antiques & collectables.

The box represents great temptation. "Open me" it says. The human cannot resist it; its charm is overwhelming. So too, is the charm of this remarkable book, in which antique boxes and tea caddies - along with the people who inspired, made, and used them - dance gracefully through the pages. The reader is guided through the aesthetic, cultural, and social influences of the years covered, accumulating a deep understanding of the form, decoration, and purpose of eighteenth and nineteenth century boxes. The extensive text covers wooden, tortoiseshell, ivory, papier m*^ach*/e, and lacquer boxes. There are chapters on Anglo Indian, Scottish, Irish, Penwork, Straw work, and Tunbridge ware boxes, as well as on boxes made for special purposes. Captions include complete descriptions, values, and circa dates for all boxes shown. The 905 images include original drawings, magnificent photographs of complete pieces, and close-ups illustrating the structure and decoration of boxes. This is an indispensable companion for box collectors and reflects fascinating information about cultural forces that shaped the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

439 color photos of old boxes for domestic, farm and industry use including those especially made for alms, apples, ballots, candles, cutlery, humidors, jewelry, letters, pencils, pipes, sewing, Shaker, spice, sugar, tea, toys, writing, and so many others, along with great stories and text about them. A price guide is included with the captions.

Charts the developments of music boxes from the invention of the first one in 1796 through today.

Do teachers have a front row seat to America’s decline? Jeremy S. Adams, a teacher at both the high school and college levels, thinks so. Adams has spent decades trying to instill wisdom, ambition, and a love of learning in his students. And yet, as he notes, when teachers get together, they often share an arresting conclusion: Something has gone terribly wrong. Something essential is missing in our young people. Their curiosity seems stunted, their reason undeveloped, their values uninformed, their knowledge lacking, and most worrying of all, their humanity diminished. Digital hermits of a sort unfamiliar to an older generation, they have little interest in marriage and family. They largely dismiss—and are shockingly ignorant of—religion. They sneer at patriotism, sympathize with riots and vandalism, and regard American society and civilization as so radically flawed that it must be dismantled. Often friendless and depressed, they eat alone, study alone, and even “socialize” alone. Educators like Adams see a generation slipping away. The problems that have hollowed out our young people have been festering for years. A year of COVID-19 lockdowns and social distancing have magnified them. The result could be a generation—and our nation’s future—lost in a miasma of alienation and stupefaction. In his stunning new book, Hollowed Out, Jeremy S. Adams reveals why students have rejected the wisdom, culture, and institutions of Western civilization—and what we can do to win them back. Poignant, frightening, and yet inspiring, this is a book for every parent, teacher, and patriot concerned for our young people and our country

Pillar boxes were first introduced into Britain at the instigation of novelist and Post Office Surveyor Anthony Trollope. Nowadays the red postbox is a familiar sight in any city street or country lane. Because of their sturdy cast-iron construction British letter boxes are very durable, and examples of virtually every type from Queen Victoria's reign onwards can still be found. Pillar boxes, wall boxes of various kinds, lamp boxes and other non-standard specimens are included in this survey. It also describes and illustrates some of those from the Channel Islands, where pillar boxes were first introduced in 1852, from Scotland, which has had its own design of letter boxes since the Queen's accession in 1952, and others from the heart of London to the depths of rural Wales and the Irish Republic.

The history and diversity of needlework tools from ancient Egypt through the 20th century are identified. Nearly 500 photographs beautifully illustrate needles, bodkins, pin cushions, thimbles, bobbins, clamps, hooks, shuttles, measuring tapes, waxers, winders, and more. A special section features representative tools from private collections. Three appendices, values, and an index are included.

Metal lunch boxes are cataloged and beautifully photographed to display popular images on the fronts, backs, and bands. Includes a section on care and cleaning, a list of manufacturers, and color photos of over 500 metal lunch boxes with their current values.

Lots of cats all around the world do exciting things like fly aeroplanes or play the violin - but my cat, an ordinary round-the-house cat, likes to hide in boxes. Children will love joining in with this fun rhyming story that is just right for beginner readers.

The boxed set of the stories of four iconic fashion houses, including images of their designs and text on the personalities behind the brands.