Stolen trailer carried a fortune in antiques

Andrew Vogel was at the verge of tears Wednesday when he spoke of his stolen trailer carrying 4,000 English antiques worth $1 million.

Vogel, 43, and his wife, Kelly, were staying at a tucked-away Hampton Inn Hotel, west of West Palm Beach, Fla.. They were headed back to Chicago after driving to Palm Beach County for the Winter Antique Show at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in West Palm Beach over the weekend.

When Andrew Vogel looked out his hotel window about 9 a.m. Tuesday, his heart dropped, he said. His 16-foot-long, 9-foot-tall dark blue Avenger trailer with Illinois plates was gone. He had to disconnect it from his car because of parking but there was a lock on it, he said.

"It's our livelihood," he said Wednesday. "We have our heart and soul in these pieces.

Antiques with scars, stories add charm, warmth to homes

I am a sucker for old furniture. Whether it's a valuable antique or a vintage piece, these aged beauties, with their graceful lines and imperfections, lend warmth and character to their surroundings. I think furniture with a past adds oodles of interest to a space and gives a home a lived-in look.

If you want to become a serious collector of antiques and invest in pieces of great value, you'll want to do your homework first. Reams of books and a host of Web sites can help educate you about what makes some pieces more valuable than others and what you should look for when selecting different kinds of antiques.

But if you're like me, when you look for furniture for your home, you are less concerned with scouting out fine antiques and more interested in finding timeless treasures that will win your heart.