Corset Art Book By Tamar Stone

Conversing with artist Tamar Stone, several times, I’ve not only become quite smitten (especially with her corset and bed books), but have more than a sneaking suspicion that she’s got a lot of stuff… With all her projects and interests, she must have a lot of stuff! So I had to ask her what she collected…

Over the years, my collections have changed, and in some ways, I’ve kind of cut back somewhat. But what I have collected are: cameras and photography “how to” consumer guides to better photography, postcards, travel guides, cooking pamphlets and food display things.

I used to collect all kinds of dishes, glassware, kitchen appliances, which is ironic – I don’t even cook.

One of my favorite things I got in the past few years was at an auction — a corset box, but inside was someone’s blonde hair “fall.” I was the only person that day who stepped up and yelled I’ll take that — for a $1.00 — and they were glad to get rid of it… It’s sort of disgusting, yet amusing I guess.

Back to my collecting — cow things. (I love cows, I like to get out of the car just to pet them. A reason to travel with Wet Ones — which we do.) Although I do not collect Hallmark cow things… I’m sort of picky — I prefer folk art cows to butter packaging with nice illustrations etc.

Stone's Art Studio

I collect salesman sample things, although they have gotten expensive, so now I just look at them or take photos of them here and there.

Although I work with the doll beds, I don’t collect dolls or anything like that — except for some corset stuff, but I’ve never been a doll person. Although I really love the metal doll houses — I have a few of those. I wish I had the wall space to take them apart and open them up to put up on the walls… There’s just something intriguing about having the walls of a doll house as simulated walls in wood grain and brick — in tin — up on your home wall.

Shadow Box By Tamar Stone

I love Joseph Cornell etc. and I wish I was more 3-d mechanically inclined…

I have a bunch of these old clock boxes I got at an auction. A whole cart of them for $1.00. Sure I had to scrape out some dead animals and their nests, but it was worth it — once I got past being disgusted. But now I have a whole bunch of clock workings, springs and such and these old wood boxes — and I’m sort of stumped of how to use them… I made this first shadow box and haven’t really gotten to working on the others. I wouldn’t mind selling it, but it’s not something my dealer handles… So I seem to have it, and all the other ‘parts’ for now.

For more on the artist, check out her website.

Wifey and I stopped at the Family Heirloom Antique Mall in downtown Waukesha, where I saw the latest addition of Yesterdays Tools, in a back corner booth. I knew it was time to contact Tom, the booth’s owner and have a conversation about his collection.

I made the call and we met at the mall this week. Tom brought along a ton of tools from his own personal collection.  He would bring out one tool at a time and quiz me on the use for each, then describe the function and age when I was wrong or had no clue. Piling each atop a tool chest, I quickly learned the extent of the work Tom puts into cleaning and researching all of the prize possessions in his personal collection. 

I’m a bit modest, many of the tools had obvious functions, the ice shaver, (similar to the Coolator version I have with my ice box), an ice chipper, leather cutter, two meat tenderizers, one in common hammer form and one that looked like a three pronged fork with rebar for tines.  A pair of wood handled forceps, a great tool if wood could be sterilized and a coffin maker’s screwdriver are part of his collection. Both seemed a bit macabre. Tom has a cork cutter set, plus the cork cutter sharpening tool, a needed combo in its day. And who could be without a gasket or washer cutter, cutting two circles at one time.  The sugar beet field knife had the look of a warrior’s short sword, but when Tom explained the way it was used, the old dim light came on.  One common tool for any wood worker is the steel carpenter’s square, Tom’s is two pieced, to break down and fit neatly into a tool box.

We then sat down for the interview. I asked further about his collection. I know wood workers’ planes are quite collectible and Tom had several in his booth for sale. He professed to having one in his own collection, a 1921 Stanley, one of only 2000 ever made, and with great luck he has a wall chart showing the exact plane that he owns. The chart itself is rare, with only 2000 produced. Both items together can only be considered a very special prize.

Tom is a member of the Midwest Tool Collectors Association which helps with info gathering through the member contacts and from their newsletters. Tom collects locally, and finds this area to be full of unique tools because of the  rich history of tool and die shops, and small to large manufacturers with special needs that have provided a treasure trove of old tools.

The internet, antique shops, estate sales, garage sales and auctions all have their place in finding new old tools, but with his reputation in the area, Tom has many people contacting him with their stuff.

It’s now that part of the interview when I get into the background details. With such a vast array of knowledge, and the dedication to collecting tools, I was sure this was a life-long obsession, so I was shocked to learn that he only started in 2002, at the time of his early retirement. And when I asked about other earlier collections that got him started he professed to having “some” toy soldiers and a collection of twelve trumpets. (go figure that one out.)

The Fun Of Collecting Tools? I asked.  Well, he enjoys the interactions with people he meets at tool shows, appraisal fairs, and when he works the counters at the antique malls with his booths. Tom has dedicated some of his time to showing his collections at senior centers, with a show and tell.

From the length of our conversation I could tell he really enjoys sharing his collection and what he has learned.

I pressed Tom on his high end purchases;  One was the 1921 plane, another a Stanley wood dowel cutter.    Wooden you just know it wood be the fancy plane.

The Hardest Part Of His Work Collecting? I wanted to know. Parting with the tools. He would love to keep them all.

New Additions To Your Tool Chest?  Tom points out the lawn mower made by Monta Mower of Michigan.  His is an older version with wood handle and later models had steel. An unusual arrangement of gear like teeth meshing together to create a cutting action, and Tom assures me it does cut grass.  The thing is too long to fit into any tool box.

If you have an unusual tool, that you haven’t found a function for,  give me a reply below, and  email a picture or two to me and I’ll see if we can stump Tom The Tool Titan. 

dean-ferber@sbcglobal.net

Antique Rosewood Box Containing Vampire Killing Kit

Inside the beautiful Rosewood case with mother of pearl cross inlay there’s an assortment of items to deal with the undead, including a cleaver, prayer book, Holy water vials, looking glass, silver occult dagger, candles, what looks like some wooden stakes, and a pistol with silver bullets in an ornate coffin case.

Antique Vampire Killing Kit

It’s a stunning display of craftsmanship, yes; but what really fascinates is their existence at all.

These are expensive kits, made for the wealthy; not some cheap and cheesy plastic novelty items. Such luxury concedes a seriousness — a deadly seriousness. These items were made to address deep, dark, primal fears. And then, like our fears often are, they were not thrown away but stored in equally dark and out of the way places… Antique wooden killing kits in the attics of old houses, just waiting for the day when the creatures creep from the attics of our minds.

Vampire Killing Kit, Dating To 1840-1860's

Fascinated, I spoke with Dwight Stevens, of Stevens Auction Company, on the phone yesterday about the antique piece of vampire history.

“I don’t believe in vampires — I’ve never met one. But somebody believed in them, something drove people to believe… From New Orleans to Vicksburg, these old boxes remain.” Stevens has sold four vampire killing kits in his 27 years as an auctioneer, most recently selling one a year ago, in Natchez, Mississippi, for $14,850.

Walnut Case Vampire Killing Kit, Circa 1800, Sold For $14,850

The selling of that boxed kit for ridding oneself of vampires garnered international interest. Wistful buyers from all over the world, as well as bloggers and traditional media folks, contacted the auction house. And they continue to contact Stevens. Recently one person asked Stevens how he came to be an authority on vampires — he laughed, he’s not an expert on vampires. “But,” I said, “you are an authority on vampire killing kits.”

While I think the finding and selling of four of these old superstitious boxes of death is amazing, Stevens contemplates the small number of them which have survived, saying “Maybe the vampires got them.”

Or maybe all the collectors have.

“We contacted Anne Rice about the one we had last year, but we never heard from her; she must be retired,” said Stevens with an audible shrug.

“Or maybe she already has her own kit and she’s all set,” I replied.

More likely, Rice knows what I do: Vampires do not die; real or not, they live on in our obsession with them.

The Vampire Killing Kit, part of at Miss Isabel’s estate, is up for auction in Port Gibson, Mississippi (27 miles South of Vicksburg) on October 31, 2009, by Stevens Auction Company. Reserved seating and phone bids are welcome with advanced arrangements.

The moment you start to talk with Liam, you realize that he has a great deal of enthusiasm; not just for his product but for life in general. His (very wise) father told him that whatever he chose to do in life would be fine with him as long as he promised to be passionate about his choice and enjoy it! And he has done his dad proud!

As a history and art major in college, he learned a lot about ceramic and china pieces. He told me that his products are not a “new-found’” art, but a very ancient form. He shared with me his knowledge of a practice in ancient Africa where graves were decorated with shards from the water vessels. Since these vessels would be associated with a certain family, you would be able to identify just who was buried at the site. Many cultures have put to good use pottery or china pieces that have been damaged or broken (recycling we call it today.) For example, the “Memory Jugs”, from Victorian times. These were containers covered with putty, then shards of broken table ware or vases were pressed into the substance and once completed would hold peacock feathers or cattails, often in the front hallway.

He had also studied the fabulous “mosaic house” in Chartres, France, called the Chartres Cathedral. It was the obsession of Raymond Isidore, starting in 1930, and he used adopted shards of pottery and china to cover every nook and cranny of the house and its interior. This magnificent structure is now a national treasure! He told me this craft is called pique assietto (if using glass, it would be mosaic.) The phrase is from the French language, loosely interpreted to be “stolen from a plate”, or “picked from a plate.”

Liam had seen a few examples of pique assietto, but those were china set into wood. He thought about it and realized he could do that. His choice of bezel is a lead-free silver alloy, very attractive indeed. The most amazing thing is that he is the only ‘artist’, it is strictly his creativity. He stated that his credo is to use only those pieces that are damaged beyond repair or collectibility – he does not destroy an item because it simply is chipped or stained. (My ephemera loving daughter would be proud of his commitment.)

He told me that he has an associate named Corey who is his graphic specialist, handling his web site, card design and also helps at shows. For larger shows, he even calls on his mom for assistance. And they will definitely be needed when he sets up at the fabulous Merchandise Mart Show in Chicago, Illinois December 3^rd, 4^th, and 5th. He is also quite proud of his ‘One Man Show” at the Knickerbocker Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is November 19^th this year and he advised that he’s been preparing for that one for 8 months. January, February and March are spent at shows in Arizona and California.

His Lamplighter Studio website is quite successful and he now has over 2,000 people on his mailing list. He sells primarily to customers in the US, but has sold internationally as well. His prices are quite reasonable for a one-of-a-kind piece, typically in the $30-50 range. Liam told me he loves to do “commission pieces” and gave a few examples. He made 3 pins from a single plate that was to be in a grandmother’s estate. She took a photo of each of the children with the plate, then had Liam make pins from it, one for each child. This was a lovely way to pass on an heirloom. He also told of a lady who had a portion of her grandfather’s baby cup made into a pendant. What a charming idea!

