Frankie magazine

I had forgotten to mention that some of my vintage brooches were featured in the nov/dec issue of Frankie magazine, which is a really cute artsy magazine from Australia and available in New Zealand. Here's what you missed...

Tell us about your collection?

I collect enamel brooches from the 60's and 70's. I'm really drawn to the shapes and colors of the period.

When did you start collecting?

About two years ago. I was at an outdoor market and someone had a booth full of vintage clothes and jewelry. I started digging around and found a cute little yellow enamel pin. I was hooked right away! That winter, I found another one on Etsy and bought it to wear on my wool coat. Then I had to have one for every outfit I owned!

How many do you own?

I have around 60 or 70 brooches, but my collection keeps expanding. I just bought another one on Ebay, it should be arriving shortly!

What’s your favourite?

Currently my favorite is the red and white leaf Coro brooch (shown in the bottom left corner of the photograph.) I'm mostly fond of brooches that are abstract, which seem to be harder to find.

What was the least expensive?

Very cheap: $0.50 (US.) Thrift shops and flea markets seem to always have the best deals.

What was the most expensive?

The most expensive was the Coro brooch I mentioned above, which was purchased on Etsy for $18. There is not a lot of consistency in pricing: the same brooch could be $8 in one shop and $25 in another. I could have waited to find this particular brooch for less money, but I had never seen one like it for sale, so I pounced. I'm glad I did, too, because I still haven't seen another one for sale.

Where do you find them?

I find them at flea markets, thrift stores, Etsy and eBay.

Have you been given any for a present?

No, but I'm not surprised: I'm very particular about which ones I like. They have to be just right for my collection.

Will you keep collecting?

I probably will. I have slowed down in the past, but never fully stopped. I actually just started up looking for them again after losing interest for a while. They just bring me a lot of joy, and hunting for them is too much fun to stop.

Where do you keep them?

Currently I keep most of my favorites in a large orange tray, but I have many more scattered around my home.

Do people comment on your collection?

Yes. Someone once said the collection looks like candy!

Do you collect anything else?

When I was younger I collected everything under the sun. Today I try and keep my inner hoarder at bay and I just collect brooches and vintage china tea sets and plates from the 1960's and 70's. Like with the brooches, I'm very particular about which china I like, so I only collect red and orange pieces in a very specific design range.

Check my brooch flickr group! http://www.flickr.com/groups/1220407@N20/