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My First Show & Sale

I know I’m supposed to be working my way through the journalist’s questions and discussing the who, what, when, where, why, and how of collecting, but this time I thought I’d take a break and travel down memory lane.

Have you ever noticed how some of the briefest childhood interests or quietest traits end up following us into adulthood? That’s certainly the case with me—as the story of my first Depression Glass show reveals.

Any other teenager would have preferred to stay home on a Sunday afternoon, but I was eager to accompany my mother on her quest. We’d be leaving our suburban neighborhood for Jacksonville Beach and the Depression Glass show and sale that was being held at a hotel there. I wasn’t particularly interested in going to a glass show, but I, usually an introverted homebody, was surprisingly up for the adventure.

Mom had received two incomplete sets of glassware from her own mother and wanted to learn more about them. In the early 1980s, most people had no idea how to discover anything about the antiques they owned, other than through Ralph and Terry Kovel’s newspaper column or an occasional magazine article.

Identification and price guides were being published then, but you had to know they existed in the first place to be able to look for them in libraries or bookstores. We hadn’t discovered them yet, so when Mom read about the upcoming show, she was determined to go.

Mom had been a child in 1929 when the stock market infamously crashed, so she lived through the Depression and knew of the gold-rimmed green glassware and the pink swirl pitcher from her mother’s kitchen.

Later, we learned that both kinds of Grandma’s glass are considered Elegant Glassware (which is better than a lot of the glass of the era), but my grandmother already knew that. Mom grew up with the glassware unused except for special occasions, and by the time I arrived, Grandma was keeping both sets safe in an ornate china cabinet that she had received as a gift from her brother, who had worked in a furniture store.

The grass-green set included six tall, footed sherbets and saucers, all rimmed in gold. I’ve forgotten if any of the dealers were able to identify the pattern, which I’ve since learned is called Circle and was made by the Hocking Glass Company during the 1930s.

Circle itself is an “everyday” Depression Glass pattern of average quality, but the unusual addition of gold banding makes these pieces much nicer than the typical Circle glassware. (I know: I’ve since picked up a dozen more plain green pieces including short sherbets, cups and saucers, and tumblers, and I’ve only once come across any other sherbets with gold detailing.)

Grandma’s other set included a short, stocky pitcher and six lovely tumblers in a translucent salmony shade of pink. Again, I’ve forgotten if Mom learned anything about the set, but since then I’ve been told that it’s one of the popular Swirl patterns. Even so, the only similar piece I’ve noticed is the taller pitcher, which was scarred inside from years of stirring with something metal, so, alas, I left it behind.

From the time I was in seventh grade, and my widowed grandmother moved in with us, I looked upon the same glassware kept safe in our dining room. Every once in a while, to heighten a special occasion as her mother did, my mom used the tall green sherbets to serve fruit salad or ice cream.

Once, in an impromptu party for my friends and me, Mom brought out the gorgeous green glassware with its shining rims and served something like gelatin or pudding in them. I’ve long forgotten exactly what we ate, but I’ve always remembered how the special glassware helped to make an ordinary afternoon extraordinary.

By the time I was college age, Grandma was facing some serious health issues, so perhaps that’s why my mother wanted to learn more about the glassware that had been a part of our family for so long. Perhaps she wanted to complete the sets; I don’t remember anymore.

What I do remember is being stunned by the extent of the glass show. Tables and tables filled the huge ballroom of the beachfront hotel where the show was being held, and through the windows, the Atlantic Ocean looked small compared to the sea of glass before me.

Crystal clear glass gleamed and sparkled under the lights. Glassware in lovely shades of pastel pink, blue, and yellow looked simply ethereal, while the glass in striking hues of cobalt blue, forest green, and ruby red added drama to the setting.

I’ve forgotten whatever individual pieces I noticed that day. What remains clear in my mind is the impression of all that stunning glassware. The view was simply breath-taking.

My mother was a practical woman, so she didn’t buy anything that day. Presumably, she didn’t come across any pieces to add to either set. I, on the other hand, was excitable and delighted easily among all the treasures, so I found one I couldn’t live without.

Among thousands and thousands of pieces of glorious glass, I spotted a demitasse cup, sans saucer—a china demitasse cup, that is, decorated with the logo of a French restaurant. The cup itself was darling. Better yet, both the logo and the backstamp were written en Français, which was the language I had chosen to study in high school and college, so it was meant to be.

How perfect! A darling little cup with a French name on it. Parfait! I just had to have it. I went to a Depression Glass show, yet I bought one of the few non-glass items for sale there that weekend. Go figure.

Although I adored that little cup, I lost track of it for several years after it had been packed away during one move or another. In fact, I had completely forgotten about it. By the time I found it again, I recognized what it was, and I was amazed.

In the years that had passed, I had graduated from college, found a job, and begun collecting seriously. At the time, I was actively pursuing two collections: restaurantware and logo glasses—and a look at the little cup with more experienced eyes revealed a lot: I saw that it was made of the heavy china that hotels and restaurants use.

How fitting. Even before I “discovered” restaurantware (which is a story for another day), I was attracted to it. Even before I started collecting glasses with product logos on them, I bought a piece that advertised where it was used.

I guess the collecting gods smiled knowingly when I eventually started collecting restaurantware and logo glasses. I’ve apparently been attracted to them from the start.

Both Mom and Grandma are gone now. Of course, I still have their green and pink glassware, but I gave up my logo glasses about ten years ago, and I’ve had to store away my beloved restaurantware for lack of display space at home.

