Collectors in your family and what they collect.

[YadaYadaYada]

I came up with the idea for this thread over coffee this morning thinking about my mom. She collected music boxes, And I remember my oldest brother gifting them to her on special occasions.

She also had a small collections of porcelain horses but probably my favorite was a collection of felt mice. I think they were all Christmas-themed so I only remember them being out around the holidays, I think a woman at the bank where she worked made them for her.

I don’t remember anyone else collecting anything. DH and I are organized collectors, we each have a display cabinet and that’s where everything goes. Our poor kids though….he collects toys, Transformers and Lego mainly, so they have grown up looking at all these awesome things they can’t play with

Any collectors in your family and what do/did they collect?

 

[RMOO]

My MIL has a huge collection of milk glass. Unfortunately, she no longer displays it. And with age (now 90) she has long ceased adding to the collection. She also has a lovely collection of, mostly antique, glass or crystal candlesticks.

I collect Santa figurines (one each year of married life.) It is really the perfect collection for me because it is on display from late November until early January. Each year it brings me joy to see them again, but at the end of the season, I am ready to get my home back to its normal (less cluttered) state.

Edited to say that this should be a fun thread!

 

[Austina]

My parents collected Wedgewood. They always got the Christmas plates and mugs, as well as the other decorative pieces.

 

[Voodoo Child]

My dad collects Red Wing pottery. I have no idea why. I myself collect books, especially first editions, and car parts for my race cars. That second one is much to my wife’s chagrin and consternation.

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

My MIL has a very odd and slightly offensive to me collection of pig figurines that are dressed as police officers. Some may give her a pass because she is a retired corrections officer. But I'm still like

Hubby and I have a decent collection of vintage VWs. He has his original '64 bug he bought when he was 15 on the other side of the country. We have a total of 11. And no, the children are not allowed to drive them. Hubby also has his great grandfather's 1952 Willie's wagon.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I don't know if this applies, but my sister collected kitchen gadgets. She admits to being a gadget Queen! She has "everything"!!!! I just collect dust and dirty dished.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Matata]

One of my grandmothers collected pottery and ceramics. She really loved "stuff". Unfortunately I inherited that gene and used to have a lot of ceramics found in antique stores, estate sales, and from my global travels. Years ago I went to rehab for undisciplined collectors of stuff and managed to curb the urge and pared down everything to a few favored pieces.

 

[danusia]

I am the only one with a collection in my family. My friend gave me my 1 st and 2nd Wallace candy cane ornament starting in 1981 and except for a few years after that, I have been adding a new one to my collection every year. I have over 35 candy canes.

 

[diamondringlover]

my sister collects pink flamingo anything....it starting to looks a little tacky to me...but whatever floats her boat.....

 

[Rockdiamond]

Hubby and I have a decent collection of vintage VWs. He has his original '64 bug he bought when he was 15 on the other side of the country. We have a total of 11.

Bug lover here!!! Can we see pics????

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

Bug lover here!!! Can we see pics????

@Rockdiamond
These are the ones I drive (when I don't have kids in tow) and are at my house. The others are elsewhere. '70 bug and '74 Karman Ghia. We have 3 other Ghias, '64 Baja bug, '72 bug, '71 bus, '74 Westfalia bus, and 2 Things (not sure of the years).

 

[Gussie]

One of my grandmothers collected pottery and ceramics. She really loved "stuff". Unfortunately I inherited that gene and used to have a lot of ceramics found in antique stores, estate sales, and from my global travels. Years ago I went to rehab for undisciplined collectors of stuff and managed to curb the urge and pared down everything to a few favored pieces.

I need this desperately. I have more collections than I care to share. Lots of antique pottery. Unfortunately it is very hard to part with most of my stuff. Similar to jewelry, I have paid retail for most of my antiques and would take a big hit on selling it. Did you really go to a rehab or seminar for this?

 

[Lookinagain]

I used to collect mid-century pottery but stopped and sold most of the collection although I did keep several bright red pieces and pieces of a particular pattern. Now the only thing I collect is jewelry.

 

[Diamond Girl 21]

My dad collected coins, his sister collected Lenox swans, and my mother-in-law collected Hummel figurines.

I didn't intend to have a collection, but somehow I've amassed quite a few blown glass pumpkins, gourds, and leaves. They are only on display until Thanksgiving, and then they get packed up and stored until next Autumn.

 

[AprilBaby]

My stepmother collected chickens ( not real). Our entire house looked like a barn full of freakin chickens. Ceramic chickens everywhere!

 

[Bron357]

Ah, I am a collector.
My first collections were chocolate foils in different colours that I called gems ha ha. And then there was dead moths. Yep, strange child.
I also collected stamps as a child.
I went on collecting random rocks all my life.
Then came timber boxes, including puzzle boxes and make up kits, you know the types with eye shadows and blush etc in a box that opened up all different ways.
Followed by Clarice Cliff pieces then Royal Winton, Crown Devon in Rouge Royale background.
And watches. Wrist watches and small watches in compacts etc.
Lots and lots of collections.

 

[stracci2000]

My dad collects guns! @YadaYadaYada, I bet you didn't expect that answer...!
Secondly, he loves antique furniture and crocks from Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Mom collects jewelry and depression glass.
Sister collects jewelry, antique furniture and dolls. She loves the beautiful old antique German dolls with glass eyes.
I collect jewelry, Wedgwood Jasperwear, Asian furniture and decor, geodes/crystals, English transferware, Art pottery and glass,
sterling serving pieces, and any other old weird object that strikes my fancy.

