Ideal’s Captain Action toys answered GI Joe by offering a bigger wardrobe

Ideal's Captain Action figure from 1966

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When Hasbro released GI Joe in 1964, an entirely new category of boys’ toys was created: the action figure. More than mere dolls, the toys featured advanced articulation, the ability to be posed in a variety of stances, and came with a dizzying array of clothing options, accessories and ultimately full playsets.

Rival American toymaker Ideal earned the distinction of being the first to market a “teddy” bear in 1903, so named after then-president Theodore Roosevelt. Known primarily as a doll maker, Ideal was beaten to the punch by Hasbro in the boys’ category.

Ideal responded with Captain Action in 1966, but took a different route. Instead of a military theme, Captain Action could be outfitted not only as himself, but thanks to license agreements, could also be dressed as popular superheroes such as Batman, Superman and Spider-Man.

Interestingly, toy designer Stan Weston is the father of both Hasbro’s GI Joe and Ideal’s Captain Action, pioneering the 12-inch action figure segment.

Captain Action toys continue to do well in the contemporary market, driven by demand for the licensed apparel as well as mint-in-box examples. Some recent results follow, along with a detailed account of the toy line’s development by acclaimed writer J. C. Vaughn.
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Captain Action Batman and Robin uniform and equipment group by Ideal, 1966-67, sold for $2,400 plus the buyer’s premium at Heritage Auctions in November 2011.
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Captain Action Silver Streak vehicle in its original packaging, sold for $876 in November 2017 at Hake’s Auctions.
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Ideal Captain Action Batman mint in its original packaging, sold for $2,100 plus the buyer’s premium in April 2020 at Milestone Auctions.
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Ideal Captain Action Captain America set with Action Boy figure, both in original packaging, sold for $2,000 plus the buyer’s premium in June 2021 at Apple Tree Auction Center.
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Ideal Captain Action Batman set, mint in its original packaging, sold for $1,750 plus the buyer’s premium in August 2021 at Weiss Auctions.
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Various Captain Action and Action Boy uniforms and accessories, sold for $750 plus the buyer’s premium in February 2023 at Morphy Auctions.
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[av_heading heading=’ Captain Action: Quick-Change Hero’ tag=’h1′ style=” subheading_active=” show_icon=” icon=’ue800′ font=’entypo-fontello’ size=” av-desktop-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” subheading_size=” av-desktop-font-size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” icon_size=” av-desktop-font-size-1=” av-medium-font-size-1=” av-small-font-size-1=” av-mini-font-size-1=” color=” custom_font=” subheading_color=” seperator_color=” icon_color=” margin=’,,35px,’ av-desktop-margin=” av-desktop-margin_sync=’true’ av-medium-margin=” av-medium-margin_sync=’true’ av-small-margin=’,,20px,’ av-mini-margin=” av-mini-margin_sync=’true’ headline_padding=” headline_padding_sync=’true’ av-desktop-headline_padding=” av-desktop-headline_padding_sync=’true’ av-medium-headline_padding=” av-medium-headline_padding_sync=’true’ av-small-headline_padding=” av-small-headline_padding_sync=’true’ av-mini-headline_padding=” av-mini-headline_padding_sync=’true’ padding=’10’ av-desktop-padding=” av-medium-padding=” av-small-padding=” av-mini-padding=” icon_padding=’10’ av-desktop-icon_padding=” av-medium-icon_padding=” av-small-icon_padding=” av-mini-icon_padding=” link=” link_target=” title_attr=” id=” custom_class=” template_class=” av_uid=’av-llf9ik8p’ sc_version=’1.0′ admin_preview_bg=”][/av_heading]

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Ideal Captain Action from 1966. Image courtesy of Geppi’s Entertainment.
Ideal Captain Action from 1966. Image courtesy of Geppi’s Entertainment.

