Our good friend John Fiske of Fiske and Freeman Antiques sent us this true story.

A dealer in the booth next to ours had a classical breakfast table that he had labeled "Breakfast Table, c. 1830, Boston, mahogany." A customer asked him, with a puzzled expression on her face, "How can you tell that it's Boston mahogany?"

Why does this remind me of a want ad I remember from my childhood?

FOR SALE. Grand piano by lady, with Hepplewhite legs.

Click the picture to return to the newsletter.