Weddings are surrounded with superstitions that have been handed down through the centuries.  Designed to bring good luck and fertility to the bride and groom, superstitions are now as much a part of a wedding as the actual bride and groom.

Probably the most well-known of superstitions stem from the Victorian rhyme, ‘Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver sixpence in her shoe.’ The rhyme is based on the transition of life before and after marriage.

‘Something old’ represents the link with the bride’s family and her past. Wearing a piece of antique jewellery, or her mother or grandmother’s wedding gown is thought to bring long-lasting friendship.

‘Something new’ symbolises good fortune, health, happiness and success in the bride’s new life. There are wonderful gifts for brides available on the market today.  See below for inspiration.

Borrowing a gift, such as a piec e of jewellery or a lace handkerchief from a relative – ‘something borrowed’ – is a token of the bride’s family’s love and loyalty towards her. Remember, in the true spirit of borrowing, the gift must be returned in order to bring good luck.

‘Something blue’ is usually the garter worn by the bride for faithfulness and loyalty. Buying the bride a romantic lace Garter in a Keepsake Box makes a thoughtful gift that will endure well  beyond her big day.

Alternatively, buying the bride-to-be a Hen Night Garter and Whistle in their own keepsake box makes for a fun gift for her pre-nup celebration night on the town!

The modern day bride throws her bouquet into the throng of single female guests, the idea being the one who catches said floral arrangement will be the next to marry. Traditionally, however, the garter was forceably removed from the bride by the male guests – after which the victor would present it to the girl of his choice.

‘A silver sixpence in her shoe’ is thought to bring the bride luck and wealth in her married life. Traditionally the bride’s father places the sixpence in her left shoe.  A real, Lucky Sixpence in a Keepsake Box is a must-have gift that will pay dividends throughout the marriage!

Also considered extremely lucky is the traditional wedding gift of a horseshoe. Buying the newlyweds a Just Married Horseshoe Set will set them happily on their way along their marriage path together.

Following the honeymoon, the groom is expected to carry his bride across the threshold. This act symbolises the bride’s  surrendering of her virginity to her husband. It also carries a practical meaning – that of preventing her from falling as she enters her new home. Sweet.

Commemorate this special moment with a wedding gift or present from The Gift Experience, such as a handmade Lladro Style Bride and Groom. This porcelain figurine of a just-married couple, designed  in England by Annie Rowe, is infinitely collectable. The perfect gift for the bride and groom, it will remain a permanent and gorgeous reminder of their wedding day throughout their lives.

MJ

• Re-Deco
• glaze finish

Product Description
By embellishing a traditional piece with a platinum finish we see a fresh perspective and Lladró's commitment to reinvention.... More >>

Lladró Angel Praying Figurine

• Angels
• glaze finish

Product Description
An angel playing a little tune on it's horn.... More >>

Lladró Angel With Horn Figurine

Product Description
Nao by Lladro Puppy Melodies. Issue Year: 2008 Sculptor: Javier Santes Size: 4¼x2¾... More >>

Nao by Lladro Puppy Melodies

Cleveland, Ohio – June 22, 2009 – See what fellow collectors were looking for in May 2009. Kovels.com today released its latest list of the most searched-for antiques and collectibles. Occupied Japan remains on top, proving that Kovels.com is one of the web's best sources for Occupied Japan collectibles prices.

Hundreds of thousands of searches take place each month on Kovels.com. With 700,000+ antiques and collectibles in its online price guide, Kovels.com is the Web's largest price guide for antiques and collectibles.

1. Occupied Japan
2. Jewelry
3. Silver Plate
4. Capo-Di-Monte
5. Furniture
6. Stove
7. Josef Originals
8. Coca-Cola
9. Lladro
10. Bossons - new to list
11. Royal Bayreuth
12. McCoy
13. Milk Glass
14. Royal Copley
15. Copeland Spode
16. Lighter
17. Bavaria
18. World War II
19. Cookie Jar
20. Bicycle

New to the Kovels' Top Twenty list this month is Bossons. W.H. Bossons, Ltd., operated in Congleton, England from 1946 to 1996. Collectors have been on the hunt for information and prices on their character wall masks (heads), plaques, figurines and other decorative pieces.

People use price guides for a number of reasons, usually to determine the value of an item that they own. If an item isn't listed in the top 20, it doesn't mean it is unpopular or that there isn't a demand for it. It only means that in May there was less interest in finding prices for that item.

Terry Kovel will discuss the content of this release or any other antiques and collectibles topics with accredited media. Pictures available. Contact pr@Kovels.com

About Kovels.com

Terry Kovel, with her husband Ralph, has written for collectors for five decades. The New York Times wrote, "The Kovels published guides to antiques and collectibles are considered the bibles of the field…they focused overwhelmingly on ordinary things for ordinary collectors, the artifacts…of everyday American life." The Kovels are authors of more than 98 books about collecting, including the annual "Kovels' Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide." It has 2,500 color pictures and 42,000 prices. The book is available at Kovels.com, bookstores, and Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers. The syndicated newspaper column is featured in over 150 print newspapers and many online sites. They appeared in almost 100 weekly episodes of their HGTV program "Flea Market Finds with the Kovels." Since Ralph's death in 2008, Terry has continued to write, research, and publish with her daughter, Kim Kovel. Their website, Kovels.com, gives free access to over 700,000 prices, a FREE weekly ezine and blog with the latest news, and much other information for collectors.

