Hidden Treasures

August 9, 2000
The great popularity of PBS's Antiques Roadshow, along with the heightened attention to auctions and exhibitions of American decorative arts, prove that interest in collecting antiques is expanding. Is there anyone who does not secretly hope that the old family table, the slightly sloping bookcase, or the creaky rocking chair may turn out to be a a special object worthy of veneration and perhaps a tidy sum of money? Experts seen on the PBS show and with credentials from service at Sotheby's and Christies's, respectively, the authors are twins, identical not only in appearance but also in the passion with which they approach their vocation. In a series of search-and-discover episodes, the reader is taken along on adventures with Leigh and Leslie, whether it be as young boys roaming the woods of upstate New York for old barn hardware or as elegant participants in six-figure auction sales. The authors' enthusiasm comes across in every paragraph, and the reader is swept along in the marvels of finding, researching, and finally selling outstanding examples of American furniture. The book also covers the false and the fake and the resulting disappointment. Not every attic holds a treasure, but this book certainly does--it is not only a delight to read but a fine example of painstaking research, intuitive perception, and total commitment. Highly recommended for public collections as well as art and historical libraries.--Paula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib., New York

Copyright 2000 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2000
The twin experts Leigh and Leslie Keno, who used to be affiliated with the PBS-TV show "Antiques Roadshow," display their knowledge of Americana in a series of 13 charming stories. But the 13 pieces are all woven together into a single narrative, with descriptions of furniture worth six figures mixed with background on the Kenos and their family, and naturally a few celebrity names pop up here and there. It's obvious that the thrill of the hunt can leave them verbally breathless, whether on Sotheby's floor, where a Rhode Island Appleton secretary is hammered down at $8.2 million, or the discovery of a two-piece highboy among the middle class in the Hamptons excites them to no end. Some of the lessons learned here include not cleaning, waxing, or polishing an old piece of furniture; sleepers--what undervalued merchandise is called--are difficult to find; and anything can be collectible. Glossary and bibliography appended. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2000, American Library Association.)