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Ann Knapp's Articles

  • A Brief History of Jewelry Boxes
    During the Industrial Revolution, the concept of mass production enabled the newly established middle class of society to purchase items such as jewelry boxes, in addition to other luxury items. As jewelry boxes were being manufactured in bulk, the cost involved to produce them, as well as the cost to the consumer, was considerably less. What was considered a luxury item could now by enjoyed by
  • A Charmed History: Charm Bracelets Provide Hope and Comfort Throughout the Ages
    As far back as the Neolithic era, humankind chose to carry unusual stones or a piece of wood as protection from enemies or evil spirits. During the time of the Egyptian pharaohs, the first recognizable charm bracelets and necklaces appeared. These were elaborate pieces of jewelry made of precious stones and metals. Charms were also used to identify an individual to the gods in the afterlife.
  • A Piercing History: The Life and Times of the Earring
    For such a small item, the earring has wielded a dramatic influence through the centuries and in countless cultures. Ancient Persian carvings reveal soldiers donning earrings. In Egypt, ear ornaments, such as "earplugs" became fashionable some 1,500 years ago and were worn even by King Tutankhamen. Wealthy women of the Roman Empire used earrings to denote status.
  • A Slice of History: A Knife Retrospective
    The first knives were most likely made of wood, bone and other perishable materials. These ancient tools were shaped by knapping, or percussive flaking of rock, such as obsidian and flint.
  • A Student Tour To Chicago Should Include the Museum Of Science And Industry
    One of the most popular museums in the world is the Museum of Science and Industry, a highlight of any student visit to Chicago. The museum, created as a vehicle for public science education, is unique in that it was one of the first ever to involve industry in its exhibits.
  • A Visit To The Guggenheim Museum Delights Students and Teachers
    It was an invitation to architect Frank Lloyd Wright from the art advisor to Solomon R. Guggenheim that put the wheels in motion toward the creation of the Guggenheim Museum, a place to hold the four-year-old Museum of Non-Objective Painting.
  • All That Glitters Is Gold!
    Since the dawn of civilization, gold has been used by humankind for both decorative and daily use. Gold art objects and jewelry have been discovered as far back as 3,000 B.C. to be used by the Ur civilization what is now Southern Iraq. Similarly, gold objects have also been discovered in Peru by archaeologists that date back to 1200 B.C.
  • Caring for Your Gold Jewelry: Four "Golden" Rules
    There are four simple rules to keeping your gold jewelry looking like new. Gold is very durable but its luster can fade with time. However, with proper care, your gold will list for a lifetime. Take a look at these four golden rules and your jewelry will be shining for a long time to come.
  • Cigars And Music: A Natural Combination
    Or maybe it's because both cigars and music are contemplative pleasures. A casual smoker can get a quick tobacco-fix from a cheap cigarette, just as a casual music listener can enjoy the background hum of pop songs on the car radio. But to really enjoy a great performance, or a good tobacco, sitting still and paying attention are necessary.
  • Detroit: The City Cars Built
    A visit to the Model T Automotive Heritage Complex reveals where it all began. The birthplace of the automobile assembly line, the Heritage Complex is the only example of an early Detroit auto factory open to visitors. Guests also learn about the lives of the typical autoworkers in 1908, including their 10-hour workdays and 6-day workweeks.
  • Extend the Life of Jewelry with Careful Cleaning
    From inexpensive baubles to family heirlooms, jewelry reflects new trends and the cherished moments of a woman's life. Careless treatment of any kind of jewelry, however, shortens its life, value and beauty. Careful cleaning of jewelry extends the wear and value of a collection.
  • Extreme Diamonds Fascinate Those Who Behold Them
    Marie Antoinette was known for her dazzling jewelry collection and love of bling. Sadly, as her countrymen starved, she could be seen wearing some of the world's most priceless treasures in the royal court, and that pretty much sealed her fate. A year before her death, the queen gave a collection of pearls to a friend who took them to Britain for safekeeping, fully expecting to be reunited with the jewels.