Even so, those budding interests and youthful traits remain: I still check out pieces with iconic logos, and I’m always drawn to decorated restaurantware of any kind.

More important, I still feel the same way about collecting: I’m a natural hunter and gatherer. I’m always excited for the thrill of the chase, and I’m even delighted by the smallest of finds, like a demitasse set.

In fact, I have a few dozen adorable little demitasse cups and saucers in my collection now—and I don’t really like coffee.

Patti
The Committed Collector

If you’ve ever gone to one kind of show and sale and bought something else entirely, please leave a comment and let us know how that happened.

 

© 2018 The Collectors of Western New York Museum & Gallery.
All rights reserved.

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What We Collect, part 3 of 3

Since it’s Friday, we avid collectors might have a few questions on our minds: When can I get out to go antiquing this weekend? Where should I stop first, and what might I find there?

I’ve been considering that last one for a few posts now, and I think I can wrap up my answer to the question “What do collectors collect?” with a final list of a dozen things. I’m not trying to itemize actual, tangible things that collectors collect. Instead, I’ve been thinking about the ways any variety of items can be categorized.

Whether you collect action figures, team jerseys, or college pennants or seek out antique dolls, vintage fashions, or grammar school primers, all of your treasures (and mine, too) can be classified as larger, broader kinds of things.

In answer to the query “What gets collected?” here’s the remainder of my list of the kinds of intangible collectibles that we committed collectors pursue.

Avid collectors like I am might also collect…

11. Colors and color combinations – Some collectors, myself included, are particularly visual and are drawn more to the shades of items than the things themselves. The seasons, as well as aging and weathering, naturally give us different colors, and designers and retailers recognize that merchandise (like Barbie’s new wardrobe) is more attractive when it’s in the year’s new color palette. That’s why I have a half dozen sets of vibrant summer plasticware and more than enough vases—because ruby red, forest green, and cobalt blue are equally appealing to me.

12. Textures – Other collectors are more tactile and respond to the feel of things. While some prefer the roughness of primitive pottery, others choose the smoothness of porcelain or the sleek shine of chrome. Some collect textiles like linens or quilts or clothing or handmade crafts, while others favor glass, woodworks, or machinery.

13. Shapes – Some people are drawn to the form of things and, perhaps subconsciously, select things that end up building a collection of recognizable contours like round teapots, circular picture frames, or other orbs, globes, and spheres. Others are attracted to items that have oval, square, or rectangular shapes or diagonal lines.

14. Patterns – Likewise, some collectors have a noticeable fondness for certain designs, such as florals, plaids, or even abstracts. While they might think they’re buying clothes or choosing upholstery, a closer look reveals that they’re actually assembling a collection of classical, geometric, or organic patterns or prints.

15. Variety – Then there are the collectors who simply accumulate variations on a theme. Perhaps we’re really collecting specimens—examples of every variation we come across, every size, shape, color, and form within our field of collecting. That’s easy to do when you’re collecting in the Rochester area, for we have access to multiple retail outlets and secondary markets.

16. Quantity – Similarly, some people simply go after large numbers of items. They’re the ones who have the bumper stickers that read, “The one who dies with the most _____ wins.” There’s something satisfying about being able to say, “I have a hundred of them” or “I have 2,000 of that.” Perhaps we’re also keeping score and merely aspire to amass the most.

17. Quality – However, some collectors, especially connoisseurs, would rather say, “I have the best.” They are attuned to the artistic qualities and expert craftsmanship of the things they compile together in their homes, so they usually acquire only the finest things—the acclaimed, the rare, the revered, and the high-end.

18. Beauty – Likewise, some people naturally appreciate beautiful things, although their definition of beauty may differ. Many postcards and greeting cards depict attractive objects or scenes, while many decorative accessories appeal to traditional (or contemporary) aesthetic conventions. For instance, many vintage figurines are pretty; traditional landscapes often depict lovely settings, and even salvaged architecture can be described as handsome.

19. Imagery – Other collectors react to things that possess certain inherent associations. These items naturally conjure up some kind of image, and holiday collectibles often fall into this category. Bloody Halloween props are meant to evoke disgust or horror, while ghostly ones are intended to suggest something ethereal or eerie.

20. Icons – Others are particularly attracted to items whose reputations have been established over time and have even earned iconic status. Celebrity and sports memorabilia often include icons in their fields, as do other general or fictional figures: Angels in white and gold represent the religious aspect of Christmas, while jolly, generous Santas suggest its childlike joy.

21. Symbols – In a similar way, some people recognize the symbolic nature of things, so they’re drawn to tangible items that represent other, intangible things. For instance, because they are usually very well made and very costly, designer clothes and luxury vehicles represent success, wealth, and status, while estate jewelry and old family photographs suggest long lineages.

22. Trophies – Ultimately, all collectors also collect trophies. Every item in our collection indicates some kind of triumph. We might have found the best piece or a piece at the best price. Each item in our collections shows that we have dedicated time, energy, and money into our passions. Each piece represents our personalities, our interests, and our lifestyles, and each piece shows that we’ve scored another buy and won another round in the game of collecting.

If that’s what you’re doing this weekend—looking to score a few finds and earn a few more points in the collecting arena—beware: If you bring home too many trophies, as I have, you might just need a space the size of a small arena to showcase your treasurers.

Nonetheless, I say, let the collecting games begin!

Patti
The Committed Collector

If you’re attracted to collectibles by color or pattern, or if you are on either side of the quantity v. quality debate, please leave a comment and let us know your thoughts.

 

© 2018 The Collectors of Western New York Museum & Gallery. All rights reserved.

