger wildlife paintings in the American market. His prints — 215,000 of them and counting — are among the weakest. Knowing which you own changes everything.
He painted murals in Duluth, lived in St. Paul, and turned out 347 canvases for the Great Northern Railway's 'See America First' campaign. The best of his Glacier Park oils reach five figures, though most Ferys sell for far less. Most people misspell his name — which is exactly how these paintings stay undiscovered in Minnesota houses.
How well Swarovski pieces retain value, what drives their resale prices, and practical steps owners can take to protect their investment.
Coin silver and sterling silver look alike, but their purity, history, and value tell two very different stories.
Learn what determines the value of International Silver Company sterling, typical price ranges, and how to identify pieces worth more than melt value.
Learn what makes vintage Lalique glass collectible, how to gauge its market value, and tips for identifying, buying, and selling prized pieces.
Learn the best places to sell International Silver Company flatware, hollowware, and collectibles, and why SebastianCharles Auctions is the top choice.
Learn what determines the value of a sterling silver tray, from silver content and maker to condition, pattern, and current spot prices.
Learn what Reed & Barton Mirrorstele patterns are, how to identify them, and why mid-century collectors love this stainless flatware line.
Trying to sell Reed & Barton silver? Learn what affects value and why consigning with SebastianCharles Auctions is the stress-free way to earn top dollar.
Not sure if your International Silver Company flatware is solid sterling or just plated? Learn the difference, how to check hallmarks, and what each type is worth.
Learn why the 925 stamp appears on rings, bracelets, and necklaces, what it says about silver purity, and how it affects value and care.
Wondering whether 925 silver and sterling silver are different metals? Here’s what the numbers, hallmarks, and industry terms really mean.
925 sterling silver is solid precious metal, while silver-plated pieces are base metal with a thin silver skin. Explore which is better for longevity, value, and everyday wear.