Topic guide

Collecting & Buying

Identification, condition, restoration and considered buying guides for vintage mid-century design.

Practical guidance for researching, buying and living with older design—without turning every object into an investment claim.

Guides in preparation

  • A field guide to labels, stamps and maker marks
  • How refinishing affects evidence and value
  • Questions to ask before buying vintage furniture online
  • Original, licensed reissue or reproduction?
  • When professional restoration is worth the cost

Recently added

Elsewhere in the archive.

Stories for this section are in preparation. In the meantime, these are the latest additions.

A quiet monthly letter

One object. One building. One designer.

A concise monthly note for people who want to look more closely at twentieth-century design. No daily churn.

The first letter is in preparation.