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What Else I Collect

I was able to attend the monthly meeting of the local Depression Glass Club this past week, and discovered yet another reason to enjoy the organization and appreciate its members.

The group doesn’t meet in November because we’re all busy using our best china and glassware to serve our Thanksgiving dinners. We don’t have a formal meeting in December either because we’ve set aside an evening of holiday merrymaking that includes feasting, playing games, and winning glorious vintage glass as the prizes, of course.

With no more formal meetings this year, the club had to consider its programs for 2019 this month. When the president asked for suggestions, the members came through a number of popular kinds of Depression Glass, including the following:

  • salt and peppers
  • pitchers and beverage sets
  • kitchenware
  • elegant stemware
  • candlesticks
  • dresser pieces
  • children’s sets
  • glass animals
  • holiday pieces
  • Vaseline glass
  • teacups

As a teapot collector, I’d readily vote for a program on vintage glass cups and saucers any day. When another member suggested including teapots, too, I voted with both hands.

(Unfortunately, I don’t have an antique glass teapot, so I’ll have to ask Santa to include a gift certificate for a shopping spree, which means I’ll have to work hard to stay on the nice list until then.)

In the meantime, I can take solace in the fact that the very first suggestion for the glass club’s 2019 schedule was “What else I collect,” which was met with a rousing round of applause.  Okay.  Maybe I just imagined that part.

Even so, I love it. I absolutely, positively love it: People who are dedicated to collecting glassware of the Depression Era area also crazy about other collectibles, too. Just like I am.

They’re my kind of people through and through, and I appreciate the time and effort, knowledge and talent they all put in to building their intriguing, impressive collections.

Why not check out the Depression Glass Club’s Facebook page and then join us for a meeting in 2019? You’ll probably like the group as much as I do.

Patti
The Committed Collector

How about you? Do you have multiple collections, too? If so, please leave a comment and tell us about the things that attract your fancy.

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

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How Do Collectors Collect?

Finally! I’ve worked my way through the journalists’ questions and have considered the who, what, when, where, why, and how of collecting and collectors.

Accordingly, I thought it would be appropriate to finish up this collection of questions with another collection of answers—specifically an assemblage of adverbs. I thought of many of these descriptive terms myself, and I discovered others by right clicking on my original word choices in my document and then seeing lists of synonyms upon synonyms, provided courtesy of Microsoft Word.

Here, then, is my rundown—complete with a collection of numerous adverbs—of how collectors go about finding additional pieces for their collections:

  • Younger, newer collectors (as I once was) often purchase items for their collections with more enthusiasm than skill (as I once did), so they collect enthusiastically (actively, willingly, devotedly, eagerly, ardently, unreservedly, strongly, or heartily).
  • Older, more experienced and educated collectors often buy knowledgeably. They develop considerable knowledge over time, so they become authorities who are highly informed about, or at least keenly aware of, their subjects and become well acquainted or familiar with the scope of their fields.
  • Casual collectors, who are only somewhat interested in assembling a collection, often pick up pieces informally (nonchalantly or offhandedly) or even randomly (arbitrarily, haphazardly, aimlessly, erratically, indiscriminately, unsystematically, or accidentally), so they can end up with small, incomplete, or disjointed collections, which I have done a time or two.
  • Avid collectors are often dedicated to building their collections and determined to acquire as many representative pieces as they can, so they often collect methodically (systematically, carefully, precisely, meticulously, regularly, or painstakingly).
  • Others who are inexperienced, driven, or reckless are at risk of purchasing, and ultimately collecting, hastily (hurriedly, quickly, speedily, or rapidly), which is how I shopped when I first discovered restaurantware and grabbed up almost every piece I came across—even ones that were plain, flawed, or damaged.
  • More serious collectors shop more carefully. They are prudent, sensible, judicious, cautious, wise, and wary about their acquisitions, so they take great care during the purchasing process.
  • Such careful collectors, always on the lookout for new additions, might shop regularly, yet buy only rarely—when that special piece comes along in the right condition at the right price.
  • Others shop occasionally, like seasonally with the sales or only annually while on vacation. However, those bitten by the collecting bug might shop much more frequently by making the rounds weekly or even by checking online daily, as this committed collector once did.
  • Some acquire items locally, here in the Rochester area, while others find pieces remotely, either from a distance by shopping online or in faraway places while traveling the States or even touring abroad.
  • Some collectors go about the process socially (or communally together with friends or family or shopping partners or through their personal contacts in shops and online), while others collect individually (singly, alone, or separately).
  • Some—perhaps those who have exhausted their time, money, or space—might shop privately (secretly or even covertly), while others who are still able to do so shop openly (overtly or publicly).
  • Of course, many collectors like to buy items on sale; most are willing to pay full price for desirable pieces, and some are willing to make their purchases at any price, especially when they’re getting treasures they covet.
  • Finally, longtime, dedicated collectors go about the process of acquiring news pieces either emotionally or logically. They either follow their heart or listen to their head. They’re either passionate about their pastime and buy what they love whenever they can without too much thought, or they weigh their options carefully, make sound judgments, and buy the best pieces at the best prices.
  • In both cases, using emotion or using logic, the vast majority of avid collectors, myself included, do so happily, which is my final word on how to collect.

