Collectingology

Before the advent of cell phones, television, ipods, computers, and other forms of technology, autograph collecting was one of the most treasured past times. This interest was done on all levels, the very young, the young adult, the mature adult, and even the more wisdom matured. In fact autograph collecting was so popular until there were special books produced especially for autograph collecting. This autograph collecting was not necessarily geared to celebrities only.

Persons in the community were more accessible than movie stars and sports figures, so autograph collecting was popular throughout all walks of life. In the nineteenth century keeping an autograph book for the purpose of autograph collecting was a popular practice. As the word got around about autograph books and they became available at the local five and dime stores, it was a must have, just as the cell phone is today. The autograph book was even more popular in many areas than the personal diary. Many people during the 1950’s and 1960 have purchased autograph books. Most of these autograph books were designed for just what the name of the books implies and that is autograph collecting. These books were small, about eight inches tall by five inches wide. The book had 70 pages. Some books had different colored pages. Usually the pages were in pastel colors, such as pink, blue, lilac, yellow, and light green.

The popularity of these books was unbelievable in high schools and on the college campus. These autograph books were circulated from classmate to classmate during the recess period and during social functions at school and away from school. There were two goals for this autograph collecting. The first goal and perhaps the most important was to get a signature from every classmate. Secondly, it was a desire to fill every page in the book. You were honored and delighted when someone, who was collecting autographs, asked you for your autograph. Those classmates who were high up the ladder rungs in popularity were sort out first. Sometimes in fact there would be a little line waiting to get the persons autograph. Even more so, everyone wanted to have the teachers, administrators and other school personnel sign their book. Getting these signatures had the same importance as it is to get celebrity signatures today.

Some of these autograph books still exist today. Autograph collecting collections can be found in many special collections on campuses today in the college libraries. Many students wrote their favorite verse or quotation before autographing the book. Others wrote about special memories shared with the person during this period of time. These memories included college pranks, dormitory rooms, card games, hangouts, and stunts. Nothing is left out of these books. Included in these books are accounts of professors and various class experiences.

It was not unusual for some who were less verbal to just autograph the book and date it. As you can see autograph collecting, crosses all walks of life, all races, and socio-economic levels.

Did you know that during the Civil War, more than 1000 different types of bullets were used? This is one reason Civil War bullet collecting has become a popular hobby. Another reason is that the time of the Civil War saw changes taking place in the development of firearms and ammunition. The old round musketballs of the Revolution were being replaced with bullets in the shape we are accustomed to. While musketballs are found on Civil War battlefields, the most common type of bullet used was the .58-caliber bullet with three rings around the base. Many bullets found are splattered out of shape. If you’ve always been fascinated by the Civil War and firearms, Civil War bullet collecting is a hobby you will enjoy.

With the advent of Internet buying and selling, Civil War bullets have become more collectible, and the prices have gone up quickly. Not only this, sometimes sellers are not informed and ask more than the bullet is worth. For these reasons, if you are just starting out in Civil War bullet collecting, you will want to buy a good price guide. You can even find a price guide online if that works better for you.

Many Civil War bullet collectors also collect bullet molds and other relics from the Civil War era. A real enthusiast might even investigate the possiblility of becoming a Civil War reenactor, acting out battles with others in towns and fields across the Southeast.

Civil War bullets can be collected by buying from other collectors, or you can begin by going directly to the battlefields to dig and search. A metal detector will make Civil War bullet collecting easier. You may also find buttons from uniforms, bullet molds, belt buckles, and other metal items from the battle. Some of the bullets may be buried quite deep. You will need to wear a headset and pay close attention to the changes in tone in your metal detector. Hunting Civil War relics is prohibited on protected battlefields, but there are still old homesites where battles were fought. Be sure to get permission from the owner and fill any holes you dig.

Some people have the idea that hunting for bullets with a metal detector indicates a lack of respect for the soldiers who died there. They get this idea because sometimes bullet hunters find bones along with the bullet. The fact is, however, that many of the bullet hunters who have found bullets this way have chronicled and mapped out there finds, resulting in many of the facts that we now know about the Civil War.

