What we collect

[mike_van]

Brads thread about collecting old gas pumps [thats a new one]  got me wondering what everyone else collects -  Maybe some members have something someone else is just longing to have -  So, how about it? Whats everyone collect? [besides splinters]                                                               I collect old A.C. Gilbert Erector sets,  the first ones were made in 1913, and the traditional Erector ended in 1962.   I have about a dozen, all restored and inventoried he way they left the factory. Plus, about 200 lbs. of extra parts i've accumulated.  I build lots of models, makes me remember being 8 years old when I got my 1st one for Christmas [still have it too, 1959 one]  So, come on, fess up,  what else is  being collected? 

[Phorester]

Caps, Boy Scout patches, pocket knives.  Just casual collecting, not formal in the sense of trying to get every type of something ever made.

In the last few years also collecting grey hairs, stiff muscles, wrinkles, ear and nose hair.

[Haytrader]

 :

Mike,

Show us what you are talkin about, please?
I, for one, have no clue.

:-\

[breederman]

old wooden moulding planes,wood levels and other old tools.Don't know anything ,just think they are cool and gives me a reason to check out junk shops when traveling

[Jeff]

Um,  EVERYTHING  :D  Anything to do with saws and logging and forestry and sawmills and loggers and whatever. Dragsaws, old engines, dust, etc...

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=4573.0

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=8422.0

[mike_van]

Sorry Haytrader - heres a small photo of one, about 25 pounds, from 1958, called the amusement park set, it built a parachute jump, merry go round, etc. You put the parts together with small screws & nuts, when you got tired of it, took it apart and built something else.  A.C. Gilbert called it "100 toys in one"

[Jeff]

More to my list. ;D

Scale sticks
dynamite boxes and blating cap tins
axes
photos
Saw tools

[DouginUtah]

I collect (American) woodworking magazines.

I have almost all of the woodworking magazines ever published (since 1970, with just a few exceptions)--probably less than ten people in the world who could match my collection.

Unfortunately, they are in boxes in storage, along with my General woodworking power tools. (At one time, up to a few years ago, I aspired to be a woodworker. When I got cancer my motivation disappeared (I blame it on the radiation!  :D)

-Doug

[Tom]

you need to get a tin hat, Doug.  Arkansawyer uses one. :D

Life's experiences can certainly change ones perspective, goals and interests.  It's commonly known that those who have gone through open heart surgery are affected.  Divorce changed me.   I'm sure that your experience would be enough to make you look at the world differently.  It sure would me.

[Quartlow]

Hats, started out with my dad, he had a bunch of them, I probably have in excess of 500. only wear the duplicate ones.

planes, no not the ones ya fly in the ones you work wood with.
old tools in general. and New tools just because I GOTTA have it :D

[pasbuild]

I'v been collecting a piece of wood were ever I go, had a BIG collection in my garage when it burnt down :(  Our youngest went to Hawaii on her honeymoon so I asked her to pick up a stick for me, she brought back a wooden ashtray that had a made in Philiepines lable on the back :D

[Bro. Noble]

I used to have lots of hobbies,  collected stamps (still have them),  traded old guns till they got too high,  traded old engines till they got too high,  collected old tractors till they got too high.

Now I spend what little spare time I have playing pool,  reading flower magazines, and listining to quartet music :D

[katie-did]

I had a few things that I collected as a child but have never really collected anything of late and then the other day I decided to start collecting International Harvest things. My dad and part-timer's dad both spent many years working at the Fort Wayne Plant.
I lost my dad last year and I thought that would be a way to stay connected to him.
Have not got a piece yet except the things that my dad gave me as a kid but I hope to someday have a nice collection.

[DanG]

Dust. :-\

[Jodi]

Well, I have a big coin collection...most of them Swiss...I just started a spoon collection a couple weeks ago...and I have some interesting rocks. "Interesting rocks" may sound like an oxymoron, but there are some neat ones out there. That's about it.  :

[Tom]

Jodi,
Rocks make neat collections, especially if you have a polisher.  I've always wanted to do that.

[brdmkr]

Military surplus rifles, especially WWII era.

