Ben Phelan
About Ben Phelan
Articles by this Author
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So, Whose Pistol Is This?
In the early 20th century, this Merwin-Hulbert revolver was evidence in a Wisconsin murder trial. Now, the judge's grandson owns it. Find out why.
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Rare Portraits Survive Museum Blaze (In a Way)
How a 19th-century bureaucrat's bungling plan to get rich preserved hundreds of Indian portraits whose originals were lost to fire.
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"Dancing for Eels" Explained
The story behind this intriguing 19th-century folk art oil painting of African Americans literally dancing for eels.
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Oh, the Places They'll Go
How to spot a true Dr. Seuss when there are umpteen fakes in the way. Check out these tips and be on your way!
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Fascinating Fasteners: Civil War Belt Buckles
Is it real, fake, or just a reproduction? Get a grip on collecting these fascinating fasteners.
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Dard Hunter's "Old Papermaking"
In ANTIQUES ROADSHOW's Junk in the Trunk 3, Francis Wahlgren appraises a 1923 first edition of 'Old Papermaking,' by Dard Hunter — the first completely handmade book about making books by hand.
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What Was the Manhattan Project?
In 1942, with the outcome of World War II still uncertain, the U.S. government began building Oak Ridge, Tennessee, an entire city that was to serve as the venue for a vast effort to enrich uranium as fuel for a new, atomic bomb it was developing in complete secrecy.
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Charles Loloma: Artist and Innovator
At the June 2015 ROADSHOW in Tucson, [Douglas Deihl](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/appraisers/douglas-deihl), of Boston’s Skinner Auctioneers, estimated a Charles Loloma ring, bracelet, and limited-edition print would bring between $25,200 and $32,600 at auction. But how much do you know about this groundbreaking Native artist?
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Dexter Gordon: Bebop to Copenhagen
The story of how one of jazz's great innovators left the country for Copenhagen in 1962. Why did he leave and what effect did this move have on his legacy?
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Explainer: What Was the Triangular Trade?
Historically, the triangular trade among Europe, West Africa and the New World ran on the backs of millions of enslaved people.
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Explainer: The Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping Trial
At varying times Charles Lindbergh was a national hero — for his daring solo transatlantic flight; and an object of public disgrace — due to his Nazi sympathies. But in 1932 the Lindbergh family were also victims of a terrible crime that led to what was called "the trial of the century."
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Behind the Scenes: The Scopes "Monkey Trial"
Roadshow visited Dayton, Tennessee, to learn more about the famous Scopes Monkey Trial and vintage books about evolution.
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The Pine Bluff Student Sit-ins of 1963
Learn more about Arkansas student sit-ins at the Pine Bluff Woolworth's lunch counter in 1963.
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Saving the Squalus
Since the advent of the first submersibles, rescuing the men aboard a stricken sub was practically impossible. But that changed in 1939, when the dedication and ingenuity of Lt. Cmdr. Charles Momsen helped save the lives of 33 sailors trapped aboard the USS Squalus off the coast of New England, 240 feet beneath the ocean's surface.
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Spoils of War?
**Editor's Note 6.22.15:** This article was originally published in 2012 and provides an overview of the ethics and issues surrounding souvenirs of war.
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Remembering Kristallnacht
A bar mitzvah gift that survived the Holocaust provides a chance to reflect on the "Night of Broken Glass" — November 9, 1938.
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Why Were the Younger Brothers in Jail? Plenty of Reasons
For a decade after the Civil War, the James-Younger traveled the countryside, robbing, killing, and spreading mayhem.
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The Washington-Custis Connection
More on Martha Custis Washington, America's first First Lady.
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The Story of the "Migrant Mother"
Many years after Dorothea Lange's iconic 1936 photograph, a reporter asked Florence Owens Thompson about the life she eked out for her family. "We just existed," she said, with no sentimentality. "We survived, let's put it that way."
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World War II Memorabilia and the Legacy of Enola Gay
Is it possible to collect artifacts associated with acts of violence without dishonoring the victims?
