Join the Club

Making friends through your hobby can be one of the most rewarding facets of collecting.

Relating completely to how a new discovery sends you into an ecstatic frenzy and how letting a prize get away devastates you, it's a meeting of two minds and hearts sharing a common passion. There's nothing quite like it.

Imagine multiplying that feeling by 5, 10, 20 or more. That's the surge of excitement felt when a club for collectors forms. Meeting regularly to share treasures and stories makes the hobby even more enjoyable.

Many collecting groups focus on specific topics. I've participated extensively, including attending some fabulous national conventions, in an organization focused on collecting vintage jewelry. And starting a club for jewelry collectors in Houston proved to be one of the most rewarding highlights in my collecting "career." I've missed the camaraderie of my Houston friends, about 65 on roster in 1996, since I moved to Central Texas.

You might be surprised at all the club choices available on both a national and regional level. There are groups for collectors of all types of glassware, porcelain, toys and tools. Just about every category imaginable has a club or association, even Cracker Jack prizes and antique scales. Click on the link at the end of this article to see for yourself.

You'll also find information on the National Association of Collectors listed there. This group not only offers interaction with others, it addresses important issues like displaying and insuring collections.

These types of groups generally offer updates on reproductions too. All these services benefit both beginning and advanced collectors.

Fortunately, the Internet offers lots of opportunities to interact with others sharing your interests. Right here on about.com you can chat and post in forum discussions within a variety of collecting areas. If you long for more, many clubs offer websites for prospective members to browse.

It's great for advanced collectors to make new friends online and newbies can learn quite a bit from the seasoned vets by reading listserve posts and posting on bulletin boards. But, as devoted as I am to the online exchange of information, I still feel the best way to learn about antiques and collectibles is to view them in person.

Now you might be wondering what you can do on a local level to promote a collecting organization. If you know several other people in the area who share your collecting interest, think about starting your own club or joining one that already exists.

Many broad areas of interest, Depression glass for instance, have clubs established in most major cities. If you don't know enough people to get started on your own, send a press release to your local newspaper(s). Many times you'll get free publicity for your club from lifestyle editors eager to offer new and exciting opportunities to their readers.

If you just like old things in general, starting a local chapter of The Questers might be the way to go.

An international study organization, The Questers chapters are formed by eight or more people interested in antiques and historic preservation. Once a charter is granted from the national office, the fun begins. Groups organize historic field trips, guest speakers for their meetings and members take turns making presentations on individual interests they've researched.

For more information on starting a chapter of The Questers, write: The Questers, 210 South Quince Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107.

The Questers motto is "It's fun to search and a joy to find." That pretty much sums up collecting in my book. Taking it one step further by participating in a club can add a new dimension to your hobby.

Additional resources:

Follow this list of Collecting Club links to find a group that shares your interests.

Sign up for specialized mailing lists on a variety of antique and collectible topics brought to you by TIAS.

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