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Several years back I wrote about the then, soon to be opened Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, hometown of Harley. Since its opening, it’s been our desire to have our oldest grandson, Hunter, tour the facility and experience the legend of motorcycles with us. At last the time came this week when he was off from school for spring break, and our schedules permitted us to invite him for a three day stay. We filled his time with us quite well including a movie, Bucks basketball game which they won in overtime, (thanks to our daughter’s generous offer of tickets) and the H-D Museum.

The structure inside and out is beautifully industrial, with bare steel I-beams and open grid stair steps, it has the ultimate feel of a factory floor. But there is no mistaking the intent of this museum, the display of everything Harley from the very first bike with serial number one to the best of recent years, including one from each year of production.

One section included motorized recreational products from the era when Harley was owned by AMF Corp. including golf cars, boats, snowmobiles and scooters. Special presentations such as this beauty once own by the King of Rock & Roll, Elvis himself, are on display. I enjoyed seeing all the specialty bikes, from early examples of deliver vehicles, police, postal and military bikes.

Advertising pieces are everywhere. Trophies, medals, and every accessory imaginable are on display. One massive wall is dedicated to nothing but flashy gas tanks.

Can you envision getting this stunning beast clean after a road trip?

Ever wonder how much attention you could draw riding through your home town with all this bling on your bike?

Hunter was thrilled to experience a display of bikes that he could actually touch and climb on.

Our grandson received a scavenger hunt contest upon entering to search out all the bikes described in a little booklet and pencil in their identifying tag. That kept the three of us searching every nook and cranny, and led us to some to the more exotic bikes. He also enjoyed the interactive display where a computer touch screen lets you customize a bike to your own desire, and on completion it races across a wall mounted flat panel for all to see.

The Harley Museum is a “must” for any rider, and a “should” for all true collectors without regard to what you collect, for it was a group corporate passion for collecting that ultimately led this dream to reality.

Let me ask this question first, do you have a special antique store or mall that fits into my definition of a great place to find and buy antiques? Our planning for this year’s buying trips is starting to formulate with plans to visit Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio on one jaunt. Then, Minnesota and the Dakotas. The Carolinas on another and possibly Florida later in the fall or winter. Driving to these locations will take us through other areas. If you have discovered a favorite shop that is well maintained, with new stock replacing sold items, items displayed without over crowding, a friendly and knowledgeable staff I’d like to hear from you at antiquips@gmail.com.

I have mentioned using The Treasure Map, for other trips around Illinois and Wisconsin. Its usefulness has been proven on a number of occasions. This is a free publication picked up at many stores and since it is published regularly, it is up to date. Because it is paid for by the advertisers, you are assured of finding the places still operating.

Now, let me share a store Wifey and I found on a recent journey to a northern suburb of Chicago. The Oakton Street Antique Centre is located at 2430 E Oakton St. in Elk Grove IL. 60005. Its location, about fifteen minutes from O’Hare Airport, might allow you to visit during one of those four hour layovers while waiting for your next flight.

The mall is one I had passed while returning from customers’ factories in the southwestern Chicago burbs. But since it was always late afternoon, I just never found the time to stop in.

We were using the Treasure Map to locate stores within a reasonable day trip distance of home, and set the GPS to the address of the Oakton Street Antique Centre.

Greeted as we entered the somewhat industrial looking building from the ample parking lot, Wifey didn’t get more the fifteen feet from the door before she was asking for a display case be opened. Three hours later and not stopping for lunch, we had a counter full of great finds and ready to check out.

I took the opportunity to talk with the owner, Bonnie, about her store while Jackie, her daughter worked on totaling up our purchases. Bonnie said the store has been open sixteen years at the same location. There are seventy-five booths or cases with fifty-five dealers filling every spot in the place and several with both cases and booths. Each dealer must participate as floor helpers, which helps them understand what’s selling from other dealers. They are also able to assist you with any special desires.

Since we collect so many types of odd items, we found lots to love at Oakton Street. Wifey was all excited by the jewelry and the enameled copper bowls, I found some door knobs and some advertising pieces. I noticed an array of military items and souvenirs from the Chicago World’s Fair – Century Of Progress in 1933. But to list all the types of items we saw would fill a large binder. We left the mall feeling that our business was appreciated and know that we will indeed return.

May I suggest a call first before visiting 847-473-2514

The one major need beyond raw desire for any collector, even a novice starting a collection, is knowledge of the subject. The deeper into a collection, the greater the need. Let’s examine my premise with a Sherlock Holmes magnifying glass and see if the clues to successful collecting hold water.

Pure desire may lead you to buy your first door knob, a simple act of picking up one at a yard sale while Wifey drags you around on a Saturday when she is looking for used garden tools for the coming season. The little glass knob was stuck in a box of absolutely junk hinges and paint spattered drawer pulls. While the brass on this one was in need of polishing, the glass was perfect with no chips. And you had the ideal place to use this charming knob. The bathroom door knob had looked shabby for some time; this would take its place.

As long as Wifey was out on Saturday mornings hunting at garage sales you decide to go along, see if you can find more of these door knobs. With luck on your side and in the type of neighborhood with older homes having the same type door latches your luck continues and you find more and more in the same style. Of course, you also find others that are hard to pass up.

You sir, have started a collection. And what did you learn so far?

Number one. The knob you first liked was very common, they were everywhere.  The first one was twice the price of all the other ones you found.

On examination of several, you discover you bought some reproductions. And in your rush to get more for other doors in your home, some were purchased with little chips that might cause injury.

Bummer.

Oh! and the other bit of knowledge acquired, there were better looking ones, harder to find, but worth the effort. And so your search continues. You are past the stage of going into new subdivisions. They just don’t have stuff old enough for your collection.

