Category: Vocabulary Words

What are some of the different types of coins that are made?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Coins, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!, Vocabulary WordsLeave a comment

When you start to collect coins, you will quickly find out that there are different types of coins that you can find.  The strike, what it’s made of or even the shape will quickly jump out at you.

Here is a few of the different types that you can find:

Business strike—this is a coin that is produced for general circulation, and you will find it in pocket change.

Commemorative coin—this is either a coin or medal that is issued to honor an outstanding event (like a bicentennial) or even a person (like Booker T. Washington).

Bi-Metallic—this is a coin that has been made out of two different materials like bronze and silver that have been bonded or fused together.

Proof—this is a coin that has been struck on a specially produced highly polished planchets and dies.  There are even proof coins that can be purchased that are struck more than once on the dies to help accent the design.This is a small look at some of the different types of coins that you can find.  What have you run across?

What are some coin terms that may make you think have different meanings?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Coins, Money, Tips for the beginner, Vocabulary WordsLeave a comment

For many years now, I have been collecting mainly United States coins.  When I first started collecting coins, I heard some terms that I thought meant something totally different.

Here are some of the terms that I have heard over the years:

Hairlines—this is not near your forehead; this is tiny lines or scratches that are more often caused by polishing or cleaning a coin.

Field—this is not something full of flowers, it is the portion of the surface of the coin that does not have any of the coin’s inscription.

Bust—the part of a coin that features a portrait on a coin.  The portrait features the head neck and shoulders.

Designer—this is not talking about a line of handbags—this is the artist who has created the coin’s design.

This is just a small handful of the words that you might run across when dealing with coins.  What have you heard of?

Stamp vocabulary for the beginning collector

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Ephemera, Paper, Stamps, Tips for the beginner, Vocabulary WordsLeave a comment

Whenever you start a collection, you will quickly hear some interesting terms and phrases.  There are a ton of them that you will hear, and here are a few of them when it comes to the world of stamps:

Centering—this is the relative position of the design in relation to the margins.  This is one of the important factors when it comes to grade and value.

Pair—this is  two stamps that are still connected and have not been separated.

Dummy stamp—these are officially produced stamps that are imitations of the real thing.  This is to train employees or to test the machines that dispense the stamps automatically.  These are either blank or carry special inscriptions to distinguish them from the real thing.

This is only a few of the terms and phrases that you will hear in the world of stamp collecting.  What have you heard?

What is some of the terminology that you will hear when you first start to collect stamps?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Vocabulary WordsLeave a comment

When you first start collecting, you will hear some of the words that other collectors use and it can make your head spin.  When it comes to stamps, you can hear a wide variety of words.  What is some of the terminology that you will hear, especially when you first start to collect stamps?

Block—this is a group of stamps that are attached at least two wide and two tall.

Cancellation—this is a mark that is used by the post office to show you that a stamp has been used.

First day cover—this is an envelope that has a stamp with it that has been canceled (the stamp was cancelled on its first day of sale).  There are a wide variety of first day covers on the market, and there are collectors that collect just this type of stamp.

Souvenir sheet—these are stamps that were issued in a special format.  This format is primarily for stamp collectors, and most sheets include only one stamp of each design, and they also usually have a special decorative border around them.

This is a small handful of what you will hear along the way.  What are some of the other words that you have heard?

What are some glass pieces that you may not use anymore?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Glassware, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!, Vocabulary WordsLeave a comment

Whenever you sit down at the table, you will run across items like saucers, plates and even serving bowls that are made of glass.  What are some of the glass pieces that you may not run across on a modern table?

Epergne—this is a centerpiece that is ornamental, and you will find it on a dining table.  This item is used for holding flowers or fruit.  The horns in the center of it are detachable, and there are examples with as many as 5 horns.

Finger bowl—this is a bowl that has water in it for you to wash off your fingers during a meal.

Cream soup bowl—this is a two-handled bowl.  The reason for the two handles is so you can hold them while you drink the soup instead of using a spoon.

This is a small handful of the pieces of glassware that you may not see on a modern kitchen table.  What are some of the other items like this that you have run across?

What are some glass terms that you will run across?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Glassware, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!, Vocabulary WordsLeave a comment

Whenever you go out to an antique mall, flea market or even an auction, you will hear some terminology that describes areas of collecting.

Here are a few words that you will run across when you hear people talk about glass:

Frosting—this is a matte finish that is produced by exposing the glass item to fumes of hydrofluoric acid.  This is also a small patch of surface cracks by weathering.