[Paschale]

I collect pint glasses from brewpubs that I find myself in when I travel.  It's the perfect thing to collect--I like what comes in the pint glasses,  :D and then I have glasses at home to use that have some meaning.  That's a total bachelor collecting thing--I know I'll have to thow 'em out if I ever get married.   :D

[Tom_Averwater]

I like to collect Guns. I used to collect money . That stopped 8 years ago when I got married . :D

[shopteacher]

I use to collect unemployment when I was a steelworker. :D  Now I collect anything small enough to move without an overhead crane. ;D

[redpowerd]

i too collect rocks. my collection is so large it needs to be kept outside, piled in hedgerows.

collecting driftwood in the fall from adk. resivoirs is rather enjoyable. the dams open up and reveal all sorts of cool stuff. the bugs arnt bad and the foilage is nice. just use it as an excuse to get out in the canoe.

[Patty]

I like Cookie Jars myself.  ;D   I have one from when I was a little girl, it is the "Cow Jumped Over the Moon" cookie jar.. it is my favorite. But anything that can hold cookies is my favorite!  smiley_bouncing

[DonE911]

I collect Jack Daniel's  ;D   Limited Edition Bottles, Old Bottles, Shot Glasses ... all kinds of Jack Daniel's stuff.  Alot are unopened.

I got some for drink'n too ;D

My wife collects rocks, if we go anywhere you can bet she picks up a rock and throws it in the truck.

My kids collect injuries :-\

[Texas Ranger]

Don, just visited the Jack Daniels Distillery, what a trip.  They got all the stuff you need to collect.

I am sorta like JeffB (well, except being a Texan, older, better looking, etc) about collecting everything and anything, except heavy equipment, wife doesn't like stuff sitting in the driveway.

Guns, forestry stuff, books, Smokey Bear stuff, old tools, debt, college tuitions, ticks and red bugs.

[Tom]

I've saved a Jim Beam decanter of a chainsaw for 25 years or so.   I showed it to a friend of mine who I see every 5 or 8 years.  He held it, broke the seal and took the top off and smelled it and said, "Yep, that's Jim Beam". 

Grrrrrrrrrrr


I didn't have the heart to say anything.

[Jeff]

The seal and liquor in worth nothing to a collector, in fact, it is against the law to transport or sell them with the contents.  If I buy a decanter I expect it to be emptied before it is sent. I got one a few weeks ago that was not, and it was a stinking mess as the cork had deteriorated and much of the Jim beam was in the shipping container.

[leweee]

The seal and liquor in worth nothing to a collector, in fact, it is against the law to transport or sell them with the contents.  If I buy a decanter I expect it to be emptied before it is sent. I got one a few weeks ago that was not, and it was a stinking mess as the cork had deteriorated and much of the Jim beam was in the shipping container.

Jeff ....that would make a grown man smiley_alcoholic_01 cry smiley_cry 

[Tom]

There are different prices for decanters and the more expensive ones are based on the decanter never having been opened.  The research I had done on this decanter (not a very valuable one) showed the value as being more than double if the seal had not been broken.

[DonE911]

Unbroken seal on a bottle makes it worth alot more... I mean alot more.

[beenthere]

Yup, but if it's leakin, it's broken  : eh?

[Jeff]

Unbroken seal on a bottle makes it worth alot more... I mean alot more.

Nope, maybe to a drinker but not a collector.

http://www.worldcollectorsnet.com/jimbeam/berniesbeam2.html

one instance, I can find you a thousand more.

Wanta by some walnut trees outta my sandbox?

[Tom]

Don't need any more.  I don't have a sealed decanter anymore.  I did a lot of research at the time and found recommendations just the opposite.   I would rather have an empty one though.

[Texas Ranger]

Tom, I have one of the chain saw decanters, the starter handle broke off, and the cork started deteriorating, and the smell of Beam in the cupboard was irrating my (non-drinking) wife.  I was forced to drain the bottle (hick) and move to a more secure location, gluing the starter rope back on.

I tried to tell her I was investing in our future when I was buying those decanters.

I have three Beam decanters in the shape of a Rice Owl.  they are full.  But I save them for Rice Owl friends.

[Phorester]

TOM,  relating to the Jim Beam bottle your "friend" broke the seal on....

I keep a collection of pine cones, nuts, acorns, etc., on the corner of my desk at work.  Makes for good conversation with people trying to guess what they are.  I used to have an American chestnut and the bur.   Hard to find a whole chestnut that is in good condition.  They are hollow with seed insects and  chewed by animals. They are scarce anyway, intact ones are real hard to find.  