The Civil War fascinates Americans because of everything it stands for. While everyone agrees that slavery is a terrible blot on the history of the U.S., there are some people who still discuss the issue of states’ rights versus a strong central government. Civil War bullet collecting is an iteresting hobby, though somewhat sobering at times when considering the great number of casualties. The memory of brother fighting against brother out in the cornfields and pastures will never go away. Civil War bullet collecting is one way to commemorate this monumental historical event.

When collecting coins, one thing to consider is how to arrange your coin collecting and how to take care of the coins. Coins that are collected may be antique, ancient, mint edition, uncirculated coins, or limited editions coins. These coins may come from many countries and are usually high in value. A collector must know how to keep and store the coins and how to take care of them so that they will retain the same appearance and value.

One way to take care of coins in your coin collection is to purchase a selection of coin collection storage accessories. Not only are coin accessories used to make a coin collection presentable and organized, but the primary purpose of coin accessories is to take care and preserve the coins.

When buying coin collection accessories, it is important to choose those accessories that will best satisfy the needs of the coin collector. Some factors that may be considered are durability, price and usefulness.

Many coin accessories can be found in collectible stores and even online. Here are some coin accessories that may be considered for your collectibles:

Coin Boxes
Coin boxes are the most common sought storage item for coin accessories as they are very convenient to coin collectors and specialists. The compartments of the box provide for easy location of the coins. The compartments are also wide, which provides flexibility in placing the coins for collecting. The wide compartments also allow the collector to handle the coins in the proper way.

Coin Albums
Coin albums are similar to any typical album with the difference being that the coin album is especially designed to hold a collection of coins. A coin album has a transparent layer that aids in the protection of the coins. The collector does not need to handle the coins one by one. All he has to do is turn the pages and the coins are all there, protected from improper handling.

Coin Holders
Coin holders are best for those collectors who collect coins during their travels. They allow portability of the coin collection. In addition, the collector does not need to carry his entire collection. He can simply place a single coin in the coin holder. Coin holders provide safety for the coins and prevent a coin from the many elements that may depreciate its value.

Other coin accessories can be found at collectible stores. Determine the primary purpose of the accessory and if it can satisfy your needs. Prices will differ depending on the durability of the accessory. Research the many coin collection storage accessories that are sold and compare prices and your needs before choosing one.

Recent trends suggest that many adults are adopting the hobby of collecting and decorating doll houses. The reason is very simple; decorating doll houses gives tremendous satisfaction to adults as well as younger children. One supplier of doll house decorating material points out that there is a hidden desire in every adult to build a house of their design. But this desire is not practically possible for all, so they feel elated when an opportunity comes to decorate a doll house.

Those who have the hobby of collecting and decorating doll houses use all of their artistic imagination for the design and decorations that they use. For them this is an inexpensive way to decorate the house which they always wished for. It is no wonder that some of these hobbyists take years to complete their decorating, sometimes never finishing. These hobbyists mostly work with one room at a time, and by the time they reach to the last room they come across a new idea for the first room, so they will scrap the decoration of the first room and start all over again. For some it is a never ending process.

The hobby of decorating doll houses is very time consuming and challenging. The bigger the doll house, the bigger the challenge. All decorators have one common thing, and that is patience. It is no wonder, since they would probably go crazy without it. They have to work out the detailed plan before starting the decoration for the living room, bed room, kitchen, bathroom and even attic or spare room. After creating the detailed plan, the hobbyist starts designing the rooms with wall paper, carpet, window curtains etc. They also decorate their doll house with other innumerable accessories like miniature light bulbs, furniture and many more.

Some doll house decorators want to replicate their doll house exactly like their home, or how they wish their home would look like. Some even try to experiment first in their doll house before applying the same thing in to their house. Today, the hobby of decorating doll houses becomes more and more specialized. Most doll houses have landscape, patios, gardens etc. Some have even built a mini theater in their doll house.

There is a very big market for miniature decoration materials for doll houses. There are special companies that deal with only miniature, custom made furniture. Generally the cost of custom made miniature furniture is high, since they pay full attention to the minute details. Most miniature furniture is a working model; that is, you can open the drawer of miniature wardrobe.

The most difficult part of designing and installing a doll house is the lighting system. If the hobbyist has no previous knowledge of electricity and wiring than it is very tough to do the wiring and lighting of doll house without expert help. As long as the hobbyist doesn’t have any specific plans for advanced lighting systems, it is possible to buy small kits that are fairly generic in their appearance.

