The rock of ages

I’ve always fancied owning a crystal ball, not just because it would be useful in sidestepping horrible things that were about to befall me -- and let's face it we've all had enough of those thank you very much -- but also because a genuine fortune teller's crystal ball is a perfectly spherical, perfectly clear piece of natural rock crystal, not glass as is commonly thought, although it's hard to tell the difference.Read more »

Collecting a nest egg

THESE days Easter is all about sofa sales, chocolate eggs and propaganda designed to transfer cash from your pocket to shop till with not a huge amount to show for it, except a big credit card bill.

If you're a Russian billionaire, you could do like prominent Russian industrialist Victor Vekselberg and spend some real money investing in a nest egg by master Russian goldsmith Peter Carl Fabergé.Read more »

Making money? First, sell your antique or collectable

There is no shortage of ways to sell objects you own - and I've tried most of them, with differing results. One that I hope to use increasingly is the online auction. Before I do so, I intend to check out the recommendations listed here by the Federal Trade Commision and I suggest you do the same.