A fellow came in one day and was picking through my collection, trying to name each one, came to the chestnut, and said "these are hollow, you know..", picked it up and crushed it in his hand to show me, then threw it in my trashcan.   >:(  What the heck was he thinking?

[Jeff]

Yup, but if it's leakin, it's broken  : eh?

The one I had leaking is the western Lumberjack by commonwealth distillery. The head is the cap, and the cork vits into the neck. The cork simply deteriated and let the booze seep. Nothing broke. I removed the cork from the porcelan head and replaced it so his head would go back on.  Thats this feller in the middle. My lumberjack decater collection is one of my favorite little collections. I know have 6 different ones.




Here are a few more decanters. My mix and match Jim Beam train. 

[Furby]

I can't really afford to collect the things most people do..................so I collect everything and I do mean everything that they don't want.

I have a huge collection of National Geo's, lots and lots of old books and magazines.
A very large collection of what I like to call "natural things". Meaning rocks, driftwood, pine cones, even salt sculptures and a tree top. These items have been collected from around the country, and some day I hope to have a display room for them, and another for my books and mags, and another for my other stuff, and another....................

As it is, everything is boxed up in order to have room for more "stuff"! ;D

Basicly, if it's old, I'll take it!

[isawlogs]

Furby
   I can relate to that ... I gots lots of things like that ... I never thought about it as collecting , just having these things around for conversation , even if I have to talk with myself at times ...  ;D
There is one thing I do collect .. antlers from all of the bucks I have taken . And some that where found in the spring .

[Engineer]

collections?

- old rifle and pistol cartridges and cases
- interesting boards or pieces of wood
- stamps.  Been collecting since i was 8. my father has a whole room of his house for his stamp collection.  He could be a dealer without ever buying anything again.
- old coins, mostly u.s.
- sci-fi books
- woodworking magazines
- mason jars
- tools
- model trains.  *I* could have a room of my house dedicated to trains, if I only had the room.
- matchbox and hot wheels cars

[Robert_in_W._Mi.]

  One of the things i collect is tractors, but no particular brand.  I just buy good deals, or the ones that i happen to like....

  I even get some use out of some of them...

  Robert

[Frank_Pender]

marbles (over 10,000)
objects made of Myrtle Wood
logging tools (preferably old)
when teaching, special students written work
Poison Oak (for the honey)

[Paschale]

Poison Oak (for the honey)

Now that just makes me scratch my head--I wanna know more.   :P

[Frank_Pender]

Well, I had a colony here on the Tree Farm a few years ago, until a couple of the grand kids decided to disturb the hive and broke it up.  I had been getting 50 pounds of honey a year from that colony with only a 6 inch super.   One of my past students is vice-president of the state beekeepers association and is going to bring up 30 colonies for winter storage and he will leave me a couple colonies for next season.  Poison Oak honey is a very light colored honey and is very good.  I also will have the bees mixing in a great deal of nector from the blackberries in the area and on the farm.   ;D 

   The larger stems of the poison Oak make for great walking sticks and canes.   If one is allergic  to the plants oils then the sticks may not be to great to hold onto.  I have found that if they are very dry and well sealed, then any oils left will not seep theough the finishes.

[Paschale]

I'm so allergic to Poison Ivy, that the last time I had a reaction, my brother said it's the grossest thing he's ever seen on a person.   :D  I certainly wouldn't want to be anywhere near Poison Oak, and certainly wouldn't wanna try a walking stick from Poison Oak either.   :D

[Frank_Pender]

I am sure that the honey would not bother you at all.

[Paschale]

Hmm...maybe if I ate tons of it, I'd build up an immunity!  Now there's thinking!   ;D  I'd better get started quick....

[Corley5]

Tractors, mostly Farmalls and McCormick Deerings but we've got quite a few Cases now, not sure how that happened but it may have some to do with "Couldn't Afford Something Else"  ;) ;D and most other colors are represented for a total of 46 runners, 23 retorables and the balance parts machines :.  Also collect old sawmill machinery like planers and shinglemills, guns if the price is right but it seldom is anymore and my favorite collection of all is my pudding stones ;D

[Wildflower]

Jeff and I share the logging collectables, but I also collect school buses, not the real ones but toys, tins, glasses, any thing to do with school buses.  :D 
I even had the mechanics at work put up 2 shelves so I could put some school buses there.  ;D
I love the logging collection in our home, I especially like our mantle piece.

