We wrote about collecting a few weeks ago, and since then, a new book on collecting has been published. The title is Collected: Living with the Things You Love, by Fritz Karch and Rebecca Robertson, both of whom worked for Martha Stewart–a major collector.
One of the main premises in the book is that there are different types of collectors, and that’s certainly borne out by the people I know who collect!
Are you a Seasonalist? Do you collect items solely by season? Is Christmas where you go crazy?
Or do you go overboard for the 4th of July? If that’s your passion, you’re a Seasonalist collector.
Are you a Naturalist? Were you one of those children who walked through the woods and collected special rocks?
Or did you collect seashells on the seashore? Is it birds’ nests that you love?
The Artificialist is more interested in natural imagery, but not the actual natural items. If you’re this type of collector, Halcyon House Antiques has what you’re looking for with these dishes cast from real leaves.
The Containerist collects containers of all sorts. Beautiful boxes in a variety of materials. There are so many stunning examples, including this one in shell and bone from Halcyon House.
We, however, frown on conspicuously displaying your collection of Hermès boxes. It’s one thing to have them in your closet, holding your scarf collection, but anywhere else? Just say no.
The Maximalist (and we know a few of them!) goes for big things and lots of them!
Their collections pack a punch, both visually and in quantity.
Collecting is an emotional activity, and many collectors will tell you exactly when and where they got the piece, what the situation was, who they were with and even what the weather was like! Each piece has a special meaning, whether it came from a dusty antique shop or it was something they stalked on eBay for a week. We know collectors who will stop at (almost) nothing to get that final piece in their collection– that one elusive item that is rarely on the market.
With collecting comes the quandary of how it should be displayed. Most of us don’t have the space, or even the inclination to have museum display cases around our house. The best collections we know are imaginatively displayed, sometimes with a hint or more of whimsy. Shells are put in a huge glass urn. Collected birds’ eggs are displayed in a huge glass dome.
If you want to see how others have displayed their collections, the hashtag #shelfies on Pinterest has a huge number of images of shelves with displays. Take note: some are much better than others!
We would love for you to share what you collect! Please leave a comment and tell us all about your collection, how you started and how you display it!
The View from Halcyon Farm is sponsored by Halcyon House Antiques in Lutherville, opened Tuesday through Saturday on Halcyon Farm. For more information, visit the store website.
