Most people, whether they will acknowledge it or not, have collected something deemed valuable to them at some time in their life. People fill albums with snapshots of their vacations or holidays together. Others collect souvenirs or mementos of a place. Still others collect things that remind them of their childhood. Memorabilia is often packed away in a hatbox or private treasure trove to be savored in a quiet moment of reflection.
Whether someone collects just for the appeal of the object of their affection, or for a sense of accomplishment in owning a complete set, common ties are readily found among all our Cenla collectors. Each one collects something that tugs at their heart or brings a smile to their lips. In essence, collecting the things has enriched their lives, but only because the things they are collecting are connected to people.
Thrower, at age 91, says she has not ever sold a quilt, but has given plenty of these personal masterpieces away to family and friends. She has won countless ribbons for her hand-made quilts entered in quilt shows and fairs. One quilt that took “Best of Show” featured all the presidents’ pets on the quilt. “I quilted Clinton’s Fox and Buddy, his cat and dog, and Lincoln’s turkey. Also, I put Lafayette’s pet alligator on there, even though he wasn’t a president. The alligator visited the White House,” she recalls.
In her quilt collection, Thrower, who worked for 32 years at the Military Exchange in Fort Polk, has several quilts that hold extra special meaning. “I’ve got two quilts from my mother. One is a utilitarian quilt, where you just sew together what you have, no art to it. The other is a bow-tie quilt and it is very special,” she notes.
Thrower says her quilts are like pieces of her heart, stitched together with love during the more than nine decades of her life. “They tell the story of my life.”
Included in his clock collection is an 1881 gold bond Ansonia clock that he repaired and restored. He has family members and friends who have brought him crumbled, disassembled, worn-out, tarnished pieces of clocks in a box that he has restored to their former glory and into working order. Hayes has more than 500 clocks in his collection; each one a story of restoration.
In addition to his restoring clocks, Hayes has fashioned and created beautiful clocks out of brass sheets and parts. Ever a creator, Hayes has created sculptures out of melted coat hangers, paints and has built go-carts and automobiles.
Another one of her favorites is a “Taste of Home” cookie jar she bought on a trip to Wisconsin. “I ate in the ‘Taste of Home’ restaurant in the prettiest little town,” she recalls. Many of her cookie jars are like a crumb trail of memories of her life. One jar is shaped like a school bus and was given to her from a former kindergarten class she taught. Another cookie jar is a bulldog dressed like a Marine, which reminds her of her grandson who is serving in the U.S. Marines Corps.
“My reason for collecting is sentimental. Part of the fun of collecting is finding something different or new to add to my collection. My husband and I enjoy going to flea markets and looking for McCoy cookie jars–that’s a hot name in cookie jars. But for us, the fun is in the hunt,” Ritchie adds.
Throughout her home, Culvertson has various shades of red glass in a variety of dishes and items, including stained-glass windows. Her collection pieces are everywhere. “I have everything imaginable. My favorite piece is a big pretty bowl I have on my coffee table, and is the most valuable piece I have,” she says.
The majority of her collections are antiques, and many are hand-blown glass. She has not ever displayed her collection publicly, but often shares the collection with friends in her garden clubs.
At the salon where he works and in his home, Forest has a vast collection of Marilyn Monroe items, including about 40 dolls. Some of the dolls and items have been gifts from friends, while other dolls Forest has found through auctions. “I have been able to get some of the dolls online at a fraction of the cost because maybe they weren’t in pristine condition. I’ve been like a doll doctor fixing the doll’s hair,” he adds.
He has been able to collect some “elusive” Marilyn Monroe dolls, both vinyl and porcelain. “As a collector, I don’t want to keep Marilyn in a box. I like the joy of touching, fixing her hair, the tactile feel of her items. The cool thing about collecting is when you find it at a bargain. When you find something you like, you procure it, and then you’re hooked. It’s the joy of possession. You want the whole set,” Forest notes.
Besides the dolls, Forest has collected Marilyn Monroe books, movies, lunchboxes, shot glasses, dishes and even a backpack. “I’m not collecting for the money I might get from selling. I think collecting should be enjoyed. I’m in it just for the joy,” he adds.
There is a lot of American history linked to the Winchester guns, Hilton adds. “Winchester guns are part of America,” he says, adding that the cowboys could use the same ammo in the rifles as their pistols with the same caliber. Another favorite gun of Hilton’s is the Winchester shotgun Model 12, a gun noted as the “best repeating” shotgun. He hopes to add more Winchester, Browning and Colt guns to his collection.
