holidays – Page 2 – The Committed Collector

Posted on September 11, 2018 by admin

Collecting Memories

Today is still a day of remembrance and even mourning for many Americans, so antiquing and shopping–and collecting in general, for that matter–seem like rather trivial topics.

Writing about patriotic collectibles, as I did on the Fourth of July, seems rather questionable today, even though Sept. 11 has become known as Patriot Day.

Of course, many undoubtedly collect Americana as a tribute to those who fought to protect us or who were lost in the battle. In addition, the popularity of red, white, and blue collectibles surely increased since the surge of patriotism and solidarity that ensued in the years since 2001, so there are many good reasons to collect such items.

In addition, collecting Liberty bells, Colonial flags, and other items related to the foundation of our country has always been popular. From mementos to historical artifacts to symbolic objects, it’s been a long-standing tradition to collect vintage items from the past or contemporary ones that depict scenes or motifs from days gone by, like souvenir monuments or reproduction fabrics and papers.

Even so, a day like today makes me realize that the best things to collect are memories. It’s more important to make time for the people in our lives than to spend time caring for the things in our homes.

Let’s share the day with the people we love and make memories worth cherishing. After all, they’re the only things truly worth collecting.

Patti
The Committed Collector

Posted on August 31, 2018 by admin

Collecting with Mom

Holidays (even ones like Labor Day that don’t have an array of trappings associated with them) always make me think of my family, especially my mother who made all of our holidays special.

Mom had always wanted four daughters, but I was her only one, so we were quite close. Mom was a rather progressive mother and taught me how to take care of a home as well as how to go out into the work world. When I was a child, she was the best mother I could imagine. When I became an adult, she became one of my best friends.

All along, Mom also instilled in me her love of beautiful things, respect for the past, and appreciation of cherished heirlooms (regardless of any monetary value).

When I finally finished college and had a real job and a place of my own in Jacksonville, Florida, Mom and I would go shopping from time to time to find things to feather my nest. Had I been practical, I would have wanted to go to the department stores at our nearby mall, Regency Square. Of course, I was more interested in exotic things, pretty pieces, and hidden treasures, so I usually wanted to go to places like Pier One Imports, antiques shops, and back-roads flea markets.

One of our favorite places was a small, independent antiques shop that had opened up in a former convenience store at the corner of Lone Star and Mill Creek roads. It was a free-standing building, with only the one storefront that had huge picture windows that let in a lot of light.

The shop was only a few miles from my childhood home, so I could pick up Mom, and she and I could be there in just minutes. Better still, the shop was open on Sundays until late afternoon, so we could get in some antiquing even on busy weekends.

That was a real treat for us both. In those days, the late 1980s and early 1990s, many antiques shops were often located in downtown settings or tourist towns, so having one in our own suburb was a delight. It also created a danger for me, especially.

You see, the shop was owned by a woman who had decidedly feminine sensibilities. Consequently, the shop had very little in the way of machinery, tools, sporting equipment, and other traditionally masculine items.

Instead, the owner filled the shelves with needlework, lamps, and candlesticks. The tables were set with china and glassware, silver and linens. One display after another was filled with beautiful things that sparkled and shone.

They were items that women would have used, so they were often decorated with flowers and garlands, scrolls and curlicues. The materials were often fine, like porcelain and crystal, and their colors were usually soft pastels.

I remember finding a small white teapot at that shop. It’s an individual teapot meant to hold only two cups of tea, and it’s just a perfect example of a teapot. The ceramic is fine, the glaze is pure white, and the decoration (swirls from base to opening) are delicate.

All these years later, that teapot that I found on a Sunday outing with my mother with remains one of my favorites. More important, I can’t see that teapot without recalling how Mom and I were together when I found it.

I also found a beautiful egg cup at that little shop. It’s a nice, white ceramic with a pink rose pattern on it. I rarely serve soft-boiled eggs, so I rarely use that darling egg cup. Perhaps I should, though. Again, thinking of it reminds me of my mother and how she taught me to notice details and appreciate beautiful things.

Unfortunately, that antiques shop didn’t stay in business for more than a year or two as I recall. How sad. It was a charming shop filled with lovely things. The owner was friendly, and she sold quality pieces. In addition, it was a place designed for women, and my mom and I were saddened by the loss of a place that honored the kinds of things that women past had used and women since could cherish.

Needless to say, I, the committed collector, still have both the teapot and the egg cup, which I’ve displayed in one apartment after another and in both houses we’ve bought here in the Rochester area. Both are still precious to me because they are beautiful and because they remind me of Mom.

