Do you collect anything?

Besides dust. Seriously. I have a little collection of stereographs which are specific to a particular place, but I can't quite wrap my head around an obsessive collection of anything. Do you have an expansive or valuble collection of anything that you've amassed yourself? If so, what be it?


Alyssa, my Balinese princess from the shelter

it's starting to be a problem. I'm going to have to enter rehab. The positive side is I have the most divine bed in all of Florida.

I understand. I REALLY understand. That's definitely something worth obsessing about as opposed to, say, mint-in-box action figures... ;-)


Alyssa, my Balinese princess from the shelter

no kidding. I could never afford any of them full price.

Anime... Drugs would be cheaper.

From the 50's and 60's. I also have a collection of about 50 card board film advertisements that were inserted into frames in the old subway cars in NYC in the 60's.

Sporters mostly, but I do have this thing for 1911's. For the uninformed, the 1911 was the sidearm of the U.S. military for over 70 years until it was replaced by the Beretta 9MM in the 80's. The 1911 is also the preferred handgun for Steven Seagall (sp) in his cop movies.

I also collect vintage cookbooks (40s, 50s, and 60s preferably, but I also have a few earlier ones and some as late as the 70s), and particular types of vintage kitchenware. I also collect ephemera such as vintage menus and magazine ads.

And I collect old board games and old game show memorabilia.

Here are a couple of my menus -





One of my radios and some vintage books -




And the 1960s Napco cookie jar that is identical to the one my mother has. I have lots of happy memories of that cookie jar, which is why I bought this one -

spring powered gizmo's.........they walk around. Simple as that. Once in a great while I get them all out, wind them up, and the cats have so much fun(not as much fun as me) and then they go back in the boxes.

Nothing really, unless you count shoes.

Also "Wades" they are figurines in Red Rose tea boxes.

and stuffed toads playing musical instruments

Some are hard to find in any format.

that I've got a pretty good wrinkle collection going.

from my Macaw

Only because I love them, and wherever I go I usually buy one or two.

I love the art, the imagery, the differences between decks. Plus, not having any faith in anything means I don't care if someone else touches the cards, which makes displaying them easier.

1.) Antique International Harvester Cub Cadet lawn and garden tractors.

2.) '60s musclecars by Ford.

Packer memorabilia

I almost never wear perfume, I dislike most artificial scents, but I collect perfume bottles. I like how beautiful they are and the history.

.. actually, books period of any sort ... but especially first edition books.

.. unfortuantely, I tend to then give the 1st editions away as presents, so my collection stays only a couple shelves-worth, but it's find finding them anyway

of david baldacci's first book for $1.50 at a thrift shop. i didn't realize it at the time. i had the paperback in my pocket, but i hate paperbacks. i was early for a doctors appointment with my kid, and killed the time at the hospital thrift shop.
mostly i collect junk. but i have some art. mostly from charity auctions.

because if you're not a fan - then you can sell it for profit and get one you want ... or you can just add it to your collection as a "freebie"

my best thrift shop find - wasn't a book -- it was the "perfect" pair of jeans. 1989, I think. For 2.50. They were just perfect -- I wore them all the time -- and I still do -- I've had to have them patched -- such that actually, there's little of the original jean there (and I've probably paid .. well .. way too much for all the patching) -- but they remain the most perfect jean ever. (And, of course, are no longer made. :::sigh:::)

is a great dumpster pearl.
i have friend that moved to the ex-urbs, and her only real regret is that she never runs into great garbage anymore, and the handful of thrift shops suck.

haven't had that experience yet ... but can see how it'd be great.

on the big moving days in the city.

... I just moved ...

and left a great big pile of stuff -- good stuff -- but it didn't match or fit in my new space. I LEFT it in the "charity" space in our building ... but most of it disappeared before the charity pick-up day.

so -- at least SOMEONE's enjoying it, so that's ok.

:)

that when i have something that i don't need, and i put it in the alley, the chances are that someone will pick it up. it's a regular job around here. at the very least, big metal things get recycled. there is a huge second hand economy here.

recycle .

And, of course, it makes me feel less guilty for getting something new -- because someone will like and appreciate what I'm getting rid of.

:)

What was that line from the Big Chill? Something like "rationalization is more important than sex ... ever try to go more than a day without one?"

about my husband. he is the shopper in the family. he is just the worst. i haven't bought a new article of clothing in years, except as a gift.
you're right about rationalization, tho.

welll...I have a rule - no more than 10 of any type of clothing. So, if I'm at the limit and want something new, I have to decide which piece to get rid of.

Of course .. back to rationalizations .. I DID, after a while, change my categories <giggling> I.e., instead of no more than 10 pairs of shoes, I changed it to no more than 10 pairs of dress shoes and no more than 10 pairs of casual shoes. Instead of no more than 10 shirts, I changed it to no more than 10 blouses, 10 T-s and 10 casual shirts. .. but .. it still .. results in at least SOME control.

Not a lot, granted - but SOME. :)

and other smoking paraphenalia.... ash trays, cig boxes etc

that and little balls of lint.

Swords, knives, balisongs, dirks, daggers, stilettos...

And bruises, though I don't keep those as long as I do the scars.

Redstone

Definitely more than 500. I think my first is from the Rick Springfield "Success hasn't spoiled me yet" tour. Basically...you name it....i've seen it!