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What We Collect, part 2 of 3

If you read last Friday’s post, you see that residents of the Rochester area collect a large number of tangible items made in a variety of materials like ceramics, fabric, glass, metal, paper, and plastic (not to mention the different kinds of plants some of them collect in their gardens).

Consequently, it’s a relief that I’m not trying to compile a comprehensive list of the actual kinds of things that collectors assemble together into their collections. If I were to try to identify each and every type of thing that people collect, I wouldn’t have any time for collecting anymore. I’d be listing and listing, and the list would go on and on and on—which is quite like collecting, when you think about it.

Instead, I’m answering the question “What do collectors collect?” in another way. My mind and my list have taken an abstract turn and include intangibles, generalizations, concepts, and even emotions. Even without itemizing actual items, I’ve been able to come up with nearly two dozen other “things” that we collectors can collect.

The next time I go antiquing with friends, and someone asks, “What did you find?” I won’t have to say “another teapot, of course.” As the committed collector, I’ll be able to rename my treasures as items from the following list. My teapots are actually souvenirs or associations or sentiments.

Thus committed collectors like me collect…

1. Memories – Some collectors buy things that remind them of their personal pasts. Shortly after my father passed away, I picked up a Magic 8 Ball and later a plastic photo cube to remind me of him because we kids had given them to Dad as gifts years earlier.

2. History – Other collectors buy things that come from or represent previous times in life, which may or may not have been their own. Military buffs, for example, might collect Civil War, WWII, or Desert Storm weaponry or materiel.

3. Souvenirs – Many casual collectors buy mementoes that represent the good times they’re having on trips or at special events. Magnets and postcards are popular vacation collectibles, while concert T-shirts and play programs are often found closer to home.

4. Experiences – Some people literally collect intangible things—actions and activities—and document them with photos, ticket stubs, or luggage tags that record the things they’ve done in their lives. For them, the doing is more important than the record keeping.

5. Dreams – Some people buy things that reveal their hopes for their futures, like the contents of an old-fashioned hope chest. When I lived in one apartment after another, I got in the habit of buying half-price summer plasticware at the end of the season. I always imagined owning a home with a pool and the need for lots of colorful and unbreakable dishes and glasses.

6. Aspirations – Similarly, others collect things that reveal their goals and fit the lives they intend to have. For example, ambitious business executives might collect haute couture accessories to look the part they’re actively working to become.

7. Status – Some who have achieved the positions and wealth they desire in life collect the kinds of things that not only demonstrate their standing but also perpetuate it. A fortunate few are able to collect actual masterpieces or antique cars.

8. Associations – Many people collect things because they are related to other things, either because of a direct connection or an implication. For example, many people in Rochester collect Kodak cameras because of the company’s origins here, rather than because they specifically collect cameras. Others might collect wooden farm implements because they suggest a simpler time.

9. Sentiments – Quite a few people, myself included, collect emotions. We are drawn to things because of the feelings they evoke. Dolls and Teddy bears are the quintessential collectibles that instill affection, happiness, or even joy in their owners.

10. Innovation – Others seek out things that are remarkable because of their design, function, or gadgetry and consequently appeal to their intellect. These collectors are often fascinated by machinery, such as calculators and typewriters, or technology, like computers or video games.

Now that I think about it, I probably have at least a small collection of every kind of collectible I just listed, which is one reason why I want to open The Collectors of Western New York where we avid accumulators can display our various collections.

Don’t tell my husband in case he hasn’t noticed, but I also collect several intangibles:

  • The jars of seashells I have remind me of my happy childhood in sunny Florida, while the Buffalo and Syracuse restaurantware I admire so much represents a time when dining out was an occasion.
  • Some of the other vintage dishes I have are mementos of the small towns and antique stores I’ve visited in my travels, and my CD collection represents a lifetime of loving to dance.
  • The bolts of fabric I have stockpiled reflect the visions I have of learning how to sew and redecorating my house for every season. Likewise, the shelves I have filled with books on garden design suggest that I intend to get serious about hiring a landscaper one of these days.
  • The bits of shiny silverplate I have stored away reveal that I would love to be able to host elegant dinner parties, and my collection of teacups show that I’m truly a romantic at heart.
  • The Cherished Teddies figurines and Boyds Bears pins I’ve begun to pick up are simply so sweet, while the assortment of baking and gelatin molds I have in aluminum, copper, plastic, and silicone are improvements in culinary design—if not in my own efforts in the kitchen.

Regardless of where you use, display, or store your collection, it may be more than the actual things it’s made of. Your collection may be a record of your past or a sign of your personality or an indication of your future. It might also be some other intangible things.

Check back Friday for more kinds of things that collectors—perhaps people just like you or me—have in their homes and attics and storage units.

Until then, happy collecting!

Patti
The Committed Collector

If you, too, collect an intangible, please leave a comment and tell us what it is. We’d love to hear from you.

 

© 2018 The Collectors of Western New York Museum & Gallery.  All rights reserved.

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What We Collect, part 1 of 3

Continuing to use the journalist’s questions to flesh out ideas for posts is both a blessing and a curse, which makes the process a lot like collecting. Considering the question “What do people collect?” makes coming up with ideas very easy. Consequentially, I’ve ended up with more material than I really need for a single post—just as I have more teapots and cups and saucers and other collectibles than just about anyone will ever use or be able to display properly.

With so many ideas at the ready—as well as so many collections of my own—it should be easy to discuss the things that people collect. Of course, I’ve discovered easy answers as well as more complex ones, too. Today, I’ll share some obvious things collected by avid collectors, especially local ones.

