A diamond is one of the most precious materials in the world, sought after for thousands of years because of its beauty and rarity.
But a flower is beautiful, and the bloom doesn't bring high prices. Although, as an aside, I remember a story filled with intrigue and subterfuge from a radio play back when I was a child in the 50s about The Black Tulip. Maybe we should add endurance to the list of qualities that make an item valuable.
But a flower is beautiful, and the bloom doesn't bring high prices. Although, as an aside, I remember a story filled with intrigue and subterfuge from a radio play back when I was a child in the 50s about The Black Tulip. Maybe we should add endurance to the list of qualities that make an item valuable.
BBC News For the last couple of days, news items have reported the biggest discovery ever of old coins in Britain. On Dec. 21st, one of the members of the Weekend Wanderers Detecting Club lifted a piece of metal and found coins underneath. He didn't disturb them, knowing the find was important. Metal detector enthusiasts in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, close to where I live, went on to uncover what is thought to be one of biggest hoards of ancient coins ever found in Britain, some dating back to the 11th Century. More than 5,000 coins were unearthed inside a lead bucket two feet under the field. Some depict the heads of king Ethelred the Unready (love that name), and king Canute.
The hoard, which contains will be examined by the British Museum. A coroner will rule if they are "treasure" under the Treasure Act. A museum could then buy them with the proceeds being split between the landowner and the finder. See the full BBC story.
What makes them treasure? Their rarity and their endurance, I guess. The coins don't appeal to me.
I love watching television shows about auctions to find out what makes the highest price among the assortment of articles people present. In England, fads come and go. What people desired 10 years ago are no longer desired. And the British insist on having the assay mark denoting sterling silver. Anything else is classed as white metal. How arrogant we English people are.
The hoard, which contains will be examined by the British Museum. A coroner will rule if they are "treasure" under the Treasure Act. A museum could then buy them with the proceeds being split between the landowner and the finder. See the full BBC story.
What makes them treasure? Their rarity and their endurance, I guess. The coins don't appeal to me.
I love watching television shows about auctions to find out what makes the highest price among the assortment of articles people present. In England, fads come and go. What people desired 10 years ago are no longer desired. And the British insist on having the assay mark denoting sterling silver. Anything else is classed as white metal. How arrogant we English people are.
Artistry shared by my friend Peter McGrath. I love hand-made Egyptian articles. One of my most treasured possessions is an antique rosewood marquetry box, inset with miniature scenes of Egyptian life in ancient times—pictures made with different metals, ivory, mother of pearl and colored stone. Some tiny human figures gleam with their skin made from copper beside others with white ivory skin or the brown of burnished metal. When we took the box to auction, it didn't reach the reserve price. But then, to me, it's priceless. Here's the link for Write Tribe: http://writetribe.com/write-tribe-pro-blogger-challenge/
What makes material possessions valuable to you?
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