List Of Personal Vintage Favorites

Someone asked me the other day what I personally collect.  I usually am so busy finding items to sell, I don't focus much on personal collections.  It is pretty rare that I keep anything,  and unless it is a "family" item I could sell it at any time.  Except for the quilts, nothing is ever completely safe from resale.  I've been known to get rid of complete categories (ode to the lunchboxes).

Here are a few categories I have five or more of (all are vintage or antique):

-- alarm clocks
-- electric fans
-- green or yellowware stoneware bowls
-- brown transferware, but I have been known to keep misc other colors

-- interesting old photos.  A collection that often gets filtered.
-- dog miniatures.  A collection my mother started.  I only keep one if it reminds me of her collection.

-- white matte pottery.  Another rotating collection.

-- wedding cake toppers.  This collection started when I regretted selling one I loved.

-- Ozark touristware pottery

-- old leather Bibles or Prayer Books
-- enamel coffeepots and other vintage coffee items -actually my husband's collection.
-- porcelain doll heads.  yes, just the heads.

-- depression era quilts.  A collection which started with the ones my grandmother made and I used during my childhood.
-- hand made pig cutting boards
-- old tweed suitcases

-- some really great original artwork

I have a few rules about adding any item to my collections.  I have to love it.  I have to be able to display it so that I can enjoy it every day.  I don't allow myself to pay "big money" for anything, it has to be cheap. 

I don't even feel tempted to buy online or even in antique malls to find additions to my collections.  It has to be something I just happen to run across at a sale or an auction.

Except for the rare small items (photos or dog miniatures) I have to get rid of one thing if I add something to the collection.  And did I mention that I have to love it?