So sad that she can’t be here this holiday weekend as we get together with family.

Happy Labor Day weekend, Everyone.

Patti
The Committed Collector

Posted on August 3, 2018 by admin

It’s Collecting Time

With the weekend here, committed collectors like I am might be thinking, “Forget Miller time. It’s collecting time.”

We’re likely to be looking forward to spending part of our Saturday or Sunday at garage sales or on antiquing jaunts, and even devoting the entire weekend at conventions where we can find all kinds of treasures.

Summer weekends are obviously times when recreational activities are popular, so they provide an easy answer to the question “When do collectors collect?” which is the next in the set of journalist’s questions I’m considering.

Online hunting and gathering happens before and after work and during breaks and all evening long for some devotees, so those are rather obvious responses, too. However, my musings have conjured up memories of the times in life (rather than the times of day) when I’ve been most likely to work on my collections.

Likewise, I’ve seen friends pursue their own collections when they’ve gone through different phases in life, so here’s a list of times when we avid collectors are most likely hitting the shops and building our treasure troves.

1. When we have more free time.

When we’re off for a holiday or we’ve got some vacation time, we dedicated collectors will probably spend some (or all) of it in search of pieces for our collections.

When graduates are able to work one full-time job instead of three part-time ones, they might spend some of their free time shopping. Maybe they’re now able to stop into the local vintage vinyl shop or home accessories chain more often.

When empty nesters find they have empty hours, too, they might go for Sunday drives and check out the antiques shops in neighboring small towns, and retirees are usually ready to spend their time doing things they enjoy—like traveling and going to collectors’ conventions, which often feature a number of ways to add to a collection.

2. When we have more money.

Those college grads in their first jobs might be able to use some of their newfound “wealth” to buy choice pieces for their Barbie or Star Wars collections. Established adults are also often at the time in their lives when they can pursue the finer things, so they might be able to buy things like fine art, estate jewelry, or classic cars.

That also means when collectors receive a windfall of any amount, they’re likely to pick up better pieces that they weren’t able to before. Receiving a birthday check or a holiday gift card or, when you’re really lucky, an inheritance can all be occasions to add to a collection.

3. When we move into a new place.

Because collecting takes space—and often lots of it—moving into a larger place is frequently the time when collectors can build their collections. Going from an apartment to a starter home and then to a forever home are typical times when collectors can choose space where they’ll display their collections and then add to them.

Ironically, just moving into a different place, even a smaller one, can be a time when collectors plan to acquire or keep just the right pieces for their collections. When we’re faced with a blank canvas and motivation to show off our treasures just right, we often do just that.

4. When we meet other collectors

Sometimes, collectors feel like they’re all alone in their pursuits because their family and friends just don’t understand what the attraction is to fishing lures or Halloween decorations or bone china teacups. When they finally meet another collector who shares their passion and their willingness to hit the road and engage in the chase, they’re excited to continue their pursuits.

Interestingly, your collecting comrades don’t have to collect what you collect to inspire renewed enthusiasm; another like-minded person with an appreciation for material culture is all it takes to make any time collecting time.

5. When we discover new venues.

Just as finding a kindred spirit in another collector, finding a new source for our favorite collectibles means having many opportunities to shop. Whether it’s an online store or an out-of-the way flea market, collectors often take the time to make return trips when they find places with more than they can buy with one week’s spending money. That means next weekend is collecting time, too.

6. When we discover other collectibles.

Probably the most “dangerous” occasion to collect is after we realize there are other things—different things, better things, more things, many more things—we can collect.

Retailers know all about this and tempt us at the turn of every season or whenever there’s a holiday coming up. When the stores start stocking their shelves, it’s time either to avoid the temptations or give in to them wholeheartedly.

This one little discovery—that there’s a lot more that can be added to our collections—can overtake our evenings with shopping online, reduce our Saturdays to going from one garage sale to another, and limit our Sundays to wandering around yet another flea market.

When a baseball card collector comes across vintage team jerseys, for instance—or when a collector of stamps also begins to notice antique postcards—or when a china collector realizes she needs linens to set a proper table—and crystal and silver, too—that’s when collecting can get really exciting!

That’s also why we need The Collectors Museum, where avid collectors (like yours truly) can display their extensive collections. Then we could spend more time admiring the treasures we’ve already amassed.

Until then, enjoy the weekend—and your time collecting.

Patti
The Committed Collector

Please leave a comment if you’ve spent way too much time collecting, and let us know what kinds of collectibles you devote your spare time to.

Posted on July 4, 2018 by admin

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.