Are you a Collector?

In an effort to write about a topic that has little to do with politics, religion or the media, I was inspired by looking at Erinberry's collection of miniatures the other day. She displayed these amazing and visually stunning little pieces that she has collected. See for yourself. EDITED: Here is the link: http://jesuswasnotarepublican.blogspot.com/

If the truth be told, everything I buy, to some extent or another turns into a collection of sorts. What I mean by this statement, is that it is difficult to stop at one, and consequently, I have many bottles of fragrances, eyeshadows, handbags, lipstick, etc. But when I look at it honestly, these items do not make up a collection. They are a result of obsessive and compulsive buying and spending, something that I am proud to say has diminished substantially today.

But in all truth, I do have a collection and I will tell you about it. My son started playing the violin at the age of 5. As someone who loves music, especially the violin, this made me jump for joy as I shleped him to all of his lessons and concerts when from the time he was 6 years old. What also surfaced from his playing was my love of anything that had to do with the violin. As a result, I have a collection of art, figurines, statutes, sculptures and old world chakas of men and boys playing the violin from all over the world. Everytime we went traveling, from the windy city of Chicago, to the cultural gates of New York, and beyond to Prague, Austria, France, England and Canada, Hungary I picked up something that had to do with the violin. I still remember buying what I thought was a beautiful hand carved wooden figurine in Budapest of a man, who was dressed in a folk costume, playing the violin only to be told by my husband that he resembled Stalin, and why would I buy this particular piece. The answer was simple: I collect violin pieces. Among my items include lithographs of Chagall, dancing Hasidic figures, men dressed up in coats and tails, metal objects, and an original lithograph by Groper of an old world fiddler dressed in the style of an Eastern European Jew.

So here is the question for the day: Are you a collector? What do you collect and how did your interest in these objects get started?

Thank you for your minds.