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Kovels: Antiques and collecting

Venetian glass has been prized since the 13th century, but it has never been stuck in the past. The Venini glass factory in Murano has been at the forefront of modern design since it was founded in 1921. It also brought in talent from other parts of Europe. In 1936, Paolo Venini hired the company's first freelance designer, Tyra Lundgren. She was also the first woman to design for the company. Like many modern designers, Lundgren worked in several media, including ceramics and textiles. By the time Paolo Venini met her, she had years of experience designing glassware for major ...

Dear Annie

Dear Annie: For most of my life, I picked the wrong partners. Over time, I realized it wasn't bad luck. I was choosing what I had seen, not what I had actually done the work to earn. Those patterns came from my family and the system I grew up in, and I kept recreating them. A few years ago, ...

Hints from Heloise

Dear Heloise: When I moved into an apartment that had recently become nonsmoking, I quickly learned that the odor from previous tenants can linger for far longer than expected. Even after maintenance aired out the apartment with a fan, the tobacco smell was so strong that I woke up my first ...

To your good health

DEAR DR. ROACH: I was diagnosed with advanced osteoporosis years ago. I started taking vitamin K2 because I read that it helps move calcium from the blood into the bones. Fast forward to last year, my doctor had me do a scan to check for arterial plaque because my total cholesterol went over ...

Toys help promote products

Promotional toys have been a popular form of advertising for a long time. General Electric had many advertising toys, including the Hotpoint doll and a circus set. The doll Bandy promoted their radios; his name comes from the "big band" jazz music that was popular at the time, even if his colorful uniform and tall hat, which undoubtedly helped catch customers' attention, might be a better fit for leading a marching band. This example, complete with his baton, sold for $504 at Donley Auction services. Bandy dolls were 18 inches tall, made of wood and composition with jointed limbs, and ...

Dear Annie

Dear Annie: Am I being too sensitive? My niece's son is getting married this year. I always believed I was close to her family, but when the "save the date" and shower invitations went out, my daughter was not included — although all the other cousins were. My daughter rarely attends family ...