Far too many American casualties in Vietnam were caused by equipment failure in the field. The M16 assault rifles issued to American troops in the Vietnam War quickly gained a reputation for jamming in the heat of battle--a problem the North Vietnamese regulars, armed with AK47 assault rifles, didn't have.

As the world's first semi-automatic rifle issued to combat troops, the M1 Garand has taken its rightful place in history, and in the hearts and minds of those who used it.

All about the 1956, 66-card Elvis Presley Bubble Gum Card Set.

In these tough economic times many people are searching thru their attics and cabinets and wondering what that item that grandpa saved is really worth.

You just found a box with souvenirs and collectibles that have been in your family for many years. What are they worth? How do you find out if they are worth a small fortune or just enough for a cup of coffee?

Early generation EK knives were made from 1941-1976 in Connecticut
and Florida. These knives were made during John Ek's life. Most
of these early knives were made of 1/8th inch steel, maple
handles secured with lead rivets. They were crude but very
dependable and built Ek's reputation for military knives.

One of the world’s finest area rug manufacturers is Karastan, making designs with high quality and luxurious appearance to delight customers.

What does a flybarless setup mean? Traditional model helicopter rotor heads have a flybar. Removing the flybar and undertaking some necessary changes to the rotor head, in addition to installing an electronic stabilization system, results in a complete flybarless system.

If you are reading this then there is a good chance that you are looking to buy a new camera. You must have asked yourself the how many megapixels question. New digital cameras support and ever growing number of megapixels, the question is do you really need so many pixels?

Many of us get attached to pet greys and consider breeding at a later date in time. This type of bird is really friendly and interacts well with people. Do not rush the choice to breed this bird species, first ask if this task has been done by people you know, to grasp exactly what is involved with this process. Breeding a bird is different and more involved than breeding a commoner pet like rabbits or dog.

A curious way of communication

Photoramics that feature sports themes are becoming very popular. Like collectible sports cards, photoramics are quickly becoming popular among collectors of sports memorabilia. Sports have always been a mainstay of American life and there is a great demand for many different types of collectibles and memorabilia.

The crime of counterfeiting is probably as old as money itself,
and kings have often dealt very harshly with its perpetrators.
The counterfeiting of coins or 'coining' used to be dealt with
as a form of treason. As a result, gruesome punishments for
coining in England have included being hung drawn and quartered
and being burnt at the stake.

Want to collect something that you can also use? How about vintage single or double edge safety razors. Hundreds of different safety razors have been made over the years.

A mistery finally revealed

Casino chip collecting is an addictive hobby as Vegas casinos are forever releasing commemorative and limited edition chips all the time. At the same time, old Vegas casinos are being knocked down and replaced with newer and glitzier gambling casinos. This makes casino chips from the older casinos rare to find. Over the years these will become vintage casino chips and will be harder and harder to

Know Your Antiques by Ralph and Terry Kovel give a simple way of differentiating porcelain from pottery. Quoting from the book: “Pottery is opaque. You can’t see through it. Porcelain is translucent. When a porcelain dish is held in front of a strong light, it is possible to see the light through the dish. If a piece of pottery is held in one hand and porcelain in the other, the piece of porcelain will be colder to the touch.

From the bowels of the earth to the display cases of jewelry stores across the world, the time and preparation involved in creating a finished diamond is staggering. It is fascinating what it takes to create this amazing gem stone that has enchanted generations of people for hundreds of years.

Nike has becoming one of the world’s leading brands of sports shoes and gear, it‘s influence permeating all cultures, fashion, trend and becoming even a status symbol especially among youth. Many NBA celebrities even have their customized footwear and authentic NBA jerseys designed by them.

The origins of the hip flask date back to medieval times, but their growth in popularity really started in the Georgian and Victorian era's. Made in a variety of materials, the most popular is probably silver and they provide essential winter warming when participating or spectating at sporting events.

Newer collectors often write to ask us what type doll they should begin their collections with. First and foremost, we advise collectors to purchase what they really love. First purchases are often made timidly because new collectors are afraid of making costly mistakes and they do not want to spend large sums of money on a doll until they really know what they are doing.

The Police brand was launched in Italy in 1983 and has become a staple lifestyle brand all around the world.

Most people associate the Tommy Gith with prohibition-era gangsters.
The truth is that a vast majority of Thompsons were used by police and military, and for the most part saw very little action in the hands of gangsters. Some of those gangsters however, did meet their end at the hands of police using the Tommy Gun.

Quick History of the Walther P38, its Use in NAZI Germany and Beyond...

