The DU Lounge
Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsDid you/do you collect things? Things of value or things that have a place in your life?
lark
(23,147 posts)It started with books, I had so many stacked on the bookshelves, the shelves broke. We were remodeling the house and I sold over 300 hardbacks and 100 soft back books and still had 2 8 ft. tall bookcases totally filled. I switched to Kindle to save space. For awhile it was shoes, but as I got older I couldn't wear the heels anymore, so got rid of some beautiful shoes and started wearing comfortable flats. With the shoes, I also had a huge purse collection. I went through those and tossed out all the old messed up bags and only kept the Brahmins and a few totes. Then it was jewlery, but I got so much over the decades, so told hubby to quit buying it for me. At 72, I want to reduce the clutter and have nice, clean, airy surroundings.
Well, except now we do puzzles and those are stacking up. We need to have another sale and very soon!
debm55
(25,253 posts)yellowdogintexas
(22,270 posts)which like yours were overflowing. We will buy books by a few authors that we both really love, and whose books rarely show up on the discount/free sites.
I need to do another purge.
lark
(23,147 posts)Been collecting his stuff since the beginning. Everything else, I buy on my Kindle. I love the Kindle Unlimited feature!
Aristus
(66,437 posts)Most of them are by late, renowned fantasist Harlan Ellison (with whom I was fortunate enough to not only meet, but have dinner with once), but I have a first edition of Lost Moon, which was adapted for the movies as "Apollo 13", autographed by astronaut Fred Haise.
debm55
(25,253 posts)He was known for being an abrasive curmudgeon. But he was a charming dinner companion, and a spellbinding conversationalist. And he treated our server with warmth, kindness, and grace. The man was a national treasure.
electric_blue68
(14,926 posts)yellowdogintexas
(22,270 posts)A few of them were written by former Speaker of the House Jim Wright and I will never let go of those.
malthaussen
(17,215 posts)I figure if Mr Ellison didn't feel like he needed to prove anything, or didn't feel threatened by someone, he would be exactly as you describe. Just don't give him cause to attack, because he will eat your lunch. I know several people like that. Sometimes i'm like that.
-- Mal
Aristus
(66,437 posts)He was giving a seminar on writing, and the room was full of entranced, but respectful fans. Unfortunately (every crowd has one) some smart aleck who thought he knew everything tried to get smug and lippy with Ellison. HE didn't erupt in a rage or anything, though. He just balled up his right fist, and his forearm bulged like Popeye's. He told the smart-mouth: "You see that? I got that from fifty years of pounding a manual typewriter. So don't think I won't pummel your ass if I want to!"
The rest of us cheered.
hlthe2b
(102,331 posts)Now, I'm working hard to avoid collecting ANYTHING else but rather to simplify.
I do still have my fairly significant collection of P. Buckley Moss prints, which had simple Amish people and beautiful landscapes and animals as her focus. Her popularity was at its height in the 70s, 80s, 90s but they remain highly collectible today.
http://pbuckleymoss.com/mobile/aboutartist.html
debm55
(25,253 posts)is different then the books. I tried to read but they scared me.
hlthe2b
(102,331 posts)I had an elementary school teacher who would read from the latter in the early grades--otherwise I probably would not have known more than the original Wizard of Oz. The editions illustrated by the great John R. Neill are my favorites.
Here is one of my favorites--cover-wise... Ozma of Oz:
?v=1683053399
debm55
(25,253 posts)rest.
MOMFUDSKI
(5,618 posts)They are in a big circle around a huge oleander bush at the side of my garage door/driveway. Got them over the years at estate/garage sales.
debm55
(25,253 posts)Elessar Zappa
(14,022 posts)As far as coins go, I have exactly three lol. Hey, I just started!
debm55
(25,253 posts)Emile
(22,871 posts)debm55
(25,253 posts)go to coin shows?
AllaN01Bear
(18,332 posts)yet , if i had to, id walk away from it all.
debm55
(25,253 posts)AllaN01Bear
(18,332 posts)sanatanadharma
(3,714 posts)Desires arise, collecting happens, stuff goes ... OR ... the horrors of hording.
One's must haves become featured objects on the way to the unseen in drawer,s closets, garages.
Soon to be an other's must have t the yard sale.
Perhaps the first woven reed-string bag was the beginning of the downfall from paradise as people overloaded their lives with the weight of carrying stuff. People do tend to think that 'what they carry' is too 'valuable' to go on without. Self-defense becomes stuff-defense. Some stuff needs to be shucked.
A collection suggests a theme or thread upon which the collection hangs. Currently my theme is terrestrial globes from Replogle, a Chicago business begun in 1930. I am in Uruguay so I shop wisely on eBay. I did acquire a 1934 Replogle, but not collecting for investment. I think as I get closer to stopping my world and getting off, I am developing a nostalgia to this plane, this planet.
debm55
(25,253 posts)yellowdogintexas
(22,270 posts)Keepers: oaxacan wood carvings. These are beautiful Mexican folk art https://www.earthviewinc.com/cat-17-1-68/oaxacan-wood-carvings.htm
Pottery, both decorative and practical from a variety of places. I have stopped collecting it due to space considerations
Christmas Ornaments. We have too many so I stopped; however our daughter is going through them for the ones she wants to keep
Lots of refrigerator magnets. I don't add to them often but occasionally I will get one.