Note: this article originally appeared in 2006

By J.C. Vaughn

Joe Ahearn first became aware of Ideal Toys’ Captain Action in 1967 when he was 5 years old while visiting an older cousin. Ed Catto simply credits Santa Claus for his introduction to the character the same year. Little did either of them know that some 40 years later that they would find themselves in charge of Captain Action’s destiny.

The character debuted in 1966 into a climate that in hindsight seems almost made for it. G.I. Joe was the top action figure for boys. The Batman TV show was just igniting Batmania and the wave of superheroes that followed him from the printed page to the worlds of cartoons, movies and merchandising.

In the world of dolls and action figures, Barbie had been the first to successfully seize upon the “razor/razorblade” concept that today is seen as the “hardware/software” mix – sell the customer the hardware, such as a DVD player or iPod at a relatively inexpensive price, and the consumer will keep purchasing the DVDs or downloads of music in perpetuity. With Barbie, and then G.I. Joe, new costumes – the latest fashions or specialty military uniforms, respectively – were the razorblades or software. Kids always wanted the latest ones, and Mattel and Hasbro reaped the benefits.

“In 1965, the Ideal Toy Corporation, producers of a plethora of playthings including King Zor the Dinosaur, the walking robot Mr. Machine, the Betsy Wetsy doll, Motorific miniature racing cars and the interactive Mouse Trap board game, elected to directly challenge, rather than imitate, Hasbro’s dominance of the action figure market,” author and historian Michael Eury wrote in Captain Action: The Original Super-Hero Action Figure, widely considered to be the definitive work on the original incarnation of the toy line.

The company brought in Stan Weston, who had worked with Larry Reiner and the legendary Don Levine on G.I. Joe for Hasbro, and who would later go on to develop the Mego action figure line in the 1970s. The result was almost called “Captain Magic.” Though the name was shelved, the idea that the character would change identities did not. The company licensed numerous other characters for the newly christened Captain Action to impersonate.

Instead of simply putting on a new outfit like Barbie or new uniform like G.I. Joe, Captain Action would more or less become a string of highly recognizable other characters. Superman, Aquaman, Steve Canyon, the Lone Ranger, Flash Gordon, Captain America, Batman, Sgt. Fury, the Phantom and others were all on tap.

Veteran DC Comics artist Murphy Anderson, then as now one of the most respected craftsman in the trade, was drafted to illustrate the packaging, further cementing the relation between the new toy and the characters for whom he would pass.

Captain Action was released to the public in 1966 and got an almost immediate shot in the arm from the Batman TV show. Costumes for Spider-Man, Buck Rogers, Green Hornet, and Tonto were part of the line.

In 1967, Captain Action got a sidekick, Action Boy, who was featured with costumes for Aqualad, Superboy and Robin. A year later, Dr. Evil, “the sinister invader of Earth,” showed up to menace the good captain.

In addition to the costumes, there were also accessory packs that featured equipment and weapons such as the Inter-Spacial Directional Communicator, Anit-Gravitational Power Pack, the 10-Piece Weapons Arsenal, Inter-Galactic Jet Mortar and so on. There were vehicles and play sets, and there were also Halloween costumes and a handful of other licensed products. One of the projects was a Captain Action comic book from DC Comics. It featured stories by writer Jim Shooter, who later became editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, and Gil Kane, who also served as artist for several issues. By the time Captain Action #5 came out in 1969, though, it was an afterthought. The Captain Action toy line from Ideal was no more.

But that’s not how it works in superhero stories or with intellectual properties. Fans of the character didn’t give up so easily.

In 1987, A.C.T.I.O.N. Force #1, featuring Captain Action and a group of other heroes, was published by Lightning Comics. That was the only issue, but it marked the first time the hero had reappeared. Two years later, Jim Main, who had written A.C.T.I.O.N. Force #1, ran stories featuring the character in three issues of Toy Collectors’ Journal.

Captain Action #0, produced by Karl Art Publishing in 1995, was another one-and-done attempt to revive the property, but still Captain Action would not entirely fade away. Just three years later, he’d be back in the toy business.