Contact Information:
pr@Kovels.com
Website: http://www.Kovels.com

• Playing With My Pet
• glaze finish

Product Description
A little girl holds a puppy in her arms.... More >>

Lladró The Best Of Friends Figurine

• My Beautiful Garden
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Product Description
A little girl has picked flowers as a gift for her mother.... More >>

Lladró Flowers For Mommy Figurine

• Nao Handmade Porcelain is part of the Lladró Group
• Hand crafted by artisians in Valencia Spain from fine porcelain
• Hand painted in delicate pastel shades and kiln fired for more than twenty hours to achieve a flawless final glaze
• A gift of Nao porcelain sculpture will be treasured for generations to come
• Stands approximately 10.7 inches high

Product Description
Nao porcelain sculptures are hand crafted in Valencia, Spain where pioneers in the European porcelain industry have been creating timeless works of art since the company's inception in 1953. This blend of old-world craftsmanship and the latest ceramic technology ensures that each individual Nao sculpture is finished to perfection and will be cherished for generations to come. Nao's extensive collection of more than 300 sculptures captures the unforgettable moments... More >>

Nao Treasures From The Sea Figurine

As they say, there are good and there are bad times; and well, these are bad times, as the government goes bonkers with its austerity drive, to show its solidarity to the farmer suicides, and the “aam admi” brigade jumping into the bandwagon without much ado, in the midst of a global economic recession. Yet, they say, the luxury retail sector in India is at an all time high; hey you got to be kidding! But, the fact and figures loudly say, the Indian luxury retail is booming, and that for once is a crystal clear truth.

The Indian luxury retail market is the beacon of the future, with a number of international brands making their foray, eyeing it as the top destination for high-end goods. One definitely needs to wake up, re-think and go for a reality check to believe this, as it sounds too good to be true. Well, with the sky high salary the executives pull in, the typical Indian consumer behavior has undergone a complete turnaround. India is home to some of the richest men in the world, with the fastest growing high net worth individuals in the Asia-Pacific region living here. In fact, it is seen as the next hub of luxury goods consumption. No doubts about it.

Market observers are of the opinion that luxury retail in India is being pushed to the back-burner, with other retail categories taking centre stage. Many people still believes the usual stereotype and misguided perception that only FMGC sells in India. Well, that surely is not the case if you have a slightest glance of the financial figures of the few luxury brands that have opened shop in India. Lladro dealing in exclusive porcelain figurines have 75 % growth in the last fiscal, while Swarovski and art d’inox dealing in crystals and home lifestyle clocked more than 25% each. And all of them are on an expansion spree, without making much hula boo, in the opulent confines of glittering five star hotels. Indian retail companies are not far behind, they are slowly catching up.

So, recession or no recession, there is no arguing the fact that, there are Indian consumers with very fat pockets; and not every Tom, Dick and Harry is going gung-ho or haywire with the global economic slowdown. All that a luxury retailer need is zeroing down on a niche segment, where there will be takers, no matter what.

Cleveland, Ohio – January 3, 2008 – Welcome to the new year! Start 2008 off right with the January issue of Kovels on Antiques and collectibles. There is no better way to keep up to date with the latest trends and news in antiques and collectibles. No one else can pack so much antiques and collectibles news and information into a 12-page, color-illustrated newsletter. The latest copy is available to subscribers in print and online from the Kovels’ website at http://www.kovels.com . This month's issue features stories on:

An antique silver crab claw that served sugar, not crab is one of the Victorian silver serving pieces featured this month. Victorians may have been prim and proper, but they had a sense of humor. The sugar tongs sold for $359 at a Dallas auction. For more information about silver serving pieces, get your copy of the January newsletter.

A collector was right on the button with a $13 bid for a 1940 anti-Franklin Roosevelt button. It was one of several “slogan” buttons that sold at an Ohio auction of political memorabilia. To learn the auction’s results and what the slogans mean, we've got more details in this month issue.

Whenever New Year’s Eve comes around, Father Time shows up. A Lladró figurine of the old man sold at an Iowa auction for $236. To learn more about collectible Lladrós,

all made in Spain, you need to read this article in our January issue.

A piece of 17th-century Italian Baroque furniture can add a charming Italian accent to your home. A carved walnut cabinet, damaged but restored, sold for $4,600 at a North Carolina auction. More Italian Baroque furniture is pictured in this month issue.

Fiesta dinnerware has had two lives, the first from 1936 to 1969 (or 1973, if you count Fiesta Ironstone) and the second starting in 1986 and still going strong. Today collectors can buy new Fiestaware at department stores or at the Homer Laughlin China Co. in Newell, West Virginia. Find out how you can get bargains on Fiesta in the January issue.

A handful of handmade Arts & Crafts era purses sewn a century ago, sold at a recent Treadway/Toomey auction in suburban Chicago. Top price was $420 for a square suede purse with an applied metal ornament. Want to find out more about the fashionable wonders? Read about them in this month's issue.

The January issue of the Kovels’ newsletter also includes their regular monthly features, such as the Buyer’s Price Guide, Collector’s Gallery and News Flash. Subscriptions for the print edition or the online edition can be purchased from their website at http://www.kovels.com.

Accredited media interested in discussing the content of this release or any topics related to antiques and collectibles are encouraged to contact the Kovels at LLillis@kovels.com to schedule an interview.