I asked Liam where he bought his china plates and he told me he has found many of them in trips to thrift stores, antique malls, auctions, rummages or estate sales. He has even professed to finding some real “scores” at dump sites or even along the road. As you can imagine, he has a fantastic collection of plates that he displays in his home as well as in his cottage in Ireland. He has turned the cottage into a bed and breakfast and spends his summers there, giving tours and hunting for more treasures throughout Europe.

He takes a lot of time to research and identify the maker, country and pattern of the china. He then places the pins and pendants on cards with their “provenance” printed on the back. You get a little bit of history with each one. Liam uses advise from his mother and sister as far as design goes and the ‘feminine side.’ They remind him to make varying sizes and shapes, since not all wearers appreciate large, dramatic items. He gave me some insight into the difficulty each type of material can present. For example, Lenox plates are very hard, almost like stone, while Limoge porcelains are brittle and hard to work with. I can certainly appreciate the amount of trial and error it would take to be successful.

I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Liam and learning about the history of his product, and look forward to attending his One Man Show in November. I must remind hubby that Christmas is just around the corner. 

TWA Convair 880 In-Flight Card

Recently, Rollie Puterbaugh contacted me, through the Collectors’ Quest Community, about adding scans of one of my travel and tourism ephemera items to his website. The specific item he was interested in was the laminated in-flight instruction card for TWA’s Convair 880 jet and he wanted to add the image to his project, the Flight 383 & 128 Memorial Project.

I’d never made the connection between that plastic-covered in-flight card and the tragic crash, but once I did, I was only too happy to have “my” card become part of those stories — especially as the stories are not only historical research and collection of artifacts, but the stories of the people involved in the tragic events, and the project works to create a physical memorial. So I asked Rollie to share some more information about the project and his involvement.

Tell us how you became involved in the memorial project.

In 2005, I gathered my previous research about the accident and began the process of locating the property and property owner where the Boeing 727 had hit the hillside. After “finding” and then gaining access to the property in 2005, I hiked up to the site of the November 8, 1965 crash site of AA Flight 383.

AA Flight 383, November 8, 1965 (Photo Courtesty of Kenton County Kentucky Public Library)

After posting the information on the internet, I was stunned by the inquiries I would receive in the following years from family members of victims and witnesses. I realized that the accident was not well documented because of the number of hits and comments I was receiving on the FOTKI site.

In January 2009, I decided to expand my research and scope on the story of Flight 383. The angle I decided on was the life changing effect this event had on hundreds of people; victims, families, witnesses, and first responders, so I began documenting and gathering data on all these groups. Somehow I gained credibility in Hebron, Kentucky where these accidents occurred and the next thing I knew, I was involved in writing the story of two disasters and attempting to place two memorials in the area to honor the participants of both Flights AA 383 and TWA 128.

TWA Flight 128, November 20, 1967 (Photo Courtesty of Kenton County Kentucky Public Library)

Today, I am active with the Flight 383/128 Memorial Group of Hebron, Kentucky in historic research and the pursuit of a memorial to honor all those who were impacted by the Cincinnati aviation events of the 1960’s.

Mark Free, Harvey Pelley, and Linda Holbrook, Members of the Flight 383/128 Memorial Project

Please understand that at this point the project is a gigantic team effort from people all over the country, including Mark Free (Witness TWA Flight 128), Harvey Pelley (First Responder Flights 383/128), and Linda Holbrook (Telephone operator the night of November 20,1967), who are contributing their stories, images, or time to the effort. It is no longer a one man project…

The members of Flight 383/128 Memorial Group do not want future generations to see just statistics about these calamities and forget the people and events that played out in the “Hills of Hebron” on the nights of November 8,1965 and November 20, 1967. All of them had “stories” that were lost on those fateful Monday nights.

Bruce Hart, Decca Records Employee, Victim of AA Flight 383, Photo Courtesy of Dorian Hart-Cochrane

Are there other parts of the story the group is looking for?

People can help simply by contacting us if they had relatives onboard these flights or have any other information about the disasters, including, as in your case, owning items directly related to American Airlines or TWA in the 1960’s {specifically the Boeing 727 and Convair 880 aircraft}.

I am looking for a TWA Sytem TimeTable for the Fall of 1967 and an American Airlines System TimeTable for the Fall of 1965. I am also looking for a Kentucky roadmap from the 1960’s. I am interested in posting the covers and the pages showing the Flight schedule for the flights involved in the air disasters in the Cincinnati area during this period. I would also be interested in purchasing these items if someone was interested in selling them.

If you have personal stories, information and/or items you think Rollie and the Flight 383 & 128 Memorial Project might be interested in, you can message him via his profile in the Collectors’ Quest Community or email him at rollie13@msn.com.

If you’re interesting in the memorial project, you can keep up via the group’s newsletters — and you can support the group with donations. Contributions for a memorial in Hebron, Kentucky to American Airlines Flight 383 and TWA Flight 128 can be made by visiting any local branch of the Bank of Kentucky or by mailing a check made payable to “Flight 383/128 Memorial Project” and mailed to:

The Bank of Kentucky, Inc.
Attention: Joy Wilson
1065 Burlington Pike
Florence Ky 41042

Joy’s phone number is: 859-372-5176.

When you’re looking for antiques and collectibles and want to visit the big city, it’s the same city but not quite as simple as hitting a mall. Our buying trip was a relatively short jaunt down I-94.

Reporting to you on other buying trips through ten different states over the last few years, I have tried to relate places worth your time and effort as a means of pointing out shops I would gladly return to. And being generalists, we have no set niche, but buy or collect interesting items from all corners of the collecting market. Most places I have mentioned have been antique and collectible malls, because of the variety multiple dealers provide.

I’m guessing my last visit for antique shopping to Chicago was ten years ago when starting a restoration project on our then recently purchased cottage style home. I was searching for light fixtures, door hardware, furniture, stained glass windows, decorative metal grates and ceramic tiles. As always, my clip board held  all the sizes of items we needed, to assist  me in my search for very specific items. At the time we found several antique stores and restoration type shops along Milwaukee Avenue, but I don’t believe we had a great deal of success finding just what we needed.

Since the antique store landscape has changed so drastically over the last several years, I decided to contact mother Google, the all knowing guru-ess of the antique searcher. The map feature along the sidebar hinted at a whole series of stores located on several streets within a thirty block radius. I had forty-eight locations and felt confident we should have a great day. Normally I would make some calls to assure the stores would be open, but with that many I ignored my own advice and took off for the “ brick” city in the older area of two and three story homes lining the streets, tightly side by side. Three streets contained the most places North Clark, North Lincoln Ave, and West Belmont. We noticed lots of restoration and rebuilding in this area of the Windy City. Maybe that explains why we did not find a lot of the places we had on the lists from Google, and points up the problem I have mentioned before. Nothing in these antique store web lists ever seem to get deleted or updated and that’s why my advice is to always confirm the place is still in business and what days and hours they are open.

If more places on the lists still had existed, we probably would have run out of time anyway, resulting in our getting to the same number of stores. I count about fourteen places we did get into, and several I would like to mention. All were owner operated stores and even the Chicago Antique Centre is a small mall by today’s standards of I-system  behemoths, where lunch is served and benches are provided for your afternoon nap, but bring your own pillow.

The first one I’ll mention is Antique Resources, located at 1741 W. Belmont, a good sized  place filled with the best selection of magnificent large antique glass or metal chandeliers, wall sconces, and antique furniture. Both Wifey and I zipped our wallets when we saw two art deco shiny metal table lamps. They would look great in our deco room but would require the purchase of two side tables and a sell-off of existing furniture.  It’s the type of place that you would seek out when looking for just the right antique light, and not satisfied with what you have found at your local “new” lighting store.

Next we walked over to The Lazy Dog Antiques, at 1903 W. Belmont, where we found a good mix in a well arranged and nicely displayed collections of antiques and home furnishings.

Walking further on Belmont we passed some stores that were not open on the morning we visited. We stopped at Father Time Antiques, they have  a great collection of (you’re ahead of me on this one) antique clocks and watches, with a good assortment of furniture and nice jewelry.

By this time of day, I thought Wifey was going to cheat me out of a lunch, but we soon found a small local restaurant to grab a sandwich, and believe me there are lots of choices of pubs, cafe’s and chains  in these rejuvenating areas.

So on to the next one.  Smythson Yeats Antiques at 3851 N. Lincoln Ave. which contains a good assortment of European and American antiques from several style periods, and a ton of world globes, collected from all corners of the world. (Ironically). But, it was a huge ice bucket that caught my attention. Now my regular readers know I don’t need another ice bucket, but this one was really hard to leave in the store. Of course Wifey wanted an antique boot rack to be used as another umbrella holder, but relented when I suggested she would have to get rid of something to make room for this prize. So we left with only a great conversation with the owner to take with us.

Tree Studio at 3422 N. Lincoln holds great artwork and a nice selection of antiques, Wifey loved the jewelry. (You can understand her addiction, can’t you?).

Almost missed as we were ready to head home, and not on our list (I don’t know why I didn’t find it) was the Chicago Antique Centre at 3036 N. Lincoln. It’s a mall operation with multi dealers  with lots of different specialties and in business eighteen years.  Wifey just had to have a cowboy boot spur shaped money clip. Too bad I didn’t have any money left when she was done for the day.

Some things common with most of the stores was the great amount of vintage furniture, decorative arts and lighting, especially chandeliers. The selection of Art Deco period items was impressive, but I only saw one ice bucket of interest, so on to planning where my next adventure in antiquing will take me.  And if you have a favorite store or mall that you want to share add it into a reply below.

Hillary DePiano With Project Pony 'Silver' At My Little Pony Fair, 2008

Hillary, when did you first fall in love with My Little Pony?

I was pretty young when My Little Pony first hit stores but I think it was a given that I was going to like them from the start. There was a stable that offered pony rides near my house growing up and I was a frequent visitor there until they turned it into condos. There were also unicorns on my childhood wallpaper long before MLP existed so I may have been conditioned from birth. While I am not sure quite what distinguished them from any other toy I had as a child, I know they remained my favorite toy long after I had tossed others aside because I didn’t have to dress them. I am a very low patience threshold when it comes to putting on tiny doll clothes and I used to feel really weird about leaving my Barbies naked so I just never played with them because they took too long to dress. Ponies had clothing but if I got bored before I finished dressing them, I could just leave them naked because horses’ aren’t supposed to wear clothes!

Another thing I think cannot be discounted was the affect of the cartoon show. My Little Pony Tales was often very weird and very dark. I think that strange mix of sugary sweet from the toys but weird and dark from the cartoon series really captured my imagination as a child and made me keep returning to them again and again. I think that unlike a lot of cartoons from the 80s and early 90s, instead of advertising the new toys as most shows did, the MLP show really just made me like the pony toys I already had all the more.

