While there are countless genres of things to collect, there’s one common thread that connects them: where and how to display it all! It’s the same dilemma that most every museum struggles with as well. So what can a private collector learn from a museum? I asked myself the same question. Read more
Take a moment to reflect upon your childhood and the things you collected. Chances are you amassed baseball cards, rocks, plastic army men, stuffed animals, fossils, coins, and whatever else that may have captured your imagination during adolescence. I’m reminded of those prized childhood collections nearly every time I enter my oldest daughter’s room and gaze upon her latest organized display of Barbie dolls, plush animals, or Shopkins. She takes great pride and enjoyment in her “show and tell” performances, in which she educates this hopeless lummox on the proper way to accessorize Barbie. Read more
Hello everyone. Mitchell here to give you an update on all the work we’ve put into the latest version of RelicRecord to get it ready and out the door. Will and I are excited to get this version out to our loyal customers and hope you find it useful in managing your collection!
Have you ever come across something that’s interesting but have no idea what it is or what its potential value may be? Officially known as a “Thingamajig,” I’ve come across many of these in my travels and have found a few places that have been helpful in my attempts to find out “what the heck is this thing?” Let’s take a look at a few of them… Read more
For more than 25 years, I’ve collected various genres of Civil War artifacts, each with the excitement and fervor of Gallagher at a farmer’s market. Of all the things I’ve collected over the years, my Civil War collection provides me the greatest joy… and pain! Yes, pain! Every time I admire my collection, I’m reminded of the many mistakes I’ve made. I’ve passed-up items that I wished I had purchased, sold a few things that I kick myself for letting go, and let collecting get in the way of other, more important things in life. Sound familiar?
Based on my personal experiences in amassing my own collection, I’ve put together 9 tips for collectors that I hope will help lead you to a more enjoyable and fulfilling journey of collecting.
So why do we collect stuff? There have been a few theories tossed around on the subject; and of course, psychological explanations as well. In fact, one needs to look no further than Sigmund Freud for such entertaining enlightenment.
As your collection grows, you’ll want to keep a visual inventory of all the items in your collection. In addition to remembering what’s in your collection, such images will also help with insurance documentation and estate planning. And for those of us losing our minds, it’s often easier to go through pictures to remember what you have rather than digging through storage boxes, display cases, and notes in search of an item. This article will guide you through the basics of photographing your collection.