Because I find collecting so easy (and the resulting collections so problematic), my husband jokes that I collect only one thing—everything. Hah, hah. Very funny. In my defense, I say I collect only two things—old things and new things. So there.

On reflection, however, I realize that, at different times and for different reasons, I’ve collected three things:  I’ve gathered together the past, the present, and the future, which is likely the case for many other devoted collectors.

If you’re a committed collector like I am, you also probably recognize history in some items, usefulness in others, and hope in others still and find many kinds of things worth collecting. (That’s why I’m working to open a new kind of museum—The Collectors of Western New York—dedicated to featuring the extensive collections of the various things we serious collectors collect.)

In the meantime, my discussion of what people collect is becoming rather abstract. I’m thinking in categories and generalizations rather than in specifics (so I’ll save the discussions of those more tangible objects for future posts).

If I were simply to itemize actual, specific items that people collect, I could compile quite a list based solely on the prized possession of the members of the collectors’ clubs and special interest groups I know of in the Rochester area, which is home to a dozen or more associations dedicated to fostering an appreciation for specific collectibles.

Based on my knowledge of the things that area residents seek out and assemble into their own private collections, I can easily answer the question, “What do collectors collect?”

Among other things, we local collectors collect …

  • Bottles and glass insulators
  • Depression Glass and Early American Pattern Glass
  • Buttons, clothing, and costumes
  • Cameras
  • Coins and paper money
  • Dahlias, irises, orchids, perennials, and roses
  • Games and toys
  • Jane Austen’s and William Shakespeare’s works and related items
  • Model trains
  • Postcards and stamps
  • Pottery and teapots
  • Scouting items
  • Sherlock Holmes’ stories, books, and related items

Clearly, the residents of Greater Rochester have a wide range of interests and pursue a great variety of collectibles, which are readily available in an area known for its retail shopping, antique shows, and seasonal flea markets.

Some longtime collectors in the region have amassed large collections of small items (like thimbles and Matchbox cars), while others are forced to keep their collections of large items (like real cars and horse-drawn buggies) small in number.

The actual list of what people collect is probably limitless. Since old things are rediscovered and new technology is invented, committed collectors like me are drawn to both old-fashioned things and new-fangled gadgets.

It’s traits like age, utility, and innovation that also suggest a long list of conceptual, emotional, and generalized things that collectors collect, and some of them will be discussed in next week’s posts.

Until then, enjoy the weekend and the hunt for whatever it is you collect.

Patti
The Committed Collector

If you’re a dedicated collector, too, please leave a comment and tell us about the things you collect. We’d love to hear about what catches your eye and makes its way into your life.

 

© 2018  The Collectors of Western New York Museum & Gallery.  All rights reserved.

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Who We Collectors Are, part 3 of 3

I suppose with my backgrounds in journalism and in education, as well as with collecting, I should have expected, sooner rather than later, I’d write blog posts that form a series.

As a journalist, I always enjoyed working through the set of prompts known as the reporter’s questions, and as an English instructor, I’m drawn to series of books, such as Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander tales.

What’s more, as a collector, I’m always attracted to pairs, trios, sets, series, and, well, collections of things. I first realized this 16 or so years ago when pouring over a discount department store’s display of Christmas ornaments. I came across one (of a little girl, I think) that I didn’t particularly like because its craftsmanship fell short of its design. However, I soon noticed a companion piece (the little boy if I recall correctly) and immediately thought, “If there’s a third, I’ll get them.”

How crazy is that? I had enough sense not to buy one item I found lacking, but I would have bought three of them has they been there. Pretty crazy, huh? Not at all if you’re a committed collector like I am. Collectors are, by nature, attracted to things that go together. Many avid collectors like myself appreciate completeness, wholeness, entireties, and totalities and consider finishing a collection as important as the items in the collection.

After that inclination, however, the collectors I know and love have a variety of different traits and outlooks when it comes to our shared pastime. Using the journalist’s question “Who?—Who are collectors?” has lead me to compile my own list of the kinds of collectors you might meet—or might be.

My last two posts listed the first 12 types of people who have been bitten by the collecting bug, and today’s entry concludes my list, which is based on my observations and own preferences

Collectors also include…

13. Trendsetters: Like some sentimentalists, this group of collectors is attuned to the present and what’s going on now yet is primarily attracted to contemporary things, like this season’s hot colors or newest styles. These collectors might be the ones to put up theme trees every December with a new collection of ornaments and decorations. If they keep their purchases, they might have collections of ties or scarves that span several decades and reveal a range of once-trendy colors or aesthetic styles.

14. Futurists: Some people look to the future and wonder what life will be like. They often enjoy reading science fiction or watching movies and TV shows in that genre. Among their favorite collectibles are robots and action figures and books, comics, or graphic novels with technological or post-apocalyptic imagery or themes. Likewise, some collectors (like I used to be) amass things, like advertising signs, holiday decorations, or summer plasticware, that they intend to use in the future, like when they settle down and buy a house.

15. Decorators and Designers: Some collectors have sensory reactions to things and often artistic or visual reasons for building their collections. Although they are not necessarily professionals, they fully appreciate the look of things individually as well as together and often make their choices based on theme, color, or scheme. For example, designer-collectors might be drawn to a variety of items that reflect beach or cabin or industrial motifs and materials.

16. Competitors: A percentage of collectors are in competition with others in their field, yet this driving force may be conscious or unconscious on their part. Sometimes, these collectors pursue items that are older, newer, bigger, finer, rarer, or in some other way better than what their peers have. Sometimes, they simply want more than anyone else in their field, so they aim for dozens, hundreds, and thousands of pieces in their collections. Such friendly competition can often result in quite impressive collections.

