This is an old favourite, I love everything about this teapot. 

 

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I found a great Flickr site on the weekend, created to record Australian pottery marks. I've already uploaded a couple of images. The resource is  fantastic if you like to browse for unusual pieces.

BASIC BUIDE TO BOOK COLLECTING

Just found a really useful link on Abe Books UK about book collecting. I haven't read it all :), yet, but it is really well organized, good sections and subheadings.

The sections seem logical and the ones I perused provided useful information. Might be worth a look if you are a book collecting.

Bikkie Barrels

It must be because of the holiday season and present giving but my thoughts have been going to Biscuit Barrels a lot lately.

I wouldn't like to count the number my mother received over the years. I can remember most families having a couple of barrels but there was always one special one.  A family favourite of ours was a French Chef with a great smile, and he held lollies not biscuits so he was especially popular when grandchildren visited.

Watch our Facebook Site for regular deals and specials in 2012. 
Biscuit Barrels may be on the list early in the year!

Are They Collectible?

They are of course very collectible, weather they be biscuit tins, china barells or even the odd plastic one.  Ones associated with events or special memories are always popular and a reasonably safe collectible item, provided they are a bit unique. Humpty Dumpty, tins with lids recalling specific sporting, cultural or historical events are worth looking out for.

If you are just starting out, and don't want to spend a lot of money, look out for products like Weekbix, Marmite, Tim Tams  ... you can build up an interesting collection of tins and make a great display. Just make sure they are not replicas - you will usually get best returns from orginal product storage containers.

Some thoughts about choosing items: 
1. Brands are important. Company's spend a great deal of their marketing  budget in making their brand respected and remembered. 
2. Their work pays off for collectors as well. Especially if the company is no longer in existence, or changed their product range.
3. Look for pieces that are either typical or atypical of an era, consumer sentiment at the time of production or the material used in construction.
4. Create sets - either in size, colour, range, years available. Contrasting or ranges of colours are OK as sets.