Encountering the warm objects of an antique store can be a pleasurable experience that negotiates memories and nostalgia of the past. Walking among these objects, however, there are jarring moments when one comes face to face with objects inspired by foreign understandings—past understandings of gender, class, work and other common categories often fascinate and even alienate. The most startling of these objects, however, are those collected or created things that reflect past racist or cultural-essentalist assumptions. On a recent trip […]

Categories: Antiques, Collecting, Photo Essays, Race • Tags: antique collecting, collectibles, dolls, figures, Orientalism, racism