Are you the type of collector who gets on the band wagon of the “new” latest and greatest thing, that everyone is collecting? Or are you more thoughtful with your collecting. Go forth with confidence and invest in things that make you smile, give you a fond memory, or simply make you happy? I myself have always been a “what speaks to me” collector. My tastes are varied and widespread but, I have found this to be successful for me. It has created a home that I love and one that I am proud to share.

As I’ve been doing the online sales at our Assistance League Omaha non profit for a couple of years now I have discovered some interesting things. I have learned that “Limited Edition” and “Letter of Authenticity” generally has no merit in the world of collecting. Back in the 1970’s-2000 manufactures discovered that by adding these two things to their products, they could make it sound more important, and charge more money for it. We all bought into this ploy. 1 of 5000 doesn’t make something special, it just makes it 1 of 5000!

At the thrift shop we constantly have “collector items” donated. Plates, figurines, dolls, etc Beauty and the Beast, or Dept 56 items. Collector Christmas Ornaments, you name it. The millennials don’t want it, so when they go to break up their parents or grandparents household, it comes our way. We are so grateful for the generosity of our donors. Sometimes the most amazing things come thru our door.

So often these things are donated because they can’t see the bigger vision. They view something in the same way they have always known it. No thought about how to repurpose, for their own use. Do you remember the blue plate craze. You know what I am talking about, those Danish Royal Copenhagen and Bing & Grondahl plates that everyone collected. They were beautifully done with scenes of normal life or famous buildings. They became an easy gift for mom, for whatever occasion. Many of my clients collected the plates, but they never really knew how to use them effectively. They would be marching around a room all in a row, or stuffed in a curio cabinet, with all the other small stuff that they didn’t know what to do with. I would spend days sometimes accessorizing stuff people already had to maximize their beauty.

Those same blue plates aren’t worth much anymore. Though they come with their letter of authenticity, it doesn’t seem to mean a thing. We get them in by the cart load, and I have quit taking them for the online shop. Not completely true. I have told our gals to funnel the ones that are all earlier than 1960. These are truly vintage. They are still beautifully done no matter what the age, and their size (usually salad plate size) makes them perfect for a plate stack at your next dining event. How fun to have a collection of just Christmas scenes on your table for Christmas morning. Or a Mother’s Day brunch with a plate for the year, each of your family members were born. Paired with another blue and white dish or just a plain white plate it can create magic. You just need to rethink it.

It is also a great time to buy Lladro figurines. Now I personally have never been a Lladro fan (too fussy for me) but, they are hand painted and beautifully executed. In a vignette they can quickly elevate the still life. Back in the day Lladro’s were an investment. Sold at the finest gift shops, they are manufactured in Spain and feature romantic everyday life. From ducks, geese, and swans, to children, and adults doing everything from picking flowers to gossiping. If you really look at the detail of these lovely figures, you will understand what I’m talking about. Like everything, figurines will come around again and the prices are unbelievably low right now.

I don’t believe in putting these objects behind closed doors. They lose their magic. They are meant to be observed from all directions. I once displayed a Lladro backwards in a mirror. The back of the girl was so interesting and then she was looking at herself in the mirror. Figurines also make great bookends, or stacked on a book to punctuate a vignette. When using figurines it is important to consider scale with the other objects, placing one on a book not only anchors the figurine but directs the eye where you want it to go. Also analyze the position of the head. Is it looking up, straight on, or down. If it is looking up it should be placed low. Straight on it should be right at eye level. Looking down it should be on a higher shelf. The eyes tell!

Other figurines and porcelains to collect are Royal Doulton. There figurines are more my style and so beautifully painted. They are famous for their lady figurines which are beautiful, but have absolutely no appeal to me.

I prefer the craggy men. Though I have only 6 figurines I display them proudly and feel they enhance my decor greatly.

Royal Doulton also created Series Ware. Back in the 1890-1930’s they took characters from Charles Dickens stories and made not only figurines but plates and services depicting the story. My mom and sister both collected Dickensware and my sister set the most fun table using these dishes.

She also displays them proudly in her home and has used them well. I have the Gypsies Series Ware on my bedroom wall. These are all well priced now and easy to come by on eBay. To finish out my wall I had to make a couple of purchases and though the plates were only about 24.00 each the shipping from England killed me. But it was worth it, I love the wall.

Milk Glass is so popular now and easy to come by. White in color, it is an easy one to use in accessorizing your home. Works well for a multitude of holidays and readily available in the thrift shop world. For me this collectable is not something I am drawn to but, for the new collector it is attainable. Made by Fenton, Imperial, Anchor Hocking just to name a few, this opaque glass was first produced during the Italian Renaissance in Venice but became truly popular in the late 19th Century and hit its zenith in the 1940’s-1960’s.

Depression Glass is also gaining in popularity. During the stock market crash in 1929 millions of people were out of work. There was no money for extras, so factories in the Ohio River Valley retooled the factories which previously made cut glass to mass produce cheap but pretty glassware. They were sold by the crate full to stores. You could get a whole set cup, saucer, creamer and sugar, and a luncheon tray if you bought a Frigidaire refrigerator, then go to the 5 and dime and get your serving pieces for 50 cents! It came in cereal boxes or spend so much at the grocery store and get the piece of the week free! Incentive to keep you coming back for more. Recognized by those pretty pastel colors and beautifully etched designs with drapery and scroll work and delicate florals. Depression glass, as it came to be known, was produced in a wide range of bright colors—pink, pale blue, green, amber, and less common colors like canary, ultramarine, jadeite, delphite (opaque pale blue), cobalt blue, red, black, amethyst, monax, white (milk glass), and even fluorescent uranium glass that glows under a black light. Prices are good and we are getting some interesting sets of this in, and it is selling. The unfortunate thing about depression glass is that it is prone to etching and chipping. So pieces in very good condition are sought after.

Those are just a few things that we have been selling https://shopassistanceleague.com that have potential for being a good up and comer. I never advocate to anyone to collect for the sake of collecting. Don’t collect because it is what is popular now. Don’t collect because you think it is a good investment. Everything has its cycle, including us! Collect because you can fill your home with interesting objects, and for much less than you would pay retail. Collect because it makes you think of another time, place, or moment. Be curious and learn about the things you collect. After all a pretty vase is just that, until you let it divulge its story.

Tell me what is catching your eye or what you’ve recently purchased that you are excited about. Maybe you have something that you haven’t got a clue what it is, or how to display it. Send me a photo, I may be able to help you out.

Until next time

Thanks for stopping

Shelley