Some Favorite Paper Collectibles

Pen & Ink Kitten late 19th Century

Collecting paper items has been a life-long love of mine and was and still is my first love, mainly because paper is related to reading, writing, and drawing. I used to sneak my treasures from the garbage can soon after my third birthday. I stored these in a heart shaped box, a leftover from my mother's Valentine candy. I wasn't picky back then, of course I couldn't read very well either.

To this day I have stacks and piles of books flowing from numerous book cases throughout my building; papers horded in boxes including vintage candy boxes, a gentleman's underwear box, cigar boxes, cloth boxes and other boxes that are just to kool to throw away. I have boxes of advertising, postcards, newspaper cut outs, recipes, scribbled notes, perfect penmanship, letters, store receipts, and well just about any paper item that was ever invented, made, or printed - some going as far back as the 1600s.

Gibson Girl 1912 Sketch Book

I am particularly fond of diaries and old sketch books although 19th century and earlier books of this kind are rare finds. I think that in a former life I was a scribe but most likely it was the simple fact that writing paper and writing implements were costly and scarce.

One of my favorite finds (okay - I have numerous favorites) was a tin filled with scraps of paper. Turned out the papers were from men who took "The Oath" during the Revolutionary War era. Another find was an old chest in an attic that the family considered trash.

Pen & Ink Drawing

Thankfully someone threw it in auction. There were amazing letters and documents that told of settling the coastal region of North Carolina and Tennessee. There were slave records and documents along with rare books although some were in very sad shape.  But everything is recyclable - okay - almost everything. 

Imagine history being dumped in a garbage can - which is still my life-long avocation - saving someone else's trash, and rescuing it into treasure.     

Cow Frog & Date

Brekekekex koax koax!
May the force of the frog be upon you!