stereographs

love those stereograms, especially when they catch something as eerie & simple as this location:


The Diamond Pass, Ocklawaha River, Florida, U. S. A. (1870?-1910?)

or when it is just a ghost-image, and all the tape and markings turn it into an artifact:

View [?] at Niagara no. 69. (1854-[1865?])

and when symmetry is being eaten away:

State Lunatic Asylum, Trenton, N.J. ([ca. 1860])

cigarette cards

cigarette cards are the cool-kids version of baseball cards. cigarette manufacturers would insert these cards into their packs to keep 'em stiff and advertise brands.

as you know, i like themes. and diamonds. so here's a few in that vein:

"do you know why a diamond is cut?"

for will's cigarettes


diamond babes, the second being the sangy diamond


diamond sparrow

also these fantastic "lucky charm" (not the cereal!) cigarette cards:


inscribed amulet from will's cigarettes


the abracadabra


the hand


gnostic talisman

holidays

Do you have a favorite holiday? Why not collect items relating to it, so people can know you as that "creepy christmas lady" or that "creepy st. patrick's day man". bonus points if it is a holiday that no one really celebrates, or if the collection is very specific.

i myself enjoy easter eggs with scenes inside of them -- diorama eggs, like:


handmade ones, like this wedding scene,


or this handmade elephant on a toilet inside a real egg


and this vintage bone china squirrel in an egg:


i also deeply enjoy anything that has a face, such as this vintage celluloid baby rattle:


then there's this antique paper mache easter rabbit pulling a car:


funny vintage knickerbocker plastic easter bunny lady:


dapper celluloid easter chick roly poly toy:


egg hunt!