17. Gamblers: A good percent of collectors are willing to take a chance on the additions to their collections. They trust that the items sold online are as advertised. They assume the dirty, dusty pieces they pick up at flea markets will clean up nicely, and they hope the items they get for a song will be worth considerably more. Like, futurists, gamblers are optimists at heart and are often the ones to find the proverbial diamonds in the rough.

18. Connoisseurs: The final group of collectors I’ve identified includes aficionados of very particular things. They are not only enamored of certain objects, but they also do their research and become experts in their own right on their fields. Because the objects of their desire are often expensive and rare, and because these collectors recognize the best and hold out for the best, these collectors usually have smaller collections, yet they often contain exquisite pieces, such as art, wine, and jewelry.

Considering that I once intended to buy a set of three poorly crafted holiday ornaments, I guess I’m not a connoisseur. However, like most avid collectors I know, I can be called some kind of hyphenated collector:

I’m a hobbyist-generalist as well as an opportunistic, bargain-hunting, sentimental, decorator-gambler kind of collector. In other words, I collect a variety of items for fun. I’m a romantic at heart as well as a homebody, and if I hit the shops and if I happen to see interesting things at the right price, I’m willing to take a chance on finding a treasure.

That seems to make me a maximalist, too. I guess my husband’s right again.

Oh well, as I say, “the more, the merrier!”

Patti,
The Committed Collector

Check back on Friday when I answer the next question about collecting—“What?—What do collectors collect?”—and offer my discussion of the kinds of things that come to be collected.  In the meantime, please leave a comment and let us know what kind of collector you are or if you’ve come across other kinds of collectors.

 

© 2018 The Collectors of Western New York Museum & Gallery. All rights reserved.

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Who We Collectors Are, part 2 of 3

With Friday here and a summer weekend soon to follow, some people are getting ready to hold garage sales, but others are asking “Who’s going to buy all this stuff?” Well, I might, and you might, too, if you’re a committed collector like I am.

If you’re getting ready to head out on your local garage sale trail, you might be one of the kinds of collectors I described in my last post: There are professional collectors as well as hobbyists, like I am. Some are specialists, while others are generalists, and some are omnivores, but all are materialists.

And there are even more, as far as I can tell after 25 years of serious collecting, so in this second of three posts, I’ll describe another six of my favorite kinds of collectors.

Collectors include…

7. Fanatics: Some people readily describe themselves as crazy about their fields of collecting. They shop frequently, buy regularly, keep faithfully, and always appreciate their collections, which could include Buffalo Bills’ memorabilia or Syracuse china. They usually want at least one of everything in their field and go to great lengths to acquire new pieces. Quite often, the objects they collect bring them happiness and add a sense of fun into their lives—as a collection of frogs or ladybugs would do.

8. Opportunists: Conversely, some collectors are quite casual about acquiring new pieces and are non-committal about building their collections. They don’t hunt down additional pieces, yet if they come across one at the right time and right price, they’ll pick it up. That’s how I’ve put together my partial set of Anchor Hocking’s clear glass dishes in the pattern called “Sandwich,” and that’s why it’s merely a partial set: I add pieces only if I come across them and if they’re priced reasonably.

9. Bargain Hunters: Related to opportunists, bargain seekers are interested in putting together collections only if they can do so at rock-bottom prices. They are usually well versed in their areas, so they know a deal when they come across it. They also put things in perspective, know that the cost of collecting can get out of hand, and remember that collecting is supposed to be a hobby. After all, the majority of collections are of interesting things, not priceless ones, such as a large assortment of Mid-Century Modern ashtrays acquired for no more than $1 each.

10. Preservers: Some collectors have less emotional attachments to their collections and more objective reasons for collecting. They are natural-born archivists, historians, and record-keepers, and often become professional ones, too. These collectors spend part of their time in the past because they especially appreciate bygone eras and the information and records generated then, so they might pursue logs, diaries, and other historical documents whose value lies in their content.

11. Nostalgists: Another kind of accumulator who focuses on the past, some collectors drawn by a sense of nostalgia to acquire certain things because those objects remind them of earlier times. Sometimes they feel deep, personal attachments to things like items from their own childhood, and sometimes they are simply attracted to the aesthetic styles or cultural events of previous eras. Such collectors often seek out toys, games, fashions, music, and movie posters from decades past.

12. Sentimentalists: Some sentimental collectors, too, focus on the past, and are the ones to preserve family heirlooms and collect things like Valentine’s cards and wedding cake toppers because of their old-fashioned charm and romantic nature. Other sentimental collectors, however, acquire items in the present to serve as reminders later on. Collectors like this buy mementoes of events in their lives and hold on to these souvenirs of their past celebrations, travels, and other experiences as tokens for the future. By joining their emotional connection to their life experiences with their attraction for a particular thing, such collectors might end up with an assemblage of party favors or Christmas ornaments or magnets, paperweights, or snow globes from their annual vacations.

Once again, I see a few of these traits in myself—that must be why I like people who collect so much. Anyone who likes to preserve history, feels nostalgic or sentimental, appreciates a bargain, moves on opportunities, and is a little crazy about collecting is my kind of person.

As I like to say, “the more, the merrier” in a collection and in a circle of friends. How about you? Are you like one of the collectors I’ve described, or do you know of another kind? If so, please comment and let us know.

See you Tuesday with the last of my list of who we collectors are. Until then, happy collecting.
Patti

© 2018 The Collectors of Western New York Museum & Gallery. All rights reserved.

