What do you have a collection of that might be considered unusual?

I used to have what I called my "Kitsch Floridiana" collection. It had to have something about Florida and it had to be gawd-awful to the max. People were always giving me things they had picked up. The piece de la resistance was a crucifixion scene with flamingos. YES, it was a gift.

Then I moved onto what my daughter called "Mom's Dead Animal Collection". I still have some of those, i.e. a purse made out of a taxidermied Amarillo and another that's a giant frog (a real frog) hanging from a strap. YES, I'm seriously warped......and proud of it, too.

Then there were over a thousand Santas. Finally sold them.

NOW, any time I get tempted to "collect" anything, I slap myself until I come to my senses because I don't know when to stop.
 
I several collections but none of them seem unusual to me.

Things like teapots, doorstops, books, trivets, historical blue china, paperweights, postcards, local coins tokens, and medals, locally made china and pottery, local advertising, etc...

I'm definitely partial to old pieces of pottery similar to these.

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I've had a great deal of enjoyment collecting and researching various things.

It makes me sad wondering what will become of my stuff when I'm gone.

I do try to remind myself that it's just stuff and in the grand scheme of things it really doesn't matter.

Sic transit gloria mundi.
 
Besides my rocks, I have several 'bug' collections along with various other biological specimens. (I also have 'normal' collections, haha - grape pattern clear vintage glassware, antique metal items, stereo-opticons and cards, antique books, oh my... I better quit confessing!)
 
I had a collection of churchkeys ( beer can openers) but someone stole them.
I have a collection of old cloth bank bags from all over the West.
I have a collection of livestock brand books from all over the West.
i have a collection of original kitchen advertising signs and tins from the 1920's, 1930's.
i have old highback Western saddles from the 1920's and old Garcia bits, Huge collection of old Western books, Alaskan books, African books,
some Colt S/A revolvers, metaphysical books, art books.
You know what's funny? Material things are meaningless to me. The development of the soul is the ONLY thing!
 
I've had collections of Toby jugs, antique cups & saucers, dogs of every make and description, miniature carousel horses, Wizard of Oz figurines, thimbles, cranberry glass, antique glass and crystal, and much more.

I hope the hospital I donated everything to, made a decent amount on all of it.

Like Gaer, material objects aren't important to me.

However, I love hearing about other people collections :)
 
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I have a collection of various styles of vintage telephones...landlines mostly .. as well as a few mobile phones...

They are all repaired and cleaned and also thanks to my husband able to work on digital systems ..aside from my very oldest black 100 year old phone, I didn't want to digitliase the cord on that so that remains in it's original state, clean, but unable to be used..
 
hollydolly said:
I have a collection of various styles of vintage telephones...landlines mostly .. as well as a few mobile phones...

They are all repaired and cleaned and also thanks to my husband able to work on digital systems ..aside from my very oldest black 100 year old phone, I didn't want to digitliase the cord on that so that remains in it's original state, clean, but unable to be used..
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So was Stromberg Carlson a big brand over the pond?

I worked for a company installing office security and access control systems, and the owner had an old working crank-style phone hanging on his wall at home. When you cranked it, the generator pulsed the contacts of a relay he installed and it called the operator (Dialed '0')
 
In The Sticks said:
So was Stromberg Carlson a big brand over the pond?

I worked for a company installing office security and access control systems, and the owner had an old working crank-style phone hanging on his wall at home. When you cranked it, the generator pulsed the contacts of a relay he installed and it called the operator (Dialed '0')
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No, never even heard of it until now... :D
 
Gaer said:
I had a collection of churchkeys ( beer can openers) but someone stole them.
I have a collection of old cloth bank bags from all over the West.
I have a collection of livestock brand books from all over the West.
i have a collection of original kitchen advertising signs and tins from the 1920's, 1930's.
i have old highback Western saddles from the 1920's and old Garcia bits, Huge collection of old Western books, Alaskan books, African books,
some Colt S/A revolvers, metaphysical books, art books.
You know what's funny? Material things are meaningless to me. The development of the soul is the ONLY thing!
Click to expand...
I just commented that I've dug fossils off & on throughout my life, and when the neighborhood kids hit the dinosaur phase of their home schooling, I got out my box and gave them out.

