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Are You A Collector?
44 Answers
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?
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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.
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!!!
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. 🤔
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.
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 🥴
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.
///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:/
Festival of Britain https:/
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.