Playing Mantis launched a line of Captain Action reissues in 1998. That line was spearheaded by a freelance product consultant and nearly life-long Captain Action enthusiast named Joe Ahearn.

“They produced the Captain Action and Dr. Evil dolls, along with costumes for Green Hornet, Kato, Flash Gordon and Ming,” said author, historian and pioneering auction house founder Ted Hake. “Later, they entered into an exclusive deal with Diamond Select Toys, and recently produced the Lone Ranger costume and the Kid Action doll.”

While the Playing Mantis incarnation, which included the introduction of the redubbed Kid Action, lasted until only 2000, Ahern’s passion for the character meant that he wasn’t giving up so easily.

As a child, he had drifted away from Captain Action around age 11, he said, but he always had retained a soft spot for the identity-changing hero. He reconnected with Captain Action in the mid 1990s when he began re-collecting both Cap and GI Joe items to supplement what he had left from his childhood collection. After his involvement with Playing Mantis, he kept collecting, including one really big prize: he successfully acquired the trademark to Captain Action.

He decided to team up with Ed Catto, a friend from the Yahoo Captain Action collectors group, because of their shared great love of the character and what Ahearn described as Catto’s “great business sense as a marketing professional.” Together in 2005 they formed Captain Action Enterprises LLC.

For his part, Catto said that he had drifted away from the character about the time he discovered the appeal of young ladies, but when he returned to the character that old energy just grabbed him again.

“I remember the nostalgic zing so vividly, but that was almost 20 years ago, too,” he said. Like Ahearn, he started collecting Captain Action again and networking with fellow enthusiasts.

Later, when they teamed up, the two of them did not want to just bring Captain Action back as a retro experience or simply as an action figure. Instead, they quickly formulated a plan to develop the character into a multimedia property.

Their first step was into the world of comic books, where they partnered with Moonstone Books, known for producing The Phantom and Kolchak The Night Stalker, among other series. Written by industry veteran Fabian Nicieza and illustrated by Mark Sparacio, Captain Action #0 introduced a revised version of the 1960s hero of a thousand faces and established a new back story. Different than both the action figure and the DC Comics versions, the new title is nonetheless filled with nods to the originals.

It was merely the first piece of the puzzle.

They almost instantly sold out of a reproduction version of the original Aurora model kit they did with Moebius Models in April. They have released a pair of Mego-style action figures (unlike the original 12-inch figures, these are shorter, like the original Mego figures) with Cast-a-way Toys, a statue produced by Electric Tiki and released through Sideshow Collectibles, a novella, prints and other items. They’ll also be launching a prose anthology of Captain Action adventures, and a new character, Lady Action, into her own series in the coming months. Through Café Press, they offer T-shirts, baseball caps, coffee mugs, keepsake boxes and messenger bags.

“We’ve had a lot of requests for the Captain Action hat,” Catto said of the character’s signature cap, “so we’re going to be making them available as well.”

“Our kickoff at the New York Comic-Con really opened a lot of doors for us,” Catto said. “We have been approached by many noted writers and artists who want to be involved.”

Those creators included Murphy Anderson, the artist who designed the original packaging for Ideal. He has illustrated a variant cover for the group and may do more with them. Ironically, for someone noted as a major force in comic book art – particularly at DC Comics – for decades, he never did any illustration work for the captain’s comic book adventures before.

Catto said that journey from child playing with Captain Action in to adult playing with him in an entirely different way has been amazing, and that the ability to work with people like Anderson was simultaneously exciting and humbling.

