Antiques & Collectibles

Tales of California’s buried treasures, lost mines and hidden loot.

From the Pacific Ocean to the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, California is bursting with rumors of lost riches. Sunken cargo from the steamship Brother Jonathon is rumored to still be out there, awaiting discovery, as well as the location of the famous lost Breyfogle Mine. Outlaws like Three Finger Jack and Joaquin Murrieta were said to have stashed their loot while evading law enforcement and Sir Francis Drake’s English pirates buried treasures all along the coast. Deep underground and underwater, a bounty waits for some lucky prospector.

Join author W. Craig Gaines as he unearths stories of legendary and historic lost treasures yet to be found in the Golden State.

Through a carefully-curated selection postcards, author Emma Wolf takes the reader through the bygone days of Manistee County, full of lumber barons, streetcars, steamships, and charming images of daily life in this coastal Michigan community.

On the first of September 1785, with night coming on and the weather deteriorating, the crew of the shipFaithful Stewardsailed toward Delaware’s notorious False Cape.

In the summer of 1785, a group of Irish migrants took to the Atlantic to escape the abuse and persecution of the ruling classes at home. They sought a new life in the United States, a place “where the banner of freedom waved proudly” and “every good was possessed.” Their ship was new and sturdy, and its captain had a good reputation. On this voyage, however, it was overloaded with migrant families and a massive cargo of counterfeit coins. By the first of September the ship was lost, somewhere off the mid-Atlantic coast. Michael Timothy Dougherty tells the story of the wreck and the people on board.

Arizona’s flourishing wine industry may surprise those who think of the Grand Canyon State as a desert landscape dotted with cacti.

From the high-country vineyards of the Verde Valley to the rolling plateaus of Sonoita and Willcox, pioneering winemakers are producing nationally acclaimed, award-winning wines. While the 1970s are recognized as launching the modern-day industry, Arizona’s viticulture dates back much further. The Spanish and Jesuit missionaries introduced European winemaking to the Southwest, and the 1800s saw the introduction of Arizona’s first wineries. Join author Christina Barrueta on this fascinating journey and meet the pioneers and visionaries who are forging their own paths to build America’s newest wine region.

Through historic postcards discover how Hilton Head Island went from a relatively dormant community to a renowned tourist destination.

English explorer Capt. William Hilton found the island and named Hilton Head after himself in 1663. After the Civil War was over, the island was relatively dormant for almost 100 years. The biggest event of the 20th century was the installation of electricity in 1950. Soon after, tourism to the area started when the Sea Crest Motel opened in 1955. In 1956, the James F. Byrnes Bridge was built, and the first grocery store opened near Coligny Plaza. Developer Charles Fraser visualized an environmentally friendly residential community and named it Sea Pines Plantation. Sea Pines Plantation wrote its first sales contract in 1958, and Fraser’s formula has since been copied around the world. In 1969, the Heritage Classic golf tournament set the island on a path to being nationally known. 

Nelle Smith and Ora Smith, who arrived on the island in 1963, were true pioneers. They coauthored the book Paradise: Memories of Hilton Head Island in the Early Days, a historical memoir. Ora is a self-proclaimed archivist of modern Hilton Head historical documents. The postcards in the book are from their private collection of the modern era of the island. 

Boyle County was formed from portions of Lincoln and Mercer Counties in 1842. Named after Judge John Boyle, the county covers 182 square miles. Danville, the county seat, was the location of the first courthouse in Kentucky, the first US Post Office west of the Alleghenies, and the first state-supported school for the deaf, which opened in 1823.

Perryville, located nine miles west of Danville, was established in 1817 and known for the largest battle during the Civil War in the state of Kentucky. Junction City was originally founded as Goresburg in 1858 but was renamed Junction City when the Cincinnati Southern Railroad reached the town and the tracks intersected with the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. Parksville had a major railroad depot for the county from 1866 until 1970. The railroads brought prosperity to Boyle County, along with hemp and tobacco. 

Bryan S. Bush has a master’s degree in history from the University of Louisville and has written over 17 books and numerous articles. He is the park manager for the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site and a member of the US Semiquincentennial Commission for Boyle County.

National award-winning essayist and historian Julia Hans has assembled nearly 200 vintage postcards unique to Southern Pines. Thanks to the efforts of the Moore County Historical Association, thousands of these postcards have been digitally preserved for future generations.

Established in 1887 by industrialist John T. Patrick, Southern Pines was first a seasonal health resort and winter escape for Northerners. But at the turn of the 20th century, thousands of people flocked to the Sandhills for golf, riding, and other outdoor activities. Hotels and boardinghouses were built to accommodate the influx of visitors. This collection of historic postcards chronicles the bygone era of grand hotels, steam railroads, Model T Fords, and virgin pine forests. Included are vintage postcards of the town’s Blue and Gray Picnic, one-room jailhouse, downtown theaters, and early health sanitarium. The postcards capture the evolution of Broad and Bennett Streets and chronicle the people and places that make Southern Pines special.