The collector: Mark Pawson, artist and lecturer, London (UK).
The collection: Noggins
The story behind the collection...
Noggins are handmade Scandinavian tourist souvenirs of Viking figures with wooden bodies and furry beards. They are warlike and cute, fluffy but ready for a fight.
The collector: Kate Farley, artist, designer and lecturer, Birmingham (UK).
The collection: London Transport Maps
The story behind the collection...
Graham (from Obsessionistas): I can really see why as a textile designer you like them…
Kate: I have always had an interest in graphics and illustration as well, so although I’m a textile designer I very much bridge the gap and so for me when you see something that is a pattern and its communicating something then I start to get excited about what an image can do, rather than being pure pattern.
The collector: Clive Probert, Tucson, Arizona.
The collection: Sugar packets (and sugar cube wrappers)
The story behind the collection…
I was born in Birmingham, England and came to Tucson via Toronto, Canada. So now I have quite a mix of cultures and accents. Now that I am retired I enjoy hiking in the Sonoran Desert.
The collector: Arnon Reisman, Economist at The Israel Electric Corporation, Nesher, Israel
The collection: Japanese Matchbox Labels
The story behind the collection...
As a child, I was infected by the collecting virus (or inherited it) from my grandfather, who was a devoted professional stamp collector. So, from my youth I was an ephemera enthusiast, and have been collecting many things, such as stamps (of course), bubblegum wrappers, Israeli notes (and coins), stickers, football cards and many other things made of paper.
The collector: Shakil Huq, Artist, Interior Designer - (General Manager at Media Box), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The collection: Toothpaste packets (empty)
The story behind the collection...
I always wanted to collect something really unusual and all the time I used to think about that. It was at the beginning of 2012 my daughter Tanisha gave me a toothpaste packet called 'Mr Darlie’ as a present. That packet was on my reading table for 2 to 3 days. Suddenly I noticed the outer box of the toothpaste was really rather beautiful. I thought toothpaste packets could be a collectable thing! I started searching on internet but there are none out there. I have found only one gentleman from USA who collects toothpaste tubes only. So I believe I am the only collector of toothpaste packets.
The collector: Andy, Businessman, Midlands (UK).
The collection: Art Deco
The story behind the collection...
I started collecting Art deco in the 1980s, I think that period was just so decadent, beautiful, cutting edge and 'before its time'... essentially I just loved it.
It all began with a trip to a shop in Altrincham called Bazaar. I went in and thought oh my god they're so expensive but so lovely and I think I spent about £3000 in one afternoon! I bought the HMV heater and the greyhounds and some other bits and pieces and then I started progressing and getting more and more into it.
Souvenirs & Novelties