Ahearn agreed, and both of them are still collecting.
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From Barbie to millennial pink, the cultural phenomenon behind the color that sells

A 2007 Hermes Birkin 30cm in shiny rose shocking pink, fashioned from Porosus crocodile and sporting palladium hardware, achieved $36,000 plus the buyer’s premium in April 2016. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions and LiveAuctioneers
An unquestionably pink Chanel Sport Line Logos baseball cap achieved $1,100 plus the buyer’s premium in October 2021. Image courtesy of Bidhaus and LiveAuctioneers
An unquestionably pink Chanel Sport Line Logos baseball cap achieved $1,100 plus the buyer’s premium in October 2021. Image courtesy of Bidhaus and LiveAuctioneers

NEW YORK (AP) – “Think pink! think pink! when you shop for summer clothes. Think pink! think pink! if you want that quelque chose.” That advice, sung as an epiphany in the 1957 musical film Funny Face, has definitely been heeded – just take a look around at fashion and media. The fascination around pink – each shade and hue with its own connotation – has driven those cultural engines for generations, revving into full force as we reach peak Barbie season.

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Chuck Close’s ‘Georgia Fingerprint I’ will be auctioned at Myers Fine Art on April 30. Image provided by Myers Fine Art
Chuck Close’s ‘Georgia Fingerprint I’ will be auctioned at Myers Fine Art on April 30. Image provided by Myers Fine Art
Chuck Close’s ‘Georgia Fingerprint I’ will be auctioned at Myers Fine Art on April 30. Image provided by Myers Fine Art

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Paris, London, New York City, and … Tampa Bay. In what seems a world away from the marquee cities that have long been synonymous with fine art, Graphicstudio at the University of South Florida (USF) – and their renowned master printers – have been assiduously impacting art culture since the studio’s inception in 1968. Robert Rauschenberg, James Rosenquist, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Mapplethorpe, Alex Katz, and many more of the brightest, boldest artistic minds of the era have added to Graphicstudio’s portfolio along the way. 

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How to start a stamp collection knowledgeably

The rarer the stamp, the more attention it wins at auction. This encased merchant key 5 cent postage stamp featuring Thomas Jefferson was issued by B.F. Miles in Peoria, Illinois circa 1862. It brought $9,000 plus the buyer’s premium in August 2022. Image courtesy of Early American History Auctions and LiveAuctioneers
The rarer the stamp, the more attention it wins at auction. This encased merchant key 5 cent postage stamp featuring Thomas Jefferson was issued by B.F. Miles in Peoria, Illinois circa 1862. It brought $9,000 plus the buyer’s premium in August 2022. Image courtesy of Early American History Auctions and LiveAuctioneers
The rarer the stamp, the more attention it wins at auction. This encased merchant key 5 cent postage stamp featuring Thomas Jefferson was issued by B.F. Miles in Peoria, Illinois circa 1862. It brought $9,000 plus the buyer’s premium in August 2022. Image courtesy of Early American History Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

NEW YORK – There are few collectible categories that encompass art, history, culture, language and national identity and pride quite like postage stamps. They reflect almost every topic, from royalty and cultural achievers to scientific discoveries and wildlife. They tell us who we are and how our societies have evolved.

Since the first issue in 1840, stamps have attracted collectors from all walks of life. Despite the rise of email and texting, postage stamps remain universally appreciated well into the 21st century. Stamp collecting remains one of the top 10 hobbies, and rare stamps are still considered stalwarts in many investment portfolios.

Before the arrival of the postage stamp, letters were hand-canceled with a cut rubber or cork wooden handstamp. Just such an impression stamped on a letter mailed from Virginia City, Utah in 1860 garnered $550 plus the buyer’s premium in June 2022. Image courtesy of Holabird Western American Collection and LiveAuctioneers
Before the arrival of the postage stamp, letters were hand-canceled with a cut rubber or cork wooden handstamp. Just such an impression stamped on a letter mailed from Virginia City, Utah in 1860 garnered $550 plus the buyer’s premium in June 2022. Image courtesy of Holabird Western American Collection and LiveAuctioneers

Prior to the advent of postage stamps printed on sheets of paper, post offices relied on a rubber or cork cancellation image its employees would hand-ink directly onto the letter itself. These early handstamps, first created in 1680 by merchant William Dockwra for London mail at one penny a post, are a collectible category in and of itself. There was a bit of a problem with the handstamp approach, though. In that era in the United Kingdom, postage was paid by the receiver, not by the sender. If the receiver rejected the letter or package, the delivery went unpaid, and the post office lost money it needed to underwrite its operations. The postage stamp changed that.