I'm trying to figure out the best way to frame them. Longterm I'd like to make it wallpaper or a bar in my rec room/theater/bar. That'll have to wait until I buy a house.

Tarot decks, unusual playing cards. The tea cups collect dust!

All from the 1950's:

A Pair of 1958 Oldsmobiles.
15 or so different dinnerware sets.
Plastic-Handled Silverware.
80+ Animal-themed ceramic dresser caddies.
80+ animal-shaped wire letter holders.
Kreiss Oriental Figures.
Big-Eyed Kids Prints.
Holt Howard Ceramic Cats & Mice.
Haeger Gold Tweed Pottery.
Argus Cameras.
Vintage Ties and Fedoras.
Original 45 rpm's and LP's.
A few Jukeboxes, pinballs, puck-bowling shuffle alleys.
Better Homes & Gardens Magazines.
American Home Magazines.
Model Railroader Magazines.
Ceramic Poodles.
~100 Chalkware Fish.
~3000 pieces of Melmac.
Heywood Wakefield Furniture.
50+ board games.
Tiki lounge stuff.
Barware.
Shadowboxes.
Home Repair Encyclopedia Sets
Kitchen Plasticware.

So to answer your question, yes, I collect.

RL

I was a kid in the 50's. I loved the 50's! That's great stuff you have. 3000 pieces of Melmac! Are there different colors? I'll bet there's some of that turquiose color and orange and green.

Had a whole extra room in the house where we displayed all the Melmac too. In china hutches, on shelves, hung on the wall. Had cups and saucers hung on the kitchen wall.

But we packed it all away when we moved 2 years ago, and they are all still in boxes in the basement...

Melmac came in great shapes and colors!

RL

You have a great treasure there.

and any sort of retro piece that catches my eye..

17th through 19th century illustrated books, mostly. I think my oldest one is from 1638. I often end up using them for inspiration for some of my illustrations (that's what I do for a living), plus, they do make for good reading, of course. It's a useful collection. :-)

BTW- love your kitty-she's a beauty!

I still love birds, but the angels are collecting dust. However, the frogs are beginning their invasion :)

and I'm sure I have QUITE a bit of money in those. Maybe I should start selling! ;)

Books, but I don't collect them for collecting sake, I read what I buy. That's about all.

cashmere sweatpants

They're all over the place. Look! There's one in the corner!

from our travels, a few Hallmark Christmas ornament series, cookbooks, interesting tiles from various places,

my husband has a great assortment of dinosaur figurines,and a fairly interesting rock collection (he is a geologist, after all) and our daughter has a collection of stuffed bats that we have given her over her life time, hanging in various places in her room. how many 20 year olds have cute little stuffed bats AND a japanese sword decorating their room? She is eclectic, that one.

I love cut glass, and crystal; have a small collection of inherited pieces which I love. Also inherited part of my aunt's demitasse cup collection (divided it up with my sisters)

I also collect cat hair, dryer lint, newspapers and water bottles by default, dust bunnies, unresolved correspondence, cat toys, and dirty laundry! Guess I am too attached to them to clean house LOL

on edit: I also collect iris, lily, and daylily plants for my garden.
Every year I go to the iris and daylily shows and buy a few more and scztter them around. Every year I order lilies from Brecks and scatter them around. They come back every year and make more!!! Each return is an opportunity to greet them anew!

:P

and yes... technically they were not "pulp fiction," but that is their popular genre title, so I'm sticking to it. :)
Got into this discussion once with a hardcore pulp fiction fan and his voice still rings gratingly in my ear. :P

Mostly the Power of the Force line and the figures from Episode I (the Episode II figs were of terrible quality, so I didn't even bother). I guess I tried to make up for getting rid of my original Star Wars toys as a kid (stupid, stupid, stupid!). I still have them, and I'm currently debating whether or not I should keep them. Thanks to Lucas' overmerchandising, they're not worth much.

Also pretty feathers, interesting stones, old bottles - in other words, any cool junk I find. I need another house for the damn books which are presently in 7 or 8 large boxes downstairs waiting patiently for hubby to build my giant bookcase. Oh, and wine. Not anything fancy or expensive or rare - I just have this compulsion to buy wine (I run a wine and liquor department so I see when things go on good pricing).

I don't know why. Try to explain any freakish obsession. I have a pretty good collection going of movie memoribilia from the flick. The Japaneese are also in love with Gremlins stuff, so i'll be up to my ears in re-issue crap for years to come.

with birds and bird figurines, especially eagles and swans.
Lighthouses and anything with their likeness on it.
And I have a good sports collection. Especially Joe Montana. Lots and lots of Joe stuff. Probably most every plate, figurine, etc. out there.
I miss Joe. It'll be 10 years April 18th since he retired and to me football just isn't the same.:(

I don't know who those bitches are on e-bay who keep out bidding me but it's got to stop. I just paid 85 dollars for two badgers. I thought I would be the only person in the world who collects these.
Damn them.

http://search.ebay.com/hagen-renaker_W0QQfkrZ1QQfromZR8

we have a couple thousand and counting... we ran out of jar space to keep them in, so the rest of them are just in a box... we have to buy another one of those huge water jugs to put our boxed up balls in.

I have sun gods, moon goddesses all over the place in my condo.

No, I'm kidding. There's no market anymore.

Again, I'm kidding. :D