These vaunted protectors of our historical legacy, pieces of cloth that stand between our filthy hands and many American treasures, are ingrained in the mind as a required wear during a visit to an archive.

FORBES: The White Glove Myth

Brownfield lent them books on American art and heard tales of heartbreak at watching the looting of ancient treasures from Iraq's national museum.

FORBES: Smart Collecting

Leigh Keno , a regular on Antiques Road Show and coauthor of Hidden Treasures, a how-to guide for landing masterpieces of 18th-century American furniture, says Windsor chairs long have been a favorite of connoisseurs.

FORBES: Coming Attractions