When did you consider yourself a collector?

The first time I ever even though of MLP being something collectible was when I saw some MLP figures at a doll show I went to with my mother. I was still pretty young and all the ponies they had for sale I already had so I didn’t buy any but that planted the seeds. I looked at those MLP figures that were only a year or so old alongside all these dolls, some of which were hundreds of years old, and an association was born. Even then I started to realize that these were my generation’s collectibles.

The real moment I became a collector came many years later, however, when a toy store called Lionel Kiddie City was going out of business. My mom and I found hundreds of mint in box MLP items, some from the very first years of the toy line, and bought a ton of stuff I didn’t have. I was older at this point and I came to the sad realization that I probably shouldn’t open a lot of what we bought that day because it would probably be worth more someday if I left it in the box.

DePiano's MLP Collector's Inventory Guide Book

I could kick myself, because if we had bought everything in the store back then, now, it would be worth over 10 times what we would have paid. Items that are worth hundreds of dollars today were on clearance for pennies! We could have make thousands of dollars. But there was no eBay back then so I couldn’t conceive of the online community of collectors that exists today so there was no reason to buy anything with the anticipation of selling it. So as much as we did buy, we left a lot of really good stuff behind.

But at the time, at that awkward age between kid and teenager, I sat there surrounded by toys I couldn’t wait to open rationally knowing I really shouldn’t open them. That was the moment when I became a collector before a kid with toys. I was thinking more of the future value of the items over the desire to open the packages.

Describe your collecting habits… Are you methodical, with a list of “needs” or do you serendipitously discover & buy? Do you own multiples of the same pony or piece or do you replace pieces so that you only keep the pieces in best conditions? Do you find your collection spreading & sprawling, branching out to include other related items (knock-offs, other plastic ponies, horses in general, toys from the same maker, time frame, etc.)

I decided long ago to only collect parts of the My Little Pony line instead of everything. Many of the subsections of the main toy line (such as Petite Ponies, Dream Beauties, Plush, etc) I sold off long ago when I decided to focus only on the basic ponies and playsets. There are a ton of MLP items and I felt like it was insane to try to get everything so I focused on certain elements. As large as my collection is, you definitely couldn’t say I had a complete collection.

I used to keep two full sets of MLP but I sold one entire collection off so that I now only keep one of each pony. This decision was both financial and a real space saver. Ponies are small but when you have them in the quantities I do, boy, they can start to take over.

I run across a lot of ponies when selling items on eBay through PricedNostalgia.com and I always make sure to check my collection before I sell anything. If I come across something in better shape than what I have, I do a trade and keep the better one. I also make sure to keep anything I didn’t already have in my collection. The one exception is if the lesser condition pony is one from when I was a kid, I usually keep my old pony as well as the nicer one.

Hillary in Priced Nostalgia's Booth At MLP Fair, 2008

As I get older, I find that I spend more time streamlining my collection rather than expanding it to include more. My Little Pony is a massive toyline spanning several decades so if you really wanted to collect every single thing, it could easily be a lifetime quest. I find myself making decisions based on space a lot of the time. For instance, I recently decided to sell off all of my mint in box pony items. Perhaps this preference stems from the Lionel Kiddie City incident, but I have always preferred the loose ponies to those MIB. I like to be able to touch them and the mint in box ponies are worth a ton so it just made more sense to me to sell off the MIB for the money and keep the loose ponies that take up less space. I also don’t aggressively seek out international or variants like some collectors. If one crosses my path and I like it, I’ll keep it but I won’t get involved in crazy bidding wars over a rare piece.

But some collectors only collect mint in box items. There are some sellers who focus on just a single pony, getting every possible variation of that one character. I think one of the big appeals of My Little Pony collecting is that there are a lot of different ways to collect so no two collections are exactly the same.

Tell us the story of one of your collecting ‘holy crap’ moments — best deal you ever got & thought you’d pee your pants, the most you’ve ever paid for a piece, the longest lengths you’ve ever gone to get a piece for your My Little Pony collection.

The Lionel toy store find was a really great Holy Crap moment but another great one was pretty recent. My husband and I were at a flea market and we are both pretty good a playing it cool when we spot something rare but I saw a rare pony mint in box. I asked the seller how much casually and actually handed her a wad money before she had even answered with the price. This should have been a sign to her that I was a little over eager but I only paid $10 for this pony that I later sold on eBay for just shy of $400. You see ponies so rarely at flea markets or garage sales that when you do, it’s hard not to grab them really quickly like another collector is breathing down your neck. When I was younger and we didn’t see any ponies on a flea market trip, I would assume another collector had been through first. Now I think people are just smarter about their value.

My dad is my favorite person to go pony hunting with. He is totally useless at spotting them and refuses to rummage in bins to look for them. But he loves it when I find one I didn’t have before. Every time we would get back into the car he would say, “So did we get any we didn’t have before?” and would eagerly examine whichever one was “new.” It always made me feel like we were a team because he got so excited for one we didn’t have. My husband is also getting rather good at it. My brother-in-law called to say that he picked up an MLP item for me at a garage sale and, upon hearing the description, my husband was able to identify the pony by name. I think he may have lost street cred for life with his brother for that but whenever he busts out a random pony fact he earns major brownie points with me.

I have never really paid ridiculous amounts for a pony. To me, part of the fun of collecting is getting the pony I want for the price I want to pay. I try to leverage trades, coupons, gift certificates, credit card points, whatever I can. It means that my collection grows more slowly than the collection of someone who just outright buys what they want instead of waiting for the deal but, for me, the thrill of the hunt is half the fun of collecting. The only time I ever just outright buy a pony is if it is at a convention where I can physically touch and examine the pony before I purchase. I am usually willing to pay a little more in person if I get to really get a good look at it in person.

Is your collection complete? Are you still searching for a ‘Holy Grail’ piece?

Since new My Little Pony items are still in stores to this day, it’s impossible for anyone’s My Little Pony collection to be complete. New ponies come out every day. Mine will never be complete. I tend to pick a random pony to obsess over and that becomes my current grail. Then, once I get that pony, I pick a new one. I get an $100 eBay voucher once a year from my credit card so I always spend that on an MLP item since that is just a bonus so completing sets I am after usually moves at a rate of about a pony a year.

DiPiano At The 2005 My Little Pony Convention

For the longest time, my grail was Twice-As-Fancy Munchy. Most ponies have flowers or other cutsie things on them but Munchy has hot dogs and hamburgers on her. I was amused by the randomness of her and was after her for a long time until I snagged her at the 2007 convention. My current obsession is getting all of the Twice-As-Fancy baby ponies. These were a mail order only offer so they are hard to find and, as such, more expensive. I just ordered what should be the final one of those on eBay about a week ago.

Then once that set is complete, I will obsess over the United Kingdom exclusive male ponies, the Mountain Boys. I just used this year’s eBay voucher to get my very first one so now I am going to work on bit by bit, getting the rest of the set.

And so it goes, bit by bit, as every collector knows…

Vaillancourt Folk Art Halloween Display

Continuing my interview with Luke M. Vaillancourt of Vaillancourt Folk Art…

One thing that truly impresses me about your company is the real dedication you have to collectors. How did you know you ought to put on your website a collectors area with an identification guide etc.?

When I started working for the company in 2007, I came from a heavy digital marketing, eCommerce background. My first goal was to take over the web site and to recreate it to meet contemporary standards and to give people a reason to visit and stay on the site. We would get dozens of calls a week asking questions about certain pieces, both from collectors and casual shoppers. To help them, I wanted to create a Collector’s Handbook that included information and images on every piece in the collection. My mother had kept a very detailed database, and when I took over the web site I was able to integrate the database so that web visitors could easily look up information.

Gallery of Vailancourt Folk Art

When we first launched the web site, our collectors poured through the thousands of pages and would actually e-mail us missing images, or let us know if they thought some information may be different. We actually had 4 collectors send us 5 page highly detailed emails about the pieces. One even found date and color variation that was inconsistent with their own!

The Collector’s Handbook also gives people a sense of value. We get countless calls a year asking for an appraisal value for their collection for insurance purposes. This helps them find the values for their own inventory needs! Although we have the web site, we are always more than happy to help anyone over the phone or in person. We pride ourselves on our customer service and knowledge of the pieces.

I often marvel at the number of companies which do not do this, so kudos to you! Your amazing dedication to your fans, to collectors, is amazing — you even host events for collectors.

There are thousands of families that collect Vaillancourt Chalkware, and those who are the serious collector are known to have hundreds of pieces. In April of each year, we host a Collector’s Weekend, where we have an entire weekend dedicated to our work.

Collectors Painting Their Own Vaillaincourt Chalkware

Collectors, both casual and serious collectors, fly in from all over the country and sit in our painting workshops (where they can paint their own limited edition Collector’s Weekend Santa), sit through educational lectures on Christmas History, Vaillancourt History, and other from keynote speakers.

One thing that I think is important to note is that chalkware, although a Victorian art form, was re-erected by Judi. Although she is very humble and would never take any credit, upon doing research I learned that she was the one that truly started using antique confectionery moulds (mostly for chocolates) in this way. While Victorian chalkware existed for years, it was an untreated medium used mostly with watercolors and minimum detail; as a replacement to porcelain, Victorian chalkware was inexpensive.

My mother, a true Christmas historian and artist, received three moulds as a gift from my father. When she was stuck at home, she decided to use these chocolate moulds of Father Christmases to first create beeswax figures (she put them in the refrigerator to harden and me, as a young boy, I seemed to always knock them over and make a mess!!). She decided that instead of beeswax to use a plaster substance. Being a traditionally trained artist and illustrator, she saw these chalkware figures as the perfect canvas, and used her talent of oil painting as a way to create such highly detailed pieces of art work.

Vaillancourt Collector's Weekend

There are several other “Folk Art” companies that have taken this story and adapted it into their own, and often when I am doing research on the web, I find passages that they have copied and pasted from our web site into their own (much to my amazement). But what is most interesting is that “Folk Art” has always been more about wood carvings and historical woodwork (like how my mother started Vaillancourt Folk Art)… most of these other companies that add “folk art” after their last name do none of the sort and instead focus on “chalkware”… coincidence?

All in all, what started the collectiblity of Vaillancourt Chalkware — and what has kept it in the spot light — was the uniqueness, the immense detail and research history that goes into every piece that Judi designs. Her vision and passion for the art form, combined with my father’s marketing and business ingenuity has allowed Vaillancourt Chalkware to be nationally recognized and collected for a quarter of a century.

And I dare say your commitment to Vaillancourt collectors — the Vaillancourt Studios even has a museum!