I still smile when I think of the look on their faces...way more that I ever smiled from the fossils themselves.
 
Aunt Bea said:
I several collections but none of them seem unusual to me.

Things like teapots, doorstops, books, trivets, historical blue china, paperweights, postcards, local coins tokens, and medals, locally made china and pottery, local advertising, etc...

I'm definitely partial to old pieces of pottery similar to these.

images
View attachment 105029
images
View attachment 105030

I've had a great deal of enjoyment collecting and researching various things.

It makes me sad wondering what will become of my stuff when I'm gone.

I do try to remind myself that it's just stuff and in the grand scheme of things it really doesn't matter.

Sic transit gloria mundi.
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What makes me sad is to see nice silver serving sets get melted down for their metal content. Works of art literally liquidated. Irretrievable.
 
Oh yes. I’ve got some unusual collections.
I’ve got a bunny collection: stuffed, porcelain, clay.
Then I’ve got a huge fabric collection for sewing 🥺
A huge wood collection for woodworking/ woodcarving. ( some wood from our yard, some domestic and imported exotic woods) A tool collection including carving knives and drills. A bead collection for making hair jewelry and a marijuana seed collection from a variety of different strains for ....well, you know. Lol 😂
 
We have a sizeable collection of Hummel figurines....probably about 200. My wife is from Germany, and they are quite prized over there....so for several years, we collected them. Originally, they were built in a convent in Germany, with limited production, and were increasing in value. Then, several years ago, some company bought the rights, and started mass producing them...driving down the prices substantially.

We have several that are very early production, and still fairly valuable.
 
Aunt Bea said:
I several collections but none of them seem unusual to me.

Things like teapots, doorstops, books, trivets, historical blue china, paperweights, postcards, local coins tokens, and medals, locally made china and pottery, local advertising, etc...

I'm definitely partial to old pieces of pottery similar to these.

images
View attachment 105029
images
View attachment 105030

I've had a great deal of enjoyment collecting and researching various things.

It makes me sad wondering what will become of my stuff when I'm gone.

I do try to remind myself that it's just stuff and in the grand scheme of things it really doesn't matter.

Sic transit gloria mundi.
Click to expand...
Unlike you, my stuff matters to me - even more so after I die. I don't want things trashed. I want them to go to folks who would really appreciate them - not for their monetary value, but for their esoteric value.
 
Em in Ohio said:
Unlike you, my stuff matters to me - even more so after I die. I don't want things trashed. I want them to go to folks who would really appreciate them - not for their monetary value, but for their esoteric value.
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It's for that very reason I'm not collecting antiques per se ...rather that I'm collecting technology because the items that I perceive as good antique or collectable items will be thrown out or sold off very quickly when I'm gone ( my daughter is ruthless with no sentimentality at all )... but Technology will become extremely valuable in the future , and she is very into tech.

A word to me a few years ago from a very well know antique dealer made me sell off all my antique furniture and replace with all new, and in his words concentrate on the ''disposable items of today for they will become the valuable antiques of tomorrow''
 
hollydolly said:
It's for that very reason I'm not collecting antiques per se ...rather that I'm collecting technology because the items that I perceive as good antique or collectable items will be thrown out or sold off very quickly when I'm gone ( my daughter is ruthless with no sentimentality at all )... but Technology will become extremely valuable in the future , and she is very into tech.

A word to me a few years ago from a very well know antique dealer made me sell off all my antique furniture and replace with all new, and in his words concentrate on the ''disposable items of today for they will become the valuable antiques of tomorrow''
Click to expand...
My daughter already told me that a large dumpster will be placed ASAP and everything will go. If my neighbors find my corpse first, I have instructed them to loot the place first, then notify her.
 
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