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Collecting, locating, displaying

Collecting is one of the great joys of life. Probably way better than having kids, and definitely better than working. In the spirit of collecting, and to break up your daily grind, here’s what’s new (to me) in the collecting world. Might give you some good ideas. (No peer pressure!)

First, in the arena of vintage clothes, there’s a new player in town. I was the geek who wore my mom’s Pendleton skirts from the 50s to high school in the 80s. And her thick, plush vintage angora and cashmere sweaters. Thank god she saved them! So I’m a sucker for a curated vintage store, not a digging-through-the-bins-type thrift store, but a boutique. And The Vault in Beaverton (4590 SW Watson) is just such a store. The owner has amassed a stunning collection of coats, fur collars, party dresses, angora, and beaded sweaters – you name it. It reminds me most of Xtabay on SE Clinton, but with Beaverton prices. Know what I mean, Jean? Also, don’t forget Rose City Modern (fantastic mid-century furniture) a block away, and Curiosities across Farmington. And yes, I’m recommending a trip to Beaverton.

I have a friend who has been collecting sterling silverware by the piece – any pattern – as long as it has an H monogram. Why, you ask? Her daughter’s name is Hannah, and someday she will have the world’s greatest collection of mismatched monogrammed silver of all time. In this case, the hunt is part of the fun. But let’s say you have your mom’s silver, and some rotten guest walked off with a couple of place settings. (It’s happened to us all.) So you need to fill in some gaps in your collection. Or perhaps you have a service for eight, but you would really like to have service for 12. What to do? Well, check out Replacements, LTD. They will find you what you need. I love this description from the Apartment Therapy post:

‘The first thing you need to know about Replacements is that it’s not just a warehouse of old china that you can buy from when you lose or break something (Sliced your mother’s silver fork in half in your garbage disposal? They’ll put it back together. Chipped the rims of your wedding crystal? They’re grind it back down smooth). It is a living, breathing hub for a community of people around the world that are passionate about this part of their lives and both the history and family history that pieces represent.”

The founder of Replacements was an auditor who collected in his spare time. His passion became his job. Which brings me to my last find. Previously I mentioned a friend who collects vacuums and KitchenAid mixers. Well, I invited myself over to view the collection and was blown away. He collects so much more than mixers and vacuums! Vintage cordial glasses (hundreds of them), passed down through his partner’s family, catch the light in a large window. Gorgeous copper pans line the walls of the kitchen. And then there’s the mixers and vacuums. Everywhere I turned was something beautiful, something with a memory, something to see. Old vacuums were gorgeous – like spaceships. (Who knew? My friend does!)

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Don’t you want one? Or, something of similar flair? You’ve probably got a great collection of something beautiful, fun, whimsical. Please tell me you’re displaying your collections! Build the shelves, pull your stuff out of the closet, dust it off, and display it proudly. It’s your life’s work. And, your intimates would love to see it all!