The Curious Collector

Only a true artist could take three antique white milk glass candlesticks and add a single rose to create a stark contemporary vignette. The Curious Collector, authored and photographed by Jessie Walker, certainly had me looking at my stuff from a different view. Why not put pins on a lampshade? Maybe I should start picking up those tacky, but fun looking safety pin baskets. I loved the tips, the gorgeous photography and the idea behind the 101 favorite collectibles.

The Curious Collector is a delightful book filled with wonderful images of both old and new collectibles.

The book highlights 101 Collectibles broken down into the following chapters: Ceramics; Glass; Metals; Paper, Plastics & More; Fashion & Beauty; Folk Art; Textiles; Toys and Everyday Objects. Individual collectibles include Stone Fruit, Theorems, Wicker, Advertising Tins, Vintage Purses, Wedgwood, Cranberry Glass, Noah's Ark, Raggedy Ann and over 90 more interesting categories. Each chapter consists of anywhere from one to three pages on the chosen collectible, a few pictures, as well as a short history and usually a tip or two for new collectors on what to look for.

I'm not sure what the reasoning was behind choosing the specific collections as they are quite varied or how they made the cut, but there is definitely something for everyone. It only proves the oft-mentioned statement that anything can be collected. There are also a few sub-categories that fall into to the "who would have ever thought?"

This is a perfect book for those who love to use the phrase "just looking" as they haunt flea markets, antique stores and garage sales. That's what you'll be doing, just looking at stuff -- but with a different eye!

Lark Books, Division of Sterling Publishing Co.
Softcover: 240 Pages
Published: 2008
ISBN 13: 978-1-600590190-7