Patti
The Committed Collector

So how do you go about adding to your collection? Do you collect systematically, or do you shop irregularly? Leave a comment and let us know how you’re building your collections. We’d love to compare methods with you.

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

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Some Reasons Why People Collect

If you live with a non-collector, or have family or friends who don’t feel compelled to buy in quantities, you’re probably familiar with questions like these:

  • Don’t you already have one of those? Why do you need another one?
  • How many of those things do you have anyway?
  • Don’t you think you have enough?

Those who haven’t been bitten by the collecting bug, just don’t get it. Those of us who have, however, know there are several reasons—and valid ones at that—why we think more is better and some is never enough.

In short, we collect because we like the things in our collections, because they make us feel a certain way, and because they represent something else.

However, as I’m working my way through that collection of prompts known as the journalists’ questions, I’ve come up with several more explanations that answer the question “Why collect?”

Last time, I shared one or two reasons why I’ve been a serious collector for more years than I care to admit. What follows now are my additional thoughts on why some people (myself included) simply aren’t satisfied with acquiring things in moderation or appreciating them from afar.

We committed collectors have several good reasons why we’re willing to invest time, money, and space into amassing multitudes of the things we collect. Besides, six or eight reasons are always better than two or three, so here goes:

Some of us collectors are tactile by nature, so having the ability to touch and hold and inspect interesting objects appeals to us. We like things that have texture (like fabric and oil paintings) or are mechanical (like tools and typewriters). More important, we like being able to have access to such collectibles, to be able to re-inspect them, and even to use them. We enjoy being able to examine them, to organize them, and to keep them together as the collections we are building.

A similar kind of collector is inherently visual, so he or she is drawn to things because of their artistry, craftsmanship, or other hallmarks of beauty. These collectors (like yours truly) are moved by the very sight of their collectibles, so they are happy to have them around and on display. Aspects of appearance, such as color, sheen, and motif, appeal to visual types, so, again, they collect because they appreciate the look of things—like sparkling glass, floral china, or intricate wood-working.

Another kind of collector takes a more cerebral approach and becomes fascinated by the objects of his or her desire. These scientific types like to learn all they can about their collectibles, such as their origins, design, and manufacture, and, if they’re like me, they enjoy having multiple examples of all that’s available. Each variation represents another specimen and is worthy of being cataloged in the collection.

Finally, some collectors are all heart, so they value reminders of their loved ones and their experiences. They collect souvenirs and buy romantic, nostalgic, or similar items because of the emotions they evoke. They collect because, for them, the items represent a connection to someone or something, and they simply love to surround themselves with things that have personal meaning for them (such as Grandma’s costume jewelry or Granddad’s fishing hats, or wedding cake toppers, baby dolls, or team memorabilia).

