This exclusive excerpt is from the new book Harry Potter Collector’s Handbook by William Silvester (Krause Publications, 2010). Silvester lives in Victoria, British Columbia, and has more than 250 published articles to his credit.

Some of the best buys in furniture today are items manufactured in America during our “Depression” cycle, which in furniture terms runs from roughly 1920 to 1960.

John Rogers was a “born” artist. But early training by a high school art instructor developed his talent more toward the practical art of drafting than toward the expression of abstract ideas.

You just never know where a piece of our history may show up. It could be in the bottom of a dresser drawer, stuffed away in the attic, locked in an old steamer trunk or it could be as simple as going to an antique show where you can find everything imaginable including a treasure trove of historical paper memorabilia such as posters.

Silver teapots, coffeepots, boxes, ink wells, and anything with a hinged top, may become unsettled in the way they sit due to rough treatment.

One of the mysteries of the universe to me is “Why do so many 20th century pieces of furniture have wheels or casters on them?” A clue of sorts can be found in the generic name of many early 20th century items, those that are known as “Colonial Revival.”

This list is based on rarity and value. Yes, there are cars that are reported to have more monetary value. But as far as we’re concerned, some of these are just priceless pieces of Hot Wheels cars history.

I hadn’t planned on going rummaging. I didn’t have my copy of the classifieds with red circles around the places I wanted to hit and numbered with the planned order of attack. I didn’t have my maps spread out on the front seat beside me.

Bottle collecting is alive and well: collectors are digging and trading and record pricing is bringing new attention back to the wide world of bottles.

Medical students learn from Day One that first and foremost, doctors should do no harm. Back in our ancestors’ day, however, certain treatments epitomized the saying, “sometimes the cure is worse than the ill.” (Bloodletting, anyone?)