Rick Rutherford's Country

Strength In Numbers

"The more the merrier" he recklessly declared

As the pieces began to pile high on the floor

"I must get around to sorting them one day"

As their numbers escalated, even blocking the door.

It’s a well-known truth. The more one can assemble together, the more impact to be had … no matter whether it be supporters at a rally, signatures on a petition or entrants in a bake-off competition at a local fete. The same principle applies to one’s collected wares – the more the merrier, especially when it comes to display. However, unlike the aforementioned collector whose acquisitive pursuits warrant him a position within the ranks of ‘Horror Hoarders Anonymous’, good housekeeping and an eye to clever arrangement is necessary when one’s collection moves beyond just a few well-chosen pieces.

When a collection that starts to number several dozen or more items is arrayed haphazardly within a space rather than being grouped together in the one area, not only is its visual impact diminished, it can also appear to be ‘fractured’ and even ‘lost’ as the eye must wander around the room and back again to locate the various elements which make up the whole.

Uniformity and order are the desired consequences of grouping collectables together in one area, their sheer volume serving to make their colour and pattern all the more impressive. As American collecting guru Candice Ord Manroe suggests “sometimes, especially with collections that have grown extremely large, the most impact will be achieved through a display that capitalises on sheer volume – arranging the collectables, one after the other, on and on, in a single space. In this situation, no additional accessories or objets d’art are necessary. The monotony of the pieces ironically becomes a riveting attraction in itself, the magnetic draw being repetition.”

When one is working with a large volume of the same collectable – whether it be pieces of china or silver trinket boxes, vintage packaging, waterglobes or any other such collectable items – the trick to achieving a pleasing ‘en masse’ display is to aim for a sense of symmetry. This promotes a feeling of cohesion and visual appeal which is usually not achieved when the pieces are placed together in the one group with no thought paid to shape, height and so on. Symmetry thus means starting in the middle and working to the left and right at the same time so that uniformity is achieved either side of a central axis.

Collections of volume also often lead the home decorator to look for new and innovative ways of showcasing them within a room – from creating specially-appointed tailor-made display cabinets (with recesses, in-built plinths and stands, chiselled grooves and other such things to ensure optimum exhibition potential); to wall-mounted shelving that circles a room and even runs above doors and window frames.

Other collections might command the construction of floor-to-ceiling bookcases to show them off to their best advantage. Often shelving that is made to specially showcase a particular collection is best because specific space can be allocated to accommodate the exact size of various pieces. If tailor-made bookcases are installed, as with shelving attached directly to the wall, the best decorating approach is to paint them the same colour as the walls. You might choose a gloss version of the wall paint, or a hard-wearing semi-gloss acrylic. Either way, painting the shelving system the same colour as the walls will help avoid the effect of visually dissecting the room’s major horizontal surfaces (which will make the room feel smaller), at the same time ensuring that the shelving will not draw the eye too much and detract from the objects being displayed upon it.

When a large collection is displayed en masse, a sense of symmetry is not the only thing to help achieve a sense of cohesion. When different elements within the collection are different heights, shapes, colours or patterns, in order to avoid the exhibit looking disjointed, group similarly-themed items together. For instance, on one shelf, all the pieces in the collection of a certain height might be placed side by side, or on another all pieces of the same colour or pattern may be arranged in uniform fashion.

English collecting expert Charles Paget Wade once stated that the point to a collection is displaying it together in the one space so that it becomes an integral part of the room’s décor. “A room can be filled with innumerable things and yet have a perfect atmosphere of repose, if they are chosen with thought and care so as to form one harmonious background” maintains Wade. The way of harmony thus centres on issues of order, symmetry and the careful arrangement of items to complement each other … on integrated shelving, tailor-made bookcases, tabletops and in cabinets that, in turn, complement the style and character of the collection which they showcase.

Another View On Collecting

One cannot but warm to collectors as an identifiable group.

How could you fail to like people who are so different in one way -

loving such diverse things as shells, bones, cups, candlesticks,

chairs, coloured glass, weather-vanes and broken mirrors -

and yet are all, without exception, constantly curious,

constantly excited about the past and about the present world around us?

There has been much written and spoken concerning the act of collecting. how our desire to amass more than one example of an object is triggered by an instinct within the human psyche; that collecting serves to help one focus one's emotions; that it satisfies a desire for control and completeness; that it can be regarded as a reflection of both one's standard of education and culture, not to mention one's heritage and background. Whatever the psychological reasons behind collecting, the truth is that most of us do it in one form or another, and with varying degrees of interest and passion.

