26 Collectors Share Their Favorite Carefully Curated Finds

COLLECTOR OF: Fiestaware

CURRENT COUNT: 103

WHY FIESTAWARE: My grandmother, Bernice Anderson, collected Fiestaware place settings. I’d admired the bright display in her cupboard and was given her collection when she passed.

COLOR ME HAPPY: I’ve always loved the variety [51 colors have been introduced since 1936]. And the great thing about Fiestaware is that it’s not too difficult to find. If it’s a piece I’ll use and is brightly colored, it’s a done deal!

DISPLAY TACTIC: Whether grouped by hue or all mixed up, the pieces add colorful punch to my dining area.

SENTIMENTAL PICK: One of my childhood friends gave me the cutest spreader set. Each spreader’s handle is a mini replica of a different Fiestaware piece.

WHEN SHE'S NOT ANTIQUING: As an interior designer, I work with clients to create colorful homes. I also have a furniture collection with Sylvester Alexander.

IG HANDLE: @dwellbycheryl

COLLECTOR OF: Hand-colored engravings

OH, AND ALSO: Black-and-white silhouettes, china plates

WHY ENGRAVINGS: I’m drawn to these ladies wearing early-19th-century fashions.

BANG FOR THE BUCK: I bought my first pair for $20. I won’t spend more than $15 for a plate.

WHEN SHE’S NOT ANTIQUING: I’m a mom and a homemaker, and I love decorating my house.

IG HANDLE: @living_in_a_landmark

COLLECTOR OF: Kitchen tins

COLLECTORS' COUNT: 40

ALL IN THE FAMILY: "When we moved to New Orleans to start our printing company, my mother—Kate's aunt—gifted us with her collection that she started when she lived in the Big Easy. They have been a great inspiration for our designs."

FREE GIFT WITH PURCHASE: "The first tin we bought was a red one from McNess," says Anna. "When we got home and opened it up, there was still coconut dessert mix inside!"

OCCUPATION: Co-owners of The Grove Street Press

IG HANDLE: @thegrovestreetpress

COLLECTOR OF: Primitive baskets

COLLECTOR'S COUNT: 120

WORLDLY WARES: "My baskets are from every corner of the globe—the U.S., Laos, Japan, Brazil, Rwanda, Madagascar, to name a few. Each region has a distinct style, but you'll also find many similarities. They were made using a skill found in almost every culture."

PRETTY & PRACTICAL: "I'm drawn to the versatility and functionality of baskets. They can look beautiful on the wall, but in an instant, they can become a fruit bowl, serving platter, or a vessel for cleaning rice."

OCCUPATION: Owner, Vintage Curator at The White Elephant Co.

IG HANDLE:@whiteelephantco

COLLECTOR OF: Cutting boards

WHY CUTTING BOARDS: I like the idea of collecting things that are kind of unique—they aren’t something most people collect.

THE ONE THAT ALMOST GOT AWAY: I initially walked away from the pig, but then I realized I couldn’t not buy a pig cutting board.

HOW I GOT IN THE GAME: I have a real love for vintage shopping, and over time the collections start forming on their own.

KEEPING A COOL HEAD: The only way I really become emotionally attached to something is when it’s been passed down by my family. Most of my cutting boards have been picked up while shopping around town—which is fun, but not all that sentimental.

WHEN SHE’S NOT ANTIQUING: I’m an interior designer who has made it my mission to explain the value of vintage-over-new pieces to my clients.

IG HANDLE: @clairebrodyshop

COLLECTOR OF: Vintage oil portraits

WHY PORTRAITS: It always makes me a little sad to see them for sale without any sort of story attached, so I’m more than happy to give them a home.

GO-TO SOURCES: I found my first portrait in a little shop in Walterboro, South Carolina, about three years ago and became obsessed. Once you’re looking for them, they find you. Etsy has some great shops devoted to vintage portraiture, so, clearly, a lot of people share my obsession.

