Collecting tips and mental meanderings!

 

Collecting tips and mental meanderings!

 

 

Love things that work in Fairy Gardens

I like to watch shows on antiques, estate sales, and storage units.  As I watch, I compare to things I do in collecting, how I chose items, etc.  Here are some of the ideas that run through my head when I’m in collecting mode, and they help me decide what to buy.

 

                                            4th of July  items are among the holiday decorations 

                                                                    I look for at sales 

1. Do I like it?  If I don’t, of course, I don’t buy it.
2. Is the price right?  I have limits on what I’ll pay at a thrift store, at a yard sale, at an estate sale, flea market, or doll show.  I do a few auctions, mostly online.  In general, I don’t enjoy them.  My husband does, so I sometimes go with him.
3. Holiday décor, especially Christmas ornaments:
1. Can I use it in the museum?
2. I follow trends since I like my collectibles to chronicle a history.  The last couple years, I’ve picked up felted animals, especially sloths, which have become popular.  I look for licensed characters popular through the years; we also like Dr. Who, Star Wars, and Star Trek.  I once let someone else have a Han Solo Hallmark ornament I was buying, and have regretted ever since.  I can’t find the exact one.  So, now, I hold on to it if I found it first; I don’t give my things up or let others talk me out of my finds. 

 

Doll show and

gift shop items, including my original paintings and books I

have written.

Also, don’t pass up blown glass ornaments, especially vintage balls and figural shapes.  Mickey Mouse, Peanuts, Raggedy Ann, are great bets.  So are Italian blown glass figures, and the late figures using the technique but made elsewhere.

 

I love little bags of 60s/70s ornaments.  I love decorating trees with them or making other art pieces.  I also love to give them as gifts to other collector friends of mine.

 

3. Halloween; I love Halloween, and love unusual decorations, especially Scarecrows.  I found one recently made by a Shaker community, very neat.  I choose handmade items, like a recent family of crocheted pumpkins because they are nicely done and reflect what may become a lost art.  I knit and crochet, but not like that!

 

4. Dolls and toys:  I try to fill in areas we don’t have in the museum.  Ditto comic books and pop culture items.  I still look for beanies, Precious Moments figurines, Hummels, and other collectibles that were once hot, but fading in popularity.  I document the history of these things in our museum.

    

                                                                We have lots of books!

4. My next point is that we are a Museum, not a retail establishment.  I handle it well, but am vexed when people take things off the display shelves, then bring them up to be priced.  I’m not sure what people don’t understand about my sign, “American Doll and Toy Museum”, or my greeting, “Welcome to American Doll and toy Museum, we are a not for profit 501c organization.”  Next gripe, and I’ll try to stop, we do need the donation we request to enter and enjoy limitless time among our displays.  Thank you to those who to contribute.  A big raspberry to those who waltz in, basically freeload, then make snotty comments about dolls coming to life and what a shame the library became a museum.  PS; we have over 4000 books on display and in our archives for public perusal.  We also don’t request donations of those who return to us; though always have a free will donation jar.  It’s for the museum, not me; we have to keep the building going.
5. Notwithstanding paragraph 5, we do have small gift shop, and proceeds are for the museum.  We sell small toys, jewelry, holiday items, books, including those I write, some doll clothes and doll sized baby clothes, holiday sweaters, hats, some very large and fancy, knitted scarves, little cars, fancy playing cards, coloring books, some antique items.  They are not from my collection; I look for things that I can sell reasonable.  Most things are one or two dollars, nothing is over fifty dollars.  When it is not on display, I show items by request, and I take them to doll shows to benefit the museum and to get the word out that we are here.
6. When I look for jewelry, I’m on the lookout for real silver and gold.  I also enjoy small sterling pieces, like spoons, coasters, figures, pitchers, and butter pats.  Vintage rhinestone jewelry and holiday pins are on my list, as well as broken jewelry pieces I use for my own creations.
7. I like furniture, especially Victorian or arts and crafts.  I’m thrilled when I can get a curio, small shelf, shadow box, or accent chair. 
8. Recently I was given a wonderful antique pump organ.  I am learning to play it, and I play the piano, so sheet music, music books, and other small instruments are on my list.

4.  I think categories, and am looking for things to fill the gap.  There is a method to my collector’s madness, which makes the thrill of the hunt even more fun.

Doll Show Set up