In this corner of the ecommerce world, antique and vintage collectibles are all-inclusive terms that tend to fit just right. Whether in a small apartment, a large sprawling mansion, or even a tiny office cubicle, collections are a display of self-expression, telling of one’s interest in a subject matter, brand, era, or style. And with a near-endless selection of vintage to choose from, every collector can find something to also fit their budget. Yay! Score one for the collectors!
For me… Well, I’ve scored more than one. My first collecting obsession was cats. I have cats on the furniture, shelves, and walls. (Okay, the ones on the furniture are family members, but….) This group of collectibles focuses only on subject. There are cat figurines of glass, pottery, and porcelain in various colors and patterns. There are cat prints, clocks, and plaques that make me smile when I’m staring at the walls. I’ve got a few pieces of cat jewelry I love but seldom wear. And then there’s the lone rubber cat squeak toy the dog would love to call her own.
My other collection is an antiquing business accident. It started with an old, lidded pottery biscuit jar I bought to sell. The brand wasn’t one I was familiar with, but the bright colors and cheery floral design were the makings for love at first sight. After a bit of research, I learned two things: Revelation Made In Japan pottery predates the WWII era, and selling it was going to be a financial wash, at best. So …. I did what any hard-core, self-respecting antiquer would do: I kept it! And then I started searching for its pattern family members and Revelation friends. Within weeks, a new collection was born, a collection that has since outgrown its space.
But our household collections don’t stop there. My husband collects elephant figurines, but goes especially crazy over Looney Tunes. In our house, two rooms and a holiday resemble a cartoon. We’ve got Looney Tunes figurines, prints, lamps, calendars, tape dispenser, stuffed animals, and last but not least an entire slew of Christmas decorations for the tables, mantle, and tree.
Needing assurances we were not the exception but the norm, I put the “What do you collect” question to the rest of the Your Vintage Friends team. Dusty is drawn to pincushions and buttons, Rio Hondo pottery, as well as curio cabinet knickknack figurines that inspire memories of her youth. Janice is odd woman out, with no collections herself. However, her husband more than makes up for it with hundreds (and hundreds!) of fishing reels and a couple of hundred fishing rods. Jennifer collects pre-1960s sewing patterns and patterning books and pre-1940s fashion catalogs, while her firefighter husband collects things related to his profession as well as those from and about vintage cars. Jessica collects items featuring Pee Wee Herman, while her husband collects (but does not use) pint glasses from different breweries he’s toured.
Nine collectors and more than a dozen collections, all varying in inspiration, size, and price. Some speak to a reverence for the history of youth or even our ancestors’ time. Others are out of appreciation for the creator’s imagination and artistry. And then there are those that, through profession or hobby, add layers of character to the person we are. Collecting really is a means of expressing our style, our way!
Now it’s your turn. Give me your number between one and ten. Odds are it’s not just one!
Some of the Vintage Collectibles in our Shops
Click on any of the images below to be redirected to the shop item.
