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ANTIQUES
|
Antiques
Roadshow
www.antiquesroadshow.co.uk |
|
| Despite
the name, this site is nothing at all to do with the popular BBC TV
programme.
Instead, it's a reasonable information resource for the antique hunter.
Antiques Roadshow includes a directory of antique shops and auctions
around
the UK plus a list of upcoming antiques fairs and shows - all ordered
geographically.
One word of warning though, the navigation on the site can be tricky -
make sure you scroll down the page to see all the information listed. |
Antiques
Web
www.antiques-web.co.uk |
|
| Antiques
Web is a huge directory of antique resources in Great Britain. The
information
is ordered by geographical area and you'll find details on auction
houses,
antique shops, antique fairs and even a list of hotels to stay in while
you're digging out that Chippendale sideboard. |
BBC
Online - Antiques on the Web
www.bbc.net.uk/antiques |
|
| Every
antique hunter's favourite TV programme has to be the Antiques
Roadshow.
Visit this BBC site and you can search through some of the valuable
treasures
the show has turned up. This site's got all areas covered - you can
have
a virtual chat with other antiques enthusiasts, check out the antique
of
the week and have a guess at how much it'll fetch at auction or test
your
knowledge in the online antiques quiz. The Buyers Guides section is
packed
full of invaluable background information which should help you value
items
accurately |
Antique's
World
www.antiquesworld.co.uk |
|
| If you
want lists then you've come to the right website. Antique's World is
packed
full of information for anybody with an interest in antiques be they
professional
or enthusiastic amateur. The lists include a guide to local antique
fairs
and markets, culled from Antiques Diary magazine, links to collectors'
organisations around the UK plus guides to collector's clubs, antique
dealers
and restoration and conservation services. The online articles are also
worth a read, they're written by experts and cover topics as diverse as
Clarice Cliff and Cruise Liner keepsakes. |
Icollector
www.icollector.com |
|
| This
US site lets you bid for art, antiques and general collectable items
stored
in auction houses and antique dealers around the world. You can also
search
through the auction houses' online catalogues to find out what items
are
coming up for sale. If you want to gem up on a specific topic before
you
get the chequebook out, you should visit the useful Reference section
of
the site. The lively Community section, where you can chat live to
industry
experts or talk to other collectors, is also a good source of
information
and advice. |
SalvoWeb
www.salvo.co.uk |
|
| SalvoWeb
specialises in providing information about architectural antiques,
antique
garden ornaments and architectural salvage companies. There are links
to
the websites of the UK's major architectural salvage companies and a
section
devoted to classified ads for buying and selling items - this is the
place
where you're going to find that elusive cider press you've been after
for
years. SalvoWeb has just added online auctions to its roster of
services
and you don't even have to register to bid for an item. The kind of
stuff
being offered for sale includes cast iron lamp posts and marble church
altars. And if you're after a specialist crafts person then check out
this
site; there are links to woodturners, stained glass makers and even a
Bath
Doctor who comes in and rescues your old enamel tub. |
World
Collectors Net
www.worldcollectorsnet.com |
|
| World
Collectors Net calls itself the 'collectors portal' and it's true. No
matter
how obscure the objects you choose to collect, you'll probably find a
kindred
spirit in the Message Boards area of this site. The collectibles
covered
include popular items such as Swarovski crystals, Furbys and Barbie
dolls
as well as more conventional items such as Royal Doulton tableware. As
well as being able to buy online, the site boasts lots of handy
features
and background articles as well as a comprehensive collection of links
to other collectibles sites. |
Collectiques
www.collectiques.co.uk |
|
| Collectiques
is an impressive online guide to antiques and collectables. You choose
your area of interest - be it art, sculpture, memorabilia, glassware or
pottery - and then you simply search for the item you're interested in.
The search will pull up information on antique dealers selling the item
as well as any handy background research material. If it's model cars
you're
into then you'll love the Online Model and Toy Cars shop where you can
get hold of all those Corgi and Matchbox classics. The gold and silver
hallmark database is also an invaluable resource if you want to know
what
all those mysterious symbols really mean. |
|
AVIATION
|
Aeromart
www.aeromart.co.uk |
|
| Of course
some hobbies are a little more expensive than others. Most of us, let's
face it, are not in the market for a plane of our own, even if we lower
our sights from a brand-new Lear Jet to a second-hand Piper Cherokee.
