Jul 23 2012

Jake’s Sunday Post: Collectibles


Jake’s Sunday Post theme for this week, is ‘Collectibles’. This was quite simple for me, as I only have two collections to show you. There is quite a difference between collecting and hoarding, and today I’ve been so busy clearing hoards of stuff out of my cupboards and filling large garbage bags with all manner of unwanted, unneeded items, some to be sent to my mom’s church fete, and others for the animal welfare charity shop. All will bring in much needed funds, and rather that than cluttering up my cupboards and closets. I will sleep well tonight. 😉

Collectibles are in Jake’s own words,  “groups of items of a similar type that are acquired and saved as a hobby……the world of collectibles is ultimately limited only by the imagination and desire of the collector.”

Many years ago I started collecting bells, and at one time, I think I must have had over three hundred of them; china, ceramic, glass, crystal, you name it, I wanted it. Everywhere we went, I bought bells; from flea markets, china shops, souvenir shops, car boot sales etc.. People knew exactly what to buy me for Birthday and Christmas presents. 😉 When we moved out of our big house to our smaller one at the coast, I had to pare down my collection, and gave many away to charity shops and a few to friends.

Here is what I have left, and I’m sure that one day, I will have to give even more of them away.

These are my Princess bells, bought at Disney Land and Disney World.

Here are my Christmas bells collected over the years. My very favourite bell is the Royal Doulton, “Tidings of angels” in the centre.

There’s quite an assortment in this cabinet, and I just love the little angel bells at the top.

More bells on the shelves in my armoire which stands in the dining room.

I have a few more dotted around the house too.

My other collection is Teddy Bears. This is the Teddy family which sits all together in one of the bedrooms. The big brown bear in the middle, is the daddy bear who keeps them all in order. As you may notice, there are other little animals which they’ve adopted. The bull and the lion always have to be next to one another. That’s hubby and I, Taurus and Leo. 😉

I nearly forgot these two, both bought for me by my son. The straw one was from a flower shop in Johannesburg, and the wooden one, he sent over from New York with a friend who was coming to South Africa on holiday. He wasn’t too impressed at having to carry a teddy bear in his back pack, but he owed a favour, so couldn’t really refuse. 😉

If you want to see what other bloggers have contributed to this challenge, just go here.

84 comments on “Jake’s Sunday Post: Collectibles”

  3. I got rid of all my silver years ago for that very same reason, Paul. My in-laws kept on buying us silver every time they came to visit. It took so long to clean. My mom had a lot of brass Buddhas and bells etc., which she’d brought over from China. My sister and I hated cleaning those too. You can’t see the dust on my bells, from a distance. 😆

  4. My dad was an avid collector of ornaments from places he had visited and being in the diplomatic core he visited tons of places! Unluckily it was left to us kids (believe I was one years ago!) to clean them every weekend. Till today I hate ornaments in my house. He was also a good sportsman and had this great collection of silver cups in all different sizes – guess why I also hate displaying trophies and medals in the house…

    I used to collect firearms in the good “old” days when it was still okay to do so but was never allowed to display them.

  5. Love these – and the idea of collecting bells! I hope you’re able to hang on to these! (The teddy bears are cute, too – we had a friend who was passionate about bear collecting – she had them going up her stairs and on little benches on the landing…

    • I also knew someone whose whole house was Teddy Bear Heaven. Everything was painted pink, even the outside of the house. Her poor husband just had to live with it. 😉

  6. I’ve never dome the collecting thing. I guess its just not me. I’m fascinated by some people’s different collections.

  13. I wonder if I’m a collector or a hoarder.
    But my collection of tins will scare anybody, and my old stuff…
    Well, hoarder or not – it’s my crap and I don’t have to worry about it juet yet 😉
    Lovely collection you’ve got there AD 😉 Those bells are so sweet!

    • Yes teddies are really so cute. Love all of mine, but one day they’re all going to an orphanage or some such place to give pleasure to children. I’ll wait until my grandies have grown up a bit more, though.

    • They are certainly very pretty and interesting. I’ll be showing them to my American granddaughter in a couple of weeks time when she comes to visit. I know she’ll like the princess one the best. 😉

  22. Cool! How do you keep track of your collections? When you cut down, how did you know which ones to keep and which ones to let go of?

    • It was difficult deciding which one to give away, but some were definitely more special than others. I even gave my Elvis one to the charity shop. His face was only on a sticker, and it was made in China. 😆

      • Hard work, it’s how I feel about my books. I have a garage full and I have to clean it up, but I don’t know where to begin and which books to keep – which ones to get rid off. Wish they were made in China and had stick on faces, that would make it easier.

  28. Awesome collectibles my friend ,I really enjoy your post thanks for sharing 🙂

  30. gosh you are a true collector ad, your bells are just divine! so pretty, and no doubt you have to ring them all to hear the chimes, and the bear collection would be lovely for some cuddles, so i see beauty, music and comfort in your collections 🙂

    • That bell was given to me many years ago by my favourite aunt who lived in Wolverhampton. She must have picked it up in a second hand shop, because it says “Miami, Florida” on it. Quite prophetic really. 😉

  36. I used to collect cruet sets from the 40’s & 50’s and we also moved from a bigger house. I don’t seem to have anywhere to put them, hence they are all stashed away in the garage roof.

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