Finding the Penny Black, the very first national postage stamp, which was issued by the UK in 1840, isn’t that difficult. Most have been canceled, such as this example offered in December 2022 that went for $130 plus the buyer’s premium. In contrast, an uncanceled Penny Black sold at Sotheby’s for $8.2 million in 2021. Image courtesy of Oakwood Auctions and LiveAuctioneers
Finding the Penny Black, the very first national postage stamp, which was issued by the UK in 1840, isn’t that difficult. Most have been canceled, such as this example offered in December 2022 that went for $130 plus the buyer’s premium. In contrast, an uncanceled Penny Black sold at Sotheby’s for $8.2 million in 2021. Image courtesy of Oakwood Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

Who, exactly, deserves the credit for the invention of the postage stamp is a murky topic, but by 1840, the United Kingdom issued the first such stamp with adhesive to affix directly onto packages and letters. It was known as the Penny Black and featured the profile of a young Queen Victoria. Each stamp had to be cut from a sheet; perforations finally appeared in 1854. And in replacing the handstamp with a printed, paper stamp, the postal service shifted the burden of paying for postage to the sender instead of the receiver. This change allowed for a more organized and profitable postal service. Other countries in Europe soon adopted Britain’s approach.

A unique example of an encased three-cent stamp picturing Benjamin Franklin attained $18,000 plus the buyer’s premium in December 2016. Image courtesy of Early American History Auctions and LiveAuctioneers
A unique example of an encased three-cent stamp picturing Benjamin Franklin attained $18,000 plus the buyer’s premium in December 2016. Image courtesy of Early American History Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

Postage stamps debuted in the United States in 1845, but these early issues were created by individual postmasters. Two years later, the United States released its first official postage stamps, which sported portraits of Benjamin Franklin on a red 5 cent stamp and George Washington on a black 10 cent stamp. By 1860, the success of the UK and the United States postal systems had prompted virtually every nation to issue their own postage stamps. The notion of collecting stamps as a hobby gained ground around this time as well. John Edward Gray, an English zoologist who was one of the first collectors of note, began his postage stamp collection in 1862, and The Philatelist, the first publication about postage stamps, was already going strong by the 1860s.

Two volumes of Scotts and National Postage albums, estimated at $1,000-$2,000, achieved $9,500 plus the buyer’s premium in December 2022. Image courtesy of Winter Associates and LiveAuctioneers
Two volumes of Scotts and National Postage albums, estimated at $1,000-$2,000, achieved $9,500 plus the buyer’s premium in December 2022. Image courtesy of Winter Associates and LiveAuctioneers

The two main reasons people create stamp collections is for fun or as an investment. All seasoned stamp aficionados know there are four main identifying components of a stamp: the image, the perforations, the denomination and the country name (except for the United Kingdom, which uses an image of its monarch as a stand-in). Handling a stamp requires a few basic essential tools: tweezers or long tongs, a magnifying glass, a stamp album made from archival material and an odontometer, or perforation gauge.

First day covers are often issued to commemorate or bring attention to an important occasion, such as the independence of the new State of Israel on May 29, 1948. This first day cover, with a hand-cancel from the City of Haifa and the signature of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, went for $800 plus the buyer’s premium in March 2019. Image courtesy of Kedem Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

First day covers are often issued to commemorate or bring attention to an important occasion, such as the independence of the new State of Israel on May 29, 1948. This first day cover, with a hand-cancel from the City of Haifa and the signature of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, went for $800 plus the buyer’s premium in March 2019. Image courtesy of Kedem Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

It’s perfectly fine to dive in and begin gathering stamps without having chosen a specialty to focus on. Just seek affordable stamps of any type that seem interesting, sort them, review them, and categorize them one or two at a time. Seeking stamps will introduce you to varieties featuring flags, monarchs, insects, animals, minerals and other attractive subjects. You can also wait and simply enjoy acquainting yourself with the many different formats of stamps – which range from first day covers, stamps on letters, plate blocks of stamps, postcards with stamps, special event stamps, hunting stamps, revenue stamps, error stamps, commemorative stamps and hand stamps – before you zero in on a favorite to pursue. It will soon become evident why presidents, kings, rock stars and regular people have all embraced stamp-collecting as a relaxing pastime.