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Understanding the Market in Nazi Memorabilia
**Editor's Note** — Originally posted in 2013, this article addresses a sensitive but significant area of the antique arms and militaria trade.
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Dutch East India Company: The World's First Multinational
This porcelain teapot, brought to the Corpus Christi ROADSHOW last August, is indeed the kind of Chinese pottery that would inspire the artisans of Delft, Holland, to create the white-and-blue vases, cups and bowls that we know as Delftware.
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Who Were the Zouaves?
More on the history of the Civil War soldiers in exotic — and distinctly uncamouflaged — uniforms.
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Stolen Paintings Update
An update on Jim McCarty's quest to recover some of his most beloved stolen paintings.
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The Legend of Zelda (Sayre Fitzgerald)
More on the creative yet troubled Jazz Age life of Zelda Fitzgerald and the heartbreaking result of her marriage to writer F. Scott Fitzgerald.
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Keith Haring: How Graffiti Entered the Mainstream
Keith Haring was ever an outsider to the art establishment in his lifetime, but since his death in 1990, his legacy as an artist of historic importance has only become more secure.
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Cloisonné (What's That You Say?)
More on this beautiful but little-known art form.
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A Curious Incunable
Find out what the experts concluded after further research into this 1492 volume of the works of St. Ambrose.
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Reconsidering Rhino Horn
**Editor's Note 8.24.15** — *This article was originally published in 2012 and discusses the endangered species of rhinoceros, particularly in relation to rhinoceros-horn antiques. In August 2015, the Sumatran rhinoceros was deemed extinct in the wild in Malaysia.*
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Washoe Baskets: Weaving a Tale of Great Value
More research reveals these baskets are even more valuable than first thought!
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Navigating the Truth Behind Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan
An examination of Amelia Earhart's life and the factors that led to her becoming one of the world's most famous aviators.
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Philadelphia Fever
In 1798, two young Philadelphia socialites named Lucy Breck and Elizabeth Wescott left high-society to spend the summer in Sweetbriar. By September, both young women were dead. This is the story of what happened.
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What Became of the Chicago Seven?
A subpoena signed by the defendants in the 1969-1970 "Chicago Seven" trial was appraised by Books & Manuscripts expert [Francis Wahlgren](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/appraisers/francis-j-wahlgren/) at the August 2014 Chicago ROADSHOW for between $5,000 and $10,000. But who were the so-called Chicago Seven, and where are they now?
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What Is the "Custer Range"?
While bearing a serial number in the coveted "Custer range" can dramatically increase a firearm’s value, it by no means proves the weapon was present at Little Bighorn.
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Jasper Johns' Flag and the Moratorium Marches
Jasper Johns' flag is one of the most powerful pieces of anti-war art ever produced and a peculiarity in Johns’ body of work.
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Overview of Current Ivory Law
**Editor’s Note** — *Federal regulations governing the trade and ownership of elephant ivory and other animal-derived objects are under constant review and subject to change at any time. ANTIQUES ROADSHOW endeavors to monitor and report on such changes in a timely way; however, you should consult the website of the [U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service](https://www.fws.gov/law/endangered-species-act/) for the most up-to-date information on these topics.* The most recent addition to this article pertains to regulations governing [Walrus ivory](#walrus), at the bottom of the page.
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Contextualizing the "Stump Speaker" Bank
**Editor's Note 1.26.15:** *This article was published in 2010 to accompany an appraisal segment featuring a Jim Crow-era mechanical toy bank called the "Stump Speaker." The article examines some of the prevailing cultural and racial dynamics in turn-of-the-century America that were embodied in toys like these.*
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The "Beatles Tripper"
A Corpus Christi guest relives her experiences as a diehard Beatles fan in late-60s London, and shares a never-before-heard recording she made of Paul McCartney!
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Owning Animal-Derived Objects
More information about the laws and regulations that govern the owning and trading of artifacts derived from animals.