But
we can dream. Join the assorted golfers, basketball players and
Internet
company CEOs in browsing the For Sale section. A second-hand Bell
206BIII
helicopter for a mere £349,950? We'll take one in each colour. |
Guide
to spotting commercial aircraft
www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1273/spotting.html |
|
| This
useful little site was awarded a 'pick of the sites' plaudit by the Los
Angeles Times. Then again, the webmaster boasts about receiving a 'geek
of the day' award too. Still, the great thing about geeks is they are
deeply
dedicated, enthusiastic, and totally unselfish about sharing their
knowledge
with you. This has all you need to identify just about every plane
currently
flying the skyways. Pictures, specifications, history, you name it. |
Softley
and Page
www.softleyandpage.com |
|
| Forget
your happy schoolday evenings constructing Flying Fortresses from an
Airfix
kit and modelling cement, Softley and Page work from rather more
upmarket
materials. The company specialises in crafting replica boats and
aeroplanes
from silver. Examples of their intricate work on the site of everything
from rowing eights and shows to modern superyachts, and vintage
aircraft
dating back to the Sopwith Camel. But you're the customer, you're
paying
the (hefty) price and you can commission any replica you want. Prices
on
request. |
Wonderful
world of model aeroplanes
www.mpx.com.au/~theferal/planes.html |
|
| A site
name that wonderfully evokes the boy's own world of ham radios, crystal
sets, home-made fishing rods and, well, model aeroplanes. No
retro-style
irony intended here though, this site is the business for experts and
learner
pilots alike. Whether you're into World War II craft, modern jet
fighters,
helicopters or the wackier hybrid models such as the 'hanger rat', this
is the place. |
Historic
Wings
www.historicwings.com |
|
| Historic
Wings bills itself as the online e-zine for pilots and navigators -
which
makes it that much more tempting for the amateur enthusiast to take a
peek.
Fantastic features on great air battles from World War I onwards; Neil
Armstrong's recollections on first-footing the Moon; a piece on the
pioneering
daredevils of the early US airmail service. And you can download aero
calendars
and wallpaper for 'the ultimate aviation experience'. |
X
List Plans
www.xlistplans.demon.co.uk |
|
| The
sort of site the World Wide Web was made for. What could be more
frustrating
than looking for a long-lost 1955 plan for that Sopwith Camel or
Seafire,
and knowing the chances of the model shop in your particular town
having
that are roughly on a par with Elvis dropping round your house for tea
and cakes? What you need is a plan superstore that you can drop into
whether
you hail from Lands End or John O' Groats. |
Micromark
www.micromark.com |
|
| Definitely
not a site for those whose idea of plane or train modelling goes as far
as picking up an Airfix kit from the high-street toy shop. Micromark is
a US site specialising in the small tools modellers use to practise
their
art. Really, if you can't find what you're after in the online
catalogue
then it probably doesn't exist. In fact, if it's not in the online
catalogue,
go to 'hard to find items' and there may be some tips on tracking it
down. |
Plane
Spotting
members.aol.com/planespot |
|
| If there's
a passenger vehicle, there's somebody standing, notebook in hand,
jotting
down its index number and time of departure. Trainspotting for the
jetset,
plane spotting has more of a global reach, though it's the craft rather
than the glamorous destinations that feature heavily on this site.
Airport
information from around the globe; message boards (but of course) where
enthusiasts can swap tips and unusual spots; and images of aircraft, so
the uncertain can believe what their eyes are telling them. |
|
COLLECT
-ING
|
Ken's
Paper Collectables
www.kens.co.uk |
|
| A marvellous
site for paper-based ephemera (no books basically) Ken and Joyce
Graham's
Newport Pagnell shop goes online with its cornucopia of autographs,
comics,
magazines, newspapers and miscellania. If you are after an early Kevin
Klein autograph and have a mid-period Calvin Klein you want to sell,
then
this is the place. This is the sort of site that works brilliantly on
the
web - why spend hours hunting the racks when you can drop Ken an email
with your wants list and let him source it for you. |
The
Movie Poster Page
www.musicman.com |
|
| Not
our favourite sight at 8am. Check that flashing banana and heliotrope
pink
banner title. No, the Movie Poster Page certainly ain't shy. Before you
get to the posters themselves, you have to scroll past an array of
'Best
on the net' awards that would put the Old Trafford trophy room to
shame.
But once you're in the site proper you can forgive their hubris. It is,
quite simply, very good. |
About.com
home.about.com/hobbies |
|
| We genuinely
didn't realise there were so many hobbies. In fact our mistaken belief
that sex dominated the Internet was shattered as we reeled beneath the
hundreds of sites dedicated to knitting, quilting, home brewing,
beekeeping
and cigar collecting that this cornucopia of a site lists in detail. If
the first rule of collecting is acquire and the second is swap then you
have to bookmark About.com. |
Pop
Culture Collecting
www.odysseygroup.com |
|
| As our
consumer society churns out ever more products, toys, magazines, you
name
it, so do new groups of collectors emerge to turn them into
collectables.
