COLLECTORS’ CRAZES

Evening Star, Issue 21622, 18 January 1934, Page 5

COLLECTORS’ CRAZES

TOPS OF MILK AMD BEER BOTTLES People in close touch with the trade in antiques say that the day of the great collector has gone (says the 1 Argus Few people m Melbourne possess the rare and valuable antiques which used to distinguish the collections of connoisseurs of the past. ,Y en , . ac * the modern collector the inclination, knowledge, and means to amass great possessions, it is more difficult to-day to acquire antiques than it used to be. Many countries, notably Egypt, Italy, and Greece, prohibit the export of significant relics. , Nevertheless, collectors are much more numerous than they' used to be,

and they have invaded some curious departments. Many collectors in Melbourne are expending much energy in collecting airmail postal covers, _ those used on historic flights being in keen demand. There is a society > whose members dedicate their spare time to acquiring such covers. Many collectors of postage stamps have turned their attention to saving postal registration labels. This is a craze apparently peculiar to Australia. One man has a collection of registration labels issued from every post office in Queensland, with a special section for labels containing errors of printing, and he is now trying to obtain a complete series hearing numbers from 1 to 10,000. The search, for novelty has induced other people to collect excise stamps and Customs duty stamps. The craze for collecting playing cards has grown to such proportions that some shops in the city are selling packets of five different specimen cards

for 3d. An amateur conjurer in Melbourne has a collection of magic wands used by famous illusionists.;’ Another, man collects watches. The craze for collecting matchboxes has spread s» rapidly that catalogues are being issued by dealers. Schoolboys have been busy, collecting the tops of milk bottles, and it was reported recently that soma people. were collecting the tops of different "brands of beer bottles.