Vaillancourt Folk Art Museum

The museum started once we moved to the 1800s textile mill that we currently reside in. We moved to the mill (where Fruit of the Loom started) in 2007 and created the museum so that all of the chalkware figures, and our collection of antique confectionery moulds (we have about 7,000) could be displayed.

It is great for visitors to visit our studios because they are able to see our artists working, and then go to the museum and explore the different designs over the years.

We have about 1,500 different pieces, created by Judi, in the museum on display — including lots of custom pieces done for Museum of Fine Arts, MET, and Colonial Williamsburg.

Any tips for chalkware collectors?

Vaillancourt Folk Art Store

The best thing for any collector to do is to find a piece that speaks to them. Vaillancourt’s goal is to create 1 piece that can be given to a loved one, or close friend, that will be cherished and passed down to generations. We attempt to create christmas traditions, and are happy to be included in hundreds of families traditions. It is the most satisfying thing to know that on Christmas morning (or any day) many loved ones are opening their Vaillancourt Chalkware as their main Christmas gift.

Thanks, Luke; Vaillancourt’s dedication to both the art & collectors of chalkware sure shows. Impressive.

CQ folks, you can see Vaillancourt Folk Art featured on Antiques Roadshow (and others) in this video — and you can keep up with Vaillancourt Folk Art at their website, at Twitter, and on Facebook.

Vaillancourt Chalkware & Confectionery Molds On Display

Original Father Christmas Vaillancourt Chalkware Piece

Vaillancourt Folk Art was founded in 1984 by Judi Vaillancourt, a formally trained illustrator and architectural historian, and her husband Gary Vaillancourt, who came from the computer imaging industry. Judi used three of her antique chocolate moulds by pouring them with liquid chalkware and handpainting the resulting figures. During the last 25 years the company has sold to such retailers as Nordstroms, Saks, Neiman Marcus and many more. More importantly to Judi, she has also created product and programs with museums such as Colonial Williamsburg, The Boston museum of fine Arts, The metropolitan and many others. Today the company employs approx 25 employees in their Sutton, MA. Studios. Visitors can see the painters creating the Vaillancourt originals, tour the Vaillancourt Christmas museum and adventure through one of America’s most interesting retail galleries.

Since one of the goals of VFA is to create pieces that will be collected and passed down for generations, Luke naturally agreed to an interview here at Collectors’ Quest so that you all could become smitten and begin collecting. *wink*

Luke, what was the first piece made?

The first Santa made was the VFA Nr. 101, Original Santa in a Red Coat, using an Anton Reiche chocolate molds.

Have there been any special pieces, limited editions, etc., that have become very popular (and perhaps pricey) with collectors on the secondary market?

There have been many special limited editions made over the last 25 years but two stand out: Every year for the last 20 years the Vaillancourt’s have made a Santa that benefits the Starlight foundation. The piece is produced each year from May until Christmas and it is then retired. The first Santa done in 1990, which sold for $95, sold last year on the secondary market for $2,300. This series tends to be the most highly sought after collection.

1st Annual Starlight Santa by Vaillancourt Folk Art

The other rare item is the two versions of chess sets that Judi did in the late 1980’s. Both sets sold out very quickly and are also highly sought after on the secondary market.

Chess sets?

My mother first started doing folk art and historical restorations (the company started as Vaillancourt Folk Art & Friends), so her first few chalkware pieces were a Noah’s Ark that she created from wood and hand painted (accompanied with chalkware animals), wooden (followed by chalkware) clock faces, a Parcheesi game board with pieces (VFA Nr. 1004), and then two different Chess Sets.

The first Chess Set (VFA Nr. 1000) consisted of a wooden board that fit over the bottom that held the pieces that she had constructed and painted with a Christmas theme. The pieces used miniature chalkware figurines and was created as a limited edition set of 25. The sets sold out at a retail price of $3,000. One recently was found on eBay being sold for $7,500.

Vaillancourt Christmas Chess Board #1000

Vaillancourt Chalkware Chess Pieces, Set #1000

The second chessboard set (VFA Nr. 1003) was introduced a year later (1989) and was a limited edition set of 25 also selling retail for $3,000.

Vaillancourt Folk Art Chess Board #1003

Vaillancourt Holiday Chess Set #1003 Chalkware Chess Pieces

It is also worth noting that Judi had licensed several designs to Gorham Silver (1986) which manufactured another set of chess boards and pieces that sometimes surface on eBay. “Vaillancourt Folk Art for Gorham” was sold after a year of producing several small ornaments and Vaillancourt Folk Art ended it’s relationship with foreign manufacturers.

Do you or your mother collect chalkware?

Personally, I have about 75 – 100 chalkware Santas, Halloween figures, and rabbits. While I do have some favorites that I buy, most of them have been given to me from grand parents that have passed. To have a piece that was cherished by my grandmother or grandfather makes it all that much more special to me. And that is really our goal, to create an heirloom that can be passed on to family members.

Do you have a favorite Vaillancourt piece? If so, which one & why?

I always seem to change favorites with each year… I always find one that I love, but once my mother designs a new piece for the following year, I seem to adopt a new favorite. My current favorite is the Small Father Christmas because of the size, shape, color, rosy cheeks, and the amazing silhouette city on the back of the coat.

What &/or who inspires your mother’s designs?

Judi’s designs are often inspired by history. She studies constantly and whether it is an antique post card, fabric sample or architectural element it works into her designs. She is never influenced by what sells best (much to my father’s chagrin) but what moves her at the time and looks good! She is always using for historical references in design.

Judi Vaillancourt At Work

Why make chalkware rather than items made of resin, etc.? Doesn’t the fragile nature of the material make for more fragile heirlooms?

The reason chalkware was chosen was because of the painting surface that it has. It is smooth and lends itself like a canvas to the fine detail of our oil paints. My mother was the first to use this surface as a canvas for oil paints.

Come back tomorrow for Part Two of the interview — and find out what really, really impresses me about Vaillancourt Folk Art!

One such company that operates under a similar user-generated model is Patch Together, which focuses on the designer toy market. By submitting designs to their public voting forum, even the most obscure designer can hope to have their concept made into a real toy – which is awesome. They’ve made some beautiful things, most notably the mythical animals by Missmonster and the very neat, deceptively simple Robolucha by Mekazoo.

This is how it works in the designer toy world – real names are left at the door and you pick up some kind of compound word or shove a number into some mis-spelled phrase. Even if we’ve started calling it ‘designer toys’ instead of ‘urban vinyl’, you can’t take the street out of the movement. Sometimes, I’m even known as ResonantFish, though I’m one of the holdovers who uses their real name more often.

I had the distinct pleasure of being accepted into a traveling show featuring customizations of Mekazoo’s Robolucha toy, made by Patch Together. Myself, along with a collection of other amazing artists who blow me away, were sent two Roboluchas each to completely destroy in an attempt to make into something beautiful. While no stops are currently planned within the US, there are plenty of tour dates across Europe and beyond – many of them in countries who have not so actively embraced the designer toy movement yet, which is exciting.

Wolfgang Ohlig, aka VISEone, organized the show around PatchTogether’s Robolucha platform, but it certainly wasn’t easy. “One of the main problems [were] issues with the toll here in Germany. Lots of paperwork. Plus, when the show goes to other countries out of the EU, it even means more paperwork. Besides that, I’m still waiting for customs that didn’t arrive before the deadline – so these customs won’t make it to the Show in Istanbul’s Milk Gallery. I wanted to start the tour in Luxembourg at a local store – but those guys simply forgot about the show and didn’t organize anything to promote it. I also expected more interest from designer toy magazines. We have a great line up with top artists – so it should be interesting for everybody. But there are also a lot of artists and people that gave me a helping hand. Thanks for that – you know who you are!”

VISEone's RL-MECH 0809

The show’s locations are still being sorted out, but the fact that a designer toy is even entering a place like Istanbul is very neat. “First stop will be at Milk Gallery in Istanbul, Turkey [which is] the hometown of Mekazoo [who] designed the Robolucha. Then, it will return to Germany for two shows. I’m still working on dates for France and UK. TOY2ART might be able to present the show in Vienna at an exhibition, but this has to be confirmed yet.”

The artists are equally psyched to be among their creative companions, and the interpretations are incredibly diverse. While I carved open my Robolucha’s head and put a sculpted human head inside of it, the interpretations of everyone else are quite different and span a breathtaking range of aesthetics.

Jason Hilbourne's 'Tag Team TKO' Custom

Jason Hilbourne incorporated the original ‘Robolucha’ by building his around a Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots playset. “Imagine being there as the bell rings to start this battle. Servo motors whine. Metal crashes into metal. Near the end of round three, Red executes a flying MMA kick to the face, and Blue’s neck ratchets up. The fight is over. The crowd goes wild!””

Hilbourne is also is the creator of the Bunk Bots, a completely original plush creation that I have three of, since I dig them so much.

Cris Rose's Robolucha Custom

In fact, many of the creators involved in this show have original toys that go beyond just the action of customizing existing toys. Cris Rose is an instant sellout anytime he puts an original resin Runcible in his shop, and Walter Jacott is currently collaborating on an original creation called the Karuzo, as well as the incredibly innovative Bulboy, which incorporates actual lightbulbs.

Chaukoskis' 'El Fishman' Robolucha Custom

Jacott, aka Chauskoskis, has created the awesome ‘El Fishman’, which so transforms the original that it’s barely recognizable. By day, Walter actually works as graphic designer in the biggest natural park in Mexico.

Fellow blogger John ‘Spankystokes’ made one of his signature awesome fur-covered creeps for the show, and Jon Paul Kaiser contributed his Riot Cop Robolucha in his recognizable, beautifully executed black and white style. When I asked Kaiser how he felt about the designer toy show movement, he was enthusiastic.

“It’s an experience I really enjoy. I love the anticipation leading up to the event, as the news from blogs rolls in, and you start to see what other artists have done with the format. I love it, I’m obsessed by it, and I live it on a daily basis.”

Jon Paul Kaiser's 'Riot Cop' Robolucha Custom

He’s also another artist who has completely original works on the horizon. “My first vinyl series the Bee-Lino is coming out before the end of the year! Check out the photos on my Flickr or on the Ploofy website! Being part of that series and designing it was so exciting, and I can’t wait until they launch. Also working on my very own independent vinyl toy series ready for release 2010, though all I can say is that they’ll be called Koopo, and there’s some BIG name artists on board for that!”

So, if you’re in Europe of its environs, be sure to check out these shows! The customs will be auctioned off for charity later, also. Have a look at the work of the rest of the artists on Flickr (where most of these photos were sourced from) and Facebook, and spread the word.

