Field Notes
The Journal
Stories from the archive — the history behind standout pieces, how we authenticate them, and what to look for if you’re hunting your own. Every entry links to the real object it describes.
July 1, 2026 · Curios
A 1990 “Cowboys From Hell” Promo Cassette — the Tape That Announced Pantera
In the summer of 1990, ATCO Records mailed out promo cassettes of an album that would redraw the map of heavy metal. A look at Pantera's Cowboys From Hell, the promo-tape system that carried it, and the copy in our archive.
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June 24, 2026 · Military & Surplus
A 1951 Faribault Army Medical Blanket, and the Minnesota Mill Behind It
Faribault Woolen Mill has been weaving on the Cannon River since 1865, and for much of the twentieth century that meant blankets for the U.S. military. A look at a Korean-War-era Army Medical Department blanket, dated 1951, and how to read one.
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June 18, 2026 · Glass & Ceramic
CorningWare “Wheat”: The First Pattern — and One of the Hardest to Find
Before the famous Blue Cornflower, CorningWare test-marketed a quiet golden pattern called Wheat. Here's the story of the pattern that came first, why it's so hard to find, and a look at the boxed new-old-stock set in our archive.
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