teatime – The Committed Collector

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

If you’ve been reading my blog posts for the past year and a half, you’ve probably heard me talk about “avid” collectors who have “extensive” collections.

Although I’m sure you know what the words “avid” and “extensive” mean, I’m also pretty sure you have absolutely no idea what amassing extensive collections means–unless you’re the kind of collector I’m talking about, of course.

Most people have absolutely no idea how many items one person can collect. Most simply can’t imagine anyone acquiring enough to fill his or her home, but that’s what passionate collectors often do.

When collectors are passionate about their areas of interest, they can easily go overboard–and that’s putting it mildly. They shop and buy, and then look and acquire again, and then shop and buy still more.

They end up with collections of collections because almost any collection can be broken into subcategories, which can lead to sub-collections.

Take teapots, for example. I began collecting teapots to use when I have tea parties, so I soon had a dozen or more pretty, floral, or feminine ones. Naturally, I needed a variety of teapots to go with the various sets of china I’d collected.

Of course, I kept picking up pretty teapots whether I actually needed them or not. Being feminine and floral was all that mattered. They only needed to be beautiful to catch my eye and make their way into my home.

During my shopping excursions, I also noticed practical, traditional teapots, so I began collecting them for everyday use.

Of course, I didn’t just get one, like a normal person, or even two to serve the whole family or to have a spare. I bought practical teapots in all sizes and shapes and colors. I bought so many that I quickly ended up with a collection of practical teapots.

Then I discovered Asian teapots, holiday pots, and other whimsical ones. I fell for the matching creamers and sugar bowls.

I spotted tea tins, tea scoops, tea infusers, tea strainers, and tea cozies, so I now have dozens of each.

I noticed books about English afternoon tea, teatime greeting cards, and teatime stationery as well as pictures, posters, and photos of teapots and teatime scenes.

After 15 years of collecting tea-related items, I have dozens of teapots displayed in a several rooms around the house. I have dozens of boxes of teapots in the attic and even more in a mini-storage unit.

I have more teapots than I need, than I can display, and than I can comfortably live with.

And I’m not alone when it comes to being passionate for, obsessed with, or downright compulsive about collecting.

Several recent estate sale ads show that others have amassed extensive collections, too. The photos show their homes filled with their treasures.

In one case, there’s nothing practical in any of the rooms. The rooms are filled–literally filled–with various collections, but nothing practical, useful, or typical remains. What’s left of their daily lives has been replaced by one kind of collection or another.

I wonder where all their collections were when the owners were still alive.

The difference between these extreme collectors and me, for now, is that I’m trying to do something more with my collections before I’m not around to supervise the estate sale.

You may have heard that I’m working to open The Collectors of Western New York museum, so avid, passionate, and compulsive collectors alike can have the space they need to display their extensive, enormous, outrageous collections–while they can still enjoy them–and so they can enjoy their homes, too.

This just might be the year that The Collectors museum opens, so stay tuned to learn what kinds of amazing things will be displayed there.

Until then, let’s make sure we’re enjoying what we’ve got.

Patti
The Committed Collector

Are you an avid collector, too? If so, please leave a comment, and let us know what you collect, where you put all your collections–or how you store them.

The Committed Collector

Tag: teatime

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