A former antique dealer, Genius said he and his wife have traveled all over the world, and have collected postcards from all over the world. “We literally wore out three motor homes traveling and collecting. Postcards fascinate me. They are like a picture into the past; like a time machine. They give you details of a time and place, and you can place yourself in the photographer’s position,” Genius says.
The majority of the Cenla postcards show a forgotten era, according to Genius, as many of the historical buildings are no more. He has published a book entitled, “What Once Was,” showing old businesses, homes and other sites that are long gone, as well as some that remain standing, such as the Bentley Hotel in downtown Alexandria. To view the “historical masterpiece” postcards in his collection, visit alexandrialouisianapostcard.blogspot.com
The oldest currency Jim has dates back to 1768 and is Colonial currency. He said the money was square rather than rectangle. During the Civil War, Waters said, individual states issued currency. Through the years, he obtained a 1934 $1,000 bill in U.S. currency, which he keeps locked up in a bank vault.
Her sister went to China not long ago, and bought a special purse for Lynda. “The purse is more than 160 years old and belonged to a Chinese princess. We put the purse in a frame. It’s silk and has beading on it. It’s a beautiful purse,” she adds. Her collection also includes purses from Germany and England, one even featuring a sapphire and the Queen’s mark embellished on it. “I’ve always loved purses,” admits Lynda, adding that she has passed that love on to her granddaughters as they will inherit her collection someday.
He has acquired some significant pieces from the Baccarat and St. Louis glasshouses in France, some Irish paperweights, and some unique American paperweights with “fun” designs. One American paperweight in particular showcases a whole aquarium with fish inside it. “I am always trying to find the elusive or rare Pantin paperweight from France. I was able to get one of those,” Menache adds.
When searching for a new paperweight, Menache seeks out paperweights that are free of bubbles and examines the bottom of the paperweight closely to determine the intrinsic value of the piece, accepting only the most remarkable.
At age 30, Bradford started collecting coins, and his first silver coin was a Barber quarter, which was made between 1892 and 1916. It was 90 percent silver and 10 percent alloy, Bradford says. He then started collecting Morgan dollars, which were minted starting in 1778. “Collecting coins gives me satisfaction because they are beautiful,” Bradford says.
At the bank, Bradford has collections of dimes, nickels, quarters and silver dollar sets. He has a few gold coins, but prefers silver. He also has an uncirculated Jefferson nickel silver set. “Every serious collector knows how to grade their coins. An uncirculated silver dollar is worth more than a circulated silver dollar,” he notes. Anyone wanting to know more about coin collecting is encouraged to attend the Cenla Coin Club meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at Cajun Landing Restaurant, beginning at 7:00pm.
As a teenager in the ‘70s, Albright says he grew up listening to Elton John, the Beatles and a lot of other musicial “greats”. By the mid-‘80s, vinyl records popularity declined and gave way to the CDs. Albright said he sold his stacks of records at that time, only to revert back to searching for vinyl in the ‘90s. “The most I ever paid for a vinyl record was $60.00 for a Stevie Wonder record,” Albright says with a laugh. He hopes to increase his collection of about 1,000 albums, and diligently searches for vinyl in pawn shops, flea markets and at the Louisiana Music Factory in New Orleans. “Vinyl is making a comeback, especially among young college students,” he adds.
His pawn store features several historical items, items that tell the story of the American Civil Rights movement, the fight for women’s sufferage, the Native American “Trail of Tears” and many other historical events in American history. On display in the store is also the 1966 Cadillac hearse used by R.S. Lewis & Sons Funeral Home in Memphis, Tennessee to transport the body of Martin Luther King, Jr. following his assassination.
DeRamus’ son, Chad, who was killed in a plane crash several years ago, had an interest in obtaining the vehicle. So, DeRamus tracked down the car, which had been stored under a tarp in a warehouse for 40 years, and restored the hearse in honor of his son. A foundation to honor Chad is currently in development.
Most of the art in the AMoA has been donated by artists, collectors or have been bequeathed. The museum’s permanent collection encompasses prominent 20th and 21st century artists from Louisiana and the South, artists whose work reflects the unique cultures of the region, as well as artists who have influenced or been influenced by the South.