  • Fantastic Philadelphia: Educational Travel Has Never Been So Fun
    Housed in the same area is the Assembly Room where George Washington was appointed commander and chief on the Continental Army in 1775 and the design of the American flag was agreed upon in 1777. The building, inside and out, has been restored as much as possible to its original late-18th-century appearance. Visitors also see the original "rising sun" chair used by George Washington.
  • Fun Facts About Gold Jewelry
    If you are fascinated by gold, as most humans have been for the past 7,000 years, then you might find the following facts about the beautiful metal that you may be wearing on your neck, wrists and fingers to be quite interesting and in some cases surprising as well.
  • Going, Going, Gone...Through The Roof!: Cigar Prices At Auction
    Pre-embargo cigars (the only kind on which Americans could legally bid) escalated in price, going in some cases for over $2500, and this market outlook in turn encouraged some longtime cigar collectors to loosen their grip on their prize smokes. The number of cigars available at auction grew alongside the prices these boxes might fetch.
  • Gold Mining: How We Dig It
    There are two main gold mining methods, one is called "placer" and the other is "vein" mining. And another type of mining is when gold is collected as a by-product in the mining of other metals.
  • Great African-American Jockeys In American Thoroughbred Racing
    American sports, like most American institutions, has a history of shameful racism, and this includes Thoroughbred horse racing - as anyone who has scanned the insulting, stereotypical names of some racehorses of the 1920s will confirm. At the same time, one of the inspiring things about sports is that way that, at least some of the time, excellence triumphs even in the face of prejudice.
  • Great Contemporary Thoroughbred Horse Jockeys
    Many sports rival it, but you'd be hard pressed to name any competitive human activity harder than being a jockey. There's the food deprivation - the constant training - the danger, even likelihood, of bone-crushing accidents. No wonder that of all athletes, jockeys face some of the highest insurance premium costs in sports.
  • Great Quotes In The History Of Cigars
    Every great pastime inspires its own rich history and lore, including its own library of great sayings - though these are often edited a little by tradition.
    In sports, there's Yogi Berra's "It ain't over till it's over." In classical music, expressing a similar sentiment: "It ain't over till the fat lady sings."
  • Great Racehorses Of The Seventies
    The 1970s represents one of the last decades when high-stakes Thoroughbred races dominated the public mind as they had done during the 1920s, '30s and '40s, when great horses like Man O'War, Seabiscuit, and Citation went from being sports-page celebrities to bona fide culture heroes. Take a look at two great stories of '70s horseracing: the rivalry between Affirmed and Alydar, and
  • Holy Smoke!: When Tobacco Was A Religious Ritual
    Many cigar smokers know that their chosen indulgence was once, for many Native American groups, part of religious ceremonies. But do they also know that as late as 1586, one British scientist was so taken with the mind- and feeling-altering powers of tobacco as to call it a "holy smoke"?
  • Horses In Art, Literature And Mythology
    Few animals have influenced the history of human culture like the horse. These four-legged running machines gave us food, mobility, and enhanced success at hunting hard-to-catch animals. And the influence goes both ways: archaeologists say that horse skeletons dating from 2000-2500 BCE already show differences from those of wild horses that attest to the effects of breeding and (partial) domestic
  • Horses In Art, Literature And Mythology II
    European artists and storytellers had a rich tradition to draw on in depicting the sometimes-crucial relationship between humans and horses. Greek and Roman myth yielded such vivid horse-characters as the winged Pegasus, the man-eating Mares of Diomedes, and the horses who drive Apollo's sun-chariot across the sky. More recent Norse mythology, also, associated horses with nobility and power.
  • Horses In Art, Literature And Mythology III
    During the twentieth century, representational paintings of horses became increasingly the domain of "horse painters" such as Richard Stone Reeves (1919-2005). The New York City-born artist is, himself, representational of this genre of painting.
  • How Are Cigars Rated?
    The cigar ratings supplied by publications like Cigar Magazine and Cigar Aficionado form an important part of the modern cigar industry. For cigar smokers, these ratings provide guidance in a crowded market. But where do these numbers actually come from?
