Collectors / Collecting / Collectibles

Great New Gifts & Collectibles Website

2008-10-17T08:10:00.000-07:00

PRESS RELEASE

We are pleased to announce the Grand Opening of a GREAT new online Gifts & Collectibles store filled with authentic Collectibles, Memorabilia, Art, Antiques, Vintage items, Pottery, Furnishings, Decor, Vehicles and much more: COLLECTIBLES and MORE in STORE - your one stop online shop open 24/7 for your convenience, offering a wide range & variety of items to choose from. C.A.M.I.S. specializes in movie, television, comic book and cartoon character themed Gifts, Collectibles, Art and Memorabilia, including animation art (cels), figurines, plates, dolls, bobble heads, plush/stuffed characters, toys, games, books, ceramic novelties, and decor. C.A.M.I.S. also offers a large selection of vintage items including vintage clothing, handbags & purses, fashion accessories (gloves, scarves, eyeglass/sunglass cases, etc), electronics, records, coca-cola brand products, and even a rare restored classic car. COLLECTIBLES and MORE in STORE also sells military memorabilia, musical instruments & sheet music, and an eye-catching custom Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

While browsing the COLLECTIBLES and MORE in STORE website, you can unwind on the "Fun Page" playing games, watching videos, listening to podcasts, creating & sending online greeting cards, reading daily horoscopes, and yes, more...

In addition, you can post your own items for sale (or trade) on the C.A.M.I.S. Classifieds page and post links to websites you think the rest of us should know about on the C.A.M.I.S. Post-a-Link page. Before leaving the C.A.M.I.S. site, take a minute to JOIN the COLLECTIBLES and MORE in STORE mailing list so you can receive monthly updates on newly listed products.

Enjoy your shopping experience at the collectibles store with more!
COLLECTIBLES ... and MORE ... in STORE ...

Why Collect Collectibles?

2008-10-17T07:04:00.000-07:00

Collectibles, collecting and memorabilia have become a favorite hobby of millions of Americans and people throughout the world. For many collectors, the desire to collect began when we were kids, either because the love of collecting was encouraged by our parents or simply because we discovered something that fascinated us and wished to learn more about it. In the U.S., stamp collecting, coin collecting, rock and mineral collecting, insect collecting — especially butterfly collecting — and, of course, collecting marbles, baseball cards and comic books for the boys and dolls and doll house miniatures for the girls may have been how today’s adults got started as collectors. In some cases what began as a hobby evolved to become a passion or even a career in theme collectibles or memorabilia.

In this age of mass marketing, collectibles and memorabilia have fired the imaginations of marketers and businessmen. Today our kids collect, in addition to those collectibles we grew up with, such things as Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars, trading cards of all types, and toys and memorabilia from their favorite books and movies such as Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Star Wars. Adults, wondering what the next craze for their kids will be as they reminisce about their own youth, have turned to era-collectibles which range from thimbles to model trains to vintage cars.

While collectibles and memorabilia have become big business, true collectors pursue collecting not because they perceive monetary reward, but because they enjoy the art, activity and creativity of collecting. Most often, collectibles and memorabilia are acquired for decorative purposes or because the collector has a personal passion relating to a theme around which his or her collecting revolves.

Collecting is a great way to meet other people with interests similar to your own. Should you develop a serious yen to further your penchant for collecting, you may wish to join a collecting club, attend shows, or converse with fellow collectors via email or chat rooms on the internet. On the other hand, you may simply be a casual collector looking for a unique t-shirt to wear to a picnic or a figurine to place in your curio cabinet.

Collecting: a Hobby or a Habbit?

2008-09-27T06:37:00.000-07:00

I have been a Collector for over 30 years. It all began with a die-cast 1967 Mustang by Hot Wheels that was given to me when I turned 8. It was so cool. I already had a keen interest in real sport and muscle cars. My Uncle let me work on cars in his garage with him as early as I can remember. Since I wasn't old enough to drive yet, Hot Wheels were the next best thing and I traded, bought, and pushed for a different one every chance I got. Today I own over 20,000 Hot Wheels. Of course being a young boy I naturally also started collecting Matchbox cars, baseball cards, marbles, coins, stamps, comic books and baseball caps. My collecting fever kept get hotter and I added candy and bubble gum dispensers, tins, magnets, wind-up toys, action figures and bobble heads. When I reached my teens and got closer to driving age, I added larger scale vehicle replicas to my car collections and started accumulating bicycles and magazines. Next on my collector's list were items based on famous celebrities (Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, James Dean), movies (i.e. Wizard Of Oz), TV shows (I Love Lucy, 3 Stooges, Little Rascals), and fun household name-brand merchandise (Coca-Cola, M&M's).

Once I started working and I had to start doing the buying on my own, I expanded my collections to include anything genuinely antique or vintage (i.e. gramophone, vinyl records, books, telephones, advertisement displays, clocks, light fixtures, pinball machines, slot machines, arcade games, vending units)with the justification that not only would I get enjoyment out of them, but also that they were an investment (since I was advised they would increase in value over time). When Ty Beanie Babies first hit the scene I jumped on board and started collected them as well. When I hit 30, I started collecting skulls and more adult type items such as watches, knives, lighters, cameras, NASCAR branded jackets, autographed sports memorabilia, and signed production cels and limited edition figurines, in addition to paintings, guns, swords, mugs, and neon signs.

Throughout my years of gathering merchandise, I've unconsciously made "collecting" a habit and have an large, unnecessary amount of less significant items (i.e. slippers, vacuums, keys, radios, door knobs, ashtrays, bar stools, chimes, unactivated gift cards, etc.) and I created a museum of hardware and other equipment. I can't seem to bring myself to get rid of anything. About a year ago my friends started making fun of the fact that I even accumulated a large collection of vacuums, keys, pet dishes, slippers, and the list goes on and on and on – its never ending. After it was necessary to add-on to my home (which also meant adding to my hardware and power tools collections) just to house all this stuff. I finally realize it is time to start sharing my collections with others before I run myself out of house and home. Visit my online Gifts & Collectibles store at: www.CollectiblesAndMoreInStore.com