Stocking stuffers collectors will cherish
NEW YORK – If you’re like most folks, buying stocking stuffers is difficult. Choosing a regular gift is one thing but if one procrastinates, it can be challenging to find just the right mini-gift to slip inside a stocking that has been “hung by the chimney with care.” Running out to the local pharmacy at the last minute to buy notions and smalls doesn’t often make for a thoughtful gift. But small antique or vintage objects offer endless options.Many collecting genres inherently include small objects that lend themselves well to being a stuffer, such as coins, toys and ephemera, to mention a few. Among coins, Morgan dollars are popular and can be found for about $100, while commemorative and trade coins are also a good buy. You can even pick up an ancient coin such as the one pictured here for around $100. For militaria collectors, stuffer ideas include medals, ribbons and historical photographs of soldiers in uniform.
For those who are perennially young at heart, options include vintage marbles, toy soldiers and action figures. For gamers, vintage Atari or early Nintendo cartridges have great nostalgic appeal. Trading cards, from sports to Pokemon, are also great as stuffers.
Besides trading cards, stuffer ideas for sporting enthusiasts are also varied. Equestrians might like a fine pair of Bohlin silver spurs, while golfers would enjoy a pair of figural bookends of golfers putting, or a Waterford golf club head to display. Vintage tackle and lures could be the catch of the day for the fisherman on your list.
For oenophiles, corkscrews, especially rare figural examples, are a great choice. Bottle openers come in a variety of mediums and forms to suit all tastes. Art Deco cocktail shakers or perhaps a whimsical slot glass are also bound to please.
Clay art in miniature form makes for darling stocking stuffers. “Serious potters, from George Ohr to Auguste Delaherche, made miniatures as part of their discipline,” said David Rago of Rago Auctions, noting that Delaherche used matchsticks to finish the necks of diminutive pots and vases he threw. “They take at least as much, if not more, proficiency to make a perfect pot that would fit in the palm of your hand. In fact, two or three could fit there.” Delaherche miniatures range from around $300 to $500, whereas Ohr’s tiny jugs have brought $1,000 depending on the image.
For the men on your shopping list, there are plenty of small “mantiques” for the office at home or car. Pocketknives range from the ubiquitous red Swiss Army knife to highly ornate ones with multiple blades and decorative exteriors.
If he is an avid traveler, perhaps consider a compass or framed vintage postcard from his favorite travel destination. Shaving and beard/mustache grooming is big business today, and those who forego electric razors might enjoy an antique shaving mug. There are occupational porcelain shaving mugs displaying a variety of jobs, from firefighter to lawyer, as well as ones with sporting/leisure themes, from baseball to billiards. Sometimes an object can find new purpose beyond its original intent, such as a vintage Gucci ashtray that could be used to hold a pair of cufflinks or a set of keys.
Not all women are enamored with jewelry but for many, this can be an easy category to explore when looking for stuffers. From fun costume pieces to elegant estate jewelry, you can go big and bold or understated and classic. A chunky necklace, a statement ring and a dangly pair of earrings are all affordable choices. Hermes silk scarves are the perfect accent piece for an outfit, and while some are pricey, there are many vintage designs that would cost less than $200 each.
For the baker or chef on your list, stuffer ideas are endless. Modern plastic cookie cutters can’t hold a candle to antique and vintage versions. You can find every kind of cutter, with the end results they produce being sweet treats shaped as stars, birds, horses or other forms. Antique kitchen tools are also handy and amusing as display pieces.
Stuffers that have an extra personal touch mean even more. Pam Stone of the Benefit Shop Foundation said her favorite stocking stuffer is one she loves and keeps out all year long. “My sister gave me a beautiful antique sterling silver frame with enamel, rhinestones and crystal. She put a picture of our Mom in it from her wedding day,” she said.
Deirdre Pook Magarelli of Pook & Pook said her favorites are glass insulators. “They aren’t particularly valuable or uncommon but I started collecting them when I was 12 and I now have a bay window filled with them,” she said. “Every year for Christmas my husband scours auctions in search of ones he thinks are different or unique in shape, color or maker. They are one of my favorite things to unwrap on Christmas morning.”
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