Stamps can be collectible in blocks, as with this green and white set of six 16-cent US postage stamps issued in 1918 and picturing the World War I Jenny biplane. It sold for $650 plus the buyer’s premium in May 2021. Image courtesy of Oakwood Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

Stamps can be collectible in blocks, as with this green and white set of six 16-cent US postage stamps issued in 1918 and picturing the World War I Jenny biplane. It sold for $650 plus the buyer’s premium in May 2021. Image courtesy of Oakwood Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

Stamp-collecting need not center on acquiring one or two stamps at a time; it’s possible to secure entire collections of stamps at auctions. Stamp collections, whether completed or not, are routinely consigned by estates whose heirs decline to keep them. Buying a collection lets you advance your understanding of stamps through comparing the differences within a large, preassembled group. Which ones are you missing, and which ones can be traded or sold for another that is in better condition or has a higher value? It should be said, however, that such questions may be more suited to investment-minded collectors because filling the holes in an incomplete collection requires finding the rarest and most valuable stamps, not the most engaging or delightful.

This U.S. stamp collection dating from 1847 to 2021, already organized into archival albums and featuring Columbian Exposition Issue stamps, the comprehensive Washington-Franklin stamps of 1908-1920, and Air Mail and Hunting Permit Stamps from 1934-2020, among others, achieved $32,000 plus the buyer’s premium in August 2020. Image courtesy of Winter Associates and LiveAuctioneers
This U.S. stamp collection dating from 1847 to 2021, already organized into archival albums and featuring Columbian Exposition Issue stamps, the comprehensive Washington-Franklin stamps of 1908-1920, and Air Mail and Hunting Permit Stamps from 1934-2020, among others, achieved $32,000 plus the buyer’s premium in August 2020. Image courtesy of Winter Associates and LiveAuctioneers

But are postage stamps a solid investment today? According to Forbes.com, they deliver a means to diversify an investment portfolio, but, of course, price fluctuations are the norm in any postage stamp auction. Wealthy investors target stamps that have higher values, freeing up most stamps for the casual collector whose pockets are not as deep – which is a great thing for both camps of collectors.

A set of nine Chinese postage stamps issued late in the Qing dynasty realized $2,000 plus the buyer’s premium against an estimate of $600-$900 in February 2017. Image courtesy of Eddie’s Auction and LiveAuctioneers
A set of nine Chinese postage stamps issued late in the Qing dynasty realized $2,000 plus the buyer’s premium against an estimate of $600-$900 in February 2017. Image courtesy of Eddie’s Auction and LiveAuctioneers

While most casual collections may not have the investment value of those intended as assets, a study by StampFinder.com has shown that postage stamps with values of $25 and up have consistently outperformed stocks and even gold during the past 25 years. The basic rule for investment-grade stamps is to buy at no more than 30% of the catalog price at auction and sell near the catalog value. Casual collectors, in contrast, should buy the best stamp they can afford.

An extensive collection of Turkish postage stamps spanning circa 1920 to 1997, and including some stamps that predate the foundation of the Republic of Turkey, brought $3,500 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2021. Image courtesy of Alex Cooper and LiveAuctioneers
An extensive collection of Turkish postage stamps spanning circa 1920 to 1997, and including some stamps that predate the foundation of the Republic of Turkey, brought $3,500 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2021. Image courtesy of Alex Cooper and LiveAuctioneers

All stamps are graded first and foremost on rarity; for this reason, older stamps perform better at auction than newer ones. Condition plays a major role as well. Examples with few or no defects are the ones collectors want most. As with any valuable object, postage stamps are the targets of counterfeiters. It is important that collectors of all stripes learn how stamps were made at the times they were issued and verify that any stamp that interests them is correct on its complete construction, from its image to the ink used to print it. Finding stamps of historical significance will help with the overall value of a collection, too. Stamps issued with an error or those with short production runs will merit a higher value if the rest of the criteria under discussion have been satisfied.