In Hollywood's infancy, filmmakers used real money in their
productions, only to run into legal and administrative problems
such as workers stealing the money. At the time, very strict
laws prohibited the filmmakers from copying, photographing or
imitating American currency in any way.

The one piece of jewelry that is so incredibly personal to anyone that owns one is a locket. Lockets have been around for hundreds of years and during all that time they have been used for many different things. Lockets are generally associated with pendants that are worn on a chain, but lockets were often used on a ring as well.

Dating jewelry accurately can be quite a challenge. Many materials and techniques used today in production are the same basic methods used for at least 5000 years! Crafts people today take gold, silver, and other metals, and use the techniques of granulation, casting, engraving, chasing, and piercing to produce beautiful jewelry, just like the metal smiths of Ancient Egypt and Asia Minor did ages ago.

Who doesn't know about the renowned players of the FC Barcelona team? You might be quite aware about ...

With the resurgence of vinyl records, more and more people wonder what their classic records may be worth. Vinyl expert Scott Neuman can help, with professional appraisal services.

Established at Chateau de Vincennes in 1738, where the soft paste porcelain formula was only used in manufacture, as a Royal Manufactury under Louis XV the porcelain factory was moved to larger quarters in the village of Sevres, about 6 miles southwest of the center of Paris, in 1756. The King’s new factory began its production at the very same time that Saxony became embroiled in the Seven Years War (1756 – 1763) resulting in the closing of the Meissen factory for a time.

Interest in Greek and Roman themes dominated the 18th century and the early 19th century, which affected styles in fashion, design, and architecture. Gothic and military styles were also popular, influencing the fashion world. The styles of the period were in part, inspired by the lives and works of the writers and poets of the Romantic Movement and the love of the Gothic created an appeal for all things medieval.

From the 1840’s through until the early 1920’s, some of the most beautiful dolls ever created, were produced in Germany .

Many manufacturers experimented with the blue flow glaze trying to perfect the cobalt blue color by adding other pigments to the mix. This made grayer, lighter, or even blacker shades of blue. Today, some collectors prefer the gray or black colors. Flow blue plates are turned over to determine if the blue is on the bottom because the glaze does not go through the china. If a broken piece of china is examined, you will observe the color does not penetrate through the piece.

Tsovet is a relatively new watch brand on the scene founded in 2008 by David Bonaventura. There is a great deal of history and emotional attachment associated with Tsovet watches as opposed to just style and function. The watches are unique because the Tsovet brand philosophy is based on the fact that each watch represents a personal journey that combines elements of the young and old and the core earth elements including air, water and sound.

Collectibles Price Guides - Submit yours.

The Murray "Sad Face" car was manufactured from 1950-1951 to 1958, and today remains one of the most popular pedal car lines ever made. These "Sad Face" cars are so named because of the shape of the front of the car, which forms a downward curve.

Mantle clocks are a beautiful item to collect and can be a lot of fun as well as rewarding. However, before buying any antique mantle clock, do your research on that particular piece that you are interested in purchasing. This cannot be emphasized enough, as there are a lot of scams selling good replicas.

The collecting of enamel badges or medals is not a recent phenomenon; however, it is only in the last few years that they have received the attention they deserve.

In the 60s Dinky Toys got a serious rival, the new kids on the block, Corgi Toys, complete with, (gasp!) windows! Dinky Toys soon followed and then innovations followed nearly every month, as the two big boys of the model car industry fought to get the upper hand. We had new features like 'independent suspension', 'interiors' 'GB' stickers, number plates and 'steering'. My friends and I greeted every new invention with glee and not a little awe.

It is hard to miss the beauty and uniqueness of an antique french clock. These exquisite time pieces are usually highly ornate in their design and accented by a figural design. One of the most collectible, although usually less ornate and simpler in design, is the Morbier clock.

Diecast cars, including the popular Hot Wheels and Matchbox brands along with countless others, first gained widespread popularity in the 1960's and 1970's. Often the most inexpensive toy cars, they make a wise choice for young children. Their low price also allows collectors to obtain a wide range of different models.

The very first police car is said to date to 1899, when an electric car patrolled the streets of Akron, Ohio. It could only go 16 miles per hour, and needed to be recharged every 30 miles, but it was a major development in the history of police forces. Police officers actually used motorcycles far before they used patrol cars, in part because cars were more expensive.

Remarkable craftsmanship is evident in the Italian violins of old. The devotion of the early Italian luthiers to this instrument is evident. One only has to listen or gaze upon a violin made during this era to see that it has earned the reputation of a "holy grail" of violins. In this article, a brief look at three master crafters from the Italian school of Cremona will be examined.