REGRETS, SHE HAS A FEW: When I think about the ones that got away, there are more than I can count.

EARLY ADOPTER: I guess I’ve always been a collector. As a child, I collected anything I could get my hands on: rocks, coins, water balloons, you name it.

WHEN SHE’S NOT ANTIQUING: I’m a professional photographer and full-time mom to two small kids.

IG HANDLE: @graybenko

COLLECTOR OF: Joseph’s license plates

WHY LICENSE PLATES: My dad was a bit of a hoarder, and I got a few from him. I began adding, and then—over the years—people started giving them to me. We probably have around 70 now.

SENTIMENTAL FAVORITE: A plate that commemorates the 1949 World’s Fair

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY: South Carolina had a really beautiful plate with the state bird and flower. I’m still on the hunt for that one.

THE COUPLE THAT COLLECTS TOGETHER... I’ve always had a deep connection to objects, and my wife is the same way. That can be a problem, so we’ve both had to edit our collections.

WHEN THEY’RE NOT ANTIQUING: I’m a painter and my wife, Rachel, is a pastry chef. We also stay pretty busy with our three sons.

IG HANDLE: @josephbradleystudio

COLLECTOR OF: Postage Stamps

COLLECTOR'S COUNT: 200

SEAL OF APPROVAL: "As a graphic designer, I'm drawn to the intricate detailing found on vintage stamps. They're tiny works of art."

PASS IT ON: "I've had many favorites over the years, like the 1969 botanical stamps featuring orchids and magnolias, but postage was created to be used, to connect people. There's no stamp I wouldn't part with for the right occasion, so my collection is always changing."

OCCUPATION: Creative Director at Marabou Design

IG HANDLE: @maraboudesign

COLLECTOR OF: Everything! McCoy, ironstone, Cornishware, breadboards, juice glasses, yellowware, transferware, cookbooks...

ALL IN THE FAMILY: The Cornishware milk measure was a gift from my mom, so of course it’s a favorite.

RULES OF ATTRACTION: I’m drawn to both form and function—I’m not very good at passing up something old and great looking. I also like that there are amazing finds for good prices.

WHEN HE’S NOT ANTIQUING: My first love is food—I’m lucky I get to work with amazing food at a retail farm destination.

IG HANDLE: @jesselauzon

COLLECTOR OF: USA samplers

COLLECTOR'S COUNT: 12

WINNING COMBINATION: "I love them because they embody several of my passions—birds and flowers, maps, anything old. Whenever I can get all the things I love in one place, it makes me happy. Wall space is very precious in my (very collected) home"

NOTICEABLY ABSENT: "Alaska and Hawaii are missing from almost every map in my collection, meaning they were made prior to 1959, when those territories officially acquired statehood."

OCCUPATION: Owner of the vintage shop The White Pepper

COLLECTOR OF: Typewriters

COLLECTOR'S COUNT: 12 machines and dozens of ribbon tins (shown at left)

KEYED IN: "I purchased my first typewriter 10 years ago. It was a beautiful turquoise Royal Quiet Deluxe, circa 1956. When I discovered this model had also been made in red, pink, teal, grey, and yellow, it sent me on a collecting course!"

OCCUPATION: Publisher, Editor, and Designer, UPPERCASE publishing. Check out her book, The Typewriter: A Graphic History of the Beloved Machine, at uppercasetypewriter.com.

IG HANDLE: @uppercasemag

COLLECTOR OF: Crewelwork

WHY CREWELWORK: A lot of the pieces are from the 1970s—the era in which I was born. I’m drawn to the colors, and I love that it’s a craft that I have no idea how to do. I have 30 now.

SENTIMENTAL FAVORITE: They’re often signed on the back. My favorite has a note that says, “Sue Ellen, my darling, lovable, talented daughter. Love, Dad, February 1967.”

WHEN SHE’S NOT ANTIQUING: I’m hanging with my husband and little girl and working on my small business selling antiques.