[Brad_S.]

total of 46 runners, 23 retorables and the balance parts machines

Now that's IMPRESSIVE! You must have a heck of a barn/garage to store them in.

[craigc90]

 Bottles,jars,and crocks.  I have about 1000 bottles and 300 fruit jars and 40 crocks and jugs.

[Frank_Pender]

Craig, the green and purple fruit jars are where I put the marbles.  I try and use both the full lead lids and the ring and glass type lids when possible.  I also use a great number of the glass lids with the rubber gasget and wire lid system.  I have probably 50 plus dozen, quart jars with lids and numerous pints.  I use the half gallon green for marbles as well.  The Myrtle Wood us used to display special marbles that are more on the rare side and valuable. 

[craigc90]

Frank
  Thats funny I have bought jars full of marbles for the jar before :D. I empty the marbles out. I give them to my dad he collects marbles to. We live in the heart of marble making land. Akro Agate and Christensens and most of the old companies were within 50 to 100 hundred miles from me. every glass house in the valley made marbles at one time or another. People around Parkersburgh and Padden city dig the old glass house dumps and fill buckets.

[Minnesota_boy]

Jeff and I share the logging collectables, but I also collect school buses, not the real ones but toys, tins, glasses, any thing to do with school buses.  :D
I even had the mechanics at work put up 2 shelves so I could put some school buses there.  ;D

Gee, I heard somewhere that Brer Noble had a little school bus that could have been a perfect minature museum to display those model school busses in and somebody turned down his offer.  :D :D

[Corley5]

We've got a 32X130 pole barn full plus tractors stuck in various other buildings.  It's out of control :  I've got hay stacked outside because the hay barn is full of tractors.  Be very careful when collecting old iron ;)

[Phorester]

I haven't seen this mentioned, so I'll throw in that there's a friend of mine that collects license plates.

He has been collecting Virginia plates for decades, and has an almost complete collection of all the years.  VA started issuing plates in 1912.  Interesting that the first 2 years they were made of porcelin, not metal.   He tries to get a complete set of 2 for the years after VA started issuing 2 for each vehicle, for front and back.  Early years there was only one plate for each vehicle. 

Interesting the knowledge you can obtain by concentrating on collecting something like this for a long time.

[Frank_Pender]

Craig, I will pay the shipping, if you send the marbles my way next time. :D :D :D 8)

[Bro. Noble]

Minnesota_boy,

That cute little school bus belongs to a neighbor of mine-------If it were mine,  I'd give it to Tammy.  They did talk a little about how they could get it home,  but that mean old Jeff wasn't thinking about a museum for Tammy.  He was wondering where he could get a 'Hemi' engine to put in it :D :D :D

[Furby]

I think Jeff needs to take Tammy down here for this next year:
http://www.berlinraceway.com/news/r_060405.shtml
Haven't seen the races but got to see the buses afterwards ........it must have been a blast! ;D

They even have a "Chet" race:
http://www.berlinraceway.com/news/news_081005.shtml
;) :D

[Teri]

Furby... them busses are fun to watch!   8)

[Furby]

Based on what was left, I think it was more of a demo derby then a race.
I drove past there last week and a fellow was out painting one up again.
Thought maybe they were going to have a race over the weekend, but I didn't see it listed on their site.

[Jeff]

Its on the home page. THey are racing the buses agin on the 17th of september. We may have to go to that.

[Dan_Shade]

I haven't seen this mentioned, so I'll throw in that there's a friend of mine that collects license plates.

He has been collecting Virginia plates for decades, and has an almost complete collection of all the years.  VA started issuing plates in 1912.  Interesting that the first 2 years they were made of porcelin, not metal.   He tries to get a complete set of 2 for the years after VA started issuing 2 for each vehicle, for front and back.  Early years there was only one plate for each vehicle. 

Interesting the knowledge you can obtain by concentrating on collecting something like this for a long time.

This isn't by chance an old guy that likes to talk a lot?  I got cornered by an older fellow at the quality farm and fleet off of route 7 in Winchester one day when I was actually in a hurry, he got to talking about how he was looking for plates, and then he went on about how his mother was from a family with money over in boyce, but somehow they lost all that, he musta covered more ground in talking in 5 minutes than any stranger I ever met!

I was in such a hurry, I almost gave him the plates off of my truck so I could get out of there!

