Collectors Find It’s a Small World After All

Charles Darwin, so the story goes, was attending a dinner party one evening, when one of the female guests good-naturedly chided him for being so analytical about the natural world. “Nature is not just to be studied,” she remarked, “but also to be appreciated for its beauty. Cannot the eminent Mr. Darwin simply enjoy a stroll in the countryside without turning it into a scientific expedition?”
Not one to back down from a challenge, especially one delivered by a lovely lady, Darwin vowed that he would venture out the very next morning without his collecting kit, and be content just to breathe in the fresh air and open himself up to the aesthetics of the world around him.
So, the next morning, with the best of intentions, he did just that, but it was only a few minutes into is walk when he spied an interesting beetle crawling up a tree. Not having his collecting gear he had no place to put the bug, so he cupped it in his hand and continued on his stroll. After half an hour, he decided to rest before setting back and sat down on a rock. As soon as he did, out from under the rock there crawled another interesting beetle, which he cupped in his free hand.
Anxious now to get back, Darwin cut short his rest and set off. On his way back, he brushed against some shrubbery disturbing a most remarkable beetle—one, he was sure, he had never seen before. But what was he to do? He already had a beetle in each hand. So, he immediately popped one of beetles from his hand into his mouth, then grabbed up the precious, new specimen.
One moral of the story is that a collector can no more stop being a collector than Darwin can cease being Darwin. Another lesson might be: There’s always room for one more.
Collectors who always seem to have room for one more are those who collect miniatures, and miniature portraits, small enough to cup in the palm of your hand, are the most popularly collectible miniatures these days.
Miniature portraits probably had their beginnings as mementos for soldiers to take into war, and then for travelers in general. They might also have been keepsakes between lovers, or memorial portraits used as mourning jewelry. Some may have been painted by famous artist, and even signed by them. These hand-painted portraits of real people are the most valuable miniatures, and they can be painted on paper, ivory, bone or porcelain.
There are copies of these, also hand-painted, that are next in value, rated by their quality and material. Finally there are the printed miniatures, very decorative, to display or to wear as jewelry.
Another popularly collected miniature that collectors are making room for is the butter pat. With these tiny dishes, lovers of beautiful china patterns can collect all they want without choking the china cabinet. The same is true of vintage eggcups, which also come in novelty styles.
For whimsical decorating around the house, there are the miniature figurines, furnishings and accessories that were made for model railroads, dollhouses or for use as board game pieces. They are fun to find in unexpected places—under a lamp, on a bookshelf or the fireplace, in the kitchen and bathroom. And at only $5-$25 they can get addictive.
There are many more antique and vintage miniature items available in the local antique shops. They could be hard to find among all the big stuff. Once you discover them, however, like Mr. Darwin and his little beetles, you’ll want to grab them up and make room for them wherever you can.
Mark your calendar: If you would like to have some of your items, big or small, appraised, I will be at the Teaberry Marketplace on Route 9 in Clermont on Oct. 19 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Here’s an idea: come for lunch at their bistro and have a little something. Hope to see you there.
Arthur Schwerdt, a certified appraiser, is the author of “The Antique Story Book: Finding the Real Value of Old Things,” and co-owner of The August Farmhouse antiques on Route 9 in Swainton. Send your comments, questions and appraisal requests to aschwerdt@cmcherald.com.