** My daughter wants this
Cut Glass All of the pieces I have were inherited, **
Family photographs which need to be digitized or framed **
A cherry table built in 1854 from cherry trees on my great grandfather's farm in KY **
A silver water server (not a pitcher) with goblets ** a wedding present to my great great grandparents
Marble topped tables from my grandmother **
Antique carved German wall clock **
Secretary desk **
Lladro Christmas bells most were gifts from my mother in law and my daughter. **
There would be a great deal more heirloom pieces if my mother had not lost everything in a house fire.
Skin care and cosmetics; I have enough Clinique samples and bags to start a store
I have stopped buying mugs, glassware, and drastically reduced my T-shirt purchases.
Shoes and purses were never my thing
We have been married 41 years and have lived in this house since 1968; Mr YD and I are both packrats of the highest order. If we ever move it will be a nightmare! I will not even discuss his items, but I will say his things need to have a culling too
debm55
(25,253 posts)the stuff I never used. Some went to Goodwill. You just have to decide you are going to rid of it and do it. Do I miss some of my stuff---yes, sure do. But I realized that all the books, ornaments. etc, were not being used but kept in plastic bins in the attic.You can do It.
wnylib
(21,562 posts)When I find authors that I like, I tend to collect their books. I've collected some classic movies, like Casablanca, Key Largo, Fiddler on the Roof, West Side Story, etc.
Genealogy is a hobby. I have old photos going back to great-great grandparents collected from relatives, including one from a third cousin that I met at an online genealogy message board.
The books are so numerous that I need to give away a lot of them to the library"s book sale.
debm55
(25,253 posts)to the library. Good luck
malthaussen
(17,215 posts)All gone now that I've become a nomad.
-- Mal
debm55
(25,253 posts)if..fish..had..wings
(665 posts)27 pieces of Heywood-Wakefield furniture.
Over a hundred Madonnas/Pietas
Over 400 pieces of Fiesta dishes
debm55
(25,253 posts)if..fish..had..wings
(665 posts)We keep the Fiesta in the Heywood-Wakefield (we have two china cabinets, one regular and one really big)
We have a shelf that goes around the kitchen, above the cupboards, and the madonnas go on that (we have too many to fit so we need more shelf!)
Now I didn't mention the 80 or so cameras that we have (mostly old, but working), nor the several hundred videos I have accumulated, nor the several thousand pieces of beach glass we have collected, nor the ...
Well, best I stop there.
debm55
(25,253 posts)doc03
(35,362 posts)elected and a bunch of stuff collecting dust.
debm55
(25,253 posts)madamesilverspurs
(15,806 posts)My great-grandfather's books. He was into history, and there's a set on the history of Rome, another set on the history of ancient Egypt; the illustrations are amazing, and there is no copyright date in any of them. My brother currently has the multi-volume set about Greece, also no copyright. My favorites, however, are the huge Shakespeare volumes. each about 12" x 20", again no copyright; the silver engravings are gorgeous. Just for fun, there's a volume of Gibson Girls. I don't seek to add to the collection, but I do enjoy showing those books to visitors. The old family bibles have fascinating family histories, one lists name going back to colonial days but the writing is very faded, intriguing just the same.
.
debm55
(25,253 posts)Probatim
(2,537 posts)My friends are amazed at how I can remember specific events - like specific birds seen on specific outings.
Physical collections on the other hand include acquiring older cast iron. Picked up an old Griswold #8 Tite-top Dutch Oven recently. It needs a little love, which I'm more than happy to give it.
I've picked up a few smaller pieces which I plan on gifting to the kids so they can enjoy some of the meals they grew up with. Each is getting an 8" skillet so they can reheat mashed potatoes with cheese on top. I sent photos of their unfinished gifts with an accompanying leftover mashed potato meal and were thrilled.
debm55
(25,253 posts)Coventina
(27,159 posts)of books I like.
I also have a large vinyl and CD collection of music I like.
debm55
(25,253 posts)pansypoo53219
(20,987 posts)i got fans, heaters, toasters, sun lamps, desk lamps, toasters, eames wood critters(grandma influence- she was mod)books + books + books, treen, tonalas, roosters, tools, abc blocks, s + p shakers, silver plate flatware, small globes, vintage jewekry, vintage umbrellas. ice picks, rulers. yard sticks. pretty plates. photos, photo albums. i suppose i need to ebay my electric cord collection. potato mashers/smooshers. clothespins. my 401 ebay from estate sales.
debm55
(25,253 posts)pfitz59
(10,386 posts)I have a conch my father gave me in 1970. A commemorative coin I found in 1966. A few military mementos. Not much else.
LudwigPastorius
(9,164 posts)musical instruments, and some of them have more value than others.
2 guitars, 4 bass guitars, 2 keyboards, and an upright double bass...maybe $30K all in.
Oh yes, and books and music (sheet music and CDs, LPs, cassettes, flacs, MP3s etc.)