[Phorester]

Nope, don't know that fella Dan.   Hope the rest of your trip was as eventful as your stop in Winchester.   ;D

[Dan_Shade]

heh, my folks live in inwood, WV.  I normally stop by that farm and fleet, or whatever it's called for misc junk I need like that when i'm heading in or out of town.

I didn't want to say he was crazy, because he may have been a friend of yours, but that guy was nuts!

[thecfarm]

I collect postmarks and I use to collect stamps.Stopped collecting stamps in '97.I got into postmarks and have even made a few dollars on each hobby,Sold $2000 worth of stamps when I first met my wife.This was after she threated to "clean up my stamp room".She decided to leave the "cleaning" to me from then on.Even made about $500 on postmarks.My wife can't believe when I sell them.She starting to not call my hobbys junk.

[Corley5]

If we ever sold anything we might make money but then we'd wouldn't have our toys anymore.  I have suggested to Dad that maybe 7 H and 5 M Farmalls is a bit overboard and maybe we oughta thin them out but he didn't think that was a good idea :

[jjmk98k]

well, i used to collect WWII german rifles, till they got too expensive... ( anyone looking to buy some? I am going to sell off a few nice numbers matching ones)


Last year I started collecting old Coleman lanterns... I have near 200 lanterns and lamps, 30 stoves and 10 coolers. My oldest working lantern dated 1935 and works like a charm.....

I do believe I outbid someone here on one recently... a red coleman lantern on ebay that belonged to the Alberta Forest Service..... I wanted that one in a fierce way for my Canadian Coleman collection....

[Furby]

Corley,
Need a:
1951 Farmall "Super C", NF, 12 X 36" tires, with snowplow & chains
Or how about:
1964 Massey Ferguson Mod. 35, WF, 3pt., 13.6 X 28" turf tires, Ser. # 248791
1948 McCormick IHC Mod. O-S-6, WF, new paint, 14.9X26" tires, new paint, Ser. # 23678W

[Corley5]

We've got a Super C but need a 230 to finish that series.  We've got Ferguson 40 and Dad and Grandpa used to have a 35 so that'd be  8) to have.  We've got a straight W-6 and that OS-6 would be great to have but it'll sell for a bunch.  I really need to collect some more barn space before we collect anymore tractors ;D : ;)

[Teri]

After packing everything up in this house I think we collect 1 of everything. I've never seen soooo much stuff!!!   :D

[Jeff]

I do believe I outbid someone here on one recently... a red coleman lantern on ebay that belonged to the Alberta Forest Service..... I wanted that one in a fierce way for my Canadian Coleman collection....

Yes, you certainly did. 

[Furby]

Oooooops!

[jjmk98k]

jeez, seems like I am always on Jeffs bad side.... 

Sorry... but I wanted to go with mt Canadian Forest service lantern and my Canadian Railway lanterns....

it has a good home with me  8)

[Jeff]

I loose 98% of what I bid on so its no biggy to me.

[jjmk98k]

well, i figured you were not hunting for it too bad since it didnt go real high...

[Jeff]

I bid on a lot of things I find interesting, but I am not the typical sniper type of ebay buyer.  If I see something I like, I say to myself for example "If that was ten bucks I would buy it".  Then I'll bid 8 and forget about it. If I win it, I get what I consider better then a good deal, and if I dont. well, it just doesnt make sense to me to chase something and possibly pay too much simply because you "want" it.  I have been know to pay to much because I "need" something though. 

[Blake22]

I like anything to do with farming, tools, bells, wash pots. I have a real big cane mill that my grandfather had. Suryp kettle & alot of old hand tools. Any kind of tool, new, old, broken I'll take it. I have a small Dale Earnhardt collection. An Edison diamond disc phonogragh with about 50 records. If you wind it up it will still play. Old bottles. But my favorite is arrowheads. I don't buy or sell them, I just collect the ones I find. I probably have 300 whole ones & 1000 broken ones. That includes stone tools like hand axes & scrapers. I pick up every piece of flint that I see, I must have 1/2 a 55 gallon drum full of chipped flint. I used to keep pennies but $100.00 worth of pennies was a hassle so I cashed 'em in for nickles. ;)

[Patty]

I'd have to say I truly enjoy collecting jewelry. Big jewels little jewels, it don't matter to me, I like them all.  :D I am so much an equal opportunity jewel collector.  :