Then one day a set of very unusual door knobs show up at a very old farm house, one of those Victorian beauties built in the 1880s and restored to its former glory. By now you have the knowledge to check in, around, over and especially under every thing in a barn, garage or basement for the prizes you seek. Sitting in the barn is this box with old hardware. Here in one place is a treasure trove of hinges, window pulls, knobs, pocket door pulls, sash lifts and locks and one round object that looks like a small school bell. The owner explains his own attempts to find old matching hardware for his restoration.

You have no idea what is all in the wood box, you’re just curious. But the owner throws out a price that sounds just a bit high. You are stuck. Can you pass up such a treasure? What is this stuff worth? You’re sure it must have value beyond the scrap price of all that brass.

I don’t know what the outcome is of that tale.  Did he spend too much or pass on a bargain?

But I do know that at some point one needs the type of knowledge from experienced collectors found at antique shows, speciality shows or from experts publishing price guides on almost every subject imaginable.

My experience in collecting antique hardware started with need and grew to desire, and early on I sought out this book published by Krause Publications, right here in Wisconsin. It was written by H.Weber Wilson, and astutely titled “Antique Hardware. “

And with a little knowledge I have accumulated a diverse collection of antique hardware and found useable items for our little cottage home.

Wifey and I play cribbage just about every morning at the breakfast table. We keep score of our wins in an old and now beat-up old accounting ledger. The games have gone on for at least thirty years. Most morning we play two games and usually three on Saturday. With that much card playing during breakfast, especially if french toast and syrup is served, we use up a lot of decks of playing cards.

On our antiquing treks, we found a collectibles store on the western part of our state that sells casino discards in ten packs, at a very reasonable price. But the jaunt is a day trip with very few antiquing opportunities along the way. So it was a natural to start searching at all of our regular haunts, antique stores, flea markets, garage sales and estate sales for new or slightly used decks of cards.

What we found were loads of cards, and a surprising number still in their cellophane wrappers with older decks identifiable by a tax stamp affixed to the plastic wrap. What started as a need to be filled strictly for own use, turned into “Oh, this deck is so neat, it has a picture of Butch the dog.” “Look, this one has a City Service gas station ad.” “I remember these Art Studio cards from when I was a kid.” “These were the style of trading cards we had when I was young”

So the collection grew and duplications were inevitable, and many decks were really not suitable for playing at breakfast. At some point in time an overwhelming number of garage and estate sales had casino cards for sale, with an average price of fifty cents. Still we continued to collect, because Wifey began to list and sell the duplicates on her on-line collectibles store, with some surprising results.

Now, I can understand some of the decks have value to collectors. Especially the advertising cards where a classic car enthusiast would spend wildly for a deck with his or her ‘57 Chevy pictured, or if the cafe advertising on the cards was where you first met one of your wives. I also see the desire if the dog pictured is a likeness of your beloved pooch, or you are a member of the fraternal organization named on the deck. Of course the Art Studio cards will always be popular, and you are sure one of the lovely ladies now lives next door. But many with a psychedelic sixties look? What could possibly be the attraction?

OH WAIT, someone thought they were neat. Like the original designer, the person that approved their production, the store owner that stocked his shelves with the decks, the customer that bought them, and then Wifey. So what is my surprise if another person is added to the chain, and has put down hard earned cash for a slightly used, one joker missing deck of poker size playing cards, that I think are ugly.

So collect cards if you must. Add a deck with advertising from your favorite funeral home or insurance agent to your home town collectible display and ENJOY! ENJOY!

My interest in photography goes back to my youth and the first 35mm camera I bought used at a local camera store. It served me well as I learned to adjust the camera using a hand-held light meter. I’m sure with some effort I can recall all the cameras I’ve had, including my latest digital Canon, purchased for the antique business, but also useable for pleasure shooting.

My first real collection was old cameras. At one time I had accumulated over 300 cameras, and all sorts of peripheral accessories and darkroom equipment. Most of the cameras were interesting but not expensive and at one time I had them all on display in our rec room. Most have been sold by now and my photography collecting is limited to glass negatives, and cabinet photos. They take up a lot less room. I have printed some of the glass negatives and have discussed the collection before here at Collectors’ Quest.

Lots of memories come floating back as I view my own old photos and slides. I am now trying to get them transferred to a digital format, but with 1000s of slides and hundreds of photos, it’s a long term project. There is some real pleasure in the process as I look back at a treasure trove of places and people in my life, and wonder if some future collector will discover my work and ponder the tales the pictures are trying to tell. That’s what I find so intriguing about the old photos, they often tell a story as we look deeply at the people and background of old photos. A sickly looking child in a school class photo, a 1918 photo of the female factory work force running belt driven lathes, or an almost all female graduating class at the University of Wisconsin in 1945.

The great advantages of the digital format are quite evident. Cost of each shot is only one huge advantage, the other is view ability. Both of our screen savers are displays of family, friends and sights we’ve seen. Our recent addition of a digital frame, cleverly disguised as a 1949 Crosley TV set, is now running family and friends photos from the last ten years of digital photography.

I recently found a site that’s having fun with photo images. Life’s Highway is an on-line game to see who can collect the oddest, wildest and most outrageous photos of yard art, with points scored over a year’s time.

I’m also starting a neon sign photo collection, inspired by the old TV show HOT L Baltimore, (Hotel Baltimore). This sign was shot recently at the EVERBRITE sign factory. Now how many times have you passed a sign partly unlit that leaves letters spelling an unintentional word or phrase? So another collection begins, still tied to my old love of photography.