Uncovering The Hidden Stories of Antique & Vintage Treasures

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The Kelly Collection

The Kelly Collection is a curated selection of art, antiques, and vintage objects, chosen for their craftsmanship, history, and lasting visual appeal. The collection focuses on distinctive pieces sourced throughout Southern California, including estate sales and private finds. Each object is selected with an emphasis on quality, condition, and character, and is presented with careful research and clear documentation. The Kelly Collection values objects that carry a sense of place and time, offering pieces meant to live well in contemporary interiors while retaining their original integrity.

I’m fascinated by the stories these objects tell.

Every object is a puzzle worth solving. Learning how something was made, who might’ve used it, and why it survived is half the joy. The other half is the hope that one day, tucked between ordinary things, there’s an extraordinary find waiting to be noticed.

  • My love for Kutani runs deeeeeep.

    My love for Kutani runs deeeeeep.

    This little beauty measures 12″ wide and 2″deep and has the tiniest raised edge at the rim, which is very handy indeed, as anyone who has ever served soup knows.

  • Impeccable Patina

    Impeccable Patina

    Another stunning patina on this gorgeous woven basket bag from indonesia.

  • Hand Hammered Santa Clara del Cobre Copper

    Hand Hammered Santa Clara del Cobre Copper

    This hand hammered copper pot glows

  • Utagawa Toyokuni I, Exterior View of the Nakamura Theater

    Utagawa Toyokuni I, Exterior View of the Nakamura Theater

    My most recent find and treasure.

  • Eugene Thurston

    Eugene Thurston

    A record of the West

  • Kinrade Kutani & The Mantra of Light

    Kinrade Kutani & The Mantra of Light

    The phoenix rising through gold flames speaks of renewal. The mantra speaks of purification. The kintsugi repair speaks of preservation and care.

  • The Decorative Arts Murder Board

    The Decorative Arts Murder Board

    My two obsessions have collided: cold-case investigations and hunting treasure for my resale shop. I bought a spool of red string. I’ve started using it. It’s the only way to make sense of what I’m seeing. This is decorative history as cold case. Welcome to The Decorative Arts Murder Board.

  • The Jolt

    The Jolt

    While wandering through an antique mall after the Texas solar eclipse, I felt the unmistakable “jolt” that collectors know well — the moment when an ordinary shelf suddenly reveals something extraordinary.

  • How I Identify a Painting (Or Try To)

    How I Identify a Painting (Or Try To)

    How do you tell whether a painting is original, old, or worth bringing home? I walk through the clues I look for — from signatures and brushwork to frames, hardware, and the quiet stories hidden on the back.

  • Why I Don’t Hate Things

    Why I Don’t Hate Things

    People say they hate stuff when nothing they’ve owned has ever really mattered. I wish everyone the experience of being one pizza, three glasses of red wine, and a light rain in, and discovering you’re already inside your own painting.

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