If you’ve taken a recent stroll through a “regular” furniture store lately (no bare wood furniture in sight), you’ve probably noticed that many of the more popular pieces are “weathered” or “distressed.” It’s the furniture equivalent of “stone washed jeans.”

Perfume in some form or other has been around since ancient
times. The Mesopotamians and Egyptians, Greeks and Romans
annointed their bodies with perfumed oils and ointments. And in
order to keep their products fresh they needed containers to
store them.

The history and characteristics of American Brilliant Cut Glass. from the 1830s to the 1900s.

This article attempts to explain why and how you should display your thimble collection.

The types of thimble display items available including: thimble racks; shadow boxes; glass domes and display cases with glass doors.

For over a hundred years Coalport China has been one of the mainstays of our family business. Along with top china and crystal brands, such as Waterford, Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Minton, Royal Worcester and Spode, Coalport was one of the most prestigious. These days, it’s known more for Coalport Ladies and figurines than very much else.

Panels of cotton cloth with a Tree of Life handprinted were called Palampores. When batting, a back and quilting were added, they became bedcovers. The Far Eastern Indians changed the face of fabric when they discovered mordant dyeing that made colors handpainted on cotton fast. Everyone in Western Europe and Britain wanted "painted" cloth once they found out about it in the early 1600's.

When selecting the best sewing machine, there are many brands and models to choose from, priced anywhere from $70 to as high as $5,000. The domestic sewing machine can perform many tasks from sewing straight or zigzag stitches to the creation of buttonholes and stitching buttons.

The Boston and Sandwich Glassworks Company of Sandwich, Massachusetts, had its beginnings in the mid-1820’s. Deming Jarves, the founder of the company, convinced skilled glass artisans - individuals respected as glass producers from all over the world including England and Bohemia, to come and work for his company.

The letter that changed the course of British History has been discovered.

'It is an event of enormous magnitude, the most important event in English history,' says Historian David Starkey, of events surrounding this letter.

In Europe in the Age of Oak, from the beginning of the 16th century to the middle of the 17th century, furniture finishes were limited to vegetable oils and waxes. People were probably more concerned with preserving the wood than with enhancing its appearance.

Michael Thonet an Austrian German cabinet maker was the first to experiment in making bent wood furniture and using glue for joining wood pieces. His coffee shop chair also known as 'Konsumstuhl Nr 14' became world famous and till 1930 over 50 million of these chairs were produced. Another famous chair of that era was the 'Tripolina chair'. It was made of wood, metal and canvas and was patented by Joseph Fendy in 1877. This chair was broadly used by the British troops during the colonial era.

The stereotype owes a great deal to English folklore precedents, in the tales of Robin Hood and of gallant highwaymen. But outlawry was once a term of art in the law, and one of the harshest judgments that could be pronounced on anyone's head.

The original Rambo knife was inspired by Sylvester Stallone and created by a professional knife maker. This genre of knife was something I loved as a kid and owned several different versions growing up. Being a collector of the original Rambo knives is very exciting for me.

The Lee-Enfield SMLE bolt-action rifle owes its longevity to the same things that have made other legendary firearms. Trial, error and extensive use in the field allowed the service life of SMLE to last from World War I to the present.

The famous Smith and Wesson original .357 Magnum Revolver was developed
primarily for use by law enforcement personnel. The first registered
Magnum was presented to the FBI's J. Edgar Hoover

If you have seen DeLizza and Elster jewelry, often referred to as Juliana, then you already know that it is typically big, bold and beautiful! Today, as forty years ago, this jewelry gets noticed. The designers spared no imagination in their combinations of shapes and colors and you can find glitzy rhinestones and gorgeous art glass combined in striking creations. D&E jewelry was made to last and the quality of workmanship is remarkable.

All through history mankind has been employing flowers as a symbol of private passion. In artist John Millais' famed picture of Ophelia, flora is spread over the canvas, as a symbol of hopeless love, purity and forsaken love. In early Egypt, Cleopatra spread rose petals at the feet of her partner,

The discovery of the pendulum is probably the single most important development in human timekeeping. Dating back to fifteen eighty two, the controversial Italian scientist Galileo Galilei was the first to understand that a swinging pendulum could accurately power a clock movement.

The inspiration behind "Whaam!" was a comic-book picture from 'All American Men of War,' published in 1962 by DC comics. The painting shows a rocket being fired by a fighter plane towards an enemy plane, along with a red-yellow explosion. To add interest, the painting has the onomatopoeic words "Whaam!" on it, along with the caption saying, "I pressed the fire control... and ahead of me rockets blazed through the sky..." "Whaam!," a diptych, is a big painting, measuring 1.7 x 4.0 m (5 ft 7 in x 13 ft 4 in) and is presently displayed at Tate Modern in London, England.

