What Do You Collect?

[raysouth]

I have been reading, and enjoying, all of the posts folks have left as to where they live, etc.

How about telling us about some of the things you collect and not restricted to leather related items.

I will begin by telling of a few of the things that have tickled my collecting mania along the way;

Model railroading in all scales and last being the larger G Scale units.

Vintage pressed steel transportation, construction, military, etc; toys.

Vintage blowtorches, both foreign and domestic. Especially enjoy the beautiful all brass units.

Railroad lanterns and signals of all types. One of my favorite collectibles.

Silver coinage from around the world with emphasis on U.S. Coins.

License plates and embossed street signs. Especially sample plates from all states that made them.

Anything leather related.

You get the idea and hope everyone finds this a pleasant way to let folks know what interests you may have.

God Bless.

Ray

[hornm]

Mostly dust and debt... and old shaving gearlike straight razors, brushes, scuttles......

Horn

[MonicaJacobson]

Ray, I'm jealous of your train signal collection. That sounds amazing. We picked up a whiskey compass last year, but that's about the coolest thing we have.

[cardinal leather]

old radios, old drafting equipment, animal skulls, odd items not seen everywhere, belt buckles, old carpenter, welding tools, books of all kinds.

[billybopp]

Books! I have a couple that are 200 years old. Several around 100 years old. A first edition Gone With The Wind, and lots of others. One of these days I'll branch out with leatherworking and restore the cover on a beautiful 1880 Bible that I have. I also seem to be collecting 1/72 plastic model kits that I rarely have time to actually work on (mostly 1940s-1950s airplanes and rockets).

Bill

[Chief31794]

Musical Instruments, I have what's referred to as GAS (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome), DAS (Dobro Acquisition Syndrome), BAS (Bass.. oh you get the idea), that and leather working tools.

Chief

[stu925]

My wife would tell you that I collect hobbies. Actually my real collections are knives and guns. Other stuff I collect strictly because they are useful to me, blacksmithing equipment for making knives, reloading & casting equipment so I can load my own ammo, you get the idea I'm sure. My problem is there's not enough room in my house and workshop for all my stuff.

Stu

[bruce johnson]

Books - in particular older poetry by Robert Service, Edgar Guest, Banjo Paterson, Henry Lawson, and old western poetry from the early 1900s before "cowboy poetry" was cool. Will James, Ross Santee, and books by or about Charlie Russell and Will Rogers.

Tools - old leather tools, but not any one maker. I have an old knife from the 1830s that rocks my world. Use it quite a bit, and I expect the makers would be proud that I do.

[DoubleC]

Ray it's safe to say I'm afraid to answer because I'm afraid the show 'Hoarders' is after me . Just looking around the room I see antique furniture, a tin pot with a copper bottom, wooden jewelry hanging, elephant sculptures, antique wood boxes, Antique sewing machines. That's just glancing around And love them all.

[raysouth]

Hornm, Think I have a couple of older shaving brushes in shop and will let you know after my next trip there.

MonicaJacobsen, Don't be jealous as most of the collection has now passed to others. Was a great collectible and one of my favorites. You stumped me, so now tell me something about a whiskey compass. Never heard the term before.

Cardinal, Have a steer skull that I purchased for the horns. Still wrapped, (w/out horns), and available for postage. Many books around, of various topics but never collected books as a hobby. Just enjoy reading and finding new and interesting things to do.

BillyBopp, WOW!!!!! Great collectible. I have a Family Bible from 1700's that needs new covering and was nice to read of births and death of few ancestors but best is the beautiful print and penmanship of ancestors, found inside. Also in shop was, and may still be, a kit for a f-117, which I had hoped to use as a pattern to make one of leather. Got as far as one wing and then packed it away.

Chief, Wonderful items to collect. Not able to read music but purchased a harmonica and a few lesson books to get me started. Fill in the times when I cannot get to the shop. Wife will have to cover her ears, but surely I will sound better than a vacuum cleaner. Love to sing with my karaoke system.

Bruce, Wish I had some Western Poetry to send but none around here. Know you have fine leather tools and using the old knife can raise some interesting thoughts.

DoubleC, Don't worry about the hoarders. I will keep them at bay around here. Love anything related to elephants. Years ago I did a ceramic piece, glazed with a no-no glaze and now treasure the piece. Amazed at the results and goes to show that we must try new ideas. Keep collecting and never quit

[Kracker]

Zippo lighters I started with 43 from my grandpa and now I am up to 174

[raysouth]

Hey Kracker, I can remember the early Zippo lighters. They were always the top dog in lighters. Companies like Ronson also a thing of the past. Zippo lighters are still in production, I believe.

So many neat collectibles.

God Bless.

Ray

[snubbyfan]

Not so much a collector as an accumulator. I usta make custom furniture so I've got a garage full of woodworking tools. My wife asked me once,"How many power tools do you need?" I answered,"All of them."

Thanks to a peripheral motor nerve condition, I no longer trust my hands with power tools so I started leather work. Now my wife asks me how many leatherworking tools do I need?

One thing that sucks but'll help me from accumulating too much is that my poor gimpy hand can't work a swivel knife.

