Collecting America at 250: Exploring Our Nation’s History Through Objects

by Jessica Kosinski

This year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States. That’s a lot of history, and most of it has been commemorated through various types of memorabilia over the years. In that huge span of time, this country has changed a lot. There have been migrations, wars, political upheavals, and pop culture phenomena. Every major milestone has been celebrated and immortalized in various ways through collectible objects. Let’s take a peek at them and the reasons why collecting them this year in particular is special.

Exploring History Through Objects
We’re all familiar with American history, especially the major milestones, or at least we think we are. For example, we learned about major events like the Civil War in school, right? Well, not necessarily. Textbooks tend to gloss over history a bit. They select specific points to emphasize. Reading about events like the Civil War is not the same thing as holding tangible objects that were there in our hands. That’s why so many people are passionate about collecting wartime items. Sometimes, one object can communicate more than all the written words in the world.

Of course, plenty of interesting things happened between wars, too. The day-to-day history of changing American habits and lifestyles is just as interesting. From early toys to stoneware jugs, everything has a story. The most common of items can help us understand how people
used to travel, cook, work, or entertain themselves throughout American history.

The 250th anniversary of our nation is a major event, and it is causing everyone to take notice. Museum curators, private collectors, and auctioneers alike are all noticing increasing interest in American collectibles. Educational programs and exhibitions are also introducing whole new groups of people to historical objects from this country’s past. For those who already have large collections, it’s a good time to thin them out. More interest means higher bids at
auction and more money made.

Why Collect Early American Material Now?
Despite the fact that some would argue this year is a good time to sell American memorabilia, there are also plenty of good reasons to buy it. First and foremost, doing so helps preserve the history of our nation. Whether you focus on items that celebrate its founding in 1776 or any significant period since, you can feel good about doing your part to keep our history alive and preserve it to pass down to the next generation.

Another good reason to collect is if you are trying to create a certain aesthetic. For example, if you are restoring a home built in the 1800s, you might want to collect furniture and décor made in that time period. From federal-style furniture to iron hardware and stoneware crocks, each original item can help give a house back part of its original style and character.

Of course, one of the best reasons to collect parts of American history is plain old curiosity. There are pieces of it around every corner. You can find it in basements, attics, antiques shops, or flea markets. You might even find a bit of history in a totally unexpected place, like tucked away in the back of a closet. Unlike some collecting categories, this one can be full of surprises. Other important aspects of the hunt include:

• Holding true pieces of history in your hands.
• Connecting with our ancestors through tangible objects.
• Preserving the history of particular eras or regions of our country on your own or by connecting with like-minded collectors, such as through historical societies or museums.
• Learning historical facts that you might never have been taught in school.
  

There is no right or wrong way to start or continue a collection of Americana. In fact, you might often find yourself crossing into multiple collecting categories throughout the process. The 250th anniversary of our nation is also a great time to start a collection because it means that some items overlooked in the past are now gaining more recognition and value than ever before.

Different Eras in American History and Collectible Objects
If you’re interested specifically in commemorating one or more eras in American history, you aren’t alone. Many people opt to collect Colonial objects, for example. Others prefer to collect more modern items, such as those they remember from their childhoods or items their parents or grandparents might have used. Only you can decide what era you prefer. Just remember it’s easy to cross time periods without realizing it, and there’s nothing wrong with that. You could easily wind up with a mishmash of objects, but together they might tell an amazing story.

Types of Items to Focus On
You might prefer to start by focusing on a type of item instead of a time period. If so, start by picking something that calls out to you. Walk through an antiques shop or flea market and see what catches your eye. For many collectors, that answer is documents or paper ephemera. Pamphlets, tickets, letters, postcards, and more take preserving our American history to a whole other level. However, if that’s not your cup of tea you can try collectibles like:

• Cookware
• Furniture
• Tools and Farm Implements
• Regional Folk Art
• Wartime Collectibles
• Collectibles Related to American Anniversaries or Expositions
• Election Memorabilia
• Lanterns, Oil Lamps, Candlesticks Etc.
• Textiles

It’s always best to collect whatever items speak to you, but in the case of American history storytelling can be powerful. You should keep it in the back of your mind as you collect. Gravitating towards objects that tie together in some cohesive way can help your collection feel more complete and more powerful. You might even create a collection that feels complete sooner than you otherwise would, which is excellent if you only have a small space or a small budget.