Collin David's Robolucha Custom

Carol, George, Jan, & Ed

Many of our antiques and collectibles that rest comfortably atop shelves, tables and the fireplace mantle, sit on the floor or hang on our walls, came from antique shops. It’s natural for Wifey and I to frequent these places as we travel afar or take the weekend to stop at several within our local area. It has been my intent since I started writing for Collectors’ Quest to point out shops, large or small, that I consider worthy of a return visit. I have intimated before that malls must have staff that is friendly and courteous, adding to a shopper’s experience, be clean and uncluttered, so one can easily roam the isles and booths and inspect cases without the fear of damage to the merchandise or oneself. I also prefer that antique shops have old things without reproductions. Many stores also limit the age of items presented, or disallow flagrant “collectibles” like beanie babies, movie tie-ins or restaurant give-aways which are so mass produced they are plentiful at yard sales.

Why I haven’t previously mentioned the place of our latest visit is beyond me! We’ve been there often. It is the Gurnee Antique Center. Surely no one person could keep this place their secret special store. It has a great location; just south of the Wisconsin border in Gurnee, Illinois visible off Interstate-94, at the same exit as Six Flags-Great America, Gurnee Mills Shopping Center, Key Lime Cove water park and near the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. It’s surrounded by affluent Northern Chicago suburbs, and also draws heavily from Wisconsin and Indiana. All that explains why the Gurnee Antique Center is one of the best places to find the unusual antique you have been searching for.

Wifey went a-shopping as I met with George, the mall manager, and the owner of a Scottie dog. George and I sat down to give me the lowdown on the store, the doggy was too engrossed with customers to give his insight. I understand since we have a Westie that’s too busy on guard duty to even acknowledge our presence.

Opening about ten years ago, the building was designed specifically as an antique store, offering a smooth traffic pattern. The layout consists of a center hub area with checkout counter and three galleries extend out (Left, Center and Right), each with a continuous path so one ends up at the entrance of each gallery and then can traverse to the next. The isles are wide and free of clutter, well lit and each area has a pull switch dangling from the ceiling to request help from the friendly staff, whether it’s opening cases to inspect an item up close or reaching to retrieve a painting that’s high up on the wall. With 24,000 square feet and around 200 individual areas (that includes the cases), your best bet is starting early and luckily for me many restaurants are nearby, so we could take a break for lunch. I suggest calling to confirm hours of operation with normal open time from 10am to 5pm, Sundays starting at noon and Thursdays open late till eight. (847-782-9094) And set your GPS to IL, Gurnee, 5742 Northridge Dr.

George identifies the mix of antiques as Americana, and I was drawn to this booth with lots of primitives. But we saw such a great variety that I would be hard pressed to identify an area of collecting that some dealer didn’t cover.

The store has an aggressive advertising policy with ads in the major Chicago papers, Insider Magazine, Yesteryear, North Shore Magazine, Antique Weekly and others. They also hold charity events including shopping, cocktails and an auction for  I-Plus – an organization that helps people on public assistance become independent.

I asked George about his own collecting habit. He said that after forty years of collecting (he must have started in his crib) he has accumulations of silver serving pieces, toy cars, Scotties, paintings with a specialty of winter scenes, pottery and Waterford glass.

When George was asked to share his favorite place to shop, beyond the walls of this store, he said New York state, which means HIS secret mall is still safe from Wifey finding another place to shop.

Oh Yes! Wifey needed all the help the store could offer just to cart out all of her purchases.

But alas, the word came today that he passed away at age 94 due to complications of pneumonia. After all the hype about Michael Jackson dying, I thought it was only proper to give some kudus to one of the greatest musicians of all time! There are numerous sites you can go to to read about this Guitar Legend who was as much an inventor as a music-man. He taught himself to play guitar, banjo and harmonica by the age of 13. It’s been said that his career started with the Chicago band Rube Tronson and His Texas Cowboys and led the house band on WJJD radio in Chicago. After that (in the mid-30s) he joined the Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians, later moving to New York to form the Les Paul trio, with Jim Atkins and Ernie Newton. But his inventing career started long before the 1930s. Back in 1928, he wanted to increase the volume produced by his acoustic guitar and tried placing a telephone receiver under the strings. It only worked to a limited extent, but he later placed a phonograph needle in the guitar, all strings became amplified and made the sound a lot louder – he was playing a working prototype in 1929. The rest is history.

He married Mary Ford (they were together from 1949 to 1962) and they had 36 gold records, one being How High the Moon (a personal favorite of mine) and also had a successful TV show. He actually retired from music in the late 1960s to concentrate on his inventions, although he teamed with Chet Atkins for two albums for which they received a grammy. In 2005 another album was released with Peter Frampton, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Richie Sambura. Called “Les Paul & Friends” American Made, World Played.” Two cuts from this album also brought grammies.

Many of the top musical stars of today will tell you he was one of a kind and to quote Terry Stewart, President of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum “Without Les Paul, we would not have rock and roll as we know it.”

Those who collect old vinyl records or enjoy CD’s, those who have actually owned one of his guitars or had the honor of seeing him play in New York night spots will surely join me in saying good-bye to the one of the greatest musicians and innovators of all times.

Frank DeFreitas With Holographica Postcards

Ever since I met ephemera collector Frank DeFreitas at The Ephemera Network and learned what he does with his collection, I’ve wanted to do an interview with him. So, here it is.

Frank, what exactly is it that you collect?

I collect ephemera related to the Nobel prize-winning field of holography. A practitioner of holography (called a holographer) creates those magically seductive three-dimensional images known as holograms.

Ghostbusters Cereal Hologram

While I do collect (and make) holograms, the biggest part of my collection is paper-based ephemera and memorabilia related to the field: posters, books, advertising art, exhibit catalogs, postcards, brochures, newsletters, patents, documents, letters, magazines, press releases, newspaper articles, announcements, letterheads, envelopes, postage stamps, and many other examples.

Numbering in the thousands of pieces, it is one of the largest collections of its kind (holography) in the world today. However, holography as a topic is a relative newcomer to the field of ephemera, covering the second-half of the 20th Century (my collection ends at the year 2000). Therefore, it is definitely part of what I call the “new wave” of ephemera collecting. Being so recent, I guess the best way to describe it is “contemporary ephemera”.

With holography-related ephemera, if you’re at all geeky / nerdy (even secretly) and think lasers and holograms sound cool, then you’re really going to love this stuff. It runs the spectrum from kitsch to fine art (artists such as Salvador Dali worked with holography over the years).

Museum of Holography Looking Glass Ephemera

When did you start collecting — and what inspired you?

I started collecting in 1976 (for comparison, the Ephemera Society of America was founded in 1980), after attending my first art exhibit of holography. It was an exhibit from the Museum of Holography in New York called “Through the Looking Glass”. I kept the ephemera pieces from that show: a poster and various associated paper. After that, I have spent the rest of my life involved in the field of holography, so I obtained my collection piece by piece, year after year: the items from 1976 were added in 1976, 1986 in 1986, 1996 in 1996, and so on, as the history of holography unfolded in real time.

Also, I wrote an article on holography-related ephemera in 1988, calling it “Antiquarian Holographica”. I started my blog, Antiquarian Holographica, in 2008 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of that article. So, while somewhat of a new kid on the block in ephemera circles, I’m actually quite an old-timer. I was just off on my own, doing my own thing for nearly the past 30-plus years. But here I am now.

Sony Wonder, Sony's Instant Holographic Portrait System

What is the shinning star of your collection?

I would have to say that, taken as a whole, the entire collection itself has to be looked upon as the shining star. As for what may be of most interest to others, I would reply that postcard lovers would really enjoy seeing and hearing the history behind the beautiful artwork postcards; commercial art and printing technology students would love looking at and learning about the ads that incorporate holograms into the design scheme. And so on and so forth. There really is something very interesting and unique for everyone, regardless of their interest in ephemera (or holography), since it is a “thematic” collection.

In the past, I have had selected hologram pieces exhibited at such venues as the Smithsonian Institute in Washington. I stepped outdoors after giving a lecture one night, and turned to see the Washington Monument lit up right in front of me. That was certainly a shining star, world-class moment that one never forgets.

Sense Galaxy Theater Brochure, Tokyo, Japan

What’s the furthest you’ve ever gone to add a piece of ephemera to your collection?

The pieces in the collection hail from over 42 countries around the world. The majority of them were sent to me via post, rather than me having to find avenues to obtain them, seeking them out. They were sent for the specific purpose of becoming part of the collection, and to this day I am honored to be their guardian.

This continues today, and every so often I still receive a package in the mail. Someone in holography will be cleaning out a desk drawer or a filing cabinet and send me a box of ephemera. It then gets recorded and entered into the collection. My latest box arrived last week. I’m very fortunate in many ways.

You know that I’ve been fascinated ever since I heard of how you use your collection with middle school through high school students — I just love it when collecting can serve a purpose! Tell us all about that.

Through different programs, including the National Science Foundation and the Urban Systemic Initiative (among others), I work with urban, at-risk youth and, as a holographer, I design educational programs to introduce them to careers in lasers, optics and photonics. One of the most successful ways of engaging them is through making holograms. This has proven itself time-and-time again over the years.

Holography in Scientific American, 1965

However, for my initial orientation, I provide an exhibit of historical ephemera, mostly of what I call “holography in print”.

This gives the students an opportunity to see how holography has been used in real-world applications, and also allows them to make a historical connection to the modern world.

So, ephemera plays a very important role during the most critical part of the program: the beginning. If it fails to engage, then the rest of the program is on shaky ground. So far it has performed its task admirably AND every student knows how to correctly pronounce the word “ephemera”!

What are typical reactions to the educational program — what do you hear from kids then, in the moment?

Since most of the ephemera that I use contains three dimensional holograms, it is usually a reaction of astonishment. “Whoa!” is a usual reaction from the students.

POLSKA Hologram Stamp

You still seem to have the same reaction yourself — after all these years. *wink*

One day, everyone reading this interview will see images projected into their homes, schools and workplace as three-dimensional holograms. We will leave the “flat” two-dimensional images that we are so accustomed to behind. These holographic images will be so real, that you will want to reach out and touch them… But your hand will pass right through them. I don’t know if I will live long enough to see it, but this is the future of holography, and this is the history — in the making — that I collect.

Your passion for holography is equally matched by your passion for collecting ephemera; tell us about your latest project.

I’ve recently started a podcast centered around ephemera and the people who collect it. I have been broadcasting a similar show for holography online since 1996. I hope to feature two ephemera interviews per month. I’ve seen many interviews take place on web pages with text, but I thought that by hearing people in their own voices, it would make it much more personal. Also I would like to explore other options such as educational modules and events coverage as well.

The show can be streamed online, or it can be downloaded to a portable mp3 device such as an iPod. I hope you visit and listen to a show!

Oh, you know I will — thanks , Frank!

