What a pleasant surprise

[Ruby Slippers]

They're lovely, LLL!

[Grandad]

My attic is just somewhere to store stuff (most of which should be thrown away) like suit cases, spare chairs in case we have a large gathering for dinner, and some of the garden furniture stored over winter. Definitely no lost works of art or ancestral treasures.

Re the shells. I can appreciate the skill in carving those lovely images but they are not something I like and they would not find a place in my home. But if we were all the same, it would be a pretty boring world.

[LovelyLadyLux]

But if we were all the same, it would be a pretty boring world.

Definitely and I never think in terms that just because I might like something everybody else must like it too. I actually find it very interesting to see what other people do like and collect and how they present their collections, how their 'valuables' so to speak are displayed. I enjoy talking to people about what they are passionate about and can usually find something about their interests or collections that interest me too.

I tend to like quite a wide variety of things but I like "real" things which is defined by me as the Non-mass produced items of today. I'm stuck 50 years + ago and honestly do love more items from the past that are unique, handmade and created by somebody who actually had hands on the item.

[Grandad]

When we de-cluttered LLL, we kept just a few items that we liked. This trio was in my album on here so I may have posted it before. It is 1930's art deco, a period that we both like, and lives on a shelf in a corner cabinet. Mrs G has a particular liking for shades of green.

[Ruby Slippers]

I like those too, Grandad. I love Art Deco.

[Kiya]

Although we have seen it before your trio is very nice

[LovelyLadyLux]

I don't remember the context in which you told us about these pieces but I have seen them before too and they are beautiful. Authentic and real.

I see that RS immediately identified them as Art Deco. I only wish I was that astute and knowledgeable to know exactly what I was looking at, from what era etc. I know some things but my overall greater more widespread knowledge or proper learnin' is just not there.

I wish our colleges offered courses in antiques but they don't. Probably isn't sufficient interest and even if the interest was there we're not exactly overflowing with antiques around here.

It is definitely interesting what we keep and collect and sometimes looking at the 'why' of what we keep really says lots about us too (and or is often an interesting story as to 'why' we're doing this)

[Grandad]

LLL, I think it just comes down to what appeals to us as individuals. And people collect anything from tea pots to tractors, from dolls to Doulton. It takes al sorts......thank goodness.

[Kiya]

Oh Grandad don't mention dolls I once stayed over with a friend before flying out from manchester to Luxor.

I had use of her bedroom overnight & OMG! these dolls were all around the walls, while there in bed all I could see were all these beady eyes looking down on me...........horror! ..............never want to see any of these kind of dolls again

I do love my Doultons & have a nice cabinet just for them

[LovelyLadyLux]

I think I have the same feelings about doll collectors that Kiya does. I will admit my elderly aunt who painted the most original and gorgeous porcelain plates and Christmas ornaments and Victoria ladies also started to make porcelain dolls. She would travel and buy head with other body parts to attach and then purchase wigs.........It was a really fascinating and enjoyable hobby for her but I just never got the dolls. She hand sewed their period clothing (most from the Victoria era) and it took her ages to turn out one which is why perhaps she never really had that many but sleeping in a room with all those beady little eyes on you............BRRRRR!! Gives me the shivers.

And Grandad I too actually appreciate that there is such a great diversity of collections. We all can't collect everything but most collections are quite interesting to me.........course I think I might draw the line at being interested in collecting of sports cards.....(not me and I really can't trump up much enthusiasm for them however they're real popular with some)