In the debate of Action Figure or Doll, there are many opinions. Michael Crawford aka Captain Toy weighs in with his, knowing the debate will never be truly settled.

The Victorian Era encompasses 64 years; from 1837 to 1901, the same period as the reign of Queen Victoria from which it takes its name. The period sees many changes in the world along with a broad mix of design styles, which makes it difficult to summarize. The Victorian Era takes it name from Queen Victoria who “by the Grace of God is Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, defender of the faith, and Empress of India”, the longest reigning English monarch.

Trainer RC model airplanes are specially designed to make learning to fly an RC airplane very easy and lots of fun. The ideal trainer airplane is self correcting, stable and can fly at slow speeds. They are powered by either an electric RC airplane motor or nitro fuel, which is often called gas (there are gas RC airplanes, however they are a much larger RC airplanes and are not trainers).

By the turn of the century, fire trucks became more and more necessary as many towns switched from volunteer to professional fire departments. Crowded cities required newer technology with efficient water pumps that were more mobile than previous steam-driven fire engines. Still, many smaller fire departments continued to use steam powered fire engines until as late as 1920

Inside the prison complex, there are many shops that sell souvenirs to the visiting public. Ranging from key-rings to coffee mugs, a lot of different products are sold. One of the most popular souvenirs is the striped t-shirt. However, this seems to be a bit ironical as the inmates of the island prison never wore striped clothes.

The Vikings were a Scandinavian people who came out of present day Norway, Sweden, and that whole area in Northern Europe. They stared raiding and expanding their territory in the late 8th century ad and into the 11th century. They were famed for the long boats which cut through water and were very fast. They were also were said to have heads of dragons carved in the bow of the ship to intimidate the enemy as they landed near shore.

This article gives a unique insight into the world of French stamps and French stamp collecting. You will find lots of useful information to start a collection on the right foot.

Civil War antique collectors may differ on which swords are the most interesting to collect. The purpose of this article is to identify some of the major producers of Civil War swords, and some facts about each manufacturer.

In parts 1 and 2, I talked about the assorted things you might find under your kitchen sink -soaps and solvents and such as well as the rubby-scratchy things like steel wool. In part 3 I took up just what the right solvent and / or abrasive might be for painted and metallic things. Now in part 4 I addresses organic items like plastic, fabric and wood, etc.

Dodge City Badges were worn by Bat Masterson (county sheriff), his brother, Ed Masterson, (a City Marshall killed in the line of duty) and Wyatt Earp (also a City Marshal), among others. It was their job to impose order on this wild, western Kansas cowtown where railroad workers, buffalo hunters, soldiers from Ft. Dodge and cowhands came to drink, carouse and fight.

There Are Many Positives To Keeping An African Pygmy Hedgehog As A Pet, We Have Listed Them Below! African Pygmy Hedgehogs are very fast becoming one of the most popular kept exotic pets in the UK. They don't take up huge amounts of space and exercise outside the cage. They are not noisy animals so no fall outs with you neighbours (if you have them),

Indian Mens Wear combines tradition with modern western wear. For special occasions and weddings, Indian men still prefer the traditional Indian clothes such as sherwani and kurta pyjamas.

How Phoenix Arms risen from the ashes of Raven Arms, and fought off the label of being a "Saturday Night Special" and is one of the most popular affordable pistols for users on a budget.

Tactical watches were born from wrist watches that came from a man named Louis Cartier. Cartier made his friend, a Frenchman, Alberto Santos-Dumont a leather wrist band to hold his pocket watch for him and he made it popular in his native France.

The history of the kick scooter is quite interesting. Since kids have great imaginations that are uninhibited by doubt, they can create just about anything to keep themselves occupied with fun. The first kick scooters were invented by taking roller skate wheels and attaching them to a small plank of wood.

Full breakdown of types and products that is available for slot cars. If it help for purchasing the correct track, car or set for you or your children all aspects are covered to assist you in your purchase.

To make your pictures speak for themselves, consider the fundamental rules of composition while taking a photograph.

How to select, care for and preserve collectible porcelin dolls. Exceptional ones, as in any collectible arena, may be hard to find, but there are plenty of beautiful specimens for any collector.