Hologram Trade Card

If anyone would like to receive more information on Frank’s holography ephemera collection, and/or the opportunity to have the collection exhibited along with a lecture/presentation at your school, gallery, library, club or organization (Frank makes it available at no cost to regional non-profits in his general area: PA, NY, NJ, DE, MD, CT, etc.), please contact him:

Frank DeFreitas
815 West Allen Street
Allentown, PA 18102

email: holoservices@gmail.com
phone: 610-770-0341

Katy Perry Wearing A Vintage Inspired Mandate of Heaven Romper At MTV Appearance

You may or may not know who Katy Perry is, but she’s the hot singer who, when not kissing girls wearing cherry Chapstick, is helping to bring back the vintage romper. Since authentic vintage fashions are difficult to come by, even in Katy’s smaller size, the pop star wouldn’t be able to sport nearly so much vintage glamour if it weren’t for new fashion house, Mandate Of Heaven, and it’s cool designer Carissa Ackerman.

I’ll admit it; Mandate Of Heaven vintage inspired rompers are so pretty, that I’d kiss a girl wearing them — no matter the flavor of her lip balm. Smitten, I decided to track down the designer to see just what inspired her…

Deanna: You have a number of rompers in your collections… Can you share what inspired them?

Carissa: I’ve been collecting vintage clothing with my mom for as long as I can remember. The matching 2 piece or, more prevalently, one piece outfits with shorts that my mom called “playsuits” were always among my favorite finds. Originally created for sports and playwear, playsuits were always adorable and rare to come by, perhaps in part because of their functional use. I’ve loved them ever since- I’m a feminine girl, but my klutzy tomboy side adores a pair of shorts. I guess I started making them myself as soon as I figured out how to do it properly.

Fashion Designer Carissa Ackerman In Her Own Vintage Inspired Creation

Deanna: How long have you been creating fashions?

Carissa: I’ve been into art and fashion for as long as I can remember. I started Mandate of Heaven with my former partner, Nick Olsen (also a collector of beautiful things), in January 2001.

Deanna: Did you notice that what, a year after your rompers appeared on the runway, Betsey Johnson and a few other designers had rompers (or onesies) in their collections?

Carissa: Playsuits have been around since the teens of the last century, although they have drifted in and out of fashion. While I’m very flattered by the comparison, I would hazard a guess that Betsey Johnson has made a few before in her 40 or so years in business

Nevertheless, they were certainly not in style in the least when I made my first version in 2004; and I do think that, particularly here in New York, Mandate of Heaven was among those that helped encourage their resurgence in popularity.

However, as with all trends, there were many factors involved. For one thing, a general trend in collecting vintage fashions had just hit the mainstream, adding considerably to the number of girls who, like me, were thrilling to the original versions. Moreover, a related, more general trend toward wearing dresses had just gained popularity, partially displacing the preference for mix and matching ones own separates that was so de rigeur throughout the nineties. Once people wrapped their heads back around the idea of wearing one garment as an entire outfit, playsuits were a natural progression.

Carissa Ackerman's Vintage Hat Collection

Deanna: Many of your designs have a vintage throw-back edge. Who/what/where/wear inspires you & these designs?

Carissa: My mom has amazing style, and was my original role model and inspiration. She introduced me to all things visual and artistic, and I think I took what she taught me and began pursuing additional visual inspiration independently at a pretty early age.

My style now is a summation of what I think is the best of everything I’ve come across, combined and tweaked to create the best items I can with the materials available.

Ackerman: "One of my favorite things - a red plaid metal vintage picnic set with matching thermoses - as it appeared in a recent photo shoot." (See above photo.)

Deanna: Do you collect anything?

Carissa: Vintage fabric. I used to collect vintage anything, but now all my cash goes into my line!

Most of my pieces are constructed partially or completely from vintage fabrics and/or recycled clothing; thus, the materials I use are both specifically limiting, and specifically vintage related. Not all of the recycled clothing I use is vintage, though; I work with anything I can find in a thrift store. However, I think the secondhand aspect gives a certain “vintage” feeling to a lot of my garments.

I don’t believe that creation happens in a vacuum. I think we are all a composite of the experiences and influences we’ve been exposed to. People have been making clothes for thousands of years; I think to ignore the existing wisdom of this tradition would be both arrogant and ultimately impossible. My aim is to use all of my favorite influences from the past and present to create my ideal wardrobe for the future.

Deanna: Will you continue to make rompers?

Carissa: Absolutely.

Deanna: Awesome; because I need some more time to get my behind romper-ready.

Because her creations are very limited, keep up with Carissa & Mandate of Heaven fashions at the official blog — so you don’t miss a thing. And don’t forget to buy her vintage inspired designs (you’re supporting a fellow collector, you know!). The studio/store is located at 406 Lorimer Street, 3rd Floor, Brooklyn, NY; and you can shop online too.

Paige Wood Wearing A Vintage Inspired Two-Piece Set By Mandate Of Heaven

#1 How did you get interested in collecting and what do you collect?

I started collecting baseball cards like a lot of kids when I was about 7 years old. My dad had collected cards as a kid (and some of his survived), then comic books, and was seriously into stamps and eventually came back to baseball cards himself. My Uncle has been a baseball card dealer since 1979. Beyond baseball cards, growing up I had spurts of collecting stamps, coins, newspapers, and more and in adulthood have gone the sports collectible route, rediscovered comic books, collected modern first editions for a bit. I like clutter. I mean I have collections that I barely put effort into but somehow amount to enough items to create a collection — pens and book ends come to mind. I like having it all, by this I mean, if I’ve got something, I want more of it then all of it. I tend to take my interests to extremes.

Now I think of myself mostly as a dealer — I tend to think of my collection as the items I archive on my web sites as I sell them. So in that general sense I collect Movie Cards and Collectibles from the Silent Age through the Golden Age and General Magazine Back Issues from the Nineteenth Century to present. More specifically, I do have a small but varied collection of items featuring the 1930s and 40s actor Warren William — those aren’t for sale. My collections tend to be the tiniest slice of a niche. I’m not active at it now, but I was collecting information, articles, ephemera and trinkets related to President James K. Polk at one time too. I also have my DVD collection, though I tend to only think of vintage items as those I’ve collected.

Warren William Film Poster

#2 What is the ‘crown jewel’ of your collection?

Tough question. My dealer mentality says everything is for sale… But I guess my favorites right now are a couple of movie posters featuring Warren William that I’m trying to figure out how to frame at a reasonable cost. Actually I know how, but have been putting off getting the materials for a long time.

#3 What’s your criteria for selling vs. keeping? Is it difficult to make such decisions?

It’s pretty much all for sale. I don’t buy anything, even items for my little Warren William or James K. Polk collections, without knowing I can flip it for more than I paid. If you’re working on a budget you’ve got to have rules, that’s mine.

#4 What two characteristics or personal traits you feel are essential to being a collector?

No wrong answer here, though lots of different ones. I think it’s going to come down to what the person you ask believes about themselves, and so I’ll say 1) Attention to detail. What’s the use of putting a collection together if you aren’t taking a deep interest in the subject of the collection. You want to know it all and you’re hunting down any loose info in your spare hours. 2) Storage space.

#5 As a collector/dealer, what’s the one thing you cannot live without?

Nowadays, I’d say my internet connection. It blows my mind that back when I did baseball card shows I used to rely on a couple of magazine & trade paper subscriptions and attending shows where I’d either see the same buyers (or sellers, depending on which side of the table I was on). If my internet goes down for any length of time, I’m probably out of business.

Kromo Gravure Trading Card of Mary Pickford c.1917

#6 How many hours a week do you think you spend collecting? (This includes, but is not limited to: shopping for items to purchase, admiring or talking about your collection, blogging/writing about your collection, attending shows/events, researching, dusting. Feel free to give breakdowns &/or rationalizations if you’d like.)

Hah, basically you want my work week. Well, it’s pretty crazy, but it’s filled with passion and I love it. Every waking hour is close to the correct answer here, but I’d say an accurate count would be about 12-16 hours a day, 6 to 7 days a week. I prepare sales listings during the afternoon, which also consists of researching items. I tackle blog posts, at Vintage Meld & Profiles & Premiums & for example, and my column at the Examiner.com at night. I do most of the work on my static web sites over the weekends. I keep very busy, and again, it’s great!

#7 We’ve all heard that eBay killed the mom & pop antiques store/mall… Do you agree? Disagree?

Killed it? No. Antiques and Collectibles dealers have never had so much opportunity in history. I can recall before I ever did anything online going into a rare book shop in the neighborhood and being excited when I saw the elderly proprietor entering items for sale into his computer as I browsed. My Uncle, the card show dealer, he’s the one who first showed me eBay sometime in ‘99 and I was completely blown away. If the mom & pop antique mall is dead or dying chalk it up to progress. We can lament the death of the VHS tape too, or we can buy a DVD, Blu-Ray or just download the damn thing. Take advantage of the available resources and more possibilities can open up than ever before.

#8 We all have our usual collector haunts online (websites, communities, blogs etc.), places we regularly read &/or ‘talk’ at. Please list your top three for us.

Hah, most definitely twitter, @moviecollector and @andotherstuff. I comment as often as is relevant on Marty Weil’s ephemera blog. And NewspaperArchive.com.

Vintage Look Magazine With Marilyn Monroe Cover

#9 Do you have collecting ‘bibles’?

A The Antique Trader Vintage Magazines Price Guide made me a good deal of money when it came out, pointing out key magazine issues often overlooked by online sellers. Now I just found Dr. Steven Lomazow’s American Periodicals: A Collector’s Manual and Reference Guide through a post on Marty Weil’s blog — hoping that’s the next great resource for me.

B Sports Collectors Digest Standard Catalog of Sports Memorabilia — Love the detailed sections on sports magazines.

C A little spiral bound self-published guide titled Dixie Premiums Checklist by Tom Popelka which I purchased from the author himself on eBay. Extremely niche subject but provides instant identification of any Dixie Premium I handle, which is important to me.

#10 Did you ever get an item so cheaply that you felt like a thief? Ever stumble into such a great find that your fingers shook when you picked it up?

Oh, this is kind of commonplace for me, I’m looking for the big mark-up, and yes, I can get a little shaky or light-headed when I really score. I don’t have the pics, but I’ll tell a similar story from the old days. I was doing one of the bigger card shows in the area and these guys from St. Louis were also doing the show. They were very interested in a 1965 Topps Steve Carlton rookie card I had for sale (Carlton began with the Cardinals). After being asked about the possibility of a trade I went over to their table and they had the oddball type stuff I liked. This was the early 90s, so I was deliriously happy to deal the card, which I’d graded in the EX to EX+ range for a boxful of 60-70 St. Louis Cardinals programs from the 1940s and 50s. I was so happy I left a friend at the table and took a walk to calm myself down.