  • How Birthstones Were Born
    The conception of birthstones can be traced back to the first century. It was believed that gemstones possessed virtues or cures. By assigning a specific gemstone to each month of the year, the power of that stone was released to those born in that month. In the early 1900s, the American National Association of Jewelers instituted a list of 12 gems that represented each month of the year:
  • How To Become a Jewelry Designer
    Creating jewelry requires more than just sketching ideas on a pad of paper or stringing together a few beads. Designing jewelry requires experience in forming metal through soldering and casting, for instance. Experience in metalworking will come in handy as well, possessing the ability to shape metal.
  • How To Build A Cigar Memorabilia Collection
    Many cigar smokers throw out those paper bands encircling their favorite stogies on the way to smoking them. As for the boxes the cigars come in - what about them? Old cigar advertisements, humidors that no longer humidify, and other cigar-related accoutrement are often subject to the same ignoble fate. But for others that cigar band, that old humidor, that cigar box, are all bits of history - collectibles that evoke the magic and mystery of smoking.
  • How To Care for Sterling Silver Jewelry
    Since ancient times, silver has been used to make jewelry and decorative items. However, since the 18th century, more silver has been mined and used than in all prior centuries combined. Silver alone is a soft metal and therefore too soft to be used for jewelry and other items. To make it more durable, it is mixed with other metals, known as alloy, to create sterling silver.
  • How To Tell A Real Cuban Cigar From The Fakers
    Cuba was involved, then, in the very birth of the cigar. From early on - 1830 or so - much of the region's tobacco was grown in the Vuelta Abajo (or Vueltabajo) district of Pinar del Rio Province, in the shadow of the Organos Mountains. This area is considered a "microclimate" - its climate differs from the area surrounding it - perhaps because of the influence of the mountains; for whatever
  • Identifying and Caring for Your Pearls
    Pearls are highly treasured gems and require proper care in order to ensure a beauty and luster to last a lifetime. Here are some tips for identifying pearls and for taking care of them.
  • Jewel Box of the Indian Ocean: The Story of Sri Lanka's Gems
    Imagine a place where gems are so prolific, they are scattered among the sandy bottoms of smooth-flowing streams. The beautiful and exotic island of Sri Lanka is just such a place. Marco Polo wrote of its jewel-like wonders: "from its streams comes rubies, sapphires, topazes, amethyst, and garnet."
  • Know What You're Buying: Understanding Your Diamond Grading Report
    No two diamonds are alike, but to the untrained eye it can be nearly impossible to tell the difference between them. Even when two diamonds may seem identical, a jeweler may be able to identify huge differences in quality and value
  • Liberty Science Center In NYC Offers Student Tour Organizers A Great Time
    Teachers looking for an outstanding experience when they take their students to New York City won't want to miss the Liberty Science Center, located in nearby Jersey City, New Jersey. With a rich assortment of educational experiences inside, students will be talking about their trip for years to come.
  • Log Cabins And Lincoln Rear Ends: The Strange World Of Collectible Cigar Boxes
    The novelty cigar box began with a Federal decision in 1878, when postal codes were changed to allow packages of cigars (a heavily-regulated good, in the post-Civil War economy) to be mailed in any shape or size, as long as you could still put a stamp on 'em. This legislative loosening just happened to come along at a moment when new tobaccos were being developed and demand, stimulated by a generation of Union soldiers who'd had to pass through tobacco country and acquired the smoking habit.
  • Mail on the Move: Where That Stamp Sends Your Letter
    More than 700 million pieces of mail are sorted and delivered by the Postal Service each delivery day. But how does each piece get from point A to point B? Follow the fast and furious travels of a mailpiece.
  • Many of the World's Famous Diamonds Captivate Hearts and Minds
    Diamonds have long held the fascination and desires of those who behold them. Their complete beauty has long held hearts and minds captive. Take for example the largest diamond ever discovered. The Cullinan weighed at 3,106 carats in the rough and was cut into nine major stones and 96 smaller stones. The Star of Africa, the largest cut from the Cullinan weighs in at 530 carats and is the largest
  • Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance Is Where It Is At For Cars
    It's become one the premier automotive events of the year, the Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance attracts thousands of enthusiasts to see the beautiful, unusual and rare in the automotive world. It's also a great place to be seen arriving in a luxury sedan or limo. Here's a little background on this event.