An album of international postage stamps, primarily from Greece through Penrhyn Island, sold for $2,500 plus the buyer’s premium in December 2017. Image courtesy of Rago Arts and Auction Center and LiveAuctioneers
An album of international postage stamps, primarily from Greece through Penrhyn Island, sold for $2,500 plus the buyer’s premium in December 2017. Image courtesy of Rago Arts and Auction Center and LiveAuctioneers

If you aren’t sure how to begin a stamp collection, it is best to visit one of the many associations, online groups and websites devoted to postage stamps. The American Philatelic Society (stamps.org), the United States Stamp Society (usstamps.org) and Stamp Collecting World (stamp-collecting-world.com) provide in-depth assistance and resources. You might also consider attending a nearby stamp show listed at stamps.org.

A First Man on the Moon first day cover, signed by the crew of Apollo 11 and from the family collection of astronaut Richard Gordon, rose to $22,000 plus the buyer’s premium against an estimate of $2,400-$3,600 in November 2018. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions and LiveAuctioneers
A First Man on the Moon first day cover, signed by the crew of Apollo 11 and from the family collection of astronaut Richard Gordon, rose to $22,000 plus the buyer’s premium against an estimate of $2,400-$3,600 in November 2018. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

Postage stamps remain coveted collectibles because they take countries and the myths they create about themselves and condense them into a tiny, flat, nearly weightless rectangle. Designed to be portable, they inspire the holder to dream about a stamp’s adventures as it crossed borders, ventured across mountains, plains and oceans, or even just flitted a few doors down the street. Postage stamps can lead you to dream about distant lands and intriguing cultures, and they work this magic without requiring you to leave your favorite armchair. Such is their power.

Velvet: an interior design favorite that never went away

A pair of circa-1954 Gio Ponti lounge chairs, model 803, upholstered in blue velvet, achieved $15,000 plus the buyer’s premium in June 2022. Image courtesy of Los Angeles Modern Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

A pair of circa-1954 Gio Ponti lounge chairs, model 803, upholstered in blue velvet, achieved $15,000 plus the buyer’s premium in June 2022. Image courtesy of Los Angeles Modern Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

NEW YORK – (AP) It was all over the fashion runways. Women’s Wear Daily raved about Armani dresses in this material. Harper’s Bazaar called it one of 2022’s biggest trends. At Britain’s film awards, celebrities partied in Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren and Gucci versions. It’s even found its way down to casual wear, in jeans, T-shirts and slouchy overshirts. Once the luxurious material of nobility, velvet’s now a fashion favorite at both the private-label and mass-market level. And as often happens, what rides high in fashion ends up doing the same in home decor.

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Pictorial trays helped Coca-Cola build a powerful soda brand

An original 1897 Coca-Cola tray with painted cola leaves and nuts decorating its rim, achieved $50,000 plus the buyer’s premium in February 2019. Image courtesy of Michaan’s and LiveAuctioneers

NEW YORK – Far and away, Coca-Cola is the world’s bestselling soft drink. The company claims that nearly two billion eight-ounce servings are consumed every day. So, exactly how does a sugary soda dominate all others for more than 100 years? The answer is marketing and then more marketing. Coca-Cola trays were key to building the beverage’s brand.

