This past week I was reading a tribute to Paul Newman that also talked about "the Collector High" and what makes collecting more than a hobby, but a lifestyle. Collectors know exactly what author Kevin Conway is writing about and it doesn't matter what they collect from matchbooks to antiques -- they know that feeling of passion.

From Kevin Conway of Conway's Vintage Treasures:
Today I was reminded about what a gift it is to have the passion of a collector. Whether you collect art, vintage Hollywood, sports or comic books, we Collectors know we always have a "special place" we can go when the world seems so dark, depressed and doomed. Over the past week (or several months come to think of it) I find the media to be a reliable source of misery. I would never have believed that CNN and Fox news would become my last choice for evening Television. Yet, not even the persistent, gloomy economic and political news can dampen the excitement of collecting. That's what makes collecting more then just a hobby. It’s an escape to a better, healthier state of mind. To me that is priceless. I call it "the Collector High". It 's unfortunate there are so many good folks that have no “better place” to go to as these ominous clouds shower us with this temporary dismal and pessimistic economic storm.
Read more on Paul Newman Tribute

Are you a cat lover and looking for that perfect something to add to your Halloween collection? Several years ago I started looking for black cat cookie jars and although I didn't find loads of them, there were enough to decorate a Halloween dining room table. Black cat jars can cost as little as $5. new, up to $400. for a vintage McCoy Coalby cat. Have any to add to the list? Tell me about your favorites in the comment section.
Black Cats for Halloween
^{Photo ©Barbara Crews}

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Joyce, a longtime McCoy collector, recently reviewed Warman's McCoy Pottery and shares her thoughts with us. From Joyce: "this volume was a step up from the first, because of the additional and in-depth information in the first part of this book. For example, it included Nelson and Billie McCoy’s memories of working at McCoy pottery. Also a nice history of JW McCoy and Brush-McCoy potteries, done by Dewayne Ismand, who is the Records Manager and Archivist for the McCoy Pottery Collectors Society. Section of fakes and reproductions had good explanation and photographs. Also new to this edition was a section dedicated to Brush Pottery."
^{Krause Publications}