Collecting – The Committed Collector

Posted on March 1, 2020 by admin

7 Reasons to Collect Teapots

Since I’ve recently found a space well-suited to housing a museum dedicated to displaying large collections, I’ve been thinking of little else lately.

I’ve been worrying about all that I need to do to open the new venue. I’ve been imagining how the space will look and brainstorming what galleries we can fill. Mostly, I’ve been planning one thing or another like crazy.

Among all this obsessing, I’ve also been thinking of the educational texts that will accompany the displays.

I know I’ll need to work with the collectors who exhibit to write the text for our signs and brochures and web pages, and we’ll want to provide enough pertinent information–but without overwhelming museum visitors.

Along those lines, it occurred to me that I could sum up my reasons for amassing some 500 teapots in seven short entries like this…

T–Teresa and Terry. My grandmother cherished her formal gold luster teapot, and my mother regularly used, and loved, a teapot decorated with images of cherubs at play, so I grew up with a strong appreciation for teapots.

E–Elegant as well as Exotic. Personally, I’m drawn to elegant teapots, but I also appreciate how many different cultures impart their own styles on the teapot.

A–Accessible. Teapots are everywhere–in most of our lives and in almost any shop you enter. Teapots are commonplace, so you don’t need a degree in art appreciation to understand why their stout round shape, appealing designs, and array of colors are so tempting.

P–Pretty. A great percentage of teapots are simply pretty, which appeals to me immensely. I like lovely things, and many teapots are decorated in ways that appeal to the lady of the house.

O–Old Fashioned. At the risk of contradicting my next reason, teapots, with their homey charm and role in the traditions of teatime, are old-fashioned accouterments that suit old-fashioned personalities like mine.

T–Timeless. Nonetheless, teapots are not only traditional, they are also timeless. Ever since the legendary Chinese emperor discovered the rewards of brewing tea leaves, teapots have been needed and used and treasured. With tea enjoying a resurgence these days, teapots, as well as tea mugs and other trappings, are as popular as ever.

S–Special. Those of us who have teapots often consider them special because, ironically, the everyday teapot often marks special occasions. Of course, back in the days when father knew best, tea sets were often given as wedding gifts. As feminine trappings, teapots are, of course, often given to women as birthday or holiday presents.

In addition, teapots are frequently designed as holiday accessories. They’re also produced by artists and craftspeople as works of art, and they’re surprisingly sold as souvenirs in tourist traps.

So many diverse reasons to own teapots make teapots part of so many different aspects of our lives. We admire them as art, include them in our celebrations, and reflect on them as mementos of special occasions.

All along are enough reasons to make teapots special to me–and my teapot collection are big part of my life–so big that I’m hoping to squeeze it into its own gallery when The Collectors museum opens.

Until then, enjoy your collections.

Patti
The Committed Collector

Posted on November 2, 2019November 3, 2019 by admin

A Night on the Town

Although some people think living in the suburbs is boring, many collectors will tell you otherwise.

They know you don’t need to travel to a flea market in the middle of nowhere, to an antiques barn along a country road, or to a trendy shop in the city center to find new treasures.

Of course, committed collectors like me are always happy to travel to the middle of nowhere, along a country road, and to the city to find another piece for their collections, but they can find tantalizing acquisitions just driving from one ‘burb to another, which is exactly what I did last evening.

After a meal of home-style fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy at a favorite restaurant in Henrietta, my husband and I parted company. I left him behind to enjoy the NHL package at our mid-century Colonial, and I headed west to Greece and The Shops on West Ridge for their annual Night of Lights.

I simply explained that it was meant to be. Earlier in the week, a had run into a colleague–who I never see at work in Brighton–and she spotted me and remembered our extracurricular connection (the Night of Lights shopping), so she reminded me that the big sale was going on.

I had actually forgotten about the big sale, so I was glad to see her.

I usually take the back roads to Greece, so I have the option to stop at the Wal-Mart or the Garden Factory in Gates, which are both temptations.

Staying the course, however, I arrived at The Shops on West Ridge with enough time to spent almost three hours checking out the displays and cabinetry, which I consider among my curating efforts.