  • Mixing It Up: Food And Drinks That Go Well With Cigars
    The question about beverages is easiest to answer: Wine, the finer the better. After all, the two items make a kind of sense together: they're both somewhat acquired tastes, they both benefit from aging, and they both need to be savored, not rushed. Many experts recommend red wine, especially rich red wines such as port.
  • Moissanite: Imitation Diamonds from Space Feature Spectacular Fire
    One of the hottest new trends in jewelry, moissanite was borne from the stars to earth by a meteorite. Contained in a meteor crater discovered in Canyon Diablo, Arizona, the crystal was studied by French scientist Dr. Ferdinand Frederick Henri Moissan, a Nobel Prize winner for chemistry. Dr. Moissan, after which the crystal is named, observed the stone's sparkle and mistakenly thought it to be
  • Money Through the Ages: A Historic Retrospective
    Precious metals, conch shells and bartering have all been utilized by civilizations through the ages in the exchange of services or goods. This early form of money, or proto-money, was used before the invention of real currency. In ancient times, a bag of rice might have been exchanged by someone for a bag of beans.
  • Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit Features Art with an Edge
    The newest addition to metro Detroit's art scene is also one of the most anticipated. The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) delivers what it promises: contemporary art. Rather than exhibiting a permanent collection, the MOCAD acts as revolving showcase for both local and international artists. Even the museum's exterior has been put to artful use with a mural by artist Barry McGee.
  • Nicaragua: The Tobacco-Producing Country That Endures
    To cigar smokers, Nicaragua is already legendary. Through regime change, social upheaval, and revolution, this Latin American nation has produced some of the world's finest tobacco. And since the post-1959 "cigar diaspora" - when many of Cuba's great cigar makers fled the country to seek more propitious conditions than those they expected to find under Castro - it's produced many of the world's
  • Novelty Cigar Boxes: The Second Wave
    The novelty cigar box began with a Federal decision in 1878, when postal codes were changed to allow packages of cigars (a heavily-regulated good, in the post-Civil War economy) to be mailed in any shape or size, as long as you could still put a stamp on 'em. This legislative loosening just happened to come along at a moment when new tobaccos were being developed and demand, stimulated by a generation of Union soldiers who'd had to pass through tobacco country and acquired the smoking habit.
  • NYC's American Museum of Natural History Includes Great Dinosaur Exhibit
    For teachers planning a student tour to New York City, one of the best choices for a truly educational experience is the American Museum of Natural History, located at Central Park West at 79th Street.
  • Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Offers Unique Opportunity For Students
    Opened in 1999 as part of the Chicago Academy of Sciences, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is part of the legacy of naturalist Robert Kennicott, who founded the Academy in 1857. His concern was over the disappearance of native plants and animals and he led a group of scientists who began surveying and collecting to ensure that irreplaceable information about native flora and fauna was saved.
  • Some Of 2008's Top Cigars
    The end of 2008 has induced the same kind of retrospective mood among cigar devotees--with the result that people who write for cigar publications and blogs are trying to argue out which of the cigars introduced during the past year provided the richest, most satisfying smoking experience. Without serving as final arbiter among such judgments, here are some names that have popped up multiple times
  • Sport Shooting: We Owe It All To The Civil War
    What may be surprising, however, is the origin of the sport, and its roots in American history. The idea of practice and target shooting as a pastime began in the period after the Civil War - a war in which, as it turns out, poor marksmanship was widespread. Two Union Army officers were bothered enough by this dearth of good marksmen among the citizen-soldiers of the War Between the States that
  • Stories Of The Cigar Companies: Camacho
    Famous literary critic Harold Bloom (as seen on TV, elderly, wild-haired and wild-eyed, pounding some talk show's table on behalf of the Great Books) likes to argue that all of literary history comes down to competition and struggle. Each poet (or novelist, or essayist) must fight against some privileged, influential ancestor, trying to emerge from the earlier writer's giant shadow.