Building a doll house and stocking it with collectibles is a long and time-consuming process, and requires great attention to detail. It is a hobby that will cause quick frustration in most people. But, if you think you have it in you to pursue the hobby, you may find that it is very fun and enjoyable.

In this fast-paced, stressful age we live in, everyone needs a little recreation. Sports collecting is a hobby that can fill your spare minutes with interest and offer a diversion to the everyday grind. Sports collecting takes many forms depending on the person who is pursuing the hobby. Many people choose to collect memorabilia from their favorite professional teams, but others collect items related to golf, fishing, and other recreation sports. Collecting requires a certain amount of space, but collectors are creative about finding ways to display their collectibles.

If you have a favorite pro team or two there are many items you can collect related to those teams. For instance, you can create scrapbooks in which you save clippings about exciting games, favorite players, and special interviews. You can keep ticket stubs and photographs in your scrapbook, too. Other items, however, won’t fit into a scrapbook, such as a game ball, team jersey, or a team’s annual yearbook. These items will need other storage. There are stands for special balls, and jerseys look great hanging on a hanger on the wall.

You might like to collect souvenir items from all types of sports. Most professional teams sell small metal pins with their insignia on them. Pin collecting is a widely practiced hobby, and sports teams are one of the hottest types of collectible pins, as are those commemorating the Olympics. Another option for sports collecting is to collect antique sports equipment. Vintage baseball gloves are an example of this type of collectible.

Baseball cards have long been a source of recreation. Sports collecting enthusiasts have collected baseball cards, football cards, and basketball cards for many years, although baseball cards were the first. This is such a popular hobby that some cards are worth a lot of money, such as a rookie card of a player like Willie Mays.

Other collectors like to accumulate things that illustrate their favorite recreation sports. Collecting items decorated with fish, horses, or golfers are examples of these types of collections. For instance, if you enjoy hunting with dogs, you can decorate your home in a hunting dog theme. There are throw pillows printed with handsome hunting dogs, as well as with the game they help you find. You may find lamps that have a hunting dog as the base. You can even have curtains made from hunting dog printed material! The same can be done around the theme of golf, horseback riding, whether western or eastern, bass fishing, sailboats, and other popular recreation sports. Collecting is a hobby that offers many options!

Collecting is a fun hobby, and one of the most interesting things to collect are art collectibles. Many different items can be painted with artwork and become an art collectible. Hobby enthusiasts collect such things as saw blades, and wooden eggs which have had artwork painted on. People even collect designer rugs as art. Another art collectible hobby is collecting limited edition plates, thimbles, Christmas ornaments, and figurines produced by such companies as Bradford Exchange. And of course, many people collect fine art paintings.

The person with an art collectible hobby will probably find his or her own favorite artists whose works they appreciate. They can choose to focus on one particular artist, either past or present, or they can choose from the works of many artists. On the other hand, they may collect art and art objects around a theme they enjoy, such as cigars, wild animals, or piano music.

One may think of an art collector as a rich person who has the money to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on an original Van Gogh. A person of more modest means can collect art too, however. Post cards are a good place to start. Most art museum gift shops offer high quality, glossy postcards printed with some of their more notable acquisitions. By buying those cards one really appreciates, anyone can have an art collection.

Ebay is a good source of art collectibles whatever type of art or collectible you fancy. In fact, if you are just starting out, the choices and options can be overwhelming! Just remember that you can sell your own belongings as well as buying those of others. This should make the impact on the budget a little less powerful. Other ideas for inexpensively collecting art collectibles are scouring flea markets, thrift shops, and garage sales. You never know what treasure someone else may be getting rid of.

One nice thing about art collectibles is that artists can be found in every part of the world. The art collector should scout the local art shows, museums, and artist’s hangouts to find out just what sort of talent can be had less expensively and close to home. Because of the local flavor of some artwork, art collectibles make good travel souvenirs. For instance, the artist Linda Barnicott specializes in paintings of scenes, buildings, and landmarks found around Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Similarly, collectors can find local artist almost everywhere.

An art collectible hobby will keep you interested in life and give you a home filled with art masterpieces as well. If you enjoy pretty and interesting things around you, consider starting an art collectible hobby today.