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.
Whilst looking at items to write a feature on Circus Collectables, I came across the delightful range of Circus miniatures created by Charbens. Many people recognise the name Britains and their miniatures but apart from keen collectors, Charbens is not a too familiar. In this feature we will take a […]
They have a variety of names – pincushion dolls, tea-cosie dolls and dresser dolls… and there are those also known as ‘tops’, ‘pin heads’ or ‘whisk-broom’ dolls. Generally they are referred to as Half Dolls… but whatever name may be dubbed, they all have one thing in common.
King Penguin Books Checklist and History – The King Penguin book series, a pioneering initiative by Penguin Books, was launched in 1939 with “British Birds on Lake River and Stream” by Phyllis Barclay-Smith. Drawing inspiration from the high-quality illustrated books of the past, the series became known for its distinctive […]
Primavera, founded in 1912 by René Guilleré and André Mare, the French design studio affiliated with the prestigious Parisian department store Au Printemps, was a cornerstone in the evolution of French decorative arts. Situated at the cusp of tradition and modernism, the company thrived by integrating established French decorative techniques […]
Toy boxes suddenly started to smell delicious in 1980! Delicious fruity scents of cherry, lemon, raspberry, blueberry, lime and – most of all – strawberry filled our homes. Here was a toy we really didn’t mind buying for our children. The perfume drifted from a series of dolls, of various […]
The Knickerbocker Toy Company, with its roots stretching back to the late 19th century, is a significant chapter in the history of American toy manufacturing. Founded in 1869 by a family of Dutch immigrants originally named Van Whye, the company began as a small operation in Albany, New York. The […]
Collecting Little Orphan Annie Dolls – When the Annie musical first hit London, in 1978, following on from the Broadway production a year before, it was a smash-hit. It gave numerous young girls a chance to shine, amongst them a very youthful Catherine Zeta Jones, who played the lead role […]
The Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker is a lesser-known work by the renowned author of “Dracula.” It was first published in 1911. It was adapted to film by Ken Russell in 1988. We take a look at Stoker’s book and Ken Russell’ s cult film, taking a […]
Clarice Cliff and The Age of Jazz Figures – In the vibrant tapestry of the 1930s, a period effervescent with the innovative beats of jazz, Clarice Cliff’s The Age of Jazz ceramic series emerges as a striking representation of the era’s artistic fervour. This series, infused with the rhythmic essence […]
Stan Woodpecker Dodds, born in 1928 and passing in 2012, carved a niche for himself in the world of English craftsmanship, leaving behind a legacy intertwined with the enchanting lore of Yorkshire’s ‘Critter’ craftsmen. This esteemed group of designer-makers, either trained in the workshop of Robert Thompson or inspired by […]