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Who We Collectors Are

Considering my background in journalism, I’ve always found the reporter’s questions to be a useful tool. Brainstorming the who, what, when, where, why, and how of a news story generates many initial questions that journalists can then use when they interview the people involved.

In addition, posing these questions ourselves and then coming up with our own plausible answers leads to a valuable analysis of almost any subject, especially one we know well. In this case, collectors and collecting are subjects I know very well, so my answers to the following questions can form the basis of a series of posts on collectors and collecting as I see them.

Today’s post, then, will be the first of several working through the basics of who we collectors are, what we collect, and, perhaps most important, why we collect.

If I were writing a news article and heading to an antiques shop or collectors’ convention to interview people who were there to acquire items for their collections, I’d jot some general questions like these beforehand:

  • Who collects things? Who collects these things?
  • Who are collectors in general, and who are they specifically?
  • What kinds of people collect things?
  • What are they like?
  • How can collectors be categorized?

Using my own experience as a longtime collector as well as my own observations of family, friends, and acquaintances who are also avid collectors, I’ve answered these questions and come up with a number of different kinds of collectors.

Although my list is not necessarily comprehensive, and the classifications aren’t necessarily applicable to all collectors, I think many of them describe me and the collectors I admire quite well. I’ve come up with 18 different kinds of people who collect, and I’m going to divide them up over the next three posts, so let’s get started.

Collectors are…

1. Materialists: My first thought was to say that only one kind of person collects, for collecting is about possessing things—and lots of them. Accordingly, the vast majority of collectors appreciate tangible items that nature has created or humans have produced. We collectors like things. We are tactile beings and want to see and touch and ultimately own the objects of our desire. We are very rarely minimalists, so we collectors are much more often materialists. My husband even says I’m a maximalist. Hmm.

2. Professionals: On the one hand, some longtime collectors have amassed so much, that they turn their hobby into their career, and they become antiques dealers or flea market vendors. Others have professions that allow them to amass things. Museum curators, gallery owners, college librarians, and interior designers are expected to buy for their employers or clients and often end up collecting additional pieces for themselves.

3. Hobbyists: On the other hand, most collectors are amateurs and pursue collecting as their favorite pastime. They enjoy going to swap meets or flea markets on Sunday afternoons, and they spend evenings checking local classified ads or online auction sites. Like me, they collect simply because they enjoy going, looking, finding, and acquiring.

4. Generalists: Quite a few collectors develop a fondness for a broad field of collecting, such as glassware or postcards, so they gain some knowledge of their large areas of interest and build quite wide and varied collections. They usually have numerous types of items in their collections, and they often identify themselves by name as dish collectors or Barbie Doll collectors or Star Wars collectors.

5. Specialists: Many collectors, however, concentrate on their particular fields and limit themselves to fairly specific collections, such as Depression Glass candy dishes, antique medicine bottles, and real-photo postcards. These enthusiasts are fascinated by the variety within their areas of interest, so they develop specialized knowledge and expertise, and assemble collections that are unified and cohesive.

6. Omnivores: And then there are the avid hunters and gathers who appreciate almost every kind of collectible they encounter. They find value in antique treasures and new merchandise. They appreciate the fine arts as well as the mass produced. They’d happily have one of everything—or, better yet, two or three or more. The only limitation I’ve found for omnivores is typically along gender lines, with some collectors (like yours truly) pursuing only what I’d call feminine items, while others (like my big brother) collect masculine ones.

Although I’ve only just started, I’ve certainly described myself in one or two of these first six categories of collectors.  As a materialist, and the committed collector, I’ll just say “the more, the merrier” and sign off for today.

Patti

Check back on Friday when I’ll post the next half dozen kinds of collectors you might encounter—or might be. In the meantime, please leave a comment and let us know who you are as a collector.

© 2018 The Collectors of Western New York Museum & Gallery. All rights reserved.

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Collecting Comes Naturally

Since I’ve been struggling with the consequences of having built several extensive collections, it’s been easy to write about the difficulties associated with collecting.

If you’re an avid collector, committed to tracking down additional items for your collections, you know what I mean. We easily spend a good deal of our free time surfing the Internet or going from shop to shop looking for our next favorite find. We willingly invest our weekly pocket money in acquiring additional pieces, and when we become more knowledgeable about our areas of collecting, we willing spend even more to procure better items.

We serious collectors also willingly use up a good part of our space to display our large collections. Some collectors, like me, run out of space and even end up renting storage units. Packing up collectibles uses up even more of our time, while paying the rental fee each month uses up even more of our hard-earned money.

And at some point, we longtime collectors must forego, however reluctantly, starting new collections or even adding additional pieces to our current collections.

Just yesterday, for example, I was in a suburban department store and had to restrain myself. First, there was a display of summer dinnerware with a vibrant floral motif, and I absolutely love dishes, but there’s absolutely no room to bring a new set into my kitchen. There was also an array of tempting red, white and blue merchandise left over from the Fourth of July, and I so love decorating for every holiday, but I already have more than enough decorations to fill the “Patriotic” box stored in the attic.

After having to resist these recent temptations—or more likely because of having to resist my inclinations to acquire more—I can also write about how easy collecting is for true collectors.

Again, if you’re a longtime, serious collector, you know exactly what I mean: Collecting simply comes naturally to many people—to collectors like me and maybe to collectors like you.

We’ve been collecting one thing or another for as long as we can remember.

• We’re the kids who brought home pretty seashells or autumn leaves and pocketsful of sundry other items.

