What got you started collecting villages?I had been buying DV pieces for my BIL & a cousin as gifts, but never any for myself because we lived in a very small apt in NYC. I always said that someday, when we moved into a house, I would start my own village. That day came & did I go crazy!! Someone told me about a store that was going out of business & the village pieces were being marked down weekly. By the time they closed, I had 16 bldgs & a bunch of accessories & didn't pay full price for any of them. That was it, I was hooked for life! Now I'm in a bigger house & thinking about a permanent CIC (Christmas in the City) display.
How many years have you been collecting?
I started in '96 with my 1st 2 bldgs...Grand Central Terminal from CIC (for my DH who was a NYC Transit Cop & Grand Central was his post for many years) & North Pole (for my 4 yr old son, had to get a train station just like daddy for him too). When D56 started Time to Celebrate, I became consultant #80 in it's 2nd mth of operation & stayed until the bitter end (sigh). That started me on SVH (Snow Village Halloween) because I had to get other pieces to go with Boo Mansion. 2 yrs ago, DS decided he wanted to start SV (The Original Snow Village) & Ebay became my "best friend". I'm done with NP (North Pole) now, have pretty much stopped with SVH, but CIC & SV are still active.
What is your favorite D56 series?
CIC without a doubt! I have mostly all of the New York City pieces & it's my largest village.
How many displays do you build per year?
I just put my summer vignette away. Working on my Halloween displays now. Will have a permanent CIC NY Yankees vignette in my "Yankee Room" soon. I do an Easter vignette & have alot of D56/TTC Easter & spring items & then there's Christmas!
Do you keep a list of all your pieces that you own?
Yes. Right now they are in a notebook & a Greenbook. Maybe I'll get them on the computer someday.
What's the latest piece you've bought?
Back in April at MAVG in the silent auction. I got the CIC Brokerage House signed by Judith Price & her husband.
How many people have you turned on to D56 collecting?
My older brother started NEV (New England Village) to go with his lighthouses.
Do you keep track of values of the pieces or not?
Yes. I do mark what the MRP (Manufacturer Retail Price) is & what I paid in my list...most of the time.
What else do you collect?
Let's see...C.Radko Halloween, Christmas & Easter ornaments, mostly his Shiny Brite collection & his Sparkletown Houses (yes, another village!) Baseball memorabilia...I have small collections of Hummels, Thomas Clark Gnomes, Wee Forrest Folk mice, Lenox & Belleek...whatever sticks my fancy.
What's the most unique display you''ve ever built?
My Summer vignette was done in & around a picnic basket.
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