The AnswerBank Articles

Collecting cigarette cards

Q. Cut to the chase. Are they worth anything A. Some cigarette cards are worth fabulous sums, but almost all of these will be rarities published before World War I. For the most part, even whole01:00 Sun 17th Mar 2002

Lisa or Caterina : Who was Mona

Q. So, what's new A. A respected German art historian, Magdalena Soest, reckons she's discovered the true identity of Leonardo da Vinci's famous portrait - and the world's most famous painting - the01:00 Sun 17th Mar 2002

Barcelona celebrates 150 years of Antoni Gaudi

Q. What's going on, then A. Barcelona is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of one of Catalonia's most famous sons, the architect Antoni Gaud . The city has declared 2002 the01:00 Thu 14th Mar 2002

The wickedest man in the world: Aleister Crowley

Q. The wickedest man in the world A. So Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) wished to be known. Doubtless you're all aware of Crowley's reputation as a black magician and acolyte of the 'dark forces',01:00 Sun 10th Mar 2002

International Standard Book Numbers: ISBNs

Q. Sounds fascinating - hmmm. Go on then, what are they A. Have a look on the back cover and/or the imprint page (usually page 4) of any book published in the West - and increasingly elsewhere - in01:00 Sun 10th Mar 2002

Auntie knows best: the BBC reading group

Q. What's Catch-22 got to do with it A. BBCi, the BBC's website, ran a vote to choose a book for 'simultaneous reading', and Joseph Heller's classic satire was the winner. They approached mayor Ken01:00 Thu 07th Mar 2002

This old house

Q. So what is the oldest building in Britain A. That depends on what exactly you mean by 'building'. Q. A building's a building, isn't it A. You'd think so, but the Council of British Archaeology01:00 Sat 02nd Mar 2002

A record-breaking charity donation: the monks auction their wares

Q. Record breaking A. Three paintings put up for sale by the Saint Francis of Assisi Foundation, a charity run by the Franciscan Order, went on sale at Christie's in London on 4 February. They were01:00 Sat 02nd Mar 2002

Magnum PA

Q. Not PI A. Photo agency not private investigator. You're thinking of Thomas Sullivan Magnum, eponymous hero of the Hawaii-based detective show, which ran from 1980-8. Q. OK. So what is Magnum01:00 Sat 02nd Mar 2002

The Marquis de Sade: Champion of the rights of man, vile debauchee or a bit of both

Q. What's all this about passionate philosophers A. The Passionate Philosopher is the title of an anthology of de Sade's writings edited by Margaret Crosland. Her view, and that of many others, is01:00 Fri 22nd Feb 2002

Two world wars, one world cup - and the postcard

Q. And the postcard A. Yes, the postcard. As of 18 February 2002, a Briton has now been officially acknowledged as the inventor of the postcard. The postal historian Edward Proud has discovered a01:00 Thu 21st Feb 2002

The Kalevala

Q. The what A. The Kalevala, the Finnish national epic Q. So, what's the story A. Kalevala, the homeland of the characters in the poem, is a poetic name for Finland, which means 'land of heroes'.01:00 Thu 21st Feb 2002

Don Van Vliet: Run Paint Run Run

Q. Don Van Vliet A. Perhaps better known as Captain Beefheart to most, Don Van Vliet is the given name of the man who, at the helm of the Magic Band, created some of the most singular and01:00 Sat 16th Feb 2002

Two tonnes of T: Baroness Thatcher's statue finds a home

Q. Two tonnes A. Not exactly: 1.8 tonnes of white Carrara marble, in fact. Q. Wouldn't an cast-iron statue have been more appropriate A. Just because she was known as the Iron Lady A bit01:00 Fri 15th Feb 2002

The Fawcett Library

Q. What is it A. The Fawcett Library is the UK's oldest and most comprehensive research library on all aspects of women in society. Q. Why has it been in the news A. It was located in an east01:00 Fri 15th Feb 2002

W.G. Sebald

Winfried Georg Maximilian Sebald, the British-based German writer, was killed in a car crash in Norfolk on 14 December 2001. His novel Austerlitz had just been published. Q. Who was he A. W.G.01:00 Sat 09th Feb 2002

Art installations

Q. What exactly is an installation A. Installation is a term used to describe an environment, construction or assemblage, which is distinguished from more conventional sculpture by its physical01:00 Sat 09th Feb 2002

Return of the Tabot

Q. The what A. A Tabot is a carved wooden tablet representing the Ark of the Covenant in Ethiopian churches. It is the most holy part of the church, seen only by the priests. The Tabot in question -01:00 Mon 04th Feb 2002

Practical cats

Q. What's this about cats having three names A. 'The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter, / It isn't just one of your holiday games; / You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter / When I tell01:00 Fri 01st Feb 2002

A mission to 'ennoble Photography': Julia Margaret Cameron

Q. Never heard of her. Who was she A. Julia Margaret Cameron (n e Pattle) was an English photographer known for her portraits of eminent people of the day and for her romantic and artistic pictures01:00 Fri 01st Feb 2002