Antiques Freaks

112 Horse & Man, Ch. 3: The Leg (1869)

Charles Spencer March Phillips returns with his own wacky Victorian spin on the equestrian arts! The English are suspicious of dressage because it is French. Can our boy Charles change their minds? Maybe!

111 Lady Head Vase

Once upon a time in the mid-twentieth century everyone decided it was a great idea to put flowers in ceramic sculptures of women's heads. And it only got weirder from there!

110 Identifying Antique Photographic Processes

You have an old photo! But is it a Dageurrotype, Calotype, albumen print, Ambrotype, tintype, Carte de Visite, or cabinet card? Should you bite it? Lick it? Or listen to this episode? Maybe listen to this episode first. Then lick it.

109 Horse & Man, Chapter Two: The Hand (1869)

Charles Spencer March Phillipps returns to give us a second dose of Victorian horseback riding technique! Astound your fellow equestrians with your newfound ability to baffle your steed! Whether it's a leap of faith or a leap to a conclusion, all that's required is you stay in the saddle.

108 Victorian Insect Jewelry

Cover your bodice in glittering carapaces and light up the night with live fireflies! The Victorians are back with more sickening whimsy than ever before. (Warning for discussions of historical animal cruelty.)

107 Pocket Nutmeg Graters

Spice up your night life! Be the fanciest lad in the tavern! Win over your handsome friends! Drown out the sound of men explaining the plot of Dune with the gentle rasp of nutmeg-upon-silver! The possibilities are limitless with a pocket nutmeg grater.

106 Yelloware

Yelloware? Yellow here! One of our favorite ceramic varietals gets an episode all its own!

105 Horse and Man (1869) by Charles Spencer March Phillipps

According to the Victorians, there's nothing you can't learn from a good book - including how to ride a horse! Tenacious thighs and supple loins combine for a firm "gripe" on the saddle. You WILL wear leather pants. You WILL become a competent equestrian. You WILL learn about how the industrial revolution all-but-severed the working class's relationship to horses - and MORE!

104 Spongeware v. Spatterware

What's the difference between spongeware and spatterware? SO MUCH!

103 Coin Love Tokens

"When this you see, remember me." Engraved coins, or coin love tokens, are a folk art tradition dating back to the 16th century--but things really pop off when Victorians get a hold of it!

102 Snow Babies

Bisque porcelain figurines of children playing in the snow commemorate Peary and Cook's race to the North Pole. It begins with the zuckerpuppen. It ends in Department 56. It's snow babies--RUN!

101 Funko Pop!

It's Beanie Babies 2.0! Tune in for your regularly scheduled reminder that collectibles are not investments. Not even if it's an adorable dead-eyed vinyl figurine of your favorite obscure pop culture property.

100 Poesy Rings

The perfect expression of affection for your special someone! Whether it be your spouse, your servant, or your sea-captain, a poesy ring is just the thing to declare your eternal devotion. Show the world just how much you like your choice. The cruel seas, remember, took him in November.

099 Weird Customer Tales

The holiday shopping hellscape is upon us! In honor of the season, please enjoy our weirdest customer encounters in 15+ years of selling antiques. Ghost-generating engines, celebrities, possible space aliens, and more!

098 Antiques Fraud! Victorian Corpse Photography

According to Buzzfeed, everyone photographed in the 19th century was secretly dead the whole time. The truth is somewhat murkier. From Dr. Minovici's forensic Frankenstein to "hidden mother" portraits and the ice-box incident, the Antiques Freaks dive into the ghastly Victorian habit of post-mortem photography. Posing stand not provided.

097 Swizzle Sticks

Jazz up your mixed drinks with swizzle sticks! They come in every shape, size, and color from skulls and spines to swords and Spear-It! All the joy of sorting through bags of conversation hearts with none of the hassle of eating chalk!

096 The Forbidden Smelvin

Once upon a time, the Smelvin tractor company drew up plans for a magnificent tractor - and then, for reasons unknown, failed to manufacture it. Years later, one enterprising antique tractor collector unearthed these blueprints and decided he would make the forgotten Smelvin a reality. The resulting beautiful Frankenstein's monster of a tractor would tear the tractor collecting community apart. Assuming, of course, that the Forbidden Smelvin ever existed in the first place. Can we really trust r/hobbydrama? Or is this tale of tractor terror just another creepypasta? Take a side in the firetruck/tractor wars this week on Antiques Freaks!

095 Vintage Fashion with Holli from Suffragette City Vintage!

Why are vintage clothes so small? How do we defeat the moth menace? And what even is rayon? Never fret! Holli is here to answer all our questions about vintage fashion and more! And be sure to check out Holli's shop in person at Suffragette City Vintage and online at etsy.com/shop/nonasuch

094 Beistle Halloween Decorations

Prepare yourself for the Halloween elf! Spice up your Halloween party with the riddle of the Brazil nut! It's vintage paper goods all the way down!

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR CROSSOVER EPISODE WITH TERRIBLE BOOK CLUB! (Episode 70 - Crimson Peak: The Official Movie Novelization)

093 Haunted Dolls

Chucky, Annabelle, and Robert the Doll have nothing on the extremely haunted clown we just sold on eBay.