Of course, some of these reasons overlap a bit with others, and some collectors, no doubt, have multiple reasons for being attracted to things, wanting to own them, and generally being smitten by their collections.

That’s the nature of the game, isn’t it? The more collectibles, the better, so the more reasons, the better, too.

I wonder which ones will tempt me this weekend?

Patti
The Committed Collector

How about you? Do you know why you’re a collector? If so, leave a comment and share your thoughts about the reasons why you collect.

 

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

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Why I’m a Collector

Several years ago when I would go antiquing, I occasionally picked up bits of china or glassware because they were the kinds of things my mother would have liked. I bought small decorative plates with romantic scenes painted on them, and I added to the 1950s’ etched glassware that I remembered in my mom’s kitchen.

I didn’t particularly like those things myself, but during the year or two after my mother’s death, collecting them was a way to keep Mom close to me. Whenever I spotted certain things in thrift stores or at flea markets, I’d say, “Oh, Mom would have liked that,” and if the price was right, I’d buy them.

Then, I’d pack them away to be used some day—some day when I had a house—when I’d find some use for them.

For only a short while, I collected certain things because they reminded me of my mother and I felt they kept her in my life; however, I held onto those things and kept them boxed up for much longer.

Finally in 2004, as I settled into my first real home here in the Rochester area and unpacked one box after another, I eventually came across those things that Mom would have liked. I realized why I had bought them and admitted that I really didn’t like them, so I reluctantly gave them up.

Deciding to give up those items was easy; letting go of them as tokens of my connection to my mother was more difficult.

I sold a few at a garage sale or two, and I donated even more to charity. Each time, it was another good bye, but it was a farewell only to the things, and only with a twinge of sadness, but it wasn’t a farewell to my mother at all.

Instead, revisiting each of those pieces as I gave them up, and seeing similar ones in the years since, has become a welcome reminder of my mother and her aesthetic sensibilities.

Mom wasn’t an actual collector and didn’t have large collections, but she certainly appreciated pretty things—feminine things—and I love being reminded of that.

Also, knowingly or not, Mom instilled that same love of beauty in me, which is surely one of the factors why I’m a committed collector today.

The primary reason why I’ve been a lifelong collector is because I love things. It’s that simple. I love beauty and I love artistry. I love human ingenuity and talent and craftsmanship and the great variety of things we’re able to create.

Another reason why I not only appreciate things but also feel the need to acquire them is because I catalog things. I collect not only with an appreciative heart but also with a scientific mind (if I may be so bold as to say such a thing about myself, untrained as I am).
Like a scientist, I value examples, samples, and specimens—and how they relate to each other.

I lie awake at night and try to design a schematic that will connect all the various kinds of teapots in my collection—just as all the known species in the plant and animal kingdoms have been classified in their own branching trees of life.

When people ask me what my favorite teapot is, I can’t answer because I can’t choose. How can I say that I value a traditional floral teapot more than a modern clean-lined model? How can I decide between a highly decorated side-handle Asian teapot and a homey English Brown Betty?

Scientists aren’t supposed to favor the things they study; they’re supposed to discover, identify, and document, as well as conserve, all specimens that exist, which is what many collectors try to do.

Some of us collect because we value the wide range within our fields, and we want collections that include—and, therefore, preserve—examples of every kind or type available to us. We are fascinated by the scope of and variety within our fields, and we want to build collections that are complete and comprehensive.

Each collecting excursion for us avid collectors is, generally speaking, an expedition, and our collections then reflect the discoveries we’ve made during our careers as collectors.

Of course, some of us collect for other reasons, too; however, we’ll save them for next time.

Until then, I’ll say, “the more, the merrier.”

Patti
The Committed Collector

If you take a scientific approach to collecting, please leave a comment and let us know what you’re trying to assemble and how you’re organizing your specimens.  We’re curious about your discoveries.

 

© 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.

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