That also left enough time to shop and amass a basketful of treasures on the “hold” shelf, and even time to spend in the checkout line chatting with others about their finds.

Good husband that he is, my guy feigned delight at my finding another Halloween decoration, two more bird and three more dog figurines, and a half-dozen more books and pictures–among other things. Just what we need.

I had said when I left the house earlier in the evening that I’d look for something–only one thing–an elusive piece, a true treasure, something that would change my life–and that’s just what I found.

In fact, I found a dozen and a half pieces that will change my life: They will increase the amount of time I spend dusting.

There’s a reason they call ’em dust catchers.

Patti
The Committed Collector

So what’s your downfall? Baseball cards? Jewelry? How about leaving a comment and let us know what treasures you just can’t pass up?

Posted on July 27, 2019July 28, 2019 by admin

Kitchenware Blues–and Reds and Yellows, Too

It’s only Saturday morning, and I’ve already had real trouble resisting all the sales this weekend.

On my first foray through the suburbs of Rochester yesterday, what did I see but an estate sale sign. This morning, garage sale signs seem to be posted at every other corner, and The Shops on West Ridge is holding its seasonal sale, and tomorrow—Sunday—is always a big day for flea markets and antiquing in Western New York in the summer.

Oh, I’m in agony over my New Year’s resolution to do less shopping and more curating in 2019, and it’s all the Depression Glass Club’s fault.

You see, on Thursday evening, the DGC’s program was all about kitchenware of the 1930s and 1940s, and I’ve been Jadeite green with envy ever since.

I had assumed I really didn’t like kitchenware. It was merely practical (or so I thought) and included only covered refrigerator dishes and dusty, greasy grease canisters.

How wrong I was.

The program featured a great variety of pieces brought in by several members of the club. The range of items was surprising, while the colors were as striking as always: lovely pastel pink, vibrant cobalt blue, and happy poppy orange.

And, oh, I have been tempted ever since to begin a new collection. Wouldn’t red pieces brighten up my kitchen? Beverage sets would be so useful on the porch, and everybody needs salt and pepper sets, right? And useful things don’t count as collectible, do they?

Nonetheless, I’ve gotten about halfway through the weekend without embarking on a kitchenware collection, so, for now, I’ll continue to restrain my enthusiasm and simply itemize the kinds of Depression Era glassware available for anyone building a collection (or trying to resist starting one, as in my case).

Here, then, in alphabetical order, are the kinds of pieces that were displayed Thursday evening at the Depression Glass Club meeting:

batter jugs and butter dishes
canning jars, cookie jars, creamers, cruet sets, custard cups
drip jars
juice glasses, juice jugs
measuring cups, mixing bowls, moisture proof shakers
pitchers
reamers, refrigerator bottles, refrigerator jugs
salt and pepper shakers, skillets, spice sets, sugar bowls, sugar shakers, syrup pitchers
tea canisters
vases

Some members brought only one kind of item, while others showed off several kinds of related pieces. All had important information as well as interesting stories to share.

Another thing that came up as the members talked about their collections was how they curate them, which I found most intriguing.

Some group pieces by their colors or patterns, so their displays are made impressive by the number, similarity, or range of items.

Others are fans of certain manufacturers, so their collections include a variety of pieces, but their patterns, styles, or shades are often identical.

Still others organize their kitchenware by their use, so we saw groupings like a chorus line of syrup jugs.

Some of the members are collectors after my own heart and explained how they integrate their glass kitchenware with related objects like ceramic dishes and vintage linens.

All in all, the members of the Depression Glass Club put on another interesting program with many beautiful things to see. (I might easily add that these collectors have enough to fill a museum exhibit like the ones planned for The Collectors of Western New York.)

In addition, the glass club members inspired us all to look at things with a renewed interest and see the various possibilities out there—whether we’re on the hunt for new pieces or curating what we already own and love.

Happy Weekend, Everyone.

Patti
The Committed Collector

I wonder: Has vintage glassware caught your eye? Are you drawn to the vibrant colors or the fun patterns? If so, why not leave a comment and tell us about your kitchenware? We’d be delighted to hear about it.