  • The 478-Carat "Light of Letseng" Sells for $18.4 Million
    Discovered in the Letseng Diamond Mine in September 2008, the "Light of Letseng" recently sold for $18.4 million and is expected to render a 200-carat polished stone. The Letseng Mine, located in Lesotho, South Africa, has produced some of the world's most notable diamonds. Four of the world's 20 largest diamonds have been discovered there, including three from this century.
  • The British Crown Jewels Represent One of the Largest Jewelry Collections in Existence
    Subject to a turbulent history and much thievery, the British Crown Jewels represent the regalia and vestments worn by the king or queen of the United Kingdom during a coronation ceremony and other state functions. In all, the collection includes crowns, orbs, swords, scepters, and other regalia.
  • The Colorful Characters of the Diamond Industry
    In an attempt to escape religious persecution, refugees from the Netherlands and northern Europe helped to establish the burgeoning diamond industry in South Africa. These Afrikaners, or Boers, were farmers who lived in the Cape of Good Hope, which was administered by the Dutch East India Company.
  • The Four C's: A Diamond Primer
    To celebrate, to commemorate, to reward, to romance - there are many reasons to buy a diamond. When making an investment in jewelry, especially diamonds, it is important to employ the 4 Cs: Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat weight to ensure value and appreciation. The Gemological Institute of America established the 4 Cs of diamond value to help diamond professionals describe and classify diamonds.
  • The Hidden History of Gold
    Gold is a pure metal first found by early man. It is very workable in its naturally occurring pure state and has been used by craftsmen for the past 11,000 years. Revered for millennia gold is now the material of choice of people across the globe as an expression of love. Let's look more closely at the fascinating story of gold.
  • The History (And Value) Of Cigar Bands
    What is the cigar band, and how did it become so important? As is so often true when it comes to cigars, the story begins in Cuba - early-19th-century Cuba, to be exact, when that island nation had already come to be recognize as the cigar capital of the world. At that time cigar packaging was minimal - often no more than a wooden barrel or box, with the manufacturer's name inscribed.
  • The History and Mystery of Lucky Charms
    The ability to achieve luck, or have things go one's way, is a long-held belief and sought after experience. Since the dawn of time, humankind has sought after symbols they believe would bring luck or afford protection. The act of carrying a lucky charm or talisman has been an integral part of many cultures throughout history. These charms and talismans serve to lend the owner luck and to ward off evil.
  • The History of Birthstones
    Many scholars believe that earliest use of birthstones dates back to Biblical times and that the tradition arose from a description of a jewel-decorated ceremonial breastplate worn by Aaron, the brother of Moses. Mentioned in Exodus, this breastplate had 12 jewels, each one representing one of the tribes of Israel. Exodus cites the following stones on Aaron's breastplate.
  • The History of Gold Jewelry
    Humankind has long been fascinated by the beauty of gold and since the earliest days of civilization gold has been used to adorn us in the form of jewelry. Let's take a look at how gold jewelry has been used in the various parts of the world during the last five thousand years.
  • The History of Platinum
    The overnight stardom of platinum really boils down to years of paying dues and working hard prior to its introduction and sudden success in jewelry at the turn of the 20th century. Let's look at the history of platinum and the properties that have made it an important metal in the world of jewelry.
  • The Necklace as Jewelry Transcends Culture and Time
    Since the dawn of time, necklaces have been fashioned from jewels, chains, rocks, metal, cloth, wood, and shells. As one of the first man-made objects for wearing around the neck, necklaces once served as an elemental piece of apparel for men and women. Prehistoric fashions that draped around the neck and torso (forming the shape of a safety pin) were used to clasp layers of clothing.
  • The Pearl Is a Natural Gem
    Pearls have been worn for thousands of years. Pearl popularity reached its peak during Roman times when women of the privileged class were richly adorned with pearls. Pearls even found favor with Julius Caesar and Cleopatra dissolved a pearl in wine and drank it to prove her love to Marc Antony.
  • The Proper Care and Feeding Of Cigars
    Cigars shouldn't be overpacked in a humidor (allow a little air to circulate between them to prevent mold), and the temperature in the box shouldn't exceed seventy-five degrees. (A species of beetle known as the tobacco beetle, which preys on tobacco and can bore through some kinds of humidors, is able to survive at temperatures over seventy-five degrees.)
