An eBook pamphlet (9006 words) to whet the appetite for the would-be collector with articles on beer trays, duck decoys, John Deere Memorabilia, Carnival Glass, Ballpoint pens, metal bottle caps, the Chevrolet Nomad, plus a tongue in cheek article about a collector.

Contents:

Introduction 

Confession of a Collector

Collecting Beer Trays

Collecting Duck Decoys 

The 1955-57 Chevrolet Nomad is a Beautiful Collectible Car (even if it’s just a model)

Collecting John Deere Memorabilia or ‘Bleeding Green’ 

The History of the Ballpoint Pen--and Why it Almost Died

The History of Carnival Glass

Excerpt: “Are there others like me?” she asked with a wistful far off look that made her soft brown eyes moisten.

“Yes there are Claudia,” I slowly responded, wanting to assure her that she was not alone in her plight. Her eyes blinked slowly as she put the question to me that had to be asked.

 “Is there any hope for us?” I looked away briefly before turning to face those misty sad eyes again with the reality of her situation.

 “We can try to control it, but there is no cure. I’m afraid you’ll go on like this forever--you and your ilk.  And as long as there are places like this, your kind will come to join you in the ritual and function as you do.”

 “Sounds like a forever thing,” she whispered as she lowered her head. “But I’m not ashamed. It’s….It’s just who I am now,” she continued as her head rose and her eyes met mine with conviction. With those words I watched Claudia turn away from me and slowly but deliberately walk away clutching her latest acquisition, a vintage wind-up toy drummer clown with faded colors, made by the Cragstan company in the 50s. She was off to the alter of possession--the checkout counter.

 We were in a large antique dealer about 40 miles north of Baltimore filled with stalls of numerous vendors of antique wares. I knew her latest acquisition would join the others somewhere on a shelf in the loft of her condo, maybe next to the old tattered and worn Stieff teddy bear or perhaps next to the Fenton marigold Carnival glass vases. Yes, Claudia was an addict—addicted to the wondrous world of collecting. Once a proud attorney solely dedicated to her profession and married to another attorney, this attractive brunette had found what many others have—the world of collecting. A trip to a client’s house however had changed her. During a tour of the house Claudia was seduced by a collection of beautiful vintage dolls the owner had collected over years. On display in handcrafted oak cabinets, special lighting almost made the dolls appear to come to life. Claudia’s imagination was captured and she too began to collect.