Posted on February 23, 2019 by admin

Three Reasons to Curate Your Collections

I’ll be the first to admit that collecting is much more fun than curating.

Collecting involves hunting and gathering, going, looking, searching, and finding. Collecting means unearthing treasurers, discovering illusive pieces, and finding things we didn’t know we need.

In collecting, there is the thrill of the chase as well as the thrill of victory (as ABC’s Wide World of Sports once told us).

Curating, on the other hand, often feels more like work. Once we’ve added items to our collections, it’s time to get down to the business of identifying, organizing, and storing or displaying the individual pieces.

Whether or not you actually enjoy the detail work of curating, doing so is a vital part of the process of collecting. Otherwise, we’re merely accumulating things or even outright hoarding them, which is a chilling thought.

If you need encouragement when it comes to getting down to curating your treasures, here are the points I like to keep in mind when I’d rather be shopping.

Curating is the necessary next step to acquiring. Pieces need to be identified and inventoried, so we have accurate records of our collections. This makes life easier for us collectors and for our loved ones who might inherit a variety of things that are unknown to them.
Pieces need to be stored properly, so they are protected and so we stay organized. Treasures deserve to be kept safe, packed appropriately, and easily accessed. Likewise, our homes should be kept tidy, with room for living and room for displaying.
Our beloved treasures also deserve to be displayed attractively. If they’re treasures to us, they deserve to be seen. They should be organized, arranged, and in some sort of showcase. If we truly appreciate them, we should be able to see them regularly, on display in all their glory.

Of course, there are other reasons to go the distance and curate our collections, but these are the three primary things I keep in mind:

I want to know what I have. I want to know that what I have is organized and accessible, and, most of all, I want to be able to display my collections around my home.

Patti
The Committed Collector

How about you? What inspires you to keep you collections organized and on display? Please leave a comment and let us know.

Posted on December 29, 2018December 29, 2018 by admin

My Collecting Resolution

The coming of New Year’s Eve always puts me in a somber mood.

On the one hand, I look forward to the arrival of the new year and all its possibilities. On the other, I’m reminded of all my mistakes over the past 12 months, so I’m left with quite a few regrets.

There were things I did that I shouldn’t have, and things I should have that I didn’t. There were things I said that I wish I could take back, and things I never took the time to say.

I shamelessly acquired too much, and I shamefully donated too little.

I lost too much time shopping, and I wasted too much money buying more things.

I squandered money on silly impulse purchases, and I missed out on genuine treasures because I hadn’t saved up for them.

Worst of all, I spent too little time enjoying the beautiful things I already own—and that reality brings me to my New Year’s resolution for 2019:

Spend less time collecting and more time curating my current collections.

There. I’ve put it in writing. The Committed Collector is putting acquiring on hold and putting organizing and displaying on the agenda for 2019.

My goal for the new year is clear: Appreciate all that I already have—and I do, indeed, have a great deal to appreciate.

My objectives, too, are simple and straightforward. Instead of spending my free time in 2019 searching and shopping and buying, I will invest time in…

I’ve had a good, long run collecting, and 2018 has been a good year for adding to my collections.

Sorting through my current collections, and culling the items that no longer fit in.
Making sure my inventory is up-to-date.
Reading through my identification guides and learning more about my collectibles.
Organizing my collections together, and storing them properly—and labeling, labeling, labeling as I go.
Taking the time to rotate the displays around my house and to put up the holiday and seasonal decorations I have.
Actually using the various china and glassware I’ve collected.
Listening regularly to different CDs: classic rock, big band, and American standards.
Finishing what I started:
a) Organizing my vintage postcards in an album.
b) Hanging my department store art and paint-by-numbers paintings.
c) Washing and ironing my colorful 1940s and 1950s tablecloths.
d) Stitching up some of the fabric I bought into tablecloths and runners.
e) Polishing the bits of silverplate I use for tea parties.
f) Putting a fresh coat of paint on the bookcase I bought last summer.
g) Making minor repairs to a number of things.
h) Re-purposing or retrofitting a few more things as planned—and, ultimately, taking care of and enjoying the collections I already have—that’s my resolution for the new year.