  • The Rich History of Jewelry
    Since the dawn of civilization, jewelry has been a part of nearly every culture, even long before clothing was considered fashion. From its roots in early mystical religious symbols to the lavishness of royalty to objects of beauty for everyday wear, jewelry represents rich stories of history through the ages.
  • The Shining Facts about Silver
    Demand for silver comes from three major areas: industrial, photography and jewelry and silverware. These three categories represent more than 95 percent of annual silver consumption. While jewelry is instantly recognizable as an element in jewelry its role in the modern word goes far beyond jewelry, let's take a look at why silver is so important.
  • The Spectacular Smithsonian National Gem Collection
    Some of the world's most spectacular diamonds and other gems can be admired in the National Gem Collection in the Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Collection in Washington, D.C. The collection is comprised of diamonds known to almost everyone, as well as other diamonds and precious gems possessing a priceless place in history.
  • The U.S. Mail In History
    With an act of the Second Continental Congress in 1775, the birth of the Post Office Department, predecessor to the U.S. Postal Service, was put into place. According to the Congressional act, "a line of posts [should] be appointed under the direction of the Postmaster general, from Falmouth in New England to Savannah in Georgia, with as many cross posts as he shall think fit."
  • The World's Earliest Jewelry Treasure is Still Sought Today
    To the Incas, it was called the "tears of the sun." Homer recognized its worth as "the glory of immortals." The earliest Egyptian dynasty first successfully mined and established its value. One of the earliest metals known to humankind, gold is a part of nearly every culture and civilization.
  • Tobacco: The Rich-Tasting, Smokable Part Of Virginia History
    Often, the huge importance of tobacco to the development of the American nation-state is overlooked as part of the basic narrative of American history. Unfortunately, this means some Americans do tend to forget that two of the giants of early United States politics--George Washington and Thomas Jefferson--were tobacco farmers for a living.
  • Unnatural Selection: A Brief History Of Horse Breeding
    In that rough, cold, open environment (centered on what is now Ukraine), archaeologists find evidence of the use of bits in the 6000-year-old remains of horse teeth. (Other evidence from this era and area includes the appearance of horse bones in human graves - apparently cowboys weren't the first to insist on being buried with their loyal steeds.)
  • Utility Knife to Artful Weaponry, the Knife Leaves Its Mark in History
    As ancient as mankind itself, the knife is the earliest form of weaponry for which there has been no substitute. Essential for survival, the knife was developed out of necessity and has evolved through the ages. From knives made of flint, to copper, to iron, humans have a unique relationship to this tool, creating it out of the strongest material available and adorning them with patterns and
  • V-Cutter, Cigar Guillotine Or What? A Cigar Smoker's Weapon Of Choice
    The cigar cap (as the blunt end of the cigar which must be removed is called) is there for a reason: it helps keep the cigar fresh in storage. Thanks to the cap's presence, the ends of the tobacco leaves that you're about to burn haven't touched air since the cigar was rolled, and they're ready to undergo a nice, clean, controlled burn, yielding you a great taste.
  • What Is Palladium And How Is It Used?
    Of the platinum group of metals -- platinum, palladium, iridium, rhodium, osmium and ruthenium -- palladium has the lowest specific gravity and the lowest melting point. William Hyde Wollaston and Smithson Tennant isolated palladium as a separate member of the platinum group in 1802. It wasn't used in jewelry until 1939, when platinum was declared a strategic metal and reserved for military use.
  • Where Do They Get Those Horses' Names?
    Secretariat. Man O'War. Affirmed. Barbarino. Whirlaway. Where, you may have wondered once or twice over the years, do racehorses get those crazy names?
  • World's Famous Jewelry Collections: Stories of Conquest and Mystery
    Considered to be one of the world's most valuable and largest collections, the Imperial Crown Jewels of Iran is comprised of an exhaustive number of tiaras, crowns, thrones, and the world's largest collection of emeralds, rubies, spinels, and yellow diamonds. Representing nearly 2,500 years of Shah rule in Iran, most of the items were acquired by the Safavid shahs who ruled from 1502-1736 A.D.



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