Along with a fine collection of dust.... McCoy cookie jars, three animal cracker tins and a number of tea pots. I also have a good collection of tea balls - just added one that is shaped like a crescent moon. Ten years ago I had a Jell-O collection - but two moves later I no longer have a corner to display them in. Back in the 80's there was a chicken-thing going on, primarily because an elderly friend kept giving them to me. They "flew-the-coop" when said friend moved to Oklahoma. -Grainlady

You can also use those tea balls to make a single cup of coffee.

I don't really collect but I can't seem to pass up measuring spoons and cups when I see a deal at the thrift shop or flea market. I have a few things with chickens on them. Wicker baskets for storage on my kitchen storage shelf.

I have a collection of antique cast iron trivets. I have them sititng on the window sill, hanging on the walls, etc. And yes, I use them! I am also building a collection of antique/vintage bottle openers, both wine openers and pop top bottles. They are going to be displayed in the bar.

Alexa

Yes, but I won't disclose what all I hoard. :)

Moni

I collect plates. Does that count? I have so many I think there's something wrong with me. There must be a DSM code for it.

seagrass

I used to have a whole wall of "stuff". Old advertising cake lifters, egg separators, lots of iron trivets, beaters, scoops etc. But I packed it up....think it's still in a box in the basement.
Now I just have old things here and there...grater and cream can on a window sill, a Dewey pitcher, blue crock pitcher, a pewter pitcher....
I guess I have a collection of pitchers!...I just counted 17 displayed in the kitchen! LOL!

I didn't used to collect anything, but DH and his cousin (who's a picker-collector extraordinaire), thought it was weird that I don't collect stuff. Aside from cats (real living ones) I have started collecting various vintage bowls, salt and pepper shakers, (despite that I only use a pepper grinder for my pepper), and short bread and other type molds - I think for madeleines or corn muffins. I never actually sought to collect the cookie molds, but DH keeps buying them at estate sales and presenting them to me as gifts, so I guess I'm collecting them. I actually think he's giving me a hint - he wants shortbread!

Oh, and anything cow or farmyard. I've always wanted a farm with lots of animals, but have never gotten to fulfill that dream, so I guess farmyard animal stuff is the next best thing. I'm about 30 or 40 years late getting to that theme, I guess.

Sally

I appear to be collecting wooden items, such as chopping boards, bowls, and spoons. I have three sets of wooden salad bowls complete with individual salad bowl, salad servers, and in one case, matching teak S&P shakers. I started collecting these after I got .

I have a cute collection of silicon spatulas that Gina gave me (need to upload that photo), and I especially love using those. I recently bought some vintage Irish linen damask napkins (eight in one set) and a similar tablecloth. I would like to have a collection of those so that I would want to use them more - I'm afraid to use my only linen tablecloth for fear of getting stains. I wonder if I should Scotch-Guard it. When I get more time, I am going to make more napkins, but they will be cotton damask instead of linen. I have bolts of silk in the closet in the sewing room, but I don't really think silk napkins are very practical.

Lars

I have a apple theme in my kitchen.
Pictures, towels, ceramic ones, etc.

Linda

I have collected plastic push-button salt and pepper shaker units for about 40 years. I am intrigued by the fact that the operating mechanism is identical for all of them but there are so many variations of the exterior designs.

They don't take up much space and are unusual enough for me to always have something to look for when I'm at flea markets or auctions. Also, they're never very expensive because I'm probably one of the few people who would buy them. LOL

Yes, I have a compulsion to go to garage sales and look for cooking stuff. That's how I've gotten 4 cast iron skillets (all but one is Griswold), an old pyrex double boiler, and the find of the century:

A Le Creuset 4"deep cast iron skillet with lid for FIVE DOLLARS!

I really try not to collect things 'cause it can to be too much. I do have a small collection of luster ware S&P shakers, some old Franscican pottery in the ivy pattern, and a half a bazillion bottle openers because I used to work in a beer store and they were free from every vendor. Oh, beer coasters - got a bunch of those too. Lol

I used to collect depression glass. I still have several pieces, but have sold several and would be happy to get rid of the rest. I also have several pieces of original Fiesta in cobalt, and I used them until my color palette changed.

I don't really collect any one specific item or category of items. I pick up things that I love, whether they be Red Wing crocks, antique silver flatware pieces, wooden, pottery or crockery bowls, antique kitchen scales, copper pieces, glassware, vintage utensils, linens, etc.

Most everything I have...I use.With the exception of the box of antique linens that I have stored which I really need to sort through and eiter give away or find a use for.

Linda

I collect antique glass vacuum coffee pots, mostly Cory and Silex, and a few other esoteric coffee-making devices. I also use one (from the 1940's) every day to make our coffee. Miraculously, only a couple have broken over the last 10 years and 5 moves. My wife is very tolerant, and so far hasn't complained about the three glass display cases in our living room. I'm a lucky man.

Klseiverd,
Meeting a lady on Thursday to pick up a canning jar cover of a pig...from the 30's or 40's. I love old stuff and have a micro piggy so it's a must have!!

Nope, I don't collect anything. I have too much stuff already.

My mother told me I needed to collect SOMETHING, so I told her that I did, I was working on a collection of empty space and $100 bills. I still don't have much (or any) of either!

Annie

eahamel... ALL my cast iron came from yard sales, thrift stores or flea markets... and CHEAP! Found a Le Crueset square grill pan... blue enamel exterior in perfect shape... NO chips or cracks... CI interior only minor schmutz to remove before reseasoning... $5!! It IS heavy, handles can get really hot... but once broken in and used OFTEN... ain't it the best!!

