It is an ordinary Wednesday afternoon, and Robert is talking about a fountain pen. In speaking with Robert, one senses that he is usually a reserved individual, not prone to exuberance — but this item is clearly a source of enthusiasm. Some might look at Robert’s pen and blandly comment
Amy has had the mug for more than sixty years. It has a boxer on it: a fawn dog with cropped ears and a black mask, the word BOXER printed beneath him in small capitals. No one in her family was especially fond of dogs. The mug came to Amy
Even humble objects have their own histories. This story is about an ashtray. It is not an antique. It’s not a museum quality artifact — nothing here for the velvet cushion. Nor is it a piece that would interest an auction house. It has no particularly significant intrinsic value. Yet,