Welcome my version of The Collector's Corner, only this page has an agenda that is only a small part of the collecting realm. I am not here to brag and share my goodies as a vanity webpage, but I am proud of  my  collection of old Cameras, View-Masters and odd Religious and Spiritual Antiquities and it's true,  I do  possess all the good and crazy traits as commonly attributed to the genre. I am really here to make a presentation of the most unusal kind. I hereby present the strange because I am more of a Curious Urban Beachcomber for Bizarre objects and creations that can't be identified, have weird associations, have no printed known logos of origin (like Matell or Made in Japan) or properly dated. But in my year's of hunting and scrounging and willing to share by proudly doing an impromptu "show and tell" somewhere, anywhere - there are always a few people who seem to think they know I have. Or, as I clarify, they think they know or, are mistaken, or if they actually do know what the item is - who can be sure? Ok, once in awhile I find an object are so odd, or so bizarre or old or weird, they inspire "creative license to speculate" and so my ears are open to a good story, which makes me vulnerable to the reality that I really do run into a whole world a Bona-Fide Liars! So, that is why I have nicknamed this section The Liar's Club. It has been my experience with this theory and template of reality transposed onto the Flea Market folk and my background in basic human psychology, it seems easier on their ego to fib than to appear stupid. Truthfully, story telling is a important part of communicating and I think there is a little Liar in all of us. 

 

Contained in this section are photographs of objects that I have come across that I found interesting, unusual, or simply too cool to pass up, or an item I can't live without, or, in my twisted nobleness, I am saving it from the landfill, or is way out-of-date, or culturally anachronistic, and then, there is always the item that was too common and now rare, or last and certainly not least, the simply original item. I find them at Flea Markets, garage sales, Thrift Store and even from kind-hearted friends. Over the years I have gained an unworthy reputation for having a clue and with that reputation of "Doug knows" - comes a certain humility - (ah, why me?) and my truth-meter activates and when asked, if I don't know I will admit it! Why? I don't know, maybe it's because I want to find out what it is, and will take the time to write down the facts about it so I can go look. Probably it is my curiosity about things that makes me enthusiastic, and though deemed an expert, I am not expert or a Know-it-All, just a great Liar! Just kidding. But often I do know the most ridiculous and obscure things and can put on a good show and tell, but due mostly to just plain old familiarity born of my natural curiosity.

Before I proceed I want to dwell on something important to me. There are two kinds of people in the world; those with "The Collectors-Gene" and those people who are born with "The 64-Gene." I am a collector, it's in my blood, it's part of me, my soul, my heart and my life because I think I have a dire need to obtain and preserve - the antithesis of the 64-Gene and part of the Collector Gene. Others who share this embrussio can relate. This who do not share this collector gene think we collectors are a bunch of "pack-rats" and so we say in return, "So, what's your point?" The flip side are those who have the 64-Gene and as they go on living in their barren living rooms and tidy bedrooms and empty closets... they are defined by the characteristic that they are compelled to only keep 64 objects. No matter how long they have been on the planet they only possess 64 items. A word of warning - if you give a gift to a 64-Gene they will accept it but eventually they will either throw it out or keep it and then, for with an uncontrollable urge throw something else out! While we as collectors never throw anything out, 64 gene people will do cleaning every 3 weeks and feel good. I, on the other hand,  feel pride in organizing my goodies into a cohesive display, and in fear of missing something juicy and eclectic - it's my job to be the to the personal catch basket before it hits the landfill. Collector's are a rare breed and often preserve the past with no intention of lauding, but the 64-Gene clean up the useless debris for a tidy world and this is called balance. Think about it. 

 Now we begin the journey of looking into the mysterious world of my current cache of stuff. I invite you to email me with your version of "Is this anything??? Besides asking the usual, "What Is It?" I will also want to know when was it made? Who made it? What was it's purpose? What is it worth? You can lie or maybe you know someone who does know. When emailing, please refer to the picture code.

 Presentation. 

My first presentation and photographic essay is on a old item. It's a black case of glass double-terminated something or other. Are they crystal wands or ... what? I have no idea what these are, or what they were used for. They are all the same yet slightly different in that they are hand made or polished and so, so slightly different - hardly worth investigating. I thought that they might be a sophisticated game pieces, in that, the points on the glass crystals far left are slightly scratched and worn and this wearing seems to decrease until the ones in the far right are mint. The name on the case is Hoyng. I have not been able to locate a manufacturer by that name in the United States or on the World Wide Web. I have tested them optically, they are not prismatic, in that, some pattern does occur but nothing noteworthy to indicate that is what they were intended for. They are glass and not quartz and they don't seem to be leaded glass. The case is well made, and looks to be about the late 1930s or early 1940s. It is obvious someone went though some effort to make these safe and the presentation somewhat upscale yet conservative. If you email me, please refer to CC-009. 

 

The next object is solid brass and the hinge opens and closes and the brass pin slips in and out. This may be an alloy as you can smell the metal. I have asked over a 100 people and no one I asked knows for sure. However, I had a dream and my dream may have been a past-life experience and now I think I know what this is, but I want your opinion. It is too small to fit  around an ankle, too awkward and heavy for bracelet and too irregular for any animal usage. There are no culturally specific markings on it, though there is something of a Egyptian Ankh and some circle patterns. It is very very heavy and the only signs of wears is some bending from the pin being pulled out and pushed in too many times. If you email me, please refer to item BC-017.

 

My next presentation is most humorous and bewildering. Is is a Cult Deity? For me, the item is right out of my Memory of the Coneheads on the TV Show Saturday Night Live and yet I can affirm this has nothing to do with that show. I wonder if there is another TV Show or Comic Book that may be involved. There are no markings or manufactures logo. The statue and candle holder  is made entirely of carved wood. The wood is bare on the bottom and is a brown color and the coloring you see is all oil-based enamel paint. Most of the people I have shown it too either laugh caustiously (less they offend some God they don't know about) or think it creepy. There are no specific religious or magical symbols on the statue and I have never seen this image in any magical, metaphysical, spiritual or religious book and you should know that I own and have read hundreds if not several thousands of books. If you care to email me please refer to item DG-189.