I'm not an avid collector, but I have a medium sized collection of old teddy bears sitting on a shelf in my bedroom, though I doubt they're that valuable, and a lot of buttons of all sorts of varieties that I have no plan to use but just like collecting. Does anybody collect anything interesting?
I also have a collection of stuff animals that I have had for several years. I also collect dolls some are vinyl and some are porcelain. I also have a bell collection that is around 100 different bells of all types. But I can't really take complete credit for collecting these. At one time these belonged to my mother, who has passed on and she left them to me. Over the years she was given these bells by me, my siblings, my father and other family members. So, the collection has quite a few memories connected to it.
I have a collection of books. When I first started working at 17, I joined a club that sent me leather-bound books, once a month. I started with the classic, then joined one that had limited, first editions. They were expensive, especially on a part-time salary, but I cherished them. I also collect books on a variety of things that interest me, like gardening, quilting, art, stained glass, nature, hiking, traveling, diet and nutrition, scuba diving and sailing. I don't really collect fiction, although that's what I read most often. But, once I read a novel, I never really look at it again, so I just get them from the library. The last house we had, the living room had these beautiful, built-in, floor to ceiling cherry bookcases. All the books look so pretty in them. I used to look at them for inspiration and just to make myself feel good/happy. Our new house doesn't have room for any bookcases, so sadly, they are all packed away in boxes in the closet.
I enjoy collecting old cereal premiums and items that I use to send 10 cents and two box tops to get a fantastic toy. You probably remember the Hopalong, Sky King, Roy Rogers and Lone Rangers items they sold or gave away in cereal boxes. I have a large collection of these items. Makes me feel like a kid again when I go through these items. Guess I never really grew up. My wife has a collection of Roses and Bows milk glass items. I purchased all the above items, over the years, on E Bay.
My mother is the collector in our family. She started out years ago with antiques, which she would refinish, until she had filled the house. Then she started with Precious Moments figurines, which she collected for probably 15-20 years. Next was brass, but that didn't last too long. Depression glass was short lived, too. Now, it's Little Golden books, M&M dispensers, clown figurines, and salt cellars. She tried to get us kids into collecting - every year for christmas we would get the limited edition Hallmark ornaments. She started me collecting stamps when I was little, and it was fun for a while, it gave us something to do together. When I moved out, she started giving me ceramic carousel horses, which were beautiful, until I had over 30 of them and no place to put them. I've learned over the years, when she asks if I like something, to say something along the lines of, "yes, I like that, but don't think I would want it". Because, lord help you, if you say yes with enthusiasm, she starts buying every thing she can find for you. When my son was little, it was great. I gave him my stamp collection, and they picked up where I left off. She got him into collecting coins and, of all things, Beanie Babies. He grew out of his "collection" phase by the time he was about 12.
I have quite a large collection of books. I have also collected some antique prints and maps. I particularly like views of old buildings and maps of places as they used to be. My latest collection is made up of stones, shells and sea glass from my local beach. I have collected these before and then returned them back into the wild when I was moving home. I keep them arranged on some shelves where I can admire them. I also have the habit of picking up "odds and ends" that I find on my walks. These could be any sort of lost, dropped or abandoned items that catch my eye.
When my mother moved back from Texas she had some wrought iron plant stands that I just loved. From then on I started collecting wrought iron pieces, mostly sconces. And when we bought our house I decorated the living room walls with them. There is just an awe about the skill it takes to create the intricate designs. I use to think they were all alike but over the years I've learned differently just from the pieces that I've collected.
I have a collection of decanters and wine bottles. I got alot of them of the thrift stores over the years.
My collection are figurine angels. I have a cabinet with a glass panel for displaying my little angels.When I was young, I didn't have any collection and I am still at a loss why I had been collecting angel figurines now. Perhaps it started with the wedding giveaways that I received. Since it was cute, I began collecting. Although I seldom buy because I want my collection to be from giveaways during occasions. My husband has a collection of coins - old and foreign coins. It amounts to something already and I told him to sell it. But he just keeps those coins that can fill a shoebox. Yes, that many. The oldest of which is a coin dated 800 AD, a Roman coin according to the British friend who gave it to him.
Moved about too much to collect things but by default I inherited an old collection of Pendelphin rabbits. Over the years they were in and out of storage but now reside in a glass case. Sweet little things and beautifully made.
I used to collect different things throughout the years. Loving music I built a very huge 33rpm and 45rpm vinyl records collection, later books, porcelain Saint Clauses from the 19th century around the world and much more, but I quit collecting when I realized about one fact; where those collections will go when I pass away? I have no children and, besides my mother, I just have a sister, so why should I wait to die to give her my collections? I have already given all the collection that I used to have. She is an avid collector and has like a thousand dolls from Barbies to porcelain antiques, among many other collections she has gathered and maintain on her own.
I love antique and vintage jewelry. I collected it for 30 years. I had a huge collection which I began selling to dealers. I kept the pieces I loved the most. I had each piece numbered and had a brief description of them. I collected from flea markets, garage sales and dealers. I had about 900 pieces and I filled up 5 trash bags full to the brim. I had a special sale by appointment only for dealers, that way I didn't have to worry about sales tax. I was sorry to see so many pieces of jewelry go but now I can enjoy what I have left.
When I was growing up I was well on my way to becoming a hoarder. Had all the usual kid accumulations of odd coins, stamps, comic books, bottle caps, rocks, cap pistols etc. In my teen years I branched out into bubble gum cards, outdoor magazines, old radios, and after I got my first real gun, at age 11, I started collecting cartridges. My goal was to get one of each caliber. When I became interested in cars and got my drivers license, I became especially interested in model "T" Fords. Even started accumulating parts to them. When a complete set of wood spoked wheels appeared in dad's basement, he got a bit concerned. After I mentioned I knew where I might be able to buy a mostly complete motor, he put a halt to my collecting. Now, I live in a cluttered 2 room apartment with my memories of the hunt for that magical item that would be the beginning of a new collection.
I sew and not only did I have my jewelry collection but I have a room in my house that is full of sewing things like old patterns and fabric. I also have old clothing with unique buttons and closures on them. I learned to sew by watching my mother. I knew how to use a sewing machine before I started using one. I know how to make patterns without knowing how. I just started to make one using canvas as my pattern. I made it for myself so I measured myself as the prospect and my project came out beautifully. I haven't used a sewing machine in 5 years. I used to make my little doggy scoobie outfits and they were really cute. I loved him so much and miss him. He passed away about ten years ago. I'm moving soon and plan on doing some sewing after the move.
Antique hardbound books. A lot of them with golden edges and golden embossed tites. At some stage in our search for earthly goods, we sought out for 1800s- to early 1900s books. Some were dug up in garrage sales, Op-Shops, Salvation Army pre-loved stores And then, we visited little towns in the countryside (out-of-town) tours when our children were very little. We've read a lot of them. But there are still so many we haven't read. My older children have read many of the classic 1800s novels. I also collected Tupperware. But I have given away some of them to Op-Shops now that I am older. I've lost interest.