• We’re the ones who cut pictures of cars or animals or cartoon characters out of newspapers and magazines and kept scrapbooks of them.

• We somehow decided that our toys were both for play and for show, so we took good care of them and probably kept them long after we outgrew them.

We’re hard-wired to want variety and multiples and things in their entirety.

• While other people can choose one of something, we natural-born collectors are attracted to all the colors and sizes or other features of our objects of desire, so we collectors want every variation. We readily recognize similarities among items as well as differences.

• While other people believe one of something is sufficient, we collectors want both, each, every, and all. We like pairs and sets and series. We believe that things that made to go together should stay together.

• While other people can give up one thing and replace it with a newer, better, or different version, we collectors believe “the more, the merrier” and have sound reasons to have duplicates, replacements, and spares.

We dyed-in-the-wool collectors automatically recognize opportunities to assemble collections.

• For most people, their acquisitions fulfill specific, practical needs. If they need a hammer, they buy a hammer, use the hammer, and forget about it until they need it again.

• For natural collectors, however, life is a series of opportunities to remember items and to consider others in relation to them. If we collectors need a hammer, we buy a hammer—and then we notice every innovative version at the home improvement store as well as every vintage one at the antiques store—and we’d probably like to have one of each.

• For me, each stage of my life has been marked by opportunities to start new collections.

o My first apartment meant I could collect dishtowels for every holiday and every season as well as ordinary ones for everyday use.

o Our first house with its full-sized kitchen allowed me to have different sets of dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

o A larger house meant my husband and I could collect different styles of Christmas ornaments and put up three trees.

o A larger yard permitted me to plant more pink and purple and yellow rose bushes each summer.

o And an unfinished garage allows us to pick up rustic baskets of all shapes and sizes for storing a variety of practical things.

For me, and for many others like me, collecting comes naturally, so amassing collections happens easily. That’s why we serious collectors can always find something of interest, something to delight, and something to intrigue us.

That’s why I seriously need to open my new business, The Collectors of Western New York, and get my prized possessions out of boxes and on display.

Signing off for this week.

Patti
The Committed Collector

If you’ve seriously pursued a collection or two, please leave a comment and let us know what you find easy to buy—yet difficult to let go of.

© 2018 The Collectors of Western New York Museum & Gallery. All rights reserved.

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Patriotic Collections

Happy Fourth of July!

I love the Fourth of July and all of its trappings. That’s why I’m dismayed to realize I have only one box of decorations suitable for July 4th and the other patriotic holidays—and I’m known for my excess of holiday decorations.

Although I’ve obviously been remiss in my collecting, I love the Fourth of July for many reasons. Of course, there are the bits about fighting for democratic principles and achieving our national independence that are so very worthy of celebrating. There’s the appreciation and pride so many of us feel for our military and veterans and the nostalgia evoked by happy childhood experiences as well as the continued opportunity and hope that exists today, yet for me the Fourth of July is all about family.

For a good decade, between the time I was 12 and 22 or so, our Independence Day celebration included a family reunion after my older brother and sister-in-law made the long, hot drive from Upstate New York to Northern Florida to spend their summer vacation with us.

Mom and Dad devoted weeks to getting the house ready and stocking the pantry, especially as the number of grandchildren increased. One of my summertime chores was to give the picnic table a fresh coat of stain, so it would be ready for Mom’s red-checked tablecloth, classic white paper plates, and bowls of farm-fresh blueberries.

Most years, this visit was during the first half of July, so their stay usually included at least one All-American cookout complete with a red, white and blue color scheme, sizzling hot dogs and hamburgers, glittering sparklers, and exciting firecrackers.

With the house full, and friends coming and going, the work increased, too, so the women often opted for grilling out, rather than heating the house, and picnics on the patio with paper products instead of washing the dishes.

A natural-born collector, I loved it when Mom bought paper products printed with patriotic motifs for our holiday table. Unbeknownst to me, I was already drawn to a popular category of collecting—ephemera—which covers a great variety of items, like party napkins, wall calendars, and fast-food packaging, that are meant to serve their purposes and be discarded afterward.

A natural-born party planner, too, I longed for more than flying the flag out front. I wanted Old Glory in all her guises everywhere possible. I tried to convince the menfolk that hanging bunting from the eaves would be easy, but I had to settle for small handheld versions of the Stars and Stripes.

I suggested to the womenfolk that bouquets of red, white, and blue flowers from the grocery store would be prettier on the table than the bright yellow marigolds from Mom’s garden, but I often had to settle for stacking the buns in baskets lined with red cloth napkins as a way to bring more holiday color to the party.

For me, the weeks when my whole family was around were often the best of the year. They also included outings to the beach, trying new recipes, playing board games, and going to the movies or renting videos together.

Over the years, I’ve collected the recipes that fit our American color scheme, such as fruit salad with strawberries, honeydew, and blueberries, and my sister-in-law’s Black Forest cake topped with bright red cherry pie filling and served with white whipped cream on blue paper plates, of course.

My big brother’s a movie buff, so we always rented several family favorites, like Yankee Doodle Dandy, American Graffiti, or Patton. Dad was a Marine and fought at Guadalcanal, so we also always watched any WWII documentaries shown on our local PBS channel.

If I had the space today, I’d put together a video collection of patriotic movies and documentaries, but I don’t, so I rely on the fine selections available through the Monroe County Library System. Stopping into our branch library to borrow a DVD is a bit like going to Blockbuster to pick up a VHS tape or two, so the errand brings back fond memories.

