Tobacciana

The hobby of collecting includes seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloguing, displaying, storing, and maintaining whatever items are of interest to the individual collector. more...

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Some collectors are generalists, accumulating Star Trek merchandise, or stamps from all countries of the world. Others focus on a subtopic within their area of interest, perhaps 19th century postage stamps, milk bottle labels from Sussex, or Mongolian harnesses and tack.

The items collectors collect may be antique, or simply collectible. Antiques are collectible items at least 100 years old; collectibles are less than antique, and may even be new. Collectors and dealers may use the word vintage to describe older collectibles. Most collectibles are man-made commercial items, but some private collectors collect natural objects such as birds' eggs, butterflies, rocks, and seashells.

Beginning a collection

Some novice collectors jump right in and start purchasing items that appeal to them, and then slowly work at acquiring knowledge that will help them develop a well-rounded collection as time goes on. Others (more cautious or studious types) want to develop some background in the field before starting to buy.

As mentioned above, the term antique generally refers to items which were made at least 100 years ago or more. In some fields, such as antique cars, the time frame is less stringent — 25 years or so being considered enough time to make a car a "classic" if not an antique. In the area of furniture, some experts claim that a true antique must be 150 years old or more.

In general, then, items of significance, beauty, values or interest that are "too young" to be considered antiques, fall into the realm of collectibles. But not all collectibles are limited editions, and many of them have been around for decades: for example, the popular turn-of-the-century posters, Art Deco and Art Nouveau items, Carnival and Depression era glass, etc.

In addition, there exists the "contemporary collectibles" category, featuring items like plates, figurines, bells, graphics, steins, and dolls.

Many collectors enjoy making a plan for their collections, combining education, stimulation and experimentation to develop a personal collecting style. And even those who reject the notion of "planned collecting" can refine their "selection skills" with some background information on the how-to's of collecting.

Strategies for beginning a collection

Collectors' magazines are one of the most popular means to learn more about the field. These include titles such as Collectors News, Antiques & Collecting, Antique Trader, or Antiques & Collectibles Journal for general antiques and nostalgic collectibles coverage; M.I. Hummel Insights, Village D-Lights, and Precious Moments for specialized coverage on a single collectable brand; and Collector Editions for a roundup of news on modern collectibles.

Read more at Wikipedia.org