The Psychology of Collecting

by Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. Consider two porcelain pieces side by side. To the untrained eye, they appear indistinguishable. Yet, one is an original. The other is a copy. Ask ...

by Shirley M. Mueller, M.D The prevalence of clutter in modern domestic life is striking. Surveys suggest that between 25 and 67 percent of Americans acknowledge some degree of problematic ...

by Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. When people hear that I collect porcelain, they often imagine glass cabinets and fragile figurines arranged with excessive care. They assume the appeal is decorative ...

by Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. On a quiet Saturday morning at a regional antiques show, a longtime collector paused ata modest display table. Nestled among mid-century ceramics and vintage textiles ...

By Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. In recent years, Labubu dolls—quirky, sharp-toothed collectibles sold in sealed “blind boxes”—have become a global sensation. At first glance, they may look like yet another ...

By Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. Buying something you desire can make your brain glow, literally. Certain regions fire with excitement, anticipation, and reward, turning the object in front of you ...

by Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. “Look at me,” the large, not-to-be-missed porcelain cried out. And I did. It was not unlike the way cats meow at me in an animal ...

By Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. In the mid-1950s, the United States experienced the emergence of a design movement that would forever shape our visual vocabulary: mid-century modern. Characterized by clean ...

by Shirley M Mueller, MD In a nutshell: Though many collectors try to de-access their collections before death, this often does not happen. If sold at an estate sale handled ...

by Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. In modern life, with its high-speed internet, AI exposure, and stress-ridden workplaces, we rarely take the time to relax. But what if the antidote to ...

by Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. Creativity is not just for artists—it’s present in solving problems, making jokes, or even collecting objects. The process of collecting activates a variety of brain ...

By Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. In late 2025, an unprecedented art center will open in Los Angeles: Dataland, the world’s first museum dedicated to AI-generated art. Turkish-American artist Refik Anadol ...

By Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. Music memorabilia—especially vinyl records—serves as more than a nostalgic nod to the past. For many collectors, it is an intricate, deeply personal, and socially meaningful ...

By Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. As a collector, I am always looking for the next best thing. The thought of it delights my brain even more than having it. That ...

by Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. Elizabeth Kraft Taylor, author of Three Jews Walked into a Shopping Center, recalls her infatuation with dolls. “It started when I was about 30 years ...

By Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. January is an important sale month at many auction houses. Once again, I’m in the game. The last time this happened, I was a nervous ...

By Shirley M. Mueller, MD The study “Give a Piece of You: Gifts That Reflect Givers Promote Closeness” challenged my assumptions about gifting. Until I encountered this research, I thought ...

by Shirley M. Mueller, MD Insights from a Big Five Analysis: Mõttus et al. (2024) In a study by Mõttus et al. (2024), researchers examined de-identified data from 9,110 Dutch residents, ...

Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. A set embodies a higher good to the collector than use or as a collectible alone. Collecting can satisfy a number of needs, from social interaction ...

by Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. For collectors who like art, especially sculpture, the National Sculpture Society annual meeting is the place to be September 19th-22nd, 2024. Held in Indianapolis, IN, ...

By Shirley M. Mueller, M.D Although one-third of the American population, roughly 107 million, collect one thing or another, far fewer are hoarders. They include only 2-3 percent of the entire ...

By Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. Most collectors acquire their treasures through traditional methods – purchasing from dealers or at auctions that specialize in physical items within their areas of interest ...

by Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. In the past, I wrote about collector personalities and their relationship to specific art preferences. For example, what can we tell about the traits of ...

By Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. Beatrice Beatrice is seven years old and in first grade (she also takes advanced courses with older children throughout the day.) Though her name may ...

By Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. Hello – I’m Shirley M. Mueller, and I am delighted to be writing for the Journal of Antiques and Collectibles. My columns going forward will ...