Are You A Collector?

[barry1010]

I enjoy looking at art, antiques, jewellery in all forms but don't want to own it or live with it.

I love reading and am grateful to the authors for giving me years of entertainment and information.  I don't keep the books.

I don't feel compelled to complete a set of anything.

If you have a collection, tell me about it and why you enjoy collecting. When your collection is complete are you determined to keep it?

[barry1010]

And a secondary question.  When does collecting become hoarding?

[Hopkirk]

I think collecting is for something with value, hoarding is just keeping rubbish and worthless stuff.

[Barmaid]

I'm a collector.  I collect Georgian silver.  I try and collect lady silversmiths or rarer assay offices, but I only buy things I like.  I have a very fine collection of georgian strainer spoons, but also a fair number of basting spoons, tongs, creamers, tankards, salts and other bits and pieces.  

It gets lovingly polished and kept in a cabinet, but I do use it when I have the chance, since if you use silver it develops a skin that no polishing will ever recreate.

I love to think of where it was used - whose grand table did something made in 1780 grace, who cleaned it, who served with it.  I just love that sense of history.  And it's shiny.

[Canary42]

Neither of my collections will ever be complete which is why both were short-lived and I only have token collections in each case.

 

But I do tend to "hoard" books, some of which I'm sure I won't get round to reading again. I keep promising myself to have a clear out, but procrastination prevails. 

[barry1010]

I'm pleased you use it, Barmaid.  I can appreciate the beauty, skill and age of your silver.  There were some fine silversmiths at that time in my home town, in Birmingham. 

Do you think the time will come when you believe your collection is complete?

[barry1010]

What were you collecting, Canary?

I confess to have forgotten that I treasured my marbles when I were a lad, now long gone.  I still like looking at complex and simple marbles

[barry1010]

Hopkirk, one man's rubbish....

'Hoarder' does bring to mind the tragic souls found long dead under a mountain of rubbish, with not even a space on the bed to lie on.

I have heard of serious collectors having to buy a bigger house or rent storage space for the never ending collection though

[Barmaid]

It will never be complete because it kind of evolves.  I see a piece I like and think "oh, I'll sell the xyz and the abc and buy that".  Unfortunately, I seem never to get round to selling!!  I have a mental note of "not for sale, ever", "might consider selling for right price" and "yeah, OK, that can go to make room for other stuff".  My cabinet is now full, so I need to get rid of some bits or get a new cabinet.  And my Christmas present to myself will shortly arrive!!!

[jourdain2]

I keep trying to collect silver vesta holders --- inherited a couple and now have half a dozen including some Chester ones.  Why?  Because Mr. J2 is a committed philatelist - special albums etc. --- the lot.   He inherited the gene from his Mum. We are still carrying around her stamp collection.  She died sometime in the early 1980's.

What I do collect -better word would be 'attract' - are books.  I had  to give away over 400 to charity (a good use) when we left France  - and I'venot made them up yet ..... unfortunately, the house is half the size and I've run out of bookcase space. 🤔

[barry1010]

Bet you get a new cabinet, Barmaid.

You haven't run out of space for books until the bookcases in your downstairs loo are full.  

[pastafreak]

I've collected various things over the years. For a while it was boxes...wood, stone,papier mache. So I was always gifted them. About 8-10 years ago, I collected Scottish Miracle jewellery...brooches, necklaces and pendants, bracelets made of glass and faux agates in various styles...including medieval. I'm thinking of selling some of it.

Books...keep many but I have a periodic clear out.

Plants...every windowsil has plants. They kept me sane over lockdown and through retirement. 

[barry1010]

Pasta, you've reminded me of my mother's wise words when I married.

She told us never to be be enthusiastic about a received gift that could become a set or collection unless we genuinely liked it otherwise we will be getting additions every year for the rest of our lives.

Made me wonder if she really did like those head wall plaques 🥴

[david small]

I collect Encyclopaedias, books on History, and books on the subject of World Literature. I have thirteen large bookcases full to bursting. Mostly factual books, some Dickens, some poetry etc.

[pastafreak]

Lol...my mum made her own out of wood and painted them...like these...

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/633387432224866/

[Barsel]

Barry, that happened with my M-in-L, she liked that (sorry, I can't remember what it's called!) I think it might have been Willow pattern. It was blue/white crockery and every birthday and Christmas we would buy her a new piece.

When she died, she left it all to someone else!

I didn't mind really as I wasn't a fan of it.

[Barsel]

Pasta, they are fabulous. As you can tell by my Avatars, I'm a big fan of Art Deco, and if I could afford to collect something, it would be something in this form. Lovely.

[Canary42]

///What were you collecting, Canary?///

 

1. Cmielow porcelain (I saw a piece on eBay and really took to it).

2. Festival of Britain Memorabilia - because I can remember it, and the "tat" it gave rise to is so variable. 

Samples from my collection :-

 

Cmielow  https://ibb.co/fr5PNdH

 

Festival of Britain  https://ibb.co/fdhM6p6

[10ClarionSt]

Nope. Not a collector, definitely a hoarder. I like to have a look round car boots and flea markets, mainly looking for fountain pens and ships' badges. I haven't found any yet, but I did find a medal from HMS Raleigh which had been awarded to a PCT Emery D226535T, for highest individual marks in part 1 training. I gave it to someone I know with the same surname. 

[10ClarionSt]

I seem to remember someone turned up at the Antiques Roadshow with a part of the main metal display from the Festival of Britain, a sort of arrow or dart. Anyway, I've got a photo of my mother standing next to it at the FOB.

[10ClarionSt]

Twas called The Skylon. See here:

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eBEvq1p0D74/VORzPisCITI/AAAAAAABSx4/yG7VST_AB6Y/s1600/1951%2BFestival%2Bof%2BBritain%2B(10).jpg