VintageGriffin.com

SERIES: 10 Things I Would Do Differently If I Started Collecting Today -

Jonthan Walford,
Kickshaw Productions

This is an entry in an ongoing series. We're asking a range of vintage and antique clothing collectors what they would do differently if they began their collecting journeys today. Our experiences can make us better collectors and caretakers.



1) I would keep records of where and from whom I got everything and how much I paid or traded for it or whether it was a gift. It's amazing how you can forget the origin and prices after a few years! I would tag EVERY item in my collection when it comes in with a number, like a museum, and keep all the relevant records, bills, images, etc. in files associated with each garment. It doesn't have to be complicated but things like the original bills of sale, dry cleaning receipts with dates, photos of the original wearer in the dress, oral histories of who owned the item, invitations for weddings where I have the wedding dress etc. seem to get scattered about in numerous files awaiting a central filing location.