 

[Rockdiamond]

@Rockdiamond
These are the ones I drive (when I don't have kids in tow) and are at my house. The others are elsewhere. '70 bug and '74 Karman Ghia. We have 3 other Ghias, '64 Baja bug, '72 bug, '71 bus, '74 Westfalia bus, and 2 Things (not sure of the years).

I don't know which I loved more...the over the top super cool Neon green Karman or the expression on the pooch's face

 

[mrs-b]

My father collected china - mostly Shelley cup, saucers and plates. He passed that love on to me, and I have my own collection, tho I do keep it small enough to be displayed.

I also collect really interesting or beautiful greeting cards - tho I also use them, so the collection is small at any given time and not cumbersome.

I collect small (less than 200 pieces) wooden jigsaw puzzles. I don't have heaps and heaps - probably around 15 - but I pull them out and do them regularly.

I have a massive collection of blown glass Christmas ornaments and, if I'm at our home in Boston over Christmas, I normally do about 7 full sized trees so I can display most of them.

My husband doesn't collect anything, but he did decide a number of years ago that he wanted to get to all the major baseball league fields. I believe he has 3 to go.

 

[Piper70]

My MIL was a doll collector. She was also a massive consumer of jewelry, clothing and handbags. I say consumer because she bought a lot with little regard to quality or timelessness.
I don’t really collect anything. I would collect antique, holiday or decorative items for my home but when new items come in, something has to go. Same thing with jewelry. I tend to wear the same things over and over.

 

[MeowMeow]

My mother and grandmother liked dishes and press cut glass. I also love press cut glass but since I have theirs I'm not really looking to add anything that isn't plates to it. My mother also loved her precious moments things but somehow they "disappeared" after her death. We absolutely know which family member would have done it. I don't care for them myself but it would have been nice to have them to remember her by even if we never added to it again.

And I apparently love to collect velvet ring boxes lmao. I have way too many and very few things to store in them. But I can't help myself. Every year I browse and seem to find a new etsy maker whose boxes look cute and buy one lol. They're never Mrs. Box level but they are always lovely.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

It’s so interesting to read about all the different collections here. Feel free to share pictures too, even if you already posted, it would be fun to see.

I forgot about my sons. The older one collects Pokémon cards (God help us with the upcoming holidays) and the younger loves Hello Kitty. Not a huge amount but he is only eight so….

 

[monarch64]

My brother collects gem specimens like geodes and other cool rocks, as well as enamelware.

I once dated a guy who collected Rolls Royces. He was a very eccentric character; he fell in love with me after 1 date and I decided I couldn’t continue things because he’d spend all our money on Rolls parts. (Okay also because he failed to tell me he’d been recently suspended from practicing law due to an ethical violation—I felt that was rather important info that a suitor should divulge when also professing his undying devotion after such a short time.)

 

[Matata]

Did you really go to a rehab or seminar for this?

No, lol, what rehabbed me was 4 moves in a year whereby I got tired of wrapping, packing, and unpacking all the stuff.

 

[Gussie]

No, lol, what rehabbed me was 4 moves in a year whereby I got tired of wrapping, packing, and unpacking all the stuff.

That's definitely a good way to purge stuff. When you said "rehab for the undisciplined collector", I thought, "Wow, they have help groups for EVERYTHING!"

I became online friends with the leading scholar on pre-Victorian Staffordshire pottery. She really tried to guide my collection by steering me only to the absolute best specimen. Lol, I stopped asking her what to buy because she always said "pass on that!" I'm hopeless.

 

[qubitasaurus]

In my family it was antique furniture and cars. My grandfather was a cabinet maker originally, and was also quite good at repairing cars. So these kind of things would be bought into the house to be worked on, and then some of them would be kept.

 

[elizat]

My mom collects vintage Pyrex, depression glass, vintage tins, and all kinds of stuff. I'm like the dishes, but both she and my dad have so much stuff.

My brother collects records, old and new. Even old records from the 60's.

I collect vintage Pyrex, Fire King, Hazel Atlas and other depression glass, but really try to only buy stuff in great condition and that I'll use.

I also collect ginger jars and vintage/antique Chinese pottery. Basically, I have not met a chinoiserie pattern I don't like.

My husband - books. He refuses to get rid of any book, ever. Even textbooks he has had for his graduate work! Paperbacks that he has digitally..the man is a paper hoarder.

 

[Mayk]

In college my hubby collected beer cans. There is a box in the garage where they now reside.

He also collected some great vinyl records. Those get to stay in the house.

 

[Petalouda]

My Mom collected Faberge eggs, Lladro porcelain and Swavorski crystal pieces, along with limited edition holiday Barbies etc. They are absolutely gorgeous pieces. When she passed away this was split up between my three brothers and I. The ones I have are in a box still. I’m just not interested in this stuff despite how gorgeous it is. I think part of it is we had a difficult relationship as she had addiction and untreated mental health issues. She never let me decorate my own room growing up and I feel like displaying her stuff would be her heavy hand in my house again, which is…sad.

I’ve thought about selling it and donating proceeds to charity. I hold onto it in case my sentiments change.

 

[Begonia]

My son is collecting little citrus trees LOL
(and I have to keep them alive).