Not antiques, but important
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One family is selling a toboggan that grandparents purchased, new, about 60 years ago. There are antique skis and short and long snow shoes, including some worn by men in the 10th Mountain Division in Leadville. Silver, jewelry and dolls rest among the other vintage items at Philinda Gallery’s first “Collecting Collectibles” show, which occurs today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Edwards.”These items are very important, but they’re not old enough to be in a real antique shop yet,” said Linda Waldbaum, co-owner of the Philinda Gallery. “An item has to be 100 years old to be a genuine antique. So, we don’t quite fit into the antique category. Some of the pieces are 70 or 80 years old, and some of them are only 30 or 40 or 50, but none of them are (as recent as) 2000.”
The collectibles come from a few collections around the valley, and Phil and Linda Waldbaum would like to see it become a communal affair; not unlike the Minturn Market in nature, but smaller in scale.”If the weather holds out, we’ll be out in front of the gallery. I don’t want it to be huge, just nice things to look at. If they want the things, fine. If they don’t, OK. and then next time there will be different pieces,” said Linda. “I’d like to be able to kind of wheel it out, and then wheel it back away again and we’ll be done for a week or two or whatever. It’s going to be that kind of event.”And I hope it will grow because we’d like other people to bring their collectibles, but we’ll have to figure out a way to distinguish some of the garage sale stuff.”
Among the criteria Phil and Linda have for prospective items is that they are not new. They also don’t want clothes, coins, stamps or sports cards. They definitely discourage Beanie Babies.Phil and Linda would like to see furniture, jewelry, distinctive dolls and toys.”You know, more of the winter snow stuff, good decorative pieces,” said Linda. “There will be a lot of mountain collectibles. There’s one sled from 1930s Germany, and then the rest are American. Four generations of family have enjoyed the toboggan. This is typical of the loved and enjoyed pieces we would like to sell.
“But there will be other things, too. But I don’t know, at this point whether there will be anything from our gallery that we’ll put in there. That’s not my focus right now.”For avid doll collectors, or young children wanting dolls to play with, there will be a wide variety. There are two porcelain China head dolls, a “Sunshine” doll by Effanbee marked 1961, a small Alexander marked 1965, a Helen Kish, an “Amosandra” doll – the infant child of Amos and Andy and many more.”I hate to date these items because I don’t really know enough about this kind of stuff. And I don’t feel that I’m any expert at all, and that’s good (for those who attend) because they might get a real bargain,” said Linda.
The 10th Mountain Division pieces come with certificates of authenticity.”It’s just things that certain people have had sitting around, and we’re gonna put ’em out. And they’re all fun and could be painted, or could be left in their original state to be more important,” said Linda. “It’s the joy of having something that was so enjoyed before. It has charm that was functional at one point and becomes memories at another.”Phil and Linda hope that the first show will inspire folks who no longer need or have space for collectibles of their own.
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“I hope eventually we’ll have all kinds of people involved. I think it’s going to just keep growing,” said Linda. “We’d just like to have this every week, and have it be something people look forward to.”Andrew Harley can be reached at 949-0555, ext. 610, or at aharley@vaildaily.com.