Now, I’m of a mind to be more appreciative of my beloved collections and treat them as the prized possessions they are to me.

Thinking of all the beautiful things I already have and devising plans to make better use of them has improved my mood, too. I’ve had a great year, and I’m looking forward to another great one.

I’m ready to say “out with the old, and in with the new” for 2019: gratitude, anticipation, and enjoyment.

Happy New Year, Everyone.

From Patti
The Committed Collector

Posted on December 15, 2018 by admin

The 12 Collections of Christmas

Can you stand another take on the classic holiday song? If you’re like me — committed to collecting and appreciative of things in great quantities — you’ll say, “Sure. The more the merrier.”

Here, then, are my 13 suggestions for presents to delight a variety of collectors. (I did say the more the merrier.)

a baker’s dozen of vintage cookie cutters
a dozen eggs — preferably by Fabergé — with 12 months no interest
items about the Apollo 11 mission or from the 7-Eleven or Ocean’s Eleven franchises
10 jerseys from the Big 10 schools
9 collectibles reflecting the 9 lives cats have
Eight Is Enough advertisements or posters
7 Lucky No. 7 charms — or 7 logo glasses for serving Seagram’s 7 & 7
a six pack of vintage beer cans, such as Coors for West Coasters and Budweiser for Easterners
vintage collectibles depicting the Dionne quintuplets
the four seasons as depicted in song, in art, and in decorative accessories, like Currier and Ives wall calendars
a trio for afternoon tea (cup, saucer, and plate) and 3 nesting bowls to make scones
a pair of candlesticks, preferably Depression Glass
one classic car — make mine a light blue Jaguar, please

Happy Shopping, Collectors, and Happy Holidays!

From Patti
The Committed Collector

Posted on December 1, 2018 by admin

Santa’s Helpers Share Love of Depression Glass

Some of Santa’s little helpers were busy here in Western New York even before Thanksgiving, on the day when we happened to have our first snow of the season.

They had gathered to spend a Sunday afternoon prepping dozens of pieces of sparkling glass to be used as prizes at the upcoming holiday party for the members of the Depression Glass Club of Greater Rochester.

What’s more, it’s obvious these elves are all committed collectors of vintage glassware.

Apparently, most of them have been assigned to the glass club party detail for years, so they know how to operate among the “organized chaos” of the event, which was a revelation for the rookies.

First, furniture has to be moved and tables set up in the hosting helpers’ home. Then the larger elves lug in cartons and cartons of glassware that has been collected since the club’s last holiday party.

Once the glassware is unpacked and spread out on the tables, the helpers (who are seeing the pieces for the first time) spend some time oohing and ahhing over the beautiful choices, which have already been washed and dried by the chief elf so they glisten.

The expert elves then assess the prizes and divide them into everyday Depression Glass (which will be the prizes for the steal-a-gift game) and Elegant glassware (which is the better glass that has to be earned in bingo).

The experts deliberate to decide which is the very best piece of glass, and that one is designated as the prize for the winner of the hardest round of bingo—cover-all—which is one of the highlights among the more competitive partygoers.

Another lovely piece is set aside for the winner of a special drawing. Club members and party guests can donate non-perishables for a local food cupboard, and they receive a ticket for each item contributed. The winner of this drawing then goes home with a pretty piece filled with chocolate, which is as much of an enticement for this crowd as the glassware.

Back at the wrap party, the rest of team gets to work fitting the pieces of glass to the dozens and dozens of small boxes that the elves have stockpiled over the year, which is easy to do when they themselves frequently shop on eBay and have things—like glassware—sent to them.

Stockpiling boxes is easy, but finding enough in just the right sizes and shapes for the candlesticks, pitchers, vases, and other glass prizes is a real challenge.

Once swathed again in packing paper, and then boxed securely, each individual prize has to be beautifully wrapped in festive paper and properly identified: bows for the bingo prizes and curly ribbons for the steal-a-gift game—or was it bows for the stealing game and ribbons for the bingo prizes?

Then the bedecked presents are boxed up into the cartons again and hauled away and temporarily stored until the big party, which happens to be this Friday, Dec. 7.