If you do not know about the connection of Converse and basketball great Chuck Taylor, then you are going to learn a lot with this article. Converse, is the surname of its founder, Marquis Mills Converse who started Converse Rubber Shoe Company in 1807, However, it was only a decade after its founding that the company experienced success with the big help of Chuck Taylor. He became the company's leading salesman and was then a basketball player. The rubber shoes produced by Converse in 1807 was

It was about 1743 when Thomas Boulsover discovered that an ingot of copper could be given a coating of silver by means of fusion by heat, and that the two metals united could be worked into shape as one. Most importantly, the copper always retained its silver covering, however thinly it was rolled. At first, Boulsover used plated copper for making buttons, boxes and other small wares. However, in the 1750s and 1760s the new process was taken up by other manufacturers and quickly became one of Sh

Re-purposing vinyl records into wall art is a fun way to tap into your creativity and make a collectible work of art. If you are unsure about your crafting or artistic abilities this easy project with a step by step guide will transform your confidence. You will be able to create a piece that is unique and that represents your personal style and taste in music.

What makes up a Tiffany lamp, physically and historically.

From the magical city of Petra, Jordan and its multi-colored sand mountains, the original inspiration was born: Bottles with multi-colored sand from the Petra mountains for the city visitor to take home. The bottles often had sand in geometrical decorations and mostly layers of different colors.

Carving walking sticks wasn't meant to be a money-making hobby for me. I sometimes made them when backpacking, and I had always enjoyed taking my pocket knife to a piece of wood to see what I could make. I just hadn't thought of doing anything more with the hobby.

It is common knowledge that items made in previous years are much more durable in quality than products made today, due to the materials that were used during that time period. This is also true for pool tables. Compared to modern pool tables, the ones that were made during the late 1800s and early 1900s contain better quality wood and fabric.

Cuban cigars: for a cigar aficionado, the ultimate forbidden fruit is to get Cuban cigars. A minimum of, that's true if you live in the United States, that has long embargoed nearly all trade and travel with the Communist island republic, that prevents the ability to buy Cuban cigars.

1. When Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation he
wasn't actually freeing ALL the slaves, he was only freeing the
slaves in the rebellious states. It's interesting that he chose
to free the slaves in those states that he had the least power
to do so.

For centuries Northwest Coast Native people (those inhabiting the coasts of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Northern California and British Columbia, Canada) lived as fishermen, hunters and subsistence dwellers. These folks created hauntingly beautiful and distinctive carvings, paintings, and woven works and their subject matter came directly from their natural surroundings. Using only natural grasses, spruce roots and cedar bark the women wove intricately designed baskets of every imaginable size a

The Ansonia Brass Company was formed in Ansonia Connecticut in 1844. This company was started by Anson Greene Phelps, to take advantage of the fact that the low cost of brass was causing most clock makers to replace wooden parts with more durable brass. The clock company formed in 1850 when Phelps joined up with two clock makers, Theodore Terry and Franklin C. Andrews.

Historical overview.

Tricycles are often ridden by young children who haven't quite gotten the hang of balancing on a bicycle. Similar to a bicycle, except with three wheels instead of two, they may also be used by adults for a variety of reasons, including commercial transportation or by elderly or disabled riders.

Describes these extraordinary Chinese works of art and what aspects of inside painted snuff bottles intrigue the author (an antique snuff bottle collector) the most.

In my ever-going quest to keep my vintage music collection alive and growing, I am constantly trying to find vinyl records for sale. There are a number of places to find these gems. Some places can charge a lot of money while others are downright cheap. Of course, I normally opt for the latter when looking for vinyl records for sale.

A common mistake new buyers and collectors of glass will sometimes make is to look at a piece of glass with a molded pattern and mistake it for glass onto which a pattern or design has been manually ‘cut.’ On occasion, too, if this error is brought to the attention of some dealers, they may even insist no misidentification has taken place. They will state that their description of a molded pattern as ‘cut’ is correct and base this perception on inaccurate glass nomenclature which may be found in many places elsewhere on the Internet.

Using rich illustrations of authentic political items and other object portraying President Theodore Roosevelt, this article explores the impact TR had on American popular culture.

Pearls have long been one of the more exotic and treasured gems. After all, pearl jewellery comes from a unique source: a gem from the ocean.

Grandfather clocks are categorized according to their materials. Most Grandfather Clocks are made from high quality materials with elaborate finishing

Just after a month Jeffersons 16th birthday, in 1824, his father
Samuel died. Jeffs oldest brother, Joseph Davis (who was twenty
years older than Jefferson) became a surrogate father and mentor
to his younger brother Jeff. Joseph Davis in spite of the fact
he was a successful attorney, discouraged Jeff from transferring
to the University of Virginia Law School.

Celtic culture is most associated with Ireland and Scotland, although the culture is more widespread. Celt was a term first applied to various peoples of continental Europe. United by common language and some cultural traits, they were not a unified monolithic group of people, but a conglomeration of various tribes, often warring against each other.