I have cast iron in too many places. I have some from my grandmother, my mother, my husbands grandmother, and his mother. Then I have 5 cast iron camp ovens of differing sizes, and a bean pot and a chicken fryer with lid. Then I have the five pieces of cast iron with a blue enamel coating that I use everyday.

My husband says I have a collection of cloth napkins, but I say I need more. LOL I do have to admit that I have a collection of fabric, so I could make plenty more.

I am with annie, I would like to start collecting $100 bills too. I would even display them in beautiful frames on the wall.....well, a copy of them anyway.
Next time the family asks what I want, I shall advise them of my new collection desire.

Not with the intention of collecting, but I have a ridiculous number of kitchen gadgets.

Again, not with the conscious intention of collecting--I have way too many serving pieces (chafing dishes, platters, bowls, chip and dip, beverage servers, etc). Having just the right service piece probably came from an early experience. I was attending my first Junior Women's Club social at the league president's home. I arrived with a beautifully frosted ribbon sandwich on a homemade tray (foil covered shoe box top). The hostesses rolled her eyes, snatched it from me, pulled out a "gallery tray" from her well stocked butler's pantry and slid my ribbon sandwich on her tray. Carp, I didn't even know what a gallery tray was but you can bet now I have one in every size and material.

I used to collect 1970s Revere copper cookware. It was made for the bi-centennial celebrations & is nice stuff. All SS lined with no rivit brass handles. Each piece is marked on the bottom "Paul Revere, 1776-1976". I received the first piece as a Christmas gift, then saved MJB Rice box tops for 3 more pieces, found a couple more at Joslin's in Denver, spotted a grungy saucepan/lid in a lot box at an auction in northern New Hampshire, found a 10" skillet in Cape Ann, MA, and on it went until I had over 30 pieces. About 4 years ago, I divided it up between my 2 daughters & DDIL. I kept 10 pieces. I gave one away here on the forum years ago as a raffle. With the new Electrolux induction range we got in December it, of course, doesn't work.

Here's some of it...

The girls are going to each get a few more pieces. I'll use the rack for All-Clad but it won't look as good. :(

/tricia

/tricia, beautiful pieces, beautifully displayed.
I love copper!

I collect cookbooks.
Haven't counted in several years,
But I'm guessing I have at least 300 to 400.
I really prefer those put out by organizations,
as fund raisers.
But I do have a lot of commercial books, too.
And many of the small 'booklet' type,
Such as those put out by Pillsbury, etc,
Covering specific types of recipes.

I have a lot of kitchen gadgets,
Not particularly as a collection,
But just because I like them.
You could call me a 'gadgetaholic' I guess.
In fact, I like tools of all kinds.

And then there are dishes.
Again, not intended to be a 'collection'.
I just like them.
And enjoy having several different sets.
None would be of any particular value,
to anyone but me.
(Such as the set that was my Mother's "Sunday" set,
And a few pieces that were brought from Germany.)

Some of the Depression Glass I have
Might have some value to some collectors.

Rusty

OMG, I forgot about the cookbooks. When we moved I culled out 400 now I'm down to about 600. I traveled extensively with my job and would buy a local cookbook (like Rusty) from where ever I was working then I would date it.

I recently came across Pirate's Pantry - a cookbook from RiverRat's Junior League. RiverRat's mother was my customer; of course we didn't find out until years later that I had met her mom.

I am a sucker for copper. A bunch of French copper pots and pans, a copper Japanese tamago pan, a copper teakettle, copper molds, copper bowls, copper this and that. But I've stopped buying anything for the kitchen. Too much stuff.

I collect odd dishes,I have a cantelope the vine is all over lid bends for a handle and a bud on the lid,as a handle ,unusual stuff,I collect the green,pink depression glass ,cherry blossom pattern,and a yellow set makes for beautiful easter place setting ,looking for more to add to mine,Ihave a large crockpot crock full of utensils love love ..and a small crock full.I have a huge turkey plate my mother used to use on Thanksgiving,I wont use it.
i have a whole collection of the milk cans years ago the milk wagon would come ,you take a milk can numerous sizes.I have about 30 from 5 gallon down to 1/2 cup.They fill these cans with milk.
a collection of lunch boxes little metal tin with handle,.

I bought a bunch of old tins from thrift stores when we were stationed in the Netherlands. Was going to display them along the tops of the cabinets since we have 9 ft ceilings and the cabinets ended short of that. (We rented out the house while we were gone.) When we came back we ended up tearing out the kitchen and now have 48" of cabinet and some lovely crown moulding that goes up the ceiling. So all the tins are in boxes in the attic except for a few that I use to store tea.

I have way too many bundt pans!

I've collected antique kitchen stuff forever but when it was all boxed up, the 5 years it took to remodel this kitchen, I completely went in another direction. I still have my cobalt glass out but now it with the Bennington pottery I bought for this kitchen, thanks tricia, the rest of it is still in boxes up in the attic.

I do have several hundred milk glass nesting eggs. Most are in an old store coffee bean glass cylinder thing that was used to measure out a pound or so of coffee beans. And some are in other glass containers of different sorts. It always amazes me that most people don't know what they were used for.

Claudia

Hi Claudia! Glad your still enjoying your Bennington. Someday, I should count & see how many pieces I've got tucked here/there in the kitchen. (grin) I've never thought of it as a "collection" though since it's used every day (?).

/tricia

Hi tricia, I really don't count the Bennington as a collection either I use it every day. I think I have everything they make in morning glory blue. So many people are shocked that I got rid of all my depression glass. They always ask about the pottery and I just tell them I have this friend in Connecticut that told me about it. When we had my dad's 90th birthday party DH had me order a dozen more bowls and snack plates to serve the chili in so maybe I do have a collection!

Claudia