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Business & Tech

This Week: Adding a New Piece to a Collection

The Avid Antiquer writes about hot collectors items and where to find them locally.

On a recent antiquing excursion in Bayport and Blue Point, I was striking out.  I could not find anything I liked, wanted or even needed enough to buy. Don't get me wrong-all the places I went to had great stuff. GoodWillies Thrift Shop had a bag I was considering, until I thought about the six summer bags I have in my closet at home that I still have not used yet. With fall just around the corner, I decided to pass on it. The Barn Thrift Shop had some nice home items, but the only thing I need right now is a salad spinner and they did not have any. But then I went to Country Junque and found something to add to one of my collections. The day was suddenly a success.

Most people who like antiques have either one or several collections they keep adding to. Collecting seems to go hand in hand with antiquing, since part of the fun of antiquing is the thrill of the hunt.

Finding a piece of a 50 year old china pattern cannot happen by walking into the nearest big box store or local mall. You can go to ten antiques stores without finding anything before stumbling upon a piece you love at a neighborhood tag sale. Another fun part of a collection is decorating with it and using it as part of your home décor. It not only adds to your home's charm but it also makes the place uniquely yours, sort of like your signature. Antiques are generally one of a kind finds which is what makes building a collection so much fun and such a challenge all at the same time.

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I have three collections: vintage alarm clocks, white Ironstone and Peanuts items. Country Junque had a Peanuts car that was perfect for my collection. It was also a surprise since I have never even seen a picture of this type of toy before, even with all the hours I have put into conducting in-store and on-line searches for the items I do collect. But that is not the only reason why this trip to Country Junque was so much fun. Another was because I had the chance to discuss my collections with the store's owners, Bud and Sis Yanelli, and hear about their collections as well. Sharing collecting stories is a great way to learn about new places to shop for items, different ways to use or display your items, or how to clean or care for your items.

Some collections come from things you find and fall in love with along the way on your travels. Others are born from fond memories ("My Grandmother always wore hats"), from family ("This collection was originally my Dad's") or at the very least, evoke childhood memories (hence my Peanuts collection).

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Sis Yanelli collects Flow Blue Pottery.  China, glass and pottery collections are very common amongst antiquers, and there is an almost never ending supply of those items in practically any antiques store. Transferware, ironstone, enamelware, depression glass, crystal, tea cups and more are some of the big collectible items in these categories.

While these may sound like women-only collections, there are also "mantiques" as Mike and Frank from the History channel television show American Pickers refer to them.

Bud Yanelli collects marbles, Vietnam history items and autographs. Other male dominated collections include all things automotive (parts, manuals, hood ornaments), advertising signs, beer and other liquor items, sports memorabilia, history and war items and so on.

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