So, if you're someone who thinks collecting figural Victorian bottles, or taxidermy, or vintage panorama photographs, or paper ephemera, or Pez dispensers, or vintage cameras, or anything that is old and beautiful and has a story or history, then here are some tips to help you get started.
1. Collect what interests you not what you think other people find interesting.
What's the point in collecting objects you don't love or find fascinating? It doesn't matter what they are, you can always make their presentation interesting once you build a larger collection.
2. Get educated with some preliminary research.
Hit up a Google image search to see what strange items pop up. Look up existing prices and ranges of items on Ebay. Go to flickr and see images of other peoples collections that they've photographed. If nothing else, try to find social networks centered around your interest or websites dedicated to your quirky collection interest. Your ultimate goal is to get a general idea on the differences between common objects and those that are rare, including common pricing structures. You also want to be educated on prices so you know what to pay when you do find your objects.
3. Limit your scope.
You must limit the scope to a specific subset of objects. Trying to collect everything is not only frustrating but unachievable. If you like paper ephemera, start by narrowing it down to a few specific types, like pre-war postcards or 1950s food adverts. If you like mid-century vases, only collect vases in a Sungold yellow color. Limiting scope will not only allow you to discover the small differences between common objects and rare finds, but it will make the experience of searching all the more intriguing.
4. Don't reach for the sky initially.
Buy a few common, but good quality pieces that will help build your set. Have patience in letting the set build organically and naturally. It will take more time, but you will ultimately be happier with a smaller, but quality collection than a large, mediocre collection.
5. Hit the streets.
Unique pieces aren't always going to show up on Ebay and other related websites. Yard sales, surplus stores, flea markets, estate sales, and smaller, quirky vintage and antique shops around town are your best bets for finding something unique. Don't get frustrated if you don't find what you're looking for. Again, patience and determination is your friend. Frequent these places and try to build relationships with people who may have what you want. If you can get people looking for you and contacting you before it's even put up for sale, you'll find some great, rare pieces.
What's the point in collecting objects you don't love or find fascinating? It doesn't matter what they are, you can always make their presentation interesting once you build a larger collection.
2. Get educated with some preliminary research.
Hit up a Google image search to see what strange items pop up. Look up existing prices and ranges of items on Ebay. Go to flickr and see images of other peoples collections that they've photographed. If nothing else, try to find social networks centered around your interest or websites dedicated to your quirky collection interest. Your ultimate goal is to get a general idea on the differences between common objects and those that are rare, including common pricing structures. You also want to be educated on prices so you know what to pay when you do find your objects.
3. Limit your scope.
You must limit the scope to a specific subset of objects. Trying to collect everything is not only frustrating but unachievable. If you like paper ephemera, start by narrowing it down to a few specific types, like pre-war postcards or 1950s food adverts. If you like mid-century vases, only collect vases in a Sungold yellow color. Limiting scope will not only allow you to discover the small differences between common objects and rare finds, but it will make the experience of searching all the more intriguing.
4. Don't reach for the sky initially.
Buy a few common, but good quality pieces that will help build your set. Have patience in letting the set build organically and naturally. It will take more time, but you will ultimately be happier with a smaller, but quality collection than a large, mediocre collection.
5. Hit the streets.
Unique pieces aren't always going to show up on Ebay and other related websites. Yard sales, surplus stores, flea markets, estate sales, and smaller, quirky vintage and antique shops around town are your best bets for finding something unique. Don't get frustrated if you don't find what you're looking for. Again, patience and determination is your friend. Frequent these places and try to build relationships with people who may have what you want. If you can get people looking for you and contacting you before it's even put up for sale, you'll find some great, rare pieces.
Happy collecting! Just for fun, I've included a few of my favorite collections that I found from Flickr for inspiration. (all the images link back to their Flickr set)
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