Being a collector is wonderful. Collecting gives many of us our greatest satisfaction in life. Unfortunately, it often creates storage problems, too. Here are a few thoughts on Compact Collecting, or Collecting for a Small World.

A single item may embody an entire collecting strategy or philosophy. Some people are able to trade up their collected objects, constantly refining, constantly adding a little more. A good example of this is a classic car or an unusual  boat or even a bicycle . Owning just one may well be enough and the "collecting" comes in the form of making it perfect in every way and keeping it that way. Certainly, a single precious work of art, financed by buying and selling others, appreciated more by reading and studyng the artist's life and work, surely that Collection Of One is an achievement any collector could enjoy. May I recommend a primitive painting on plywood, executed by yours, truly? Maybe you need two.

Collecting things that don't take up much space is a frequently cited way to make collecting manageable. Coins and stamps have remained popular with collectors in part because they are easy to store. Of course, it is possible to collect things that take up almost no space, such as a collection of words or sayings that can be contained in a single book or even on a  computer that holds other things. A colection of cartoons may be scanned and stored on a single CD ROM. A large and valuable jewelry collection can be housed in a shoe box . A lifetime of  wine connoisseurship can be housed in a scrapbook of labels.

Of course, as much fun as studying those labels may be,  a large part of Wine Connoisseurship is drinking the wine, followed closely by storing some.  And such is the case with many collections. Proper storage is crucial to protecting the collection and is also integral to enjoying and appreciating it.  Furniture can be bought to house all manner of collections, such as gun cabinets, "media storage cabinets" and common everyday bookshelves. But, it is also fairly easy for a collector to come up with a novel secondary use for a piece of furniture that will aid him in his collecting while giving others a place to put their cocktails.  A flat file can be an ideal  coffee table and just about anything can be concealed in a hollow ottoman. Hanging things on the wall is fine, but  frequently rotating your collection display so that you will be reminded of it in new ways is an excellent way of improving your overall enjoyment. Try to think of other objects that are shaped like your collectible and think of the ways those objects might be stored. Manuscripts and blueprints are the same shape as placemats and nautical charts, which are a lot like engravngs and old newspapers, or movie posters or  sheet music. Is that a shotgun or a trombone in that old leather case? What else will fit in that old spool display? Who says I can't store my Fred Arbogast lures in a Chinese apothecary chest?  How many pogs will fit in that pasta jar? Why not store Worlds Fair Paperweights in that old aquarium?

Consider storing or displaying your collection in more than one part of your living space. Yes, I collect etchings. The best ones are  in my bedroom. Would you like to see them?

Can collecting models stand in the place of an otherwise unwieldy collection? For example it would be a lot easier to store that 12 inch Eiffel Tower or that plaster Sphynx than the original, even if you COULD get it through customs.  A dozen or two scale model cars or boats will fit around the top of your bathroom walls, where even an original Morris Mini Minor won't get through the door. How about postcards instead of posters? Watches instead of clocks, dollhouse furniture, etc.? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe it's time to move to the country and build a barn.

I might point out that the real difference between true collecting and mere accumulation is the necessary practice of culling and refining. Almost all collectors eventually become sellers or at least swappers. There is more pleasure and prestige in having sold one beautiful object than in having gathered together hundreds of ugly ones. Unless you just like ugly things.

Instead of trying to shrink your passion, maybe you need to collect something that doesn't depend on size, such as rocks and minerals. Many women enjoy collecting carbon crystals mounted in gold or platinum. Marilyn Monroe called them her best friend.

My personal belief is that the best collections are working collections. Rather than needing a case dedicated to holding specimens, I store my collection in my closets- my shoe collection, my tie collection, my ever-growing collection of Fabulous Embroidered Trousers. When I  need to do some home repairs, I go to my tool collection and select a hammer that is pleasing to the eye and to the hand.  Now and then I will spice up my supper with something from my hot sauce collection.   My favorite guests get to see and help deplete my Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection.

And I think we have just about depleted our allotted time and space for ths topic. Please see the rest of my collection of reviews and guides, stored right over there on the Web. I hope you have found this guide to be entertaining and helpful and will consider rewarding me with a "yes" vote.  Wishing you many good lucks in your own collecting adventures, I am

Wentworth Tradd.