Whistles #0118
Musical instruments 
The collector: Retired Police Officer (UK).
The collection: Whistles.
The story behind the collection...
I collect all types of whistle but with a leaning towards police and military whistles. I've been collecting for around 12 years and have around 700 or so whistles. I am a retired police officer and I carried one of these for many years, shortly before retirement I took it out of my tunic one day looked at it and, say no more, the hobby began.
Girls on Donkeys #0117
Ethnographic 
The collector: Lisa Wood, artist and jewellery designer, San Francisco.
The collection: Photo postcards of girls on donkeys.
The story behind the collection...
This collection started about 5 years ago when I came across my first photo postcard of a young girl on a donkey taken around 1910. She was clothed in a beautiful dress, a big bow in her hair and shiny black boots that buttoned up the side. I loved the juxtaposition of the girl dressed in her Sunday best on a seemingly stinky old donkey.
PLUGS AND SOCKETS #0116
Audio & Electrical
The collector: Oof Oud, Culemborg, Netherlands. Retired Reader in Genetics at the University of Amsterdam.
The collection: plugs and sockets as used in homes and workshops.
The story behind the collection…
My interest in plugs and sockets started at university. The many trips to see colleagues abroad and congresses all over the world aroused my curiosity about the variety of incompatible types of plugs.
Sony Walkmans #0115
Audio & Electrical
The collector: Tim Jarman, electronics engineer, writer on the subject of audio and also a collector and restorer of classic audio and video equipment. Farnborough, UK.
The collection: Sony Walkmans
The story behind the collection...
I grew up during a period of great musical creativity (the 1980s) and soon discovered that great music is made even better by high quality equipment. I am fascinated by the Japanese concept of “perfection in miniature”, larger Japanese products can be a bit bland but when they try to make things as small as possible the inventiveness and craftsmanship is often astounding.
Braun LCD Watches #0114
Clocks & Watches 
The collector: Jack Gertson, 'retired' Design & Print Consultant, East London/Essex borders.
The collection: Featured here is my Braun LCD watch collection. However I would now describe myself as an ex-collector as I am not currently searching for anything in particular. My past collecting passions (shared with my wife) have included Art Deco ceramics, Classic Cars, 1970s glass - Holmegaard and Whitefriars etc, current Contemporary glass, 1960s Poole pottery, 1970s West German pottery and Brian Willsher sculptures.