James Edward Hobbs is a graduate of Woodsville High School and the Gemological Institute of America. Jim started his first store on the street level of the Opera Block after returning from a call-back in the Air Reserves. His next venture was to Baltimore working for a company that leased jewelry repair sections in departments in major department stores across the country. From there the Hobbs' family moved to New Jersey where Jim leased the jewelry departments in three department stores in New Jersey and Penna. Mr. Hobbs has been called to testify as expert witness in many court cases and has been a consultant to many auction galleries. His insurance and estate appraisals have been accepted for over 30 years. After operating a large clock shop in New Jersey; Jim returned to New Hampshire to become vice president of a jewelry chain and later owned and operated Hobbs Jewelry and Coins, in Laconia. Jim then retired as manager of fine jewelry for Sears in Sarasota and was the only gemologist in over 850 Sears stores. Jim returned to New Hampshire, after the death of his brother, Ozzie Lamarre and began a small business web site (www.wmtn.biz) and White Mountain Trader, a vintage collectible store in Woodsville. Jim is the author of over 77 hard copy and e-books, including his best selling "De Train, de train", about growing up in Woodsville, NH, a railroad town, in the 50's. In 1993 he offered a series of 16 e-books of his "Mossie" series to schools and the books were read to over 850,000 children, in 93 countries. All of the characters were sculpted and "dry brush" painted by Jim. Mr. Hobbs can be reached by email at info@wmtn.biz