Nothing is too new or too tacky as this site dedicated to the hoarding
of pop culture ephemera demonstrates. Autographs, movies, TV, rock n
roll,
props, costumes, movie posters and memorabilia, sport, animation art
and
much, much more. What could be more appropriate than that The Spy Who
Shagged
Me heads the page. |
Collecting
Channel
www.collectingchannel.com |
|
| Nice
site in that as well as being an exhaustive listing of hundred upon
hundred
of hobbyist sites, it adds enjoyable and very readable content to hook
you in and inspire your searches. Newsworthy headline features over
Christmas
looked at the collectables among festive gifts old and new, and why you
shouldn't toss away those old fairy lights. Community resources include
expert advice; how to identify if the piece of junk you've bought is
really
a gem, and clubs you can join. |
Handbook
of stamp collecting basics
iswsc.homepage.com/ |
|
| Call
us traditionalists, but we just had to go to the daddy of all
collecting
hobbies - the humble postage stamp. It's where many of us start, and
it's
probably the only hobby where snotty-nosed schoolkids move in the same
market as millionaire international collectors (admittedly they
probably
don't swap doubles in the playground). This site is great because it
goes
back to basics - printing differences, determining paper types, tips on
buying and hinging. |
Portsmouth
Stamps
www.portsmouthstamps.co.uk |
|
| Time
was when you couldn't buy a pack of cigarettes or a packet of tea
without
finding a miniature picture card secreted within. British butterflies,
footballers, rugby players, classic cars, the companies of the pre-War
era left no collective group unturned in their search for ever more
series,
in order to lock ever more consumers into their product. Now, of
course,
there are literally millions of things sitting around in attics and
junk
shops. But how many complete sets? Portsmouth Stamps will sell you sets
and singles and purchase the same from you. |
Suite101.com
www.suite101.com |
|
| 'Admit
it, you're a collector!' challenges the home page of the Orwellian
entitled
Suite 101. This is a steadily building resource - as more hobbies come
online the real delight of the site is the eclectic chaos that ensues.
Suite101 goes out of its way to involve the readers, inviting you to
apply
to become a section editor. That's resulted in the site being more than
just a collection of bulletin boards with editorial content in each
section. |
|
FISHING
|
UK
Fishing
www.fishing.co.uk |
|
| The
premier place for fishing folk on the web. Whether you're a beginner or
a seasoned angler you'll find this mix of news, tips and guides
essential
reading. The design is easy on the eye and the content a mine of useful
information for those who live in hope of landing a whopper. News of
the
latest tournaments from around the UK and a friendly guide to the best
places to fish are complemented by interesting articles and a message
board
on which to brag about your latest catch. |
Where
to Fish
www.where-to-fish.com |
|
| This
site has only one aim - to provide a definitive guide to places to cast
your line in the UK. And it succeeds admirably, with over 3000 pages of
information arranged into a well-structured search engine. Whether
you're
looking for a quiet river in the countryside or the excitement of sea
fishing,
it'll tell you the best time of year to visit, how much it'll cost,
what
licenses and equipment you'll need and so on. There's also information
on fishing clubs and organisations around the country. |
Worldwide
Angler
www.worldwideangler.com |
|
Based
in the US, this site endeavours to appeal to fishermen of all
persuasions
the world over. Covering everything from shark fishing in the Pacific
to
trout fishing in Northumberland is a massive task, but this site
carries
it off with some aplomb.
It's neatly
divided into categories,
so you can reach the information relevant to you quickly and easily,
while
the in-depth articles will give you some good pointers to improving
your
catch.
Colourful
fishy greetings cards
and a photo gallery to which you can submit pics of you and your prize
catch complete a comprehensive site. |
Carpfisher
www.carpfisher.tsx.org |
|
A very
attractive menu page leads you into this informative site in the joys
of
fishing for carp in Britain's lakes and rivers.
Beginners
will find the advice
on setting up a fishing rig invaluable, while there's also a list of
useful
books should you require additional information.
More
experienced anglers can
marvel at the pictures of some of the whoppers on show and try and
compete
by entering details of their own best catches. |
Fishing
in Wales
www.fishing-in-wales.co.uk |
|
A well
put together site, sponsored by the Welsh Tourist Board and dedicated
to
promoting some of the most beautiful and untouched fishing spots in the
UK.
A friendly
guide to the best
places to fish forms the bulk of the site, including illustrations of
the
flora and fauna in each location. There's also a searchable guide to
the
best places to stay, together with information on local tutors and
fishing
shops.