I came back and my friend tells me, “Those guys you traded with just came over and called you a crook!” What! “They said the card was trimmed.” So I went over, they showed me the measurements, I apologized profusely, and insisted we reverse the trade. I just handled too many cards to measure them all and had never really been exposed to any fraud such as that. So I took back my Carlton rookie card, which I just thought scored myself the motherlode of vintage baseball programs, and wound up cutting it’s price to a tenth of what it had been marked. Elation to frustration all in a few minutes.

#11 We all love our collections, but how much… If you were stranded on a deserted island, would you selfishly want your items with you, or would you prefer they were safely protected back at home?

Give me movies and I’ll be happy. Lock down my stock and protect my eBay feedback!

#12 What is the most ‘over the top’ item in your collection? Something you paid the most for, is the most mocked by others, an item you went to great lengths to get, was once greatly desired by you but now seems silly, or, somehow, is otherwise outrageous or has an outrageous story behind it…

I try not to make buying mistakes, so let me think… Okay, let me preface this by saying autographs scare me to death. I don’t trust them unless I get them in person. In fact I can barely understand the desire to acquire them when not acquired in person — well, I do get it, part of the collecting bug, but with the inherit danger of fraud and the lack of personal contact I just never really got why autograph collecting was so big. Anyway, I mentioned I collect items of the actor Warren William, right? I don’t know if I should really circulate this info, but what the heck — there’s a price I’ll pay for Warren William autographs, and he died in 1948, so they’re not terribly common, and I pay up to my price just assuming I’m buying a fake.

A Real Warren William Autograph?

I can never be disappointed that way, right? Even I think that’s kind of silly. Maybe someone can tell me if this one is a fake or not

#13 What ‘holy grail’ are you currently seeking for your collection?

I hate to dodge this, but really, from my perspective my holy grail is just the next cool item I need to have — I don’t know what it is yet. It might be an item for myself, more likely it’ll be an item for resale that I haven’t seen before and want to research. It goes back to your question when I talked about taking a deep interest in your collection. My passion is identifying and researching items that I don’t know about and can’t find any info about. So to answer this one, I’d say “the unknown.”

“The unknown,” that has to be my favorite answer of all time. Amen, Cliff, amen.

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Friday was the first of the three day Delefield Antique Show that I had wanted to attend for several years but just never seemed to find the time. This year it was put on our priority list. Friday evening was the kick off and I was there with pen and camera in hand to see what all the hub-bub was about. The location was in the historic Delafield Hotel in historic Downtown Delafield, WI. The perfect setting to view and learn more about Early American and English antiques from the more than seventy dealers assembled with their wonderful array of true antiques. The name plates in each booth provided the attendee’s business name and their home location. While many were from Wisconsin and the surrounding states, others traveled from Missouri, Connecticut, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Virgina, and Ohio to present their unique wares in this fashionable setting. From the looks of the early crowd, lots of interest was generated and sold tags were seen on many items, too large to hand carry out the door.

Paintings were prevalent, furniture abundant and metal objects of silver and brass, brilliantly polished.

As I toured the show, I was very impressed with the great variety of items, and played a guessing game of “the price is right” with myself, trying to determine an object’s value before looking at the price tag. (I’m not very good at this game.) And when it comes to paintings, I have no clue, guessing low on high priced masterpieces and way high on eighteenth century paint by numbers with a subject only the artist and I would think was worthy of using a good canvas and paint.

Asking questions of the dealers always brings a detailed response and I consider these events as my chance to learn from experts. I was fortunate enough to visit with a several that allowed me to photograph their booths and discuss some details beyond their inventory. Often these interviews were interrupted with questions from customers, so I try to observe more than quiz a busy person.

Several common themes arise from this show’s participants: an early interest in old things, years of collecting and later selling what they like, good contacts for locating rare antiques, and constant education. The benefits most enjoy are the returning customer base, foreign travel and camaraderie with like minded individuals.

My first chat was with Nancy Andrich of Nancy Andrich Antiques, who along with her daughter, travel to the UK on buying trips, and had lots of small decorative gems. Nancy said she had been doing the Delafield show for at least ten years and also was a participant at the Northern Illinois Antique Dealers Association Shows, and the Wisconsin Antique Dealers shows, where I remembered seeing her before.

The Harley Davidson sign in Tom and Marcia Brown’s booth caught my eye. Living in Wisconsin, we celebrate all things Harley. Marcia mentioned Willie G. had stopped to admire the sign. Made of sheet metal this fine old display piece was tempting, and I hope it found a home in our state.

This couple from Indiana live in an 1800s home and show about twelve times a year around the Mid-west. Tom has worked as a full time dealer for about twelve years, and we had a nice chat on our common interest in old homes, even if mine is but a pup compared to theirs.

Harold Cole (Antiques) of Woodbury, Connecticut has forty-five years of antique experience, featuring Early American and American folk art with a special interest in weather vanes. Harold sells through the Wales Antique Center in Wales, Wisconsin and had shops in Wiscasett, Maine and Woodbury, Connecticut.

The last interview, again shortened by paying customers, was with Randall Hopkins (Art and Antiques) with a shop in Madison, Wisconsin. His specialty of English and American period furnitures, oil paintings and decorative accessories. I was enthralled by the English silver pieces he had to offer.

Did I learn enough to join the ranks of these dealers? An emphatic NO. But we keep learning and that’s what makes for a happy collector, one that learns and understands as much as we can about our collections, so that when an item of value is offered we’ll have the insight to purchase and figure out later how to cover the check. Good Hunting my collecting community friends, hope to see you at my next shopping stop.

Not so for 54 year old Sidney Dugas and his wife, who have been  sweepstakes hobbyists for over 20 years. As it turns out, the Dugas family aren’t really motorcycle enthusiasts and live in a 1400 square foot abode, sans garage in which to even keep their new, colossal Bat Bike. While Mr. Dugas happily admits that this is the best thing he’s ever won, the maintenance of an accidental collectible of this scale can prove to be overwhelming. So, how do you accidentally win the Batcycle?

“I sent in a few entries to this promo and won”, says Mr. Dugas. It’s not more complicated than that – almost disappointingly. I’d expect a face-off with The Joker, or a trivia contest or something to prove the worthiness of the Bike’s victor beyond having legible penmanship and a stamp. Still, the unexpected addition of a new, two-wheeled member of the family has been a cumbersome thing.

“It has been a lot to do just trying to get insurance on the bike, and [figuring out] how to pay the taxes on the bike. Putting all that aside, it’s been kind of fun also. I learned a lot about the MV Agusta motorcycle and the people who ride them, and how great they are. I also learned a lot about Batman collectors and how awesome [they are]”. We are.

Of course, nothing is ever free, and winning a $35,000 prize comes with about $10,000 in taxes – because joy and delight are taxable, now. The air and blood taxes won’t be too far behind, folks, so start selling your blood on eBay now.

Mr. Dugas has been attempting to sell the bike since October of 2008, only days after winning it, because of this incredible amount of taxes. He hasn’t had any luck just yet, which is hopefully where Collectors’ Quest readers will come in. Do you know a wealthy Bat-fan? Do you have a direct line to Jay Leno? Are you just a little crazy and rich at the same time? Drop Sidney a line at the e-mail address at the end of this article!

Fortunately, Mr. Dugas hasn’t yet been forced to also pay for storage for the bike, as Hershey’s has pushed back the actual arrival date for the bike back to May of this year. Unfortunately, however, because he doesn’t have the bike in hand, he’s also been unable to make a dedicated, concerted effort to sell the bike through the usual avenues like eBay. So, why does someone take on such a cumbersome responsibility, and did the winner actually maintain the option of refusing the grand prize?

“I had the option of refusing the bike, but I was hoping to sell the bike and make a little money. My wife and I spend a lot of time taking care of our handicapped grandson, [so] we could use the money.” It’s not as if Mr. Dugas is opposed to the idea of collecting, as he’s been a coin collector himself – but the allure of a few bucks for a unique collectible, especially to cover medical bills for his family, is a necessity. He’s not trying to profit from the bike – he’s converting a sought-after collectible into something far more practical for his family.

If you have any leads of ideas about how to properly get rid of this colossal thing appropriately, drop Sidney a line at sdugas54@cox.net. He’ll be happy to hear from you, and I’m sure he’d love to have a plan for the bike before it arrives.

Me, I’d love a Batcycle, but I am cursed with practicality. Huge or unexpected collectibles can be a huge burden and very time-consuming, so take the months-long plight of Sidney into account before you accept any huge prizes.

My last blog detailed a ‘chance meeting’ with a fellow antiquer named Lea and some of her fabulous collections.

 

She loves whimsy too, and has some of the most charming dog pictures I’ve seen. This lonely little pup draws an “awww” whenever viewed, and the picture with the grouping of dogs actually has a slate back to it. It’s very old but in great shape.

I’ve heard that “Victoriana” has lost popularity with collectors, but not Lea who recognizes the charm of this period. One of her favorite pieces is a framed bride and groom. All original, probably resting on the wedding cake of the lovely couple, well over 100 years ago.

Her favorite of ‘all time’ is her Sleepy Eye Pitchers. For those who are not familiar with the Sleepy Eye items, they bear the image of a 19^th century Indian chief with a “drooping eyelid.” The Sleepy Eye Milling co. of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota used his portrait in advertising from 1883 to 1921, offering premiums such as stoneware and pottery crocks, bowls, mugs and pitchers. After 1921, the Mill was out of business and companies such as Western Stoneware began production. These are very hard to find and Lea has been slowly adding to her collection. She shops mostly yard sales, sometimes a flea market, and continues her search for more. The most she has paid for one was $100 and it is valued at well over $700 today.

It was difficult to focus on one area of her collecting, it is very diverse. But when I saw this fabulous purse, I was truly in awe. Having seen numerous beaded handbags by such makers as Whiting & Davis, I was not prepared for this one! The frame of the purse is celluloid with a vibrant coloring, and beading is incredible. The bonus is that it is in pristine condition. Lea had purchased some items from this lady, mostly jewelry, and had seen this purse. The lady declined to sell it but agreed to take Lea’s phone number and when and if she was ready, would give her a call. She waited well over a year, then the call came and the lady sold it to her. She displays it beautifully too.

One of her collections are these buttons. Some are metal, but the majority are bakelite! Very colorful and getting hard to find. She has a fantastic assortment including some animals, a small bowl of cherries and quite a few called ‘waffle’ buttons. The jars are a super way to show them off.

As I prepared to leave her lovely home, I noticed a bench with wrought iron sides. Often called a “radio bench.” This one has cats in play on each side. Lea told me that these were given out at theatres years back and kids could win them to take home! I know I’d never seen one before and found it to be utterly delightful.

