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When we hear the word "collection" most of us think of a commonly-valued item like an assemblage of Bauerware or rare coins. We think of treasured family heirlooms like family photos or great-grandfather's pocket watch. But of course there are those that thrill in the delight of finding, or accumulating, items a bit more on the unusual side.
On Apartment Therapy we've been able to peer into the homes of serious and occasional collectors. We've been able to see beautiful and inspired compilations like this collection of maps or vintage portraits. And we love seeing how a person's collection, whether it be high-brow or low-brow, rare or common, can be incorporated into a home. Of course no one has shown us more about how to beautifully collect and display one's cherished collection like Martha Stewart. Just check out this wonderful display of cafe au lait bowls or this collection of vintage honey jars.
But that's not what this post is about.
The internet can be a wonderful tool for linking your own collecting fetish with like-minded people. There are idiosyncratic and, shall we say, unusual collections like this woman's obsession with the number 43, this collection of condiment packages, or this assortment of air sickness bags. And there are the famous tumbler sites that virtually collect items like Awkward Family Photos, Sh*it My Kids Ruined or Damn You Autocorrect. Offbeat but excellent collections, one and all.
For some seriously strange (okay, beauty is in the eye of the beholder) assortments check out these other unconventional collections:
• Offbeat Homes
• Cans of Coca Cola
• Banana Stickers
• Rubber Duckies
• Key Chains
• View Masters (above image)
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No, no, no, no. You are still not allowed to talk about "collections" or "collecting." You beat that dead horse for so long last time that it's going to be at least a year before you can even use that word anywhere in a post, let alone in the title of one.
I saw the coca cola can collection and I had a bunch of Tab cans on the very top part of my kitchen cabinets because I liked the pink color and everyone thought the cans were vintage because no one knew Tab was still sold in stores.
How about Kevin Rej's (pronounced ray) lunchbox collection: http://www.collectorsquest.com/collector/kevin-rej
I used to collect stickers I'd steal off produce at the grocery store. When I was 10.
Things I have collected on and off throughout my life, from childhood on: holiday candles (shaped like pumpkins, pilgrims, bunnies...); stamps (BOR-ing! Mom was responsible!); daisies; owls; unicorns (these three BEFORE they became popular); rocks; crystals (for beauty and as specimens, not for "new age" reasons); cloisonne vases; sculptures of hands; paintings; moss green pottery; Mexican pottery (vintage, earthenware, striped -- from a specific village); sculptures of deities (largely museum replicas); costume jewelry; folk textiles (ikat, molas, embroideries, etc.); things Japanese including kimono (usually tourist grade); crystal perfume bottles; sun motif items (mirrors, plaques, jewelry); artist-made polymer clay jewelry (from the best in the field, who have work in the Smithsonian); and probably things I am forgetting!
Collections come, collections go, but it's amusing to have things in multiples!