{"id":361,"date":"2014-06-19T21:04:46","date_gmt":"2014-06-20T02:04:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/?p=361"},"modified":"2014-06-19T21:04:46","modified_gmt":"2014-06-20T02:04:46","slug":"june-18-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/june-18-2014\/","title":{"rendered":"June 18, 2014"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I&#8217;ve never been one of those people who collect things in a serious way. I&#8217;ve accumulated some cobalt glass and a couple of dozen vintage plastic bracelets, but that&#8217;s nothing compared to real collectors. I&#8217;ve got friends with substantial collections of particular kinds of books or jewelry, pencils, vintage photos, marbles, cameras and radios\u2014even, in some cases, so many different things that they&#8217;ve basically got a collection <em>of<\/em> collections. <\/p>\n<p>I didn&#8217;t grow up in a collecting family, unless having a zillion books counts. After I left home my mother started collecting decorative birds\u2014little clay or ceramic ones, bird paperweights, bird whistles\u2014along with alphabet books and stuff printed by William Morris. And she and my father collected art. But as much as I love to accumulate things like clothes, I was never interested in doing it in a systematic fashion. Until I started buying vintage purses.<\/p>\n<p>It started when I realized that I could find nicer purses on ebay than I could in stores, or at least more affordable nice ones. I began with a couple of vintage alligator bags, not in very good shape but kind of fun to have. I looked casually around the web to see what else was out there and found a vintage purse in an interesting shape, covered with taupe fabric:<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_taupebag_300x225.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-369 aligncenter\" alt=\"copyright2014LauraStempel_taupebag_300x225\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_taupebag_300x225.jpg?resize=233%2C119\" width=\"233\" height=\"119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_taupebag_300x225.jpg?w=233&amp;ssl=1 233w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_taupebag_300x225.jpg?resize=150%2C76&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 233px) 100vw, 233px\" \/><\/a>and I bought a couple of beaded bags because they were pretty. Then I remembered that I had my maternal grandmother&#8217;s mesh evening bag:<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_meshbag_300x225.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-370 aligncenter\" alt=\"copyright2014LauraStempel_meshbag_300x225\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_meshbag_300x225.jpg?resize=142%2C300\" width=\"142\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_meshbag_300x225.jpg?resize=142%2C300&amp;ssl=1 142w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_meshbag_300x225.jpg?resize=71%2C150&amp;ssl=1 71w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_meshbag_300x225.jpg?resize=487%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 487w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_meshbag_300x225.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=142%2C300 284w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_meshbag_300x225.jpg?zoom=3&amp;resize=142%2C300 426w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 142px) 100vw, 142px\" \/><\/a>And then I went to Paris on vacation and bought a really beautiful beaded bag that I knew I&#8217;d never actually use:<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_Frenchbeadedbag_300x225.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-368 aligncenter\" alt=\"copyright2014LauraStempel_Frenchbeadedbag_300x225\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_Frenchbeadedbag_300x225.jpg?resize=249%2C300\" width=\"249\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_Frenchbeadedbag_300x225.jpg?resize=249%2C300&amp;ssl=1 249w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_Frenchbeadedbag_300x225.jpg?resize=124%2C150&amp;ssl=1 124w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_Frenchbeadedbag_300x225.jpg?w=293&amp;ssl=1 293w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 249px) 100vw, 249px\" \/><\/a>I started browsing ebay more seriously, finding particular styles and brands I liked, and the next thing I knew, I needed a display cabinet:<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_displaycase_300x225.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-366 aligncenter\" alt=\"copyright2014LauraStempel_displaycase_300x225\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempel_displaycase_300x225.jpg?resize=95%2C300\" width=\"95\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a>The last time I counted, I had more than 140 purses.<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38\" alt=\"orangeB15\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/orangeB15.gif?resize=15%2C15\" width=\"15\" height=\"15\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Next:<\/strong> <strong>What do you do with 140 purses (besides putting them in a display case)?<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempe_Rosemary-with-purses_300x225.jpg.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-378 aligncenter\" alt=\"copyright2014LauraStempe_Rosemary with purses_300x225.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempe_Rosemary-with-purses_300x225.jpg.jpg?resize=300%2C127\" width=\"300\" height=\"127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempe_Rosemary-with-purses_300x225.jpg.jpg?resize=300%2C127&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempe_Rosemary-with-purses_300x225.jpg.jpg?resize=150%2C63&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempe_Rosemary-with-purses_300x225.jpg.jpg?resize=1024%2C435&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempe_Rosemary-with-purses_300x225.jpg.jpg?resize=500%2C212&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempe_Rosemary-with-purses_300x225.jpg.jpg?w=1168 1168w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/copyright2014LauraStempe_Rosemary-with-purses_300x225.jpg.jpg?w=1752 1752w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I&#8217;ve never been one of those people who collect things in a serious way. I&#8217;ve accumulated some cobalt glass and a couple of dozen vintage plastic bracelets, but that&#8217;s nothing compared to real collectors. I&#8217;ve got friends with substantial collections &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/june-18-2014\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-361","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=361"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":392,"href":"https:\/\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361\/revisions\/392"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=361"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=361"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.laurastempel.com\/matchorclash\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}