- Messages
- 10,930
- Location
- My mother's basement
Lotsa old clothes; a fair amount of old paper ephemera; lotsa “oriental” (a term overdue for replacement) rugs; at least a hundred hats (the one category in which I can honestly claim some level of expertise); vintage commercial art and signage; books; old radios and other audio gear (the appeal of which to me, what with my tin ear and all, is mostly in its visual attributes); interesting old furniture from various eras; vintage and antique luggage; vintage cookware and tableware; license plates; vintage motel memorabilia.
There’s more, but that’s most of it. Like most others drawn to this site, I’m into stuff from bygone eras that somehow managed to survive into the present, especially the stuff that wasn’t really meant to. But none of it is so precious that I’d be heartbroken if it were somehow lost. And none of it is so valuable in monetary terms that it would be irresistibly tempting to a thief. (Which is not to say that a light-fingered sort *wouldn’t* steal some of it [some people would steal almost anything], but very little of it would be easily fenced. A second-story man’s efforts would likely be more lucratively expended elsewhere, such as one of the neighbors’ houses, with their newer, “more desirable” stuff.)
I’m thankful for the more obsessive collectors and their willingness (in general) to share their hard-won knowledge. And I often find it entertaining when the more passionate experts get into the minutiae and can’t come to agreement. The world of tribal rugs is thick with such characters.
There’s more, but that’s most of it. Like most others drawn to this site, I’m into stuff from bygone eras that somehow managed to survive into the present, especially the stuff that wasn’t really meant to. But none of it is so precious that I’d be heartbroken if it were somehow lost. And none of it is so valuable in monetary terms that it would be irresistibly tempting to a thief. (Which is not to say that a light-fingered sort *wouldn’t* steal some of it [some people would steal almost anything], but very little of it would be easily fenced. A second-story man’s efforts would likely be more lucratively expended elsewhere, such as one of the neighbors’ houses, with their newer, “more desirable” stuff.)
I’m thankful for the more obsessive collectors and their willingness (in general) to share their hard-won knowledge. And I often find it entertaining when the more passionate experts get into the minutiae and can’t come to agreement. The world of tribal rugs is thick with such characters.