What do you collect?

**mombottoo** · 03-31-2008, 09:22 AM

I am an avid collector of old salt & pepper shakers, miniature tobys, figurines and a little miscellaneous. My dad was an antique dealer when I was growing up (started with flea markets) and I am the only one of us girls who continued on with the collecting packrat syndrome

. I bought my first pair of salt & pepper shakers when I was 11 years old for $1...it took a long time to save up a $1 back then and I was so excited!!! I still have that pair of shakers along with the 2nd pair I bought.

How many of you have something you collect and when did you start collecting it?

**MirandaK** · 03-31-2008, 09:33 AM

Metal Lunch Boxes...like from the 70s and 80s. Started when I was in High School. I have an original Empire Strikes Back lunch box that is the pride of my collection.

**IntlMom** · 03-31-2008, 09:38 AM

Me? I don't collect anything....too me, it's just "stuff'. I am very much not into things or stuff that take up space or look cluttered. I guess maybe you could count my scrapbook supplies which I am always collecting as a "collection"

**COUNTRYBUMPKIN** · 03-31-2008, 09:52 AM

I alway's like to look at all of the cute sets of old salt and pepper shakers whenever I go to my Mil's antique shoppe. I get the biggest kick out of some of them. I like simplicity too but I do love to collect and wear my antique vintage jewlery. It's just something I started within the past several years. I also like old cookbooks and have actually collected and saved quite of few of those for my dd's hope chests. Ohhhhh, LOL.....I have a weakness for crochet chest runners as well. My great granny made so many of these and the pillow cases.......could never part with them. Great thread and thanks for starting it. Lynn

**forHISglory** · 03-31-2008, 10:32 AM

I come from a family of collectors. In fact, my grandmother sat me down one day and said, "You need to start a collection. What do you want to collect?" I hadn't thought much about it, but I did own one miniature shoe: a pewter shoe. So I said, "Shoes." And that's been my main collective. I have a curio cabinet to display them in. Some are from our travels around the world and around the USA. I also like the "Just the right step" collection. I look only for tiny shoes, but sometimes people give me a larger one as a gift. My most unique shoe is made from coal and came from West Virginia. I have a few shoes that were salesman's samples from the 1920s and 30s that I really love. Also in the 20s, people carried little bronze ashtrays shaped like a shoe in their hands, and I have a few of those. I found a bronze foot, no shoe, so I put it in the middle of my curio cabinet and have the shoes arranged around it.

I also collect a certain type of doll that came out in the 40s and 50s. They were given away in grocery stores in exchange for a certain amount of sales slips. My parents collected these for me, and I have added a few more. They are about 5-6 inches tall and are made out of that brittle bakelite plastic. Their eyes move, but that is all. I arrange these on top of my piano.

Finally, I collect dictionaries. I love words and I love old lexicons and speciality dictionaries. I keep these books in my office, and use them all the time. I look at flea markets, bargain shops, etc. to find these. I bought my first dictionary when I was about 8 years old. We were on a family road trip, and I purchased this dictionary for a few cents, and proceeded to read it to my family in the car. They were not impressed and asked me to stop after a while. Imagine! I have dictionaries of musical terms and CB lingo and everything in between. My oldest dictionary is from the late 1800s. And that's the last word!

**halloweenfreak** · 03-31-2008, 10:35 AM

i collect dust, its cheap and easy.... no actually i like charlie brown and snoopy stuff. my computer room walls are lined with it.

**FrugalWitch** · 03-31-2008, 10:55 AM

I used to collect vinyl LPs: hard rock, heavy metal, and glam rock only. I still have my collection approx 225 albums.

I also collect anything Alice Cooper (when it fits into the budget which is sadly rarely) The biggest part of the Cooper collection is of course the vinyl LPs, but I also have the comic books, action figures, jack-in-the-box etc.

**halloweenfreak** · 03-31-2008, 11:01 AM

alice cooper jack in the box??

**FrugalMomof3** · 03-31-2008, 11:50 AM

I dont know if this is considered collecting, but I love primitives such as the handmade prim dolls, antique containers, etc., My entire living room has these knick knacks and dolls in there + other cool stuff.

**mombottoo** · 03-31-2008, 12:02 PM

Sounds like we as a group have some really neat stuff hoarded in our houses. I just parted with a slew of my stuff (over 3000 pcs) last fall, and kept 500 pieces for myself...couldn't bear to part with all of it.

I have the packrat gene running through me, thanks to my dad...

**McD** · 03-31-2008, 12:14 PM

I collect geisha girl china. As far as I can tell, it was produced in the 1940's in Japan. It has a pretty geisha girl scene and is edged in reddish/orange. They also make it trimmed with blue and green, but I like the red. I have a ton of the stuff. I am overflowing!

http://www.tias.com/8121/InventoryPage/1482214/1.html

It's toward the middle of the page.

I also collect the Holiday barbies. I have every one ever made.

I also collect brown drip dishes for my kitchen.

**FrugalWitch** · 03-31-2008, 12:29 PM

Someone has the jack-in-the-box for sale on eBay here's a link

http://cgi.ebay.com/Alice-Cooper-Jac...QQcmdZViewItem

The photo is not so hot. I bought mine on sale for $15.00 back in 2001. Mine is still factory sealed in the box.

**eyrehead** · 03-31-2008, 12:54 PM

I collect birdhouses, both functional and decorative. My kitchen is loaded with them!! I also collect cookbooks. I love them, love looking at them, etc.

**mom2matty** · 03-31-2008, 01:03 PM

I collect tea cups and cookie jars. I just started collecting salt & pepper shakers too! I also have a few roosters and sunflowers around the house!

**frugalfriend** · 03-31-2008, 01:05 PM

I collect giraffes. I have all different kinds: figurines of all different sizes, plates, clocks, candles, pictures, stuffed animals, etc. . . . everyone gave me them. I finally had to say, no more, lol! I have plenty!! I do indulge every now and then when I find a really, really unique one! My collection started when I was in high school, with a beautiful, graceful, white ceramic one with green eyes! I love the real ones too, the most unique, beautiful, and interesting animal!