Well, my favourite collectibles, of course, are my books...which are going up on the shelves quite nicely. But even once I get the bookcases built in my office, I doubt I'll have enough space...and not much room to expand. Which is probably good. It is probably God's way of telling me I have too many books, which is probably true. As they come out of boxes, I am being ruthless and considering, "Now why did I buy this and will I ever get around to reading it?" I went a bit wild in the mid-nineties and I think I bought some stuff just on a binge that I don't really need. I can cull without missing some of this stuff at all. I've come to the decision that the book space I now have is the space I have and everything must fit or be gotten rid of.
However, there is the other side of me that says: "I never regret a book I bought; only a book I didn't buy."
I put my theatre books out last night and was amazed at how much I had, frankly. It covers half a wall. Of course, the 26-inch Television and its attended machines (cable box, vcr/dvd player/recorder) does take up some of that space, but I kept opening boxes last night, going:"Oh, no, another theatre box. I thought I had them all."
Some notable gems from the collection are:
First edition Tarzan of the Apes.
Tarzan at the Earth's Core signed by Johnny "Tarzan" Weissmuller. A librarian I knew gave me this book from her childhood collection, just because she knew I collected them.
A twice-signed Rider Haggard novel, inscribed to John Hays Hammond, who was some American notable.
A letter written and signed by Haggard sending regrets to a magazine editor, telling him that he is too swamped to write anything for him. The story he mentions that he has currently being serialized is "SHE", though he doesn't mention it by name. She is my favourite novel.
I have several signed novels and one letter tipped into a novel by P.C. Wren, the author of Beau Geste.
A couple of signed novels by Rafael Sabatini.
Many personally inscribed novels to me from Harlan Ellison.
Outside of books, I have two complete jigsaw puzzles of KING KONG from its original release that were my father's and he gave me. They are still in their original paper envelopes.
I have some wonderful movie posters, notably: Gunga Din (about seven foot by three foot wide) and The Scarlet Claw (81" x 80").
I have original theatre programmes for John Barrymore's Hamlet; a 1800's stage production of SHE; the ill-fated stage production of BEAU GESTE that starred Laurence Olivier (and a young Jack Hawkins); The programme for the first production of the National Theatre when it began in the Old Vic -- HAMLET, starring Peter O'Toole and directed by Laurence Olivier.
But probably the best find I ever had was shortly before I moved. I was walking Tewkes around the neighbourhood one night. The dog stopped to hoist his leg on something in a desolate spot right off the road; I stopped him because it wasn't a
bush. It was an original Tiffany Lamp with its shade. I took it home...no easy task juggling a dog on a leash as the shade was delicate and the lamp base very heavy. But I got it back in one piece. Except for a few tiny spots on the lamp shade where the metal mesh trim is poppping up, it was in immaculate condition and it works. It must be worth thousands of dollars.
The curious thing is why it was left by the side of the road in our neighbourhood. I kept thinking did someone have a fight with their spouse and dump the thing out of spite? Was some thief on the run and stashing the loot? I looked for signs in the neighbourhood to see if anyone had lost it. But nothing. The best kind of find. Absolutely free!
