I collected old tin toys and one summer sold them ! What an idiot as some of them I wish I had kept. My son's baseball cards were worthless. I kept the robots .
As a person who actually does collect mortar and pestle sets, I believe this is the correct term. I got rid of several of mine during a Kondo-induced trance. I saved the pestle from a beechwood set, as the mortar had cracked, and now it’s leaning against my grandmother’s recipe box on an antique shelf I bought for two dollars at a rummage sale. My favorite set is the one that belonged to my dad, a pharmacist. It’s the classic white-and-gold Rx kind displayed in old drugstores. Second fave, marble, matching my countertop. Third: pewter. I almost bought a brass French one from the lady two blocks over who finds meaning in her life by setting out outrageously priced stuff she buys in Parisian flea markets or whatever they call them over there. It really spoke to me. But I didn’t have $75 in my pocket at the time. A good thing, I guess. Marie K.would be proud.
Al that comes to mind is some variant of “pestilence.” But Autofill has been generous, with “pesticide” and of course, “pesto.” I will never make pesto with a mortar and pestle, although that is the traditional method. Why would I do that, when I have a perfectly good food processor on my kitchen counter? And yet, there’s always some tiresome foodie out there proclaiming that we need to go back to some literal Stone Age to mash our basil properly.
Your essay keeps sending me down one nostalgic path after another. The Buckinghams. Rock’em Sock ‘em Robots. It’s what I needed to warm me up on a day like this. I may even go pour myself a small nip of something potent. Thank you for this.
Collectibles is a good topic, thanks.
I have been attracted to an abacus and have 10 or 12. So I guess they are abaci or abacuses …..
George Carlin said it best on this whole topic, when he said “why is others people stuff shit, and your shit is stuff”
I collected old tin toys and one summer sold them ! What an idiot as some of them I wish I had kept. My son's baseball cards were worthless. I kept the robots .
“You knocked my block off!” Priceless!
Wow. Two articles for the price of one! I commend you, Rule of Three, for the remarkable value you provide to your dedicated readers…
The only thing better than a “two-fer” is a “three-fer” - perhaps next time.
As a person who actually does collect mortar and pestle sets, I believe this is the correct term. I got rid of several of mine during a Kondo-induced trance. I saved the pestle from a beechwood set, as the mortar had cracked, and now it’s leaning against my grandmother’s recipe box on an antique shelf I bought for two dollars at a rummage sale. My favorite set is the one that belonged to my dad, a pharmacist. It’s the classic white-and-gold Rx kind displayed in old drugstores. Second fave, marble, matching my countertop. Third: pewter. I almost bought a brass French one from the lady two blocks over who finds meaning in her life by setting out outrageously priced stuff she buys in Parisian flea markets or whatever they call them over there. It really spoke to me. But I didn’t have $75 in my pocket at the time. A good thing, I guess. Marie K.would be proud.
Not going to start with the medicine bottles.
I’m envious that you’re so far ahead of me in the mortar and pestle set race, Mary. There must be a title for those who collect them. . .
Al that comes to mind is some variant of “pestilence.” But Autofill has been generous, with “pesticide” and of course, “pesto.” I will never make pesto with a mortar and pestle, although that is the traditional method. Why would I do that, when I have a perfectly good food processor on my kitchen counter? And yet, there’s always some tiresome foodie out there proclaiming that we need to go back to some literal Stone Age to mash our basil properly.
Your essay keeps sending me down one nostalgic path after another. The Buckinghams. Rock’em Sock ‘em Robots. It’s what I needed to warm me up on a day like this. I may even go pour myself a small nip of something potent. Thank you for this.