French fancies
* Folding fans are thought to have arrived in France in 1533 with Catherine de’ Medici – an Italian who, through marriage, would become Queen of France. With summer here, […]
The world in your palm
Those who believe the world is flat may well struggle with the instruments of science presented on the following pages. The 5th BC discovery that Earth is round provided the […]
Buying blind
“Labubu fan fury after dolls pulled from Pop Mart stores over fights”, “Labubu dolls make up 90% of fake toys seized at UK border”, “Disturbing reason people are now burning […]
Accept my love
The invention of a cheap and easy colour printing process, along with the Victorian tendency for sentimentality and the introduction of the Penny Post, all worked together to create a […]
When the penny drops
Do you remember the elaborate charity collection tubs that would stand near the checkouts in most supermarkets? What fun it was to watch mum’s change zig-zag or spiral away. So […]
Born from the sea
As The Collector’s Companion enters its thirtieth year, we thought we’d mark our pearl anniversary by taking a look at some. Such is the history and beauty of pearls, they […]
Scenes of Japan
Utagawa Hiroshige was a prolific travel blogger who was also a success in the world of fast-fashion, with somewhere between 600 and 1000 designs for disposable hand-held fans. That’s to […]
In plentiful supply
You may be familiar with artist Ai Weiwei from the sea of 100 million hand-painted porcelain sunflower seed husks in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall, his Lego portraits or perhaps from […]
Drinking games
I know of a person who would amuse himself by piercing a hole in someone’s can of Coke, causing an annoying dribble when they tipped it up to drink. You […]
Precious plastics
Back in the summer of 2022 (#106) we shared the paintings of artist Hermoine Burton. A keen amateur artist, her life’s works ended up discarded in a Bedford charity shop […]