Right now I'm sittin' here collectin' dust, waiting for a customers favorite buckle to arrive so I can start on his gun belt.

Edited November 18, 2014 by snubbyfan

[whipstitchwallets]

Mostly dust and debt... and old shaving gearlike straight razors, brushes, scuttles......

Horn

interesting; I just started a little collection of straight razors. So far I got a geneva, wade and butcher, and j.a. henckels.

[Kracker]

Ohh yeah Zippo is still the top lighter company.

[Bob Blea]

Ray, I'm jealous of your model railroad and lantern and signal collections. I've got N scale model railroad equipment. That's what first got me interested in electronics when I was young and led to my eventual career. I've always loved railroad history but I've never collected much actual memorabilia from the 1920-1950's steam era. It's probably time to dig the model railroad stuff back out because the kids are old enough to appreciate it now and one just loves trains.

[raysouth]

Hey Snubbyfan, "ALL OF THEM", is the way to go. Never enough tools for our various projects. Understand the need to shy away from power tools. Ditto around here. Don't use swivel knife much as one of my pyrography pens will give me much the same effects. Keep on "accumulating".

Whipstitchwallets, Straight razors are neat and historic items to collect. Never could develop enough courage to allow one close to my neck. Must be a phobia.

Bob, Most of my rr collectibles now resting in other homes. I still have the urge to collect them but must practice restraint at my age. lol. N Scale is a great space saver and have always admired those with the ability to work with such small items. Had 2 favorite steam era locos, the Big Boy of Union Pacific, and the Cab Forwards of Southern Pacific. Hope you dug yours out for the kids.

God Bless all.

Ray

[Craftsman Made]

Books, Old maps, Old tools mainly saddlers, shoe makers and thatchers.

[lazyd]

Bottle openers (church keys). It was an accident. We found a couple in an old chair we were upholstering for a customer, hung them on a nail in the shop. People saw them and decided we needed more and started bringing them to us. I just counted 55 different ones so far...??? weird.---------Bill

[raysouth]

Becomes more interesting with every new post.

Craftsman Made, My books are of the more current variety, although I did have, and may still have in the shop, a few vintage leather craft books. Maps I enjoyed were of the railroads and their lines as they developed. Framed two very nice maps of old lines, some of which are still in operation today. Had them hanging in shop until I began to divest myself of my railroad collectibles.

Lazy D, Bill, Bottle openers are a thing of the past and they mostly disappeared without me noticing they were gone. I do have a few that found their way into a small collection of key fobs but no idea what or who they represent. Will have to look around to see what they are, now that you have peaked my interest. lol.

Keep the collections coming.

God Bless.

Ray

[Going South]

World War II items. My father and uncles fought, and I started with some of the things they kept.

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

Harness hardware and buckles with the company's name on them such as Boyt, Gopher, Meyer, Gold Bond, Jim Dandy, etc. Also, old harness catalogs. I find them entertaining and fascinating and can look at them for hours. Some people would say leather machinery, but I have nowhere near enough of that to qualify as a collection! You can't really have too much leather machinery, can you??

[raysouth]

Going South, Items from that era are much treasured by folks around the world. Took my place some years ago with military vehicles and anything else I could lay my hands upon. May still have a few smalls in the shop and will have to dig around one day soon. If you have the opportunity, look at the MVPA, Military Vehicle Preservation Associations site and see some very interesting vehicles.

Big Sioux Saddlery, Never had much experience with such items as in your collection. Closest I came was a beautiful old hames which I gave to someone not long ago. I can imagine that the old catalogs are fascinating material to read. We can learn a lot from folks long gone. You are correct about leather machinery. NEVER, or should I say, IMPOSSIBLE, to ever have enough. Life is grand.

God Bless and keep those interesting collections coming.

Ray

[suzelle]

Grandkids! We have 7 now. : )

Also collect: Sewing machines that need fixing. Old black and white photos - mostly 1800's to early 1900's. Interesting tapestry and needlepoint pieces that are older. Dark wood antique furniture, mohair fabric, patterns for clothing or just about anything, picture frames and picture frame equipment, original oil or watercolor paintings, serigraph prints, intaglio prints, food recipes, and always looking at old cars hoping that one day we'll find one like the ones I used to collect! : )

Edit: Almost forgot! Gotta add books! I love books. Even though they are not selling as well as they used to when you want to clean out your book collection, I buy them still. I'm a bit more selective now than I used to be. I have a fantastic Art Library after a lifetime of collecting.

Edited November 21, 2014 by suzelle

[raysouth]

Wow, Suzelle. The grandkids must keep you on the move. Tons of fun times for you and the family.

What type cars did you collect? I recently parted with my treasure wagon, a 1929 Fargo Caravan that I still dream about. Only one I have remaining is a 1967 Dodge d-100 that has been restored, and now a street rod as made by the former owner. I am no longer able to be involved in the old car thing so now have one more to sell and then I will be done.

Art collection appears to be extensive and certain that you enjoy. Have large selection of books in my shop and finding it very difficult to find buyers for them so will probably donate to a small library in the country.

Hope you can collect many more items that appeal to you. So much fun.

God Bless.

Ray