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Ring of reverence: a history of the halo in art

Detail of a 19th-century Continental macro-mosaic of a prominently haloed St. John Bosco, which realized $1,600 plus the buyer’s premium in April 2021. Image courtesy of Akiba Antiques and LiveAuctioneers
Detail of a 19th-century Continental macro-mosaic of a prominently haloed St. John Bosco, which realized $1,600 plus the buyer’s premium in April 2021. Image courtesy of Akiba Antiques and LiveAuctioneers
Detail of a 19th-century Continental macro-mosaic of a prominently haloed St. John Bosco, which realized $1,600 plus the buyer’s premium in April 2021. Image courtesy of Akiba Antiques and LiveAuctioneers

NEW YORK – “And God said, let there be light and then there was light,” according to the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament of the Bible. Many would insist that God didn’t create light so much as he is light. Before literacy was widespread, the ideas of light representing good and darkness symbolizing evil had to be communicated to the faithful visually, through works of art. By the Middle Ages, artists had adopted the convention of painting a halo of light around the head of a deity or a saint to mark who should be respected and revered.

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For centuries, toy soldiers have carried on the fight

This set of German-made American Revolutionary War toy soldiers, hand-painted and having engraved features, sold for $375 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2020. Image courtesy of Old Toy Soldier Auctions USA and LiveAuctioneers
This set of German-made American Revolutionary War toy soldiers, hand-painted and having engraved features, sold for $375 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2020. Image courtesy of Old Toy Soldier Auctions USA and LiveAuctioneers
This set of German-made American Revolutionary War toy soldiers, hand-painted and having engraved features, sold for $375 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2020. Image courtesy of Old Toy Soldier Auctions USA and LiveAuctioneers

NEW YORK – Depicting fighting soldiers as tiny, easy-to-move figures has been a mainstay of military planning since medieval times. What started as a serious strategy-building tool ultimately evolved into the icon of childhood now known as the toy soldier.

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Silent films to encore in Dartmouth-backed lobby card project

In this December 2022 photo, collector Dwight Cleveland holds a lobby card from his extensive collection. He has entered an agreement with Dartmouth College to digitize his silent movie-era lobby cards for preservation and publication. Image courtesy of Dwight Cleveland.
In this December 2022 photo, collector Dwight Cleveland holds a lobby card from his extensive collection. He has entered an agreement with Dartmouth College to digitize his silent movie-era lobby cards for preservation and publication. Image courtesy of Dwight Cleveland.
In this December 2022 photo, collector Dwight Cleveland holds a silent movie-era lobby card from his extensive collection. He has entered an agreement with Dartmouth College to digitize his lobby cards for preservation and publication. Image courtesy of Dwight Cleveland.

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – Missing Millions is a 1922 silent film with a darkly prescient title – like the vast majority from that era, the movie all but vanished in the ensuing century, survived mostly by lobby cards. Scarcely bigger than letter paper, the cards promoted the cinematic romances, comedies and adventures of early Hollywood. More than 10,000 of the images that once hung in movie theater foyers are now being digitized for preservation and publication, thanks to an agreement between Chicago-based collector Dwight Cleveland and Dartmouth College that all started when he ran into a film professor at an academic conference in New York.

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Mughal Empire artisans raised arts of Asia to new heights

A Mughal Empire gold pendant inlaid with kundan-set green glass, white topaz and rubies sold for $2,500 plus the buyer’s premium in December 2021. Image courtesy of Artemis Gallery and LiveAuctioneers
A Mughal Empire gold pendant inlaid with kundan-set green glass, white topaz and rubies sold for $2,500 plus the buyer’s premium in December 2021. Image courtesy of Artemis Gallery and LiveAuctioneers
A Mughal Empire gold pendant inlaid with kundan-set green glass, white topaz and rubies sold for $2,500 plus the buyer’s premium in December 2021. Image courtesy of Artemis Gallery and LiveAuctioneers

NEW YORK – In 1526, the Mughals, descendants of the Mongol leaders Tamerlane and Genghis Khan, created an empire stretching from the Indus Valley and northern Afghanistan to sub-continental India. The empire endured until the 19th century, and flourishing trade sparked Mughal artisans to innovate within a wide range of arts and crafts, from textiles to painting to jewelry to beautifully decorated weapons.

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