Ice glass—this is a decorative effect that causes the surface of the glass to resemble cracked ice.  This is accomplished by plunging a piece of hot glass into cold water as quick as possible.  This process creates a finish to the glass that resembles cracks.

Luster—this shiny metallic effect is made by painting the surface of the glass item with metallic oxides that is dissolved in acid and mixed with an oily medium.  The item is fired in oxygen free conditions which cause the metal to deposit a distinctive shiny surface after it is cleaned.

Opal glass—this is a glass item that looks like an opal being translucent and white, and it has a grayish or bluish tinge to it.

This is a small look at some of the words that you will hear about glassware.  What are some of the words you ran across?

What are some of the different types of finishes that you will see on glassware?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Glassware, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!, Vocabulary WordsLeave a comment

When you dive into the world of antiques and collectibles—especially glassware—you will find many different types of finishes applied to the item.  Frosted glass, satin glass and even pearlescent glass are a few of the finishes that you will run across.  Here are a few more that you will see:

Matte finish—this type of glassware has a non-shiny finish that was made by sandblasting or even applying an acid to dull the finish of the glass.

Luster—this has a shiny (almost a metallic effect) that was made by applying the glass with metallic oxides that were dissolved in acid and fired in a kiln.  After cleaning, the glass has a distinctive shiny surface.

Acid etched—this is glassware that has been treated with an acid to produce a finish that has a frosted appearance.

This is a few of the different types of finished that you will run across.  What types of finishes have you seen?

What are some of the terms for pottery that you will run across?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Uncategorized, Vocabulary WordsLeave a comment

When you start to collect pottery, you will run across quite a few terms that will make your head spin.  Transferware, majolica, stoneware and even salt glaze are a few of the terms that you will hear.  Here are some more that you will run across:

Crackle Glaze—this is a glaze that intentionally contains small cracks in the glaze.

Hollowware—this is also known as hollow ware and is describes vessels of any shape (like jugs or pitchers).  This does not include items known as flatware (such as plates).

Yellowware—also known as yellow ware and it is a type of earthenware that is named after its yellow appearance.  The color comes from the clay that is used when the item is made.  It came about in the United Kingdom in the late 18th century and started in the eastern United States in the 1920’s.

Delftware—This is a light-colored pottery that has a tin glaze and has an overglaze décor that is cobalt in color.  This was developed in Holland to copy the blue and white pottery that was made in China.

This is a tiny amount of what you will run across.  What terms have you heard?

Look at all of the different colors on glassware!

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Glassware, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!, Vocabulary WordsLeave a comment

Pink, green, black and even red are only a few colors that you will see on glassware.  There are so many that it will make your head spin!  Here are some of the colors that you may have not heard of:

Jadeite—this is a type of glass for the table made of Jade-green opaque milk glass.  Jadeite was popular in the United States in the mid-20th century and has a blue variety that’s called “Azur-ite”.

MONAX—this is a translucent white glass that has a faint blue hue when held up to the light. This unique colored glass is sometimes mistaken as milk glass (which is whiter in color).

Ruby Flashed glass—this is created by coating a clear glass with one or more thin layers of colored glass (this is also known as flashed glass).  The colored glass can be either partly or completely etched away by using items like acid or sandblasting.  This results in spots where the colored glass has been removed.

This is a ridiculously small portion of all the colors that you will run across.  What have you seen?

What are some different types of joints that you will find in furniture?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Tips for the beginner, Vocabulary WordsLeave a comment

When it comes to the construction of furniture, there are many different types of joints that you could use.  Butt joints, pocket-hole joints, lap joints and even mitre joints are commonly used, and here are some more that you will run across:

Dowel joint—this joint is at the end of a piece of wood that is butted up against another piece, and it is reinforced with dowel pins (there are holes drilled on each side of the joint for the dowel pins to be slid into).  This joint is a very common joint when it comes to furniture that is made in a factory.

picture courtesy of Wikipedia.com

Mortise and tenon—this features a small piece of wood (called the tenon) that fits tightly into a hole that is specifically cut for it (this is called the mortise).  Not only will you find this in furniture, you will also find it in in doors, windows, and even cabinets.

photo courtesy of Wikipedia.com

Dovetail—this is a set of right-angle joints that held together by interlocking fan-shaped tenons.

photo courtesy of Wikipedia.com

This is just some of the types of joints that you will find in furniture.  What kinds of joints have you run across?