The Vanderbilt name is legendary in America. When we name some of the most famous self-made made men in our country’s history, rail baron Cornelius Vanderbilt sits near the top of the list. At the time of his death, he was worth around $100 million, a staggering total back in 1877 — more money than … Read more
Feb 5, 2019 James Hoare Mallows Bay is a fairly unassuming shelter on the Maryland side the Potomac River, where the current twists and curves east. Stand on the bank and study the shallow water closely and your eye will drift over the partially-submerged hulls of ships, the eerie rotting wood and steel cadavers of the … Read more
Jan 4, 2019 Nancy Bilyeau The finding of a plane wreck in the English Channel could provide an explanation for an enduring mystery that happened to a U.S. serviceman in 1969. US Air Force mechanic Sergeant Paul Meyer, stationed at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, was homesick and reportedly struggling with alcoholism when he got a piece … Read more
Jan 4, 2019 Patricia Grimshaw Time can be a complete menace to works of art. Dust, mold, mildew, dirt and even the varnish originally used on a painting can become thick and dark over the years, eventually obscuring or even completely hiding from view the original work. Art conservation is a highly skilled and painstaking trade, … Read more
Jan 29, 2018 Stefan Andrews Dubbed the “Super Mercedes,” this rare vehicle, which reportedly conveyed the infamous Nazi dictator to victory parades and other appearances in Germany and which was offered at an auction by Worldwide Auctioneers in Scottsdale, Arizona, failed to reach its minimum sale price on January 17, 2018. The highest bid hit $7 … Read more
Jan 30, 2018 Brad Smithfield The Art Nouveau movement began in the 1890s, spreading the idea that art should be a part of everything around us. This rather revolutionary movement confronted the eclectic historical styles and the precise geometry of neoclassical forms with great elegance and soon became synonymous with progress, influencing a number of artists who … Read more
Jan 11, 2019 Stefan Andrews Much of the ancient history we are familiar with is about Egyptian pharaohs, Greek heroes or Roman emperors. But the ancient world saw all manner of mighty civilizations rise and fall. Their rulers, who may not have made it into modern popular knowledge, nonetheless forged powerful empires which thrived for centuries. … Read more