The objects of our collecting desires can be as diverse as there are blades of grass in a field. To some, another's collection might seem to be the accumulation of a 'heap of junk' while to another it may represent a fascinating record of life. Some may collect from habit, some may perform the same act as a diversion or pastime which is far removed from the otherwise mundane things or the pressures of life. Still others may collect simply for the sake of the market value of the pieces they acquire - a process which sees them far less emotionally attached to the items they amass than those who collect because they love doing so.

Whatever the reason for one's collecting pursuits and whatever the form and focus one's collection might take, a few significant issues should be considered to ensure optimum benefit from the experience of acquiring and gathering. These issues are also offered to help enhance one's appreciation of what it is that one has invested one's time, effort, energy and emotion in to stockpile in the first place.

Firstly, serious collectors attest that one of the greatest joys of scouting and scavenging, searching and finding is the experience of sharing it with others, especially those of like mind. Therefore, whether one has acquired only two or three of something (remembering that two of anything constitutes the start of a collection) or one has tracked down every possible example and design of the item they can find and has thus acquired a vast knowledge in the process, there is great benefit in joining a collectors' society. Here one can share the stories and experiences of acquisition in an atmosphere of mutual interest, support and respect and also gain access to further information and knowledge through fellow members of the group. If a collectors' group relating to your specific interest is not already in existence, start your own!

Secondly, if you have the opportunity to secure a certificate of authenticity relevant to your particular 'object of desire', make sure you hold on to it. It might be a certificate of verification that the piece was created or designed by a particular artisan; that it was limited to a certain number of days of production; or is one of an exclusive number of the same item created by a particular manufacturer. Make sure that the markings or numbers on the certificate match those on the piece to which it relates, and then store the certificate away in a safe place so that, in the event that one day you wish to sell or bequeath the item, its history is readily known. Certificates of authenticity are also important to establish the financial value of pieces within a collection as they serve to formally confirm one's investment. The other benefit of maintaining certificates relevant to special pieces is that they can aid in the process of swapping with other serious collectors.

If a collection is of particular financial value, it is always a sound idea to insure it. Melbourne insurance broker Holly Bridgestock states that when one is taking out Home and Contents Insurance, it is important to determine the current secondary market value of specific pieces one has collected over the years. "Far too often people fail to investigate the current value of items they posses, and thus under-insure their personal possessions. Just because something cost a few dollars many years earlier does not mean that it is not worth many times more now. With an increase in rarity and escalating popularity amongst fellow collectors, it can end up being many, many times more valuable than the original outlay" states Ms Bridgestock.

Should a collection have escalated in value over the years, it is thus sound advice to treat it with respect and often a deal of caution in terms of the way it is exhibited. While there is always great enjoyment to be had in being able to handle one's collection and treat it as an integral part of the everyday décor of one's home, there is also something to be said about housing it in a glass-fronted cabinet or similar furnishing so that it's away from the danger of being accidentally knocked or broken. Once a piece is damaged, not only does its financial value decrease, so too does its 'emotional connection' as the sight of it in a less-than pristine state can lead one to hold feelings of regret for its demise.

But this is not to say that a collection should be locked away in the dark and not utilised to bring life, interest and visual stimulation to a room. The approach that one takes to display should simply be practical and perhaps a little cautious. Always avoid abrasive and caustic cleaners, rough bristles on brushes and the like when cleaning items too.

Other simple rules of display relate to such issues as always grouping like objects together for optimum visual impact and utilising them as a focal point within an interior rather than 'forcing' them on a décor in which they essentially don't belong. As collecting guru, England's Alistair McAlpine states "the main aim is to unite all the essential components of the display - the practicalities and composition - in such a way that together they create a new and harmonious space for you to experience and enjoy."

And this, at the end of the day, is what collecting really is all about . optimum enjoyment of the process of acquiring - whatever form it takes - as well as the outcome as one's amassed wares contribute their own special qualities - be they colour, shape and form, texture or even a sense of a past time or another culture - to the place in which one lives.

If you have a special collection which you would like to share with us through the regular Collectors Showcase here, or have other words of advice to offer on the wonderful pastime of 'acquisition', all you need do is drop me a line at rick@rickrutherford.com and I'll be in touch.