IG HANDLE: @inwiththeoldgoods

COLLECTOR OF: Depression Glass

COLLECTOR'S COUNT: 100

RAINBOW CONNECTION: "I was inspired by my travels to Palm Springs and specifically stays at the very colorful Parker Hotel, which was designed by one of my heroes, Jonathan Adler. The rainbow effect of their colored glass collection made me smile every morning."

OCCUPATION: Founder and Creative Director of the lifestyle blog abeautifulmess.com

IG HANDLE: @elsielarson

COLLECTOR OF: Preppy Sweaters

COLLECTOR'S COUNT: 200

CLOSE-KNIT APPEAL: "Many of these sweaters were made in America, and you can really see the craftsmanship that went into them. The designs, both quirky and classic, inspire some patterns and colors that my husband, Kiel, and I incorporate into our line."

OCCUPATION: Blogger, classygirlswearpearls.com; Co-owner of fashion accessories company KJP

IG HANDLE: @sarahkjp

COLLECTOR OF: Equestrian Ribbons

COLLECTOR'S COUNT: 500

WHY SHE LOVES THEM: "I know what it takes to earn one. I used to compete, and the highest I earned was a second-place red ribbon. I feel that I'm paying tribute to the effort that went into winning these prizes."

NICE FORM: "I mounted a wire fence to one wall of my studio and hang the ribbons there so I can enjoy them every day."

OCCUPATION: Auctioneer, raiaauctioneers.com

COLLECTOR OF: Silhouettes

COLLECTOR'S COUNT: 115

FAMILY TRADITION: "Growing up, my mother had our childhood silhouettes hanging in a beautiful little corner of the living room. Their simplicity always intrigued me."

A CUT ABOVE: "I love all my silhouettes, but my favorite is one of my late father, which includes his first attempt at writing his own name."

OCCUPATION: Wedding designer, calderclark.com

IG HANDLE: @calderclark

COLLECTOR OF: Penguin Books

COLLECTOR'S COUNT: 1,800

READING RAINBOW: I found my first ones at a local book sale in 2016. I love their design, history, and the broad range of fiction and nonfiction, and now share and sell them on my Instagram account.

DISPLAY TACTIC: My husband and three children are all big readers, so it seemed natural to turn an extra room into a library. Book- cases line every wall.

OCCUPATION: Owner of @finepreserversbooksale

COLLECTOR OF: Aprons from Paint, Hardware, and Lumber Companies

CURRENT COUNT: Nearly 400 aprons

ONCE APRON A TIME: My apron collection began with an apron my grandfather wore while he built his house and one my dad wore for yard work. I love the variations in graphics, stitching, and ties. Plus I enjoy researching the businesses behind them.

OCCUPATION: Respiratory therapist and owner of Broken Ladder, a vintage hardware and salvaged finds restoration company

COLLECTOR OF: Vintage Swim Caps

FIRST DIP O’ THE TOES: I’ve always had a soft spot for collections. I grew up in a house with a few collectibles, but we moved often, so big collections weren’t practical. My first collection was postmarks kept in a three-ring binder.

CAP-SULE COLLECTION: I’ve found most of my swim caps at estate sales (I love a good estate sale!) or received them as gifts. I keep notes tucked in the caps so I can remember who gave them to me

IG HANDLE: @MAGPIEETHEL

COLLECTOR OF: Vintage Radios

RADIO ROOTS: I grew up thrifting out of necessity, so I’ve always had an eye for treasures, like vintage radios. I went to the Fashion Institute of Technology for fashion photography and have always styled my own photo shoots. After my sister let me design her hair salon, the interior projects just kept coming.

SCANNING MODE: I found most of these online and at antiques shops; teal seemed to be the easiest color to find. A favorite is a pink RCA tube radio with a cigarette lighter built into the top. I can’t imagine it was that safe when used.

OCCUPATION: Photographer