Don’t Feel Limited to Early American History
One of the biggest traps you can fall into when collecting items that mark our history is focusing on the earliest history of our nation. Early American collectibles are fabulous, but they aren’t the only collectibles available. Far from it, in fact. The 1800s and 1900s brought huge industrial and postwar changes and a whole new pool of collectible objects to pick from.

One huge industry from that time period to consider is the railroad industry. Trains were vital parts of our American history. They helped us expand westward as a nation. Locomotives carried everything from passengers to medical supplies. Lanterns, pocket watches, and uniform badges are the tip of the iceberg as far as Railroad collectibles available today.

The late 1800s and the 1900s also saw a boom in advertising campaigns. Department stores were popping up everywhere, and their products and slogans needed visibility. General store items like product tins were and still are popular. Then there were items like posters, catalogs, and trade cards. Even store signs from that period are collectible today.

Another period to consider is the postwar era. Not long ago, items from the mid-1900s were considered too new to really qualify as collectibles. Now, enough time has passed that they are their own collectible niche. The war changed many American habits, as well as the materials people had access to during the conflict. Once it ended, even more changes took place. For example, there was a shift towards more plastic production, so now there are many plastic items from that time frame to collect. Early electronics and day-to-day household items from the time are also fun to collect now.

Developing a Collecting Strategy
The first step in any collecting strategy is deciding what to collect, as we’ve just discussed above. Next, you need to decide how to collect it. Your techniques are ultimately your own, but here are a few tips that might get you started:

Study your chosen American memorabilia niche. It doesn’t matter what it is, but it does matter that you understand it fully. That way you can learn to recognize fakes or reproductions. You might also start to find offshoot areas of interest to expand your collection.

Look online, but don’t live online. Online shopping is tempting because you have access to items all over the world, but be careful. Often, purchasing items in person is better and easier because you can inspect them. If you are buying online, be prepared to ask a lot of
questions and request a lot of pictures, if needed.

Along those same lines, always form friendships with locals who can help you. Those might be other collectors, auctioneers, shop owners, or flea market vendors. The more you network, the easier it will be to find the items you want.

Look for items with provenance and preserve it. Provenance, or the proven history of an item, is the story. Was it George Washington’s soup spoon? Did it come from Paul Revere’s house? Those types of connections are amazing. But even general provenance not connected to a major historical figure still adds to an item’s appeal.

Those are just some ideas. You can refine your own collecting strategy, but one thing any collecting strategy requires is patience. You’re not going to find every item you want in a day. Nor would you probably want to, since your weekly budget might be limited. If you are the type of person who likes to hunt for weekly flea market finds, great! You might enjoy collecting lots of small, inexpensive pieces. On the other hand, you might be looking for that one gem to be the crowning glory of your collecting. If so, take the weeks, months, or maybe even years to find just the right piece.

As far as condition goes, be aware of it, but don’t be too aware. The American growth experience has been busy and sometimes messy. The objects that commemorate it are allowed to reflect that. Objects that are too perfect are often repaired, restored, or reproductions. Wear adds the exact type of character most collectors of historical American objects want to see. Although, there are obviously limits. Some wear is not the same as catastrophic damage, which you may want to avoid when collecting.

American Historical Collectibles and Unending Questions
The best American historical collectibles are going to bring up a seemingly unending supply of questions. Most might never have answers. Yet, asking them is what brings history to life for all of us and keeps us interested in it. Where and when was the item made? How was it used? Who might have used it? What types of events has it witnessed, and what might it say about those events if it could talk? If an object makes you start thinking that way, it’s probably a great one to add to your collection.

Keep Your Eyes Open
You would be amazed at how many objects you might find in day-to-day life have historical significance for our country. It’s hard to predict exactly when and where you may stumble across them. Of course, there are all the obvious places like garages and attics. Then there are shops, flea markets, and online auctions, but don’t stop there. Never underestimate the value of yard saling, estate saling, or just going beyond your own attic and looking in your grandparents’ attic or the attic of another loved one. History is around every corner, as long as you keep your eyes open and look for it.

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Jessica Kosinski has been a freelance researcher and writer since 2001. She developed a passion for pre-1990s television and films as a child and she has never grown out of it. Recently, she turned that passion into a retro TV and film blog. Follow along with her at https://medium.com/@jkos_writing, as she dives deep into the characters, actors, quirks, and trivia that brought us some of the greatest films and shows in TV history and also discusses some of the more obscure films and shows most of us may have forgotten.