The Business of Show!

Quality is nice …

But it’s quantity that makes a show!

(Helene Rubinstein 1871 – 1965)

Tis said a bell is not a bell until you ring it, a song is not a song until you sing it. Likewise, a collection is not a collection until you get it out and show it off! It’s all about putting it on display, seeing it everyday and getting maximum enjoyment out of its individual elements as well as the sum of its various parts. As they say in Hollywood, there’s no business like show-business … so finding fitting ways to display your wares often means the difference between continuing to add to the collection or conversely, abandoning the process as a consequence of it being forever stashed away behind cupboard doors or in boxes under the bed!

True collectors will also tell that there is as much enjoyment to be had in the process of making the next great find as there is in hauling it all home and putting it on exhibition. In an effort to define the nature of the true collector, American author Marie Proeller Hueston suggests in her work ‘Collection Style’ that all collectors share a passion for the basic process of gathering. According to Hueston “they thrive on the thrill of the hunt, waking at dawn to be among the first entrants to a flea market or rummage sale. Their pulses quicken when a desirable piece comes into view amid a jumble of junk. They revel in haggling with dealers to get the lowest price.” And then there is the end result – taking it all home and sharing it with family and friends.

To the question of what prompts people to collect in the first place, Hueston suggests that it’s all about the fun of the chase, the find and ultimate acquisition and much less about the need for the specific items collected. As she states “certainly there is no need to own twenty ironstone pitchers, forty printed tablecloths, or one hundred Brownie cameras. Need, collectors are quick to point out, never enters into the equation. Rather, the key factor here is fun: life is simply more enjoyable when searching for and being surrounded by the things you love,” And so say all of us!

Collections can take many forms and be arrayed in just about any and every part of the home – inside and out. They can be predictable and related to the space in which they are exhibited – such as vintage kitchen implements showcased in the cookroom and lovely old glass lamps displayed on a table top in the hall, a series of bed pans poking out from under the bed in the boudoir, and a row of ceramic shaving mugs lined up on a shelf in the bathroom – or they can be obscure and presented outside of their original context – such as a table top in the lounge arrayed with a collection of vintage Matchbox cars, a row of old firkins or watering cans on the mantelpiece and a selection of vintage croquet balls in a wooden bowl atop the dining room table.

No longer in the modern day and age is the display of one’s collected wares considered to be an instant statement of one’s good taste and wealth as it once was in Victorian times. The reason for the exercise of collecting and displaying one’s treasures within the home is, today, far more aligned with a desire to personalise the space in which one lives … to make it uniquely beautiful and feel inviting and familiar. And this is where a range of various collections excel, particularly those which have – at their heart – elements which have been handed down as family heirlooms, or which have been amassed for the sentimental value they offer in reminding one of past times and distant loved ones.

Modern trends in collecting firmly demonstrate that the traditional is as favoured today as the eclectic and unusual. It’s almost a case of anything goes as vintage china, silverware and old glass items, antique toys and bears, lovely old dolls and wooden serving bowls are as popular as rusty old yard tools and kitchen implements, vintage electric jugs and rolling pins, pieces of architectural hardware and old clothing, garden statuary and things like terracotta pots and birds nests!

When you have finally set your heart on a particular item or two – or maybe more – to collect, and have worked out where it is you need to go to make your acquisitions – whether it be markets or antique stores, eBay or boot sales, father’s old shed or the back of mother’s kitchen cupboards – the next thing you need to do is work out where you want to put it all on show, and how. You can be conventional, or you can be inventive and come up with your own display ideas that completely break with tradition. You can start with the shelves of a bookcase or china cabinet, the tops of tables and sideboards, curio shelves hung on the wall and the mantelpiece. Or you can be ingenious and convert an old wardrobe to a showcase, removing the doors and adding shelving. You can add plate rails around the walls at picture rail height and hang vintage birdcages at staggered lengths from the ceiling into which you can place your collectable pieces. You can convert an old bakers’ stand to ‘exhibition central’, fill baskets and urns and delight in a hundred and one other individual ways of showing off what you’re got!

Some quirky collectors have even been known to do such things as display their collections of old coloured glass marbles in fish tanks, hang their old florists buckets on the wall as art, arrange their collection of vintage oil tins on window sills and exhibit their collection of vintage miniature wooden chests on each step of a staircase.

