Cross-Collecting

Think about cross-collecting. At a recent show, we spotted some handkerchiefs picturing baseball players. They were being scarfed up by two groups of collectors: those who wanted children’s handkerchiefs and those into sports or baseball. Other crossovers: dolls and postcards showing children holding dolls; carousel horse collectors and collectors of printed ephemera related to carousels; tobacco label collectors and those who want pictures of American Indians; glassware collectors and Shirley Temple fans searching for blue glass dishes picturing Shirley; and collectors of pig figurines and Anna Pottery collectors—both dream of owning an Anna Pottery pig bottle. If it’s getting harder to find your favorite collectible, try adding a crossover.