The
children's section has
been expanded too, with games and educational tools featuring Ollie the
Otter. |
Scot
Angling
www.scotangling.co.uk |
|
You'll
get two for the price of one if you visit this well-informed site. As
well
as a selection of interesting articles from the latest issue of
International
Rod and Line magazine, you'll find an excellent guide to fishing in
Scotland.
Thousands
of fishermen flock
to catch the Scottish salmon every year and this site will tell you
exactly
when and where to go, which permits you need and so on. There's even a
selection of mouth watering recipes, if you can't decide what to do
with
your catch. |
Shimano
www.shimano.com |
|
Seemingly
in a constant state of flux, this site - from one of the largest
manufacturers
of fishing gear in the world - still has much to recommend it.
Aside from
the expected information
on where to buy your rods and lines locally, the main attraction is a
great
little game.
Involving a
small download,
it gives you the chance to fish offline in a variety of locations and
put
your fishing expertise to the test in an effort to land a whopper. You
can then connect to the Internet again in order to register your high
scores. |
Tales
of the Ultimate Sportsmen
www.ultimatesportsman.com |
|
If you
thought that fishing was all about sitting around relaxing on the
riverbank,
then check out this entertaining and well-designed site.
It contains
an ever-expanding
database of stories from fishermen and hunters around the world. From
humourous
stories of the ones that got away, to hair raising tales of close
shaves
on the high seas, they all prove one thing - that fishing is anything
but
dull. You can submit your own stories too, which might go some way to
redressing
the bias towards US fishermen. |
|
HOBBIES
|
Garden
of Origami
ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~vbeatty/origami/ |
|
| If your
grasp of the ancient Oriental art goes as far as making origami
boulders
out of your wastepaper, then this is the site to get your fingers
fiendlishly
fiddling. A beautifully yet minimally designed page (but of course)
with
tutorials on grasping the basics, increasingly advanced, yet always
easy
to understand paper plans for you to follow. There's an interesting
section
on therapeutic Origami - for hand rehabilitation and mental health
therapy,
as well as related pieces on giant Origami and Origami humour and
fiction. |
Art
of Marquetry
www.artmarquetry.com |
|
| Marquetry,
the excruciatingly detailed wooden inlay which you find set into the
fronts
and tops of antique wooden furniture dates back to the ancient Egyptian
art of intarsia. Having gone strong for 3,000 years, the 20th Century
was
a bad one for the art. But with many people wanting a personal touch as
a reaction against mass-produced furniture, marquetry is making a
comeback,
as craftsmen learn the art anew. |
Card
inspirations
www.cardinspirations.co.uk |
|
| There's
a growing fashion in making your own greetings cards, and it certainly
adds a personal touch. Of course, we wouldn't recommend hand-making all
your Christmas cards, but now the festive season is gone, you can
customise
your birthday missives. Card Inspirations supplies the kits as well as
the templates to embroider or stitch your own cards, and has a host of
other ideas on using rubber stamps, stickers, even tea bags for an
original
touch. |
Crochet
Creations
www.crochetcreations.com |
|
| If you
thought that crochet just meant endless matinee jackets and baby
blankets,
think again. Crochet Creations stretches the boundaries of this
idiosyncratic
cousin of knitting, giving you hundreds of patterns (downloadable from
the site, of course) for every conceivable item of crocheted apparel.