Vintage shop keeper’s and jeweller’s cabinets, wooden ladders, outdoor benches brought indoors, old dressmaker’s dummies and vintage washing baskets can be equally converted for the purposes of displaying collections within the country home. It really is a case of anything goes – just as long as it is personally appealing and not hazardous in terms of traffic flow within the home.

The important thing to remember when putting all you have on show is that there is always strength in numbers. A collection of like items always looks best when displayed en masse rather than being spread around a room. As Hueston states, exhibiting your collection this way allows it to “transcend its physical attributes and clearly capture the passion of its owners.”

Doing so also helps to create an important focal point within a room, create a sense of harmony (despite the fact that the collection might be made up of many separate elements, each jockeying for attention) and allows the colour, shape and pattern of the pieces to inspire other decorative elements such as paint for walls, carpeting, the style of furnishings and such.

If your collection is only small – numbering no more that six or seven pieces – and you want to create the impression that it is much larger, a clever idea is to place a mirror behind it (if it’s arranged on a mantelshelf or sideboard in particular) as this will instantly give the idea that the collection is double its size. On the end of the scale, if your collection is so large that it threatens to take over the entire house, you might decided to dedicate one entire room solely to its exhibition. Alternatively, a series of solid-fronted cabinets (such as timber railway cupboards and French armoires) are idea, whereby the many pieces can be artfully arranged inside and then the doors of different cupboards left open at different times rather than all at once (to avoid the collection from being visually overwhelming).

Otherwise, you might consider the ‘rotation principal’ and have some things on show and others put away, and then change them over, this meaning that all your pieces are not out all year round. The benefit of this is that rooms will always feel fresh and interesting as the displays are regularly alternated. It also means that precious items are not on show all year long and are thus not subject to dust and potential light damage. Decorators who undertake the process of rotation are also able to more easily change the interior of the home around to reflect the seasons as darker collectable pieces are put away at the end of winter and more lively, lighter coloured items are brought out to reflect the summer.

When putting your collections on show, the trick is to arrange them in such a way that there is a sense of unity. Otherwise they can detract from a room more so than add to its ambience and character. Here, you need to aim for a sense of balance in terms of the way the various elements within your collection are presented. It’s a case of big to the back and small to the front. Otherwise, you might group your collected wares according to their common shape, colour, size or some other aspect of commonality.

If you collect something like poppy-adorned homewares, your display might take in a range of disparate items – from poppy-decorated pieces of china, small framed prints, embroidered linen and decorated glassware to traditional pokerwork and paper-covered trinket boxes – which can make an impacting exhibit when artfully group within the same space. Whatever criteria is used to group items together, the ultimate aim is to create a sense of harmony amongst the separate elements so that when viewed as one overall ‘mass’ the eye is not jarred or caused to linger on any one specific item … the sum of the individual parts resulting in a collection that has charm, uniformity and makes the optimum contribution to the space in which it is showcased.

In the majority of cases, a collection is chosen and displayed to accessorise and complement the décor of a room. However, for the serious collector, it can sometimes even mean the reverse where the collection dictates everything from the choice of fabrics for soft furnishings to the colour of the walls. Such a scenario can sometimes be a little problematic though, as it is often not an easy task to find the right upholstery fabric to match one’s burgeoning collection of Staffordshire dogs or to track down the exact shade of blue to match one’s array of English Willow. If a collection is to thus dominate a décor it is often a better proposition to ensure that fairly neutral colours for walls, floors and furnishings is selected, with the collection thereby allowed to take ‘centre stage’.

The main thing to remember about the display of collectables in all their various forms is that, whatever style they take, however they are grouped, wherever they are showcased, they should ultimately give one pleasure and add to the character, invitation and charm of the space in which they are exhibited. And they should always be immediately personally appealing. Thus, irrespective of the rarity and financial value of an item or number thereof, if you don’t really like it, don’t force yourself to put it on show. And conversely, if you really love a particular collectable piece – for its colour, shape, pattern, its association with a past era or special loved one – and yet it’s not what one would term as being generally ‘popular’, don’t concern yourself. Just collect to your heart’s content because one’s collection really only ever has to be appealling to one person – and that’s the collector! So set your heart in a collecting direction and be as adventurous as you like as your amass, display and regularly move it all around to keep the interior of your home as interesting and appealing as the collectables showcased within!