Once the scene has been cleared—and some order has been restored to the host helpers’ home, which happens to have several amazing collections of glassware fit for display at The Collectors museum—the elves line up for a buffet of snacks that’s enough to fuel them back to the North Pole.

With 14 or so glass-loving elves together, the conversation naturally revolved around the prizes and the holiday party and the Depression Glass Club’s programs for next year. The talk also went back to the food a time or two since collectors love their refreshments almost as much as their collections—almost.

For members and guests of the Depression Glass Club holiday party, winning one of these prizes might be the inspiration for a new collection.

Come Friday, the festivities will begin with a buffet of heavy hors d’ouvreurs and desserts, followed by the steal-a-gift game that gets everyone up and moving and laughing at whose stealing from whom.

Then we’ll get down to the bingo, which includes a half-dozen or more variations, and some serious prize winning—and maybe a little envy and a few reasons to start a new collection or two.

Here’s to the beginning of the holiday season and all the ways our collections help us celebrate.

Patti
The Committed Collector

If your collections are a part of your holiday traditions, please leave a comment. We’d love to hear how your treasures fit into your celebrations.

Posted on November 17, 2018November 17, 2018 by admin

Thanksgiving Collections

I’m sure there are all sorts of things we could collect to commemorate Thanksgiving.

I myself collect dishes with turkeys on them and amber glassware and ceramic pumpkins, of course. However, I think there are other, more important “things” to collect to honor the sentiment of Thanksgiving.

For example, we could collect…

appreciation, gratitude, and thankfulness
beneficence, blessings, and gifts
gladness, happiness, and joy
family, kin, and relatives
home, hearth, and warmth
celebrations, dinners, and feasts

I’m sure you, too, can think of other “things” to collect that mean far more than the collectibles, decorations, and dust-catchers that we acquire.

While we’re thinking of all the “things” we have to be thankful for, let’s make sure we enjoy the upcoming holiday with the ones we love and let them know how important they are to us.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone.

Patti
The Committed Collector

Posted on November 10, 2018 by admin

The Best Reasons to Collect

A collecting friend and I were talking the other evening about ways to explain our interests to others, who have yet to be bitten by our particular collecting bugs.

She mentioned that people often become interested in collecting antique postcards (which is one of her areas of specialty) when they come across ones from their hometowns. Maybe they were just wandering through an antiques store or show and noticed boxes of postcards, all nicely categorized.

From there, they probably noticed the boxes labeled by state and then the cards groups by cities, towns, and major attractions. Once they realized they could recapture images from their childhood, they’re on the way to being hooked by the various charms of postcards.

However, reawakening childhood memories isn’t the only reason to collect. In fact, I can think of several other excellent reasons to shop, buy, display, and store far more than anyone really needs.

The Best Reasons to Collect

1. Memories—As just mentioned, collecting items that bring back memories and feelings of nostalgia are popular reasons to buy vintage and antique items, especially toys.

2. Souvenirs—Likewise, picking up mementoes and other trinkets that will remind us of our current travels and experiences are reasons to shop—or to hang on to things like maps, tickets, and show programs.

3. Adventures—Collecting, often called antiquing, can be an adventure in itself and can get us out of the house and encourage outings to shops and markets near and far.

4. Usefulness—Collecting things we can actually use around the house means our money goes twice as far, so feel free to amass kitchen gear, wicker baskets, and antique furniture.

5. Holidays and Seasons—Linking our collecting with our family celebrations and traditions is another way to make our spending do double duty: We get the thrill of hunting and gathering as well as the feelings evoked by seasonal collectibles.

6. Attractiveness—Investing our time and money in beautiful items that can be considered decorative accessories and even works of art means we can surround ourselves with things we enjoy seeing.

7. Other Sensual Appeals—Likewise, collecting music or wind chimes is something auditory people will do, while buying games or puzzles that can be played is something experiential types will enjoy, and collecting textiles and stuffed animals is for tactile types.

8. Shared Interests—Another way collecting can help us feel things is by sharing our interests and adventures will like-minded people. The only thing better than an afternoon antiquing is an afternoon antiquing with a shopping friend.