Lea has learned how to profit from her hunting trips and proudly admits to being an antique dealer. But she has used her talents to creatively decorate her house with the treasures she chooses to keep, making it a warm and inviting HOME. I thanked her for sharing her collection with me and the CQ readers. While I enjoy her company, I recognize her to be a worthy competitor and know I have to get up pretty early in the morning to win the prize!

Enter Darryl Jefferson, a fine gentleman who collects but one thing : action figures depicting African Americans. Well, ‘Americans’ might not universally apply when you’re also collecting space aliens and other fictional characters that don’t necessarily have an Earthly domain. We had the opportunity to talk to Darryl about his unique collection.

Collin : So, I suppose I should start by asking your name, age and day job.

Darryl : My name is Darryl Jefferson, I am 37 years old, and I am the Director of Post Production Operations at NBC Olympics Division.

C : And what is the main thing that you actively collect?

Darryl : I collect African American action figures, or what I call “Blaction”. I guess some are not necessarily human, but they are mostly easily recognizable as black.

C : It’s a really interesting thing to collect based on ethnicity, and even as a long-time figure collector, it never really occurred to me. Where did it all start?

Darryl : Where so many good ideas start, I guess… during a drunken rant. I believe I was having a lengthy conversation with a group of friends, and everyone was relating their favorite toys growing up. I made the comment that I had Star Wars figures, but one could only “be” Lando so many times. There really were very few toys that actively looked like me growing up. I guess I decided to start collecting ones that did.

C : That’s similar to how ‘Sun Man’ and Olmec Toys got started – which is awesome. So you’ve been collecting since ‘the rant’?

Darryl : Yes, with some years more obsessive than others. I love figures that are either super-over-the-top, obscure, or flat out ridiculous. It’s much more important to me to have one talking Nelson Mandela or Zombie Thriller Michael Jackson than 140 random black figures which are unremarkable.

C : How many of these have you managed to collect? And is it an active hunt, or an ‘if I see it, I’ll get it’ kind of thing?

Darryl : I have around 200 or so – and I troll the local shops when I get a chance. If I hear that one is being released, I hunt it down. If not, I just go looking. Friends are also responsible for many figures from all over the world. I’ve been getting figures from family and friends for years. I also admit to sometimes going to web stores like Entertainment Earth to see what is out there.

C : Now, when you mention ‘not necessarily human’, are you talking about figures like Star Trek’s Lt. Worf?

Darryl : Indeed. I have also created honorary places for characters like Dr. Teeth, Black Manta, and… for my wife… Johnny Cash. Her Man in Blaction.

C : Ha! That’s awesome. I was curious – do the Klingons played by Christopher Lloyd and John Laroquette count towards your criteria for this particular collection? What ARE the criteria when dealing with alien species?

Darryl : I knew one day I’d be faced with that question. I guess if the species speaks to me, I include. The Klingons of the Next Generation always read to me as representing race rather than species. Most (not all) of the Klingons were portrayed by black actors, and viola. As for the unfortunate Christopher Lloyd and all 60s-era Klingons, I try not to think of them. Black Manta, conversely, Aquaman’s nemesis from the Legion of Doom – no one has ever seen his face, and if Aquaman HAD a polar opposite, I think he must be black.

C : I love that answer.

Darryl : Thank you.

C : So, what were the first few that you began your collection with, other than Lando?

Darryl : I guess the post rant, early 90s first figures were Chris Rock as Nat X, Mr. T, Carl (not Lenny), Guinan, and Run DMC.

C : Man, that brings back some early collecting memories. My mom had her own Guinan because she dug the character so much. Do you have a favorite from among your collection?

Darryl : Funny that – I was just saying today that my favorite one is always the new one… but I do have a soft spot for the beautiful busts of Black Falcon & Power Man. And my most recent purchase was a whole group of “Hoodiez”, which are super-stylized. And a Japanese interpretation of MJ’s Thriller, pre- and post-zombied. And there are a few I wish I had as a kid, like Dr. J, or Ali.

C : Did they ever made Dr. J or Ali figures?

Darryl : I never saw them as a kid, though I ate the crap out of Ali spicy potato chips and Reggie Jackson candy bars. I forgot one too – my Michael Vick doggie chew toy. That never gets old

C : Aw man, I love celebrity branded potato chips.

Darryl : I know! Wish they brought those back.

C : Do you have any especially rare or valuable pieces?

Darryl : Hmm. I think the Flava Flav alarm clock is valuable, now, and the full statues were on the expensive side, like the “modern” Luke Cage. I think one of the things that I really enjoyed about the hobby was that everything, more or less, is reasonably priced – just hard to find. And people can get me a gift, and really make me happy for under $20.

C : The Bowen statues? They’re really awesome.

Darryl : Indeed. I love looking at them. And the chew toy is also valuable, as the company got a cease and desist.

C : Is there a kind of Holy Grail you’re always kinda watching for?

Darryl : I guess obscure and well done. I’d love to get my hands on Samuel L. Jackson’s character from Unbreakable, “Mr. Glass”. I do not have any disabled figures. And without a doubt, my personal Holy Grail would be a Sly Stewart live at Woodstock. I don’t know what I’d do if I found that.

C : Would you go for a customized Mr. Glass, or does it have to be a ‘production’ figure?

Darryl :  I guess I would do a custom, though I never have… never really though about it….

C : About how much do you end up investing in this collection per month?

Darryl : Maybe $50-$75 per month – but I do get a lot of gifts, too.

C : Okay, I’m going to name a few action figures, and I’m curious if you have them in your collection, if you don’t mind.

Darryl : Please!

C : Mezco Toyz Biggie Smalls.

Darryl : Yep – in his dress whites. A great, stylized figure, complete with cigar & cane.

C : Winston Zeddemore from the old Ghostbusters line. Any of the million variations.

Darryl :  Funny – no! Never found a good likeness. I should redouble my efforts!

C : I’m not sure if that was an era when likenesses mattered as much as action features. I know I was big on collecting all of the Egons for a while. Captain Sisko, or Geordi LaForge?

Darryl : True, true. I have Geordi, and Captain Sisko, in his Captain’s chair.

C : Oh man, I didn’t even know there was a Captain’s chair one. I love that guy.

Darryl : Me too. I’d love to see him do more stuff

C : Storm, Black Panther, Blade, War Machine, Patriot?

Darryl : Storm, yes. Black Panther I pre-ordered, 3x Blades (different takes), yes on War Machine and no on Patriot.

C : Have you snagged any of the new Obama figures that are floating around? I’ve counted three, I think.

Darryl : I got two of them. I’m a sucker for black presidents.

C : Ha ha! Truly. Do you have any other active collections?

Darryl : Nope – that is my only one, so far.

C : It’s kinda rare to find a collector who only collects one thing. I wish I had that restraint.

Darryl : I can’t say that I haven’t purchased my wife figures, too, like Betty Page, Willow Rosenberg, and Wonder Woman.

C : Is she more of a collector than you are? Or are you both on the same collecting page?

Darryl : Nope, I collect for her. And just a few.

C : Neatly displayed or stored safely away?

Darryl : The Blaction are all displayed in one room, except the Mr. T & James Brown Rubber Duckies, which guard the bathroom. My wife’s are displayed elsewhere.

C : I suppose it’s important to ask : do you collect for the cultural significance, the fun, or both?

Darryl : I think it started with fun, but now the collection is flat out impressive. People are not accustomed to seeing all of the black Simpsons characters together, for instance. Now, I guess it is both.

C : Ooh. Interesting visual dynamic there. Well, sir – I think that’s about all I have! Is there anything you’d like to add? A location for donations to be sent or anything?

Darryl : Sure! I am always looking for tips, ideas, or figures! Send to 3 Landmark Square, Ste. 401, NBC, Stamford, CT 06901. Thanks so much, Collin!

C : Awesome. This has been a blast – and kinda redefined a little of how I see collecting toys.

Be sure to check out Darryl’s formidable collection in our community!

Standard Gauge on Shelf - "O" below

My last post introduced you to Jerry, the founder of the Milwaukee Lionel Railroad Club and other locations in St. Louis, Chicago, Racine and San Francisco, as he moved to these cities over a 33 year career in the military. I mentioned a collection the club is acquiring from a benefactor for their museum and library. While the club is dedicated to Lionel products, the quality and enormity of the collection is adding a new and exciting dimension to their facility. With various manufacturers, some of these train sets date back to the beginnings of model railroading in the early 1900s. Sets include early Lionel, Ives, American Flyer, and Buddy L all made of tin before the use of plastic made realism easier to duplicate.

Garden Gauge Buddy L

The early models were larger, first designed for children to sit on and push with their feet. Called Garden Railways and later shortened to G gauge. I was quite shocked when I picked up this garden railroad engine, it weighed a ton, made of cast iron and responsible for my next hernia operation, it was made by Buddy L as was the little red caboose.

The early pre-war indoor trains were considered Standard gauge, large even by the the popular post war O gauge size and monsters next to the HO size of many of today’s hobbyists. I loved the size of the standard gauge trains that this new collection features but wonder how large a room it would take to house even a simple circle of track. As a pure collectible they probably sit on shelves without running in circles. I found that was part of the thrill of this club house, they have track for running the Standard Gauge.

Let me show you some of the collection. As Jerry pointed out some of the sets, he listed the manufacturer, and described detailing that makes some brands and items more expensive than others. It was easy to spot this American Flyer passenger coach with decal doors, but Jerry pointed out a door on one model that swung in the wrong direction, making it less than authentic to the real rail car.

Since the locomotives are the collectors’ money rides, these two engines were from Ives, as is the copper colored passenger car, a company that was later purchased by Lionel.

Lionel Locomotive

The proliferation of railroad museums, most with rolling stock, model train shows, swap meets, fairs, trade shows, flea markets and fests, as illustrated by the assortment of brochures of local interest including events at Milwaukee School of Engineering, and national venues advertised in the assortment of model train magazines published by Kalmbach, prove this is an area of collecting for family fun, pride in ownership and stable investment.

The Milwaukee Lionel Railroad Club, and its sister locations work with the Lionel Train Co. each year to design and distribute train cars built by Lionel, with the Milwaukee club producing Milwaukee Road replicas. This helps to sustain the library, museum, teaching and other activities of the clubs. If interested contact one of the members.

Located at the West entrance at 2721 South Calhoun Road, New Berlin WI 53151-3513, (262-754-9900). The club welcomes visitors, on Fridays from 2-10 pm and on Sundays 1-5 pm. Please call to confirm before driving any distance or check for times and days if you’re closer to one of the sister locations in Racine, WI, Chicago, San Francisco, or St. Louis.

I want to thank Jerry again for his insight into the the world of model railroad collecting and his enthusiasm for his hobby.