There
are links to related craft sites too, for those seeking hair scrunchies
or fridgies (that's fridge magnets to us Brits). You will also find a
host
of excellent deals on buying your yarns online. |
Fretworks
International
www.fretworks.com |
|
| If you're
a fan of plant hangers, corbels, spindle rails and gable end trim then
you're a follower of fretwork, and this is the site for you. A hobby
for
those with an eye for detail, nimble fingers and infinite patience, it
also relies on quality materials and top-notch tools. Enter Fretworks
International,
based just to the west of Niagara Falls but available to fret fans
worldwide
thanks to the Internet. |
Joseph
Wu's Origami Page
www.origami.vancouver.bc.ca |
|
| Appropriately
enough, this site is simple yet elegant in design, with beautiful
pictures
of finished folds. There are a multitude of origami sites on the web,
even
some dedicated to origami as mental health therapy (and why not) but
this
one scores for the clarity of its diagrams - after all, you want to use
it to get started yourself - and the breadth of links to other
excellent
sites from around the world. |
Rowandean
ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Rowandean |
|
| Otherwise
known as 'the wonderful world of Rowandean embroidery. Where creative
embroidery
starts!' Much more than just a shop site selling the Rowandean kits,
themselves
some of the best in the business. The site offers workshops, hints and
tips on cross stitch, links to other sites should you not find the
patterns
you are looking for, and embroidery shows you can visit to gain
inspiration. |
Stratford
Brass Rubbing Centre
www.stratford.co.uk/brass |
|
| A hobby
that enthrals children and can be good fun for parents too, and the
Stratford
Brass Rubbing Centre offers a brilliant introduction. Rather than
wandering
around churches in the hopes of finding something worth copying, and
then
getting trampled by tourists when you're in the creative act, the
Centre
has a range of copy brasses for hire. Plus there are mail order brass
rubbing
supplies, and the site has extensive historical background on brasses
and
how English churches ended up with so many of these extraordinary
artefacts. |
|
PHOTO
-GRAPHY
|
Digital
Photography Forum
www.photobuzz.com |
|
| The
days when digital photography was the preserve of early adopters and
computer
geeks are fast fading into the past. Nowadays, it's film that's under
threat
as digital cameras become smaller, cheaper and produce ever-better
quality
images. The Digital Photography Discussion Forums aim to share
experiences
and expertise between practitioners in this new medium. You'll find
forums
on the best models to buy, printers to use and software that can
enhance
your results. |
Digital
Photography Reviews
www.inconference.com/digicam |
|
| A simply
invaluable resource for digital photographers everywhere. Basically a
consumer's
guide, offering unbiased information on buying a digital camera,
scanner
and colour printer, plus interesting comparisons on buying digital or
going
down the road of a conventional, film-eating 35mm camera. Also, check
out
the Hall of Images, for side-by-side comparisons of snaps taken by
digital
cameras alongside 'real' photos, and find out about courses you can
take
to up your output. |
A
History of Photography
www.kbnet.co.uk/rleggat/photo |
|
| There's
something delightfully idiosyncratic about a website dedicated to
photography
which boasts about having no pictures! That said, if there's anything
you
need to know about the early years of the camera-related arts this is
the
place. The site goes into extraordinary detail. The beginnings of
photography,
significant movers and shakers in the history of the art, and a - for
the
enthusiast - fascinating description of the various processes used
through
the history of the camera: Albumen to Woodburytype, it's all here.
Exhaustive
lists of museums you can visit, and one of the most lovingly and
painstakingly
constructed sites we've seen. |
Centre
for Creative Photography
dizzy.library.arizona.edu/branches/ccp/ccphom |
|
| This
University of Arizona site has quite a pedigree. The pre-online centre
dates back to 1975, being formed by the doyen of US landscape
photographers
Ansel Adams. Small wonder then that the website is a resource of superb
and sometimes breathtaking images. Where the site scores is in the
scope
and accessibility of its archives and collections. So you can view
prints
from the collection for research or buy reproductions. |
Photography
Link
www.photo.iastate.edu |
|
| Very
useful site for professional snappers and serious amateurs. Good
sections
on museums and galleries will aid anyone researching or those of us who
like to gaze upon great pictures. The other side of the site is a
heavy-duty
technical resource, with background info on the major hardware
manufacturers
and their products. It's especially good on lighting hardware and has a
good pointer to paper-based magazines. |
Photography
Seminars
www.photo-seminars.com |
|
| The
virtue of the camera is not the power it has to transform the
photographer
into an artist, but the impulse it gives him to keep on looking." Not
our
words but those of photographer Brooks Atkinson, quoted on this
marvellous
training ground for snappers. And indeed you'll have to keep on
looking,
because Photo Seminars posts new images everyday for you to aspire to
in
your work. The brief is to give you all the training you need - online
- there's even a calibration strip on the home page to ensure you're
seeing
the photos just as they should be.. |
The
Art of Photography
www.camera.canon.com.my/photography |
|
| Okay,
so this is a Canon site. But you could excise the word 'Canon' from any
of the masterclasses here and still be left with the last word in using
film cameras to take terrific photos. Put simply, if you went through
this
site from start to finish, paying attention all the way, you'd have
everything
you could need. Perspective, lighting, shutter speeds, shooting
snapshots,
putting more creativity in your pictures - the list goes on and on. |
Masters
of Photography
masters-of-photography.com |
|
| No misnomer
here. If you're seeking inspiration from the greats of photography then
look no further. A simple list down the left of the page from Abbott to
Winograd, you simply click on the artist's name and are offered a
choice
of articles, photographs and resources. Each artist has three
thumbnailed
images which you click to expand, you can then go to the articles,
plucked
from books, magazines and encyclopedias. And if you want to know more,
resources will point you to background research. |
|
|