9. Personal Emotions—Of course, the best reason to collect any genre is because of the way the things make you feel. Maybe colorful teapots make getting out of bed worthwhile. Perhaps humorous ties make getting dressed up for the office bearable. Perhaps landscape drawings make coming home even better for you.

No matter what you collect, or whatever reasons you have for owning things, ultimately it’s the positive ways they make you feel that are truly important, so make sure to take time to enjoy your collections. You built them for a reason—or two.

Patti
The Committed Collector

How about you? What are your reasons for collecting? Please leave a comment and let us know. We’d love to hear about your interests.

Posted on November 3, 2018November 3, 2018 by admin

Literary Leanings

It’s already November, and many of us in Western New York are wondering what’s happened to autumn and all its beautiful colors. Some trees are finally turning, and the drive across town includes a radiant scene or two, but the usual bright yellows and deep scarlets have been slow to appear—or quick to disappear with the gusting winds.

Indeed, we’ve had quite a bit of clouds and rain lately, which makes the seasonal fun of raking leaves and other outdoor activities a challenge. Of course, that means indoor activities—like antiquing and surfing the web—are calling to us committed collectors.

A day like today, which is rainy and chilly and altogether dreary, is, in fact, the perfect day for collecting —and particularly for indulging in a certain genre of collecting, and I’m one of many who have literary leanings.

In other words, I love books. I buy books, and I borrow them from our esteemed Monroe County Library System. I buy new books, and I buy used ones. I buy books to read, books to look through, ones to have on hand as a reference, and a few simply to have.

Accordingly, I have a large collection of books, or at least an extensive accumulation of them:

My personal library includes two bookcases full of cookbooks that serve as fonts of inspiration and sources for an occasional recipe or two.
I have another two bookcases full of tomes on architecture, interior design, and decorating, and I’ve learned quite a lot from them.
I have a full bookcase of gardening books, including several shelves dedicated to growing roses, which have provided helpful information, ongoing motivation, and constant envy.
Then there’s the bookcase with romance novels and the one with real literature, including the works of Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Mark Twain.
Another bookcase holds my favorites from the realm of popular fiction, like the Outlander series and the Father Tim stories.
Yet another two bookcases house my library of non-fiction, including a variety of writing guides, self-help books, and works on popular culture, including The Phantom of the Opera and other musicals.
Of course, as someone who is opening a museum dedicated to displaying large collections, I’m also putting together a library of books about collecting and collections, museums and galleries, which provide great information and much inspiration.
Finally, there’s the shrine dedicated to my collection of books about tea and teatime. These books are probably the only ones that I primarily collect. The others I actually use.

I buy teatime books because I collect teapots and other tea-related items.

My teatime books, therefore, are part of my larger teatime collection. They fill all four shelves of a short-yet-wide bookcase and are beginning to get stacked on top. That means it’s either time to cull my collection or get a taller bookcase—time for a new bookcase, of course.

My teatime library includes quite a few books about the Camellia sinensis plant and its origin in Asia, dozens about the English custom of afternoon tea, and even some teatime fiction, like the Laura Childs’ tea shop mystery series.

I’ve looked through all of these books. I’ve learned a lot about growing tea and processing it. I’ve often referred to the ones on afternoon tea for inspiration and recipes, and I’ve even read the tea-themed novels.

Nonetheless, I buy these books not to use them, but to have them, to organize and to preserve them, for they represent the knowledge and scope of the plant, the product, and the meal. In short, my library of tea-related books is another sub-collection of mine that I enjoy almost as much as my teapot collection.

And a day like today is one designed for a pot of hot tea, a comfy throw, and a stack of books. Maybe I’ll start with my Thanksgiving cookbooks and then move on to an anthology of Thanksgiving romances.

Patti
The Committed Collector

What are you doing on a dreary Saturday? Giving in to the shopping temptations on the Internet? Binge watching a collection of DVDs? Rereading a classic work of literature or revisiting a childhood favorite? Why not leave a comment and let us know how you enjoy your collections on a day off? We’d love to hear from you.