If I had even more space today, which I certainly don’t, I would collect a variety of Americana including vintage ads, signs, and posters depicting icons like Uncle Sam, the American Eagle, and the Stature of Liberty. As it is, I barely have room to house the single Fourth of July postcard and trio of Liberty Bell statuettes I’ve picked up over the years.

If I had unlimited space, or the resolve to let go of things, which I definitely don’t have, I would also collect contemporary patriotic decorations. I still like to host picnics and cookouts for family and friends, and I love the trimmings of patriotic celebrations, so I could easily amass a collection of All-American accessories and party goods to help set the stage.

Now that I, the committed collector, consider my strong patriotic feelings, fond childhood memories, and continuing love of the American colors, I’ve forgotten why I don’t collect Americana and go all out with my decorating for Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day.

Oh. Actually, I do remember why: I simple don’t have the space for any more collectibles.

If I want to maintain our home as comfortable living space, which I do, I have to hold off on building a collection of Americana and accept using disposable decorations, practical but thematic vinyl tablecloths, and cross-over pieces like red glassware that I can also use for Valentine’s and Christmas as well.

Perhaps when The Collectors of Western New York opens, and my existing collections are out of storage and on exhibit, I’ll have more room to house a new patriotic collection, but please don’t tell my husband. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him, right?

Happy Birthday, America! Happy Collecting!
-from Patti, the committed collector

How about you? Do you collect any Americana that reflects your national pride and patriotism or gives the holidays more meaning? Do you have an assortment of decorations that make your celebrations more festive? We’d love to hear from you, so please leave a comment and let us know.

 

© 2018 The Collectors of Western New York Museum & Gallery. All rights reserved.

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Collecting Takes Up Space

As I discussed in my recent posts, if you’re an avid collector like I am, you know the process of hunting and gathering easily takes up our free time. If you’re a dedicated collector, too, you also know acquiring additional pieces readily uses up our spending money.

However, those expenses are often all right. Most Americans have spare time to relax or even waste, especially on weekends. We look forward to our downtime and often make time for the leisure-time activities we enjoy. Most people also have discretionary money to play with; we have the means to pursue our hobbies, and we’re willing to spend money on our interests. In fact, most people think spending time or money on themselves is entirely acceptable, so these costs of collecting are often considered completely reasonable.

The third cost of collecting, however, can be substantially more problematic because that consequence is always present—for our collections must exist somewhere, so they take up our valuable space.

For us avid collectors, the point of checking eBay or going to a flea market, of course, is to acquire additional pieces for our collections, so after a Saturday afternoon of junking, we usually have lots to show for our efforts, so we’re faced with more items to bring home, squeeze in, and maneuver around.

At first, of course, our new finds are our treasures. They are trophies for our efforts, our dedication, and our great shopping skills. We looked, we found, and we admired, so we bought. Soon after getting home, however, longtime collectors often find that their new purchases can quickly become white elephants, which is an old-fashioned term to describe things that may be of some value but aren’t necessarily fully appreciated.

Our beloved collections can become white elephants, or even elephants in the room, simply because they take up so much space. Our collections can fill up wall space and floor space, living space and storage space, space at home and space elsewhere. Moreover, if large collections need large amounts of space, extensive collections need even more, so they can actually take up our whole homes.

Extra space is usually quite tight in our own apartments, condos, and houses. Once we fill a space, we can’t fill it with something else. We can’t eat our cake and have it, too, but we want too, so we collectors come up with creative ways to display and store our collections.

First, we fill our walls with paintings and pictures, shelves and racks. We then line our rooms with bookcases, display cases, and curio cabinets. Next, our collections creep from room to room: We first display our treasures in the family room, perhaps, then the formal living room, and eventually even in the guest bathroom. We turn narrow hallways, spare bedrooms, and bonus spaces into our private galleries.

We defy the principles of good interior design and cram rooms with oversized cabinetry, crowded displays, and clashing colors. We resort to displaying toys in the parlor and sports memorabilia in the dining room. Master bedrooms reflect only the style of the lady of the house, and man-cave gear sneaks into the laundry room.

Once we’ve filled all open living space with our collections, we take over the dark recesses of our homes, too. We start storing our overflow, our extras, and even our new purchases. We pack up our treasures and fill our attics, our basements, and our garages. We say, “Don’t open that closet, Molly.” We put up “temporary” tarp-covered carports, and we have permanent sheds built.

If that’s not enough space, and we committed collectors need even more, we’re then willing to pay for mini-storage. We rent small units, large units, climate-controlled units, and even second and third units—and we pay. Month after month, we pay for space off site and the “privilege” of storing our so-called prized possessions.

Even if we’re filling only the space in our homes, this third cost of collecting might be the dearest of all because it is an ongoing expense.

Extensive collections demand a considerable number of square feet in our homes. They fill valuable real estate, and prevent us from living appropriately in our spaces. The more we collect, the more space we have to give over to our collections—or the more our collections take over our space, and, if we’re not careful, our collections can overrun our lives.

No matter how much we love something, if we don’t really have room for it, it becomes a problem. Our collections can clutter up our homes. They can limit our activities, push out our loved ones, and exclude our friends.

While we might want new acquisitions for our collections, we might not be able to adequately or reasonably solve the ongoing problem of too much stuff and too little space—unless we find a better way.

Rather than cramming more into your homes, why not consider curating your collection and displaying it at The Collectors of Western New York? It’s in the works as a new way for serious collectors to manage their extensive collections.

Has your collection grown to gargantuan sizes? Has your collection overrun your home? Please leave a comment and let us know how much space you’ve given to your prized possessions.