Welcome to the WCN Collecting Articles and Features Channel dedicated to all things related to collecting, antiques, pottery, vintage toys, dolls, teddy bears, memorabilia, books, comics, figurines and everything else collectable. Our aim is to provide collectors with information on all aspects of antiques and collecting, from identifying and valuing antiques, to tips on starting and growing a collection, and to featured collectible histories.
We feature hundreds of articles and features on all aspects of collecting, written by experts in the field. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just getting started, we hope you’ll find something of interest here. Thanks for reading! You can also search for articles using the magnifying glass to the top right of the web site.
Few television shows have had the enduring cultural impact of The Brady Bunch. Airing from 1969 to 1974, this family sitcom chronicling the lives of a blended family of six children, two parents, and a quirky housekeeper became a defining show of the 1970s. Though its original run lasted only […]
George Borgfeldt is not a household name today, but his influence on the American toy industry is profound and enduring. Although Borgfeldt was not a toy maker himself, he pioneered a practice that now dominates the global toy market: licensing. Through his innovative approach to licensing intellectual property and distributing […]
Disney Wade Lady and the Tramp Blow-Up Prototypes – Disney and Wade pottery enthusiasts had the chance to acquire some exceptionally rare pieces at a recent Potteries Auctions event, where five unmarked prototype ‘Blow Up’ colourway figures from the classic Lady and the Tramp series went under the hammer. These […]
Arequipa Pottery occupies a distinctive place in the history of American studio ceramics. Produced at the Arequipa Sanatorium in Fairfax, Marin County, California, the pottery emerged from a remarkable social and artistic experiment during the early twentieth century. Founded in 1911 by physician Dr. Philip King Brown, the Arequipa Sanatorium […]
Rockingham pottery and porcelain, produced at Swinton in South Yorkshire between approximately 1826 and 1842, remains one of the most distinctive chapters in English ceramic history. Although often associated broadly with Rococo extravagance, the true Rockingham output was in fact limited to just sixteen years of porcelain manufacture under the […]
The Pairpoint Corporation, established in 1900 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, became one of America’s most distinctive early twentieth-century lighting manufacturers. Among its most celebrated creations were the blown glass shades known as “Puffies”, a striking alternative to the leaded-glass lamps popularised by Tiffany Studios. We take a look at these […]
In 1986, Wade Ceramics added a charming pair of engines to its long list of character pieces: Thomas and Percy, the stars of Thomas the Tank Engine. These porcelain models were inspired by the ever-popular stories of Reverend Wilbert Awdry and arrived just as the television series Thomas the Tank […]
In 2025, The Sound of Music celebrates its 60th anniversary. Released in 1965 and directed by Robert Wise, the film adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved stage musical quickly became a worldwide phenomenon. Starring Julie Andrews as Maria and Christopher Plummer as Captain Georg von Trapp, the film combined sweeping […]
Jackfield Ware is a striking form of black-glazed earthenware pottery that originated in the mid-18th century in Jackfield, Shropshire. While once thought to imitate Wedgwood’s basalt ware, Jackfield actually predates it and played a key role in the experimental development of black-glazed pottery in Britain. Characterised by its lustrous glaze, […]
Released in 1975, Steven Spielberg’s Jaws became the first true summer blockbuster, a cultural phenomenon, and a film that changed cinema history. Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, Jaws continues to thrill audiences, influence filmmakers, and inspire collectors around the world. With the anniversary comes renewed interest in shark-themed memorabilia—ranging from […]
