Entertainment Centers used as collector's displays? Impossible!

Dear Sts friends:

Well, I've done it, I've solved the problem of displaying my collection. See, I went to the local goodwill tonight, and found, of all things, a huge entertainment center. Now, you're probably wondering, what would a collector of plastic figures do with an entertainment center? Well, here's one use, display your collection of figures on it. The entertainment center that I purchased is a set of two cabinets, one with glass doors, the other with huge shelves. The one with glass doors is sort of narrow, but it might still work. Anyway, that's only part of the news, the other half is that I found at a tractor store (I don't know the store's actual name, so that's what I'll call it for now), a Schleich Tortoise 14824. This one was on my list, so It was quite a find. As for other news, well, there's really mot much more to tell, except that I'm making another online order this week, so we'll see what that holds. In the meantime, if anyone has anything to say about this topic, and these great finds, then please reply.

Aschuck

I wish to see your animals on the center displays soon.

Congratulations.

Sounds like a wonderful find, even if I am not sure what an entertainment center is
It is such a pleasure to arrange the models.
Are the there enough space between the shelves to show your biggest AAA models ?

I think that we are many who wished we could have lots and lots of nice cabinets to display our models

Dear Sts friends:

Yes, my AAA Iguana figure 22221 fits nicely on one of the topmost shelves. Also, the center got moved in to my apartment today, so I was telling stories all afternoon. As far as a definition of an entertainment center goes, it's just an enormous cabinet, or cabinets, where a person would put a TV or stereo, or radio, or game system. That's the best explanation I can give you all for now. Also, if anyone likes, I can show you a picture sometime of my display set up, if you want. Would you like that? I'm not sure when the picture will be taken, but in the meantime, I'll just keep collecting. If you want, I can even (well, maybe), send you all a video of my display. I might have to get some help for that though. And yes, it's true, I told stories with my figures all afternoon. The problem is that not all of them will fit on the shelves that I have. So, at this point, well, what do you do? I don't know, try and find more shelves? Like I said, I don't know. Well, if there's any other news, then I'll let you all know.

Aschuck

P.S. The Schleich Tortoise for this year is really a great figure. Then again, that's just my opinion.

I would love to see your display. And as for the extras, more cabinets or shelves you can hang on the wall? I use both.

I would love to see pictures and/or video, too

Yes, - more shelves, and I gave all my novels away to get room for models .....and when there is not room for more shelves, I began to fit boxes of models in everywhere, so there went the guest room

Here is the sort of wall shelf that doesn't take up much room, and works well. Sorry for the bad lighting and picture.

Aschuck, my entire collection is presented on adapted bookcases! All I do is cut extra shelves and drill extra holes for the pins. In total I have 9 with about 9 shelves apiece, and a handful of wall hanging shelves. I have thought about doing something similar for my breyers in an entertainment center for display, but haven't done it yet. I would love to see photos!

Kelly your display of goldfishes is beautiful, I love it!

Nice display of goldfish!

Very nice wall shelf , it salves a lot of space.

Thanks everyone, I wish the rest of my collection had the care taken with it I used on the goldfish there. Time is limited, and things have a tendency to get tossed wherever and clump up- and get dusty. But these little wall shelves (I have 2, both thrift store finds I think they're pretty old) are some of the best displays- compact and neat, and small enough to prevent clumping. I have a few other wall shelves, little mini vintage glassed in cabinets that can also be placed on a surface like a dresser to expand your display space. Sitting empty in a closet for now...

But seriously, Aschuck, prowl the thrift stores and keep an open mind. Here is a CD corner rack (that's what the thrift store described it as) with adjustable shelves that was only $8.
First I must apologize for the clumping and disarray, I will have a week off one day I hope and be able to clean and arrange things. Things tend to end up displayed 1st come 1st serve, no real order. I aspire to be able to set them all up like the little goldies.


The tops of cabinets are also usable space... including china cabinets and entertainment centers



And don't forget windowsills and surfaces like the top of the toilet!



Also you can arrange smaller pieces in front of books on a bookshelf.

Dear Sts Friends:

Hey, thanks for all the advice, but I think I'll just keep my eyes open for now for things at thrift stores and the like. Good ideas, though. Yes, I will show you all pictures, when everything's set up. Also, I found in my AAA inventory a AAA baby alligator. He's in the portrait box as we speak, and so I might keep that one.

As for anything else, still waiting on more orders from ebay. Hopefully they'll come soon.

That's the news for now, so I'll post when there's more.

Aschuck

Dear Sts Friends:

Hi. Today I was looking at my shelves and my collection, and thinking that if I organized the shelves by brand, then things would be a lot easier for me. Anyway, here are my reasons for organizing by brand:

1. If you get a figure from a specific brand, then you can just put it on the appropriate shelf.

2. If you organize by brand, sure the shelves are more crowded, but it's easier to find things from a specific brand.

3. If you organize by brand, then be sure to calculate just how many shelves are to be used for each of the brands that you collect.

There, that's the list. Sorry it's short, I didn't have many reasons. Anyway, I hope, for the sake of other collectors like myself, that this list gives you some idea of what I'm thinking of doing. Anyway, I guess it's all up to me now. I went to hobby Lobby today, and bought about 5 mojo figures. As for other news, well, I've started a list of all the figures that I have. The list itself is in a word document, and this is how it works:

It isn't really a table, although you can think of it like that, if you like. Each entry on the list starts with the animal name, then the brand of who made that figure, or figures, in some cases, and then there's the figure's item number. That list is always a good reference for me, because when I get something new, then I can add it to the list of things that I already have in my collection. Also, has anyone else made a list like this? Just wondering. Anyway, the animal names aren't exactly the ones used on Taw, but they're close. Also, the list is alphabetical, so it's really easy to find things. The name of this list is the Collector's Reference Guide. I have another list which is figures I want. This list is currently under construction, as I don't know all the figures I'm looking for.

Well, that's the news from my side, so I'll post if there's more.

See you round,

Aschuck

Dear Sts Friends:

Today, I went to my grandma's house, because she had some stuff she wanted to get rid of. Among the things, there was a bookcase, which I now have in my apartment, thanks to my dad, and what is happening with the bookcase? Well, it'll be used as a collection display. Unfortunately, even though I have all this shelf space, I'm just not sure how to organize it all. I know for a fact that the mythical creatures and prehistoric creatures aren't going on display yet. So that just leaves the animals. Yeah, this organizing thingy is easier said than done. Anyway, getting this bookcase was really great news for my collection. Maybe someday I'll get all this organizing figured out, but for now, I'll just do the best that I can.

Aschuck

P.S. If I get my display up, would you like to see it sometime?

You said some true words : "Organizing thingy is easier said than done "
To you it must be an extra challenge, but as on of my old collegues always said : If you do not start, you will never finish .

Putting the models up by brands is a very good way, I agree !
Others like it in other ways, and that is fine too, of course.
I like to have some shelves by brand, but I also have some mixed by both brands and species

Yes, yes, I would love to see your display when you get it up

Dear Sts friends:

Well, I must say that arranging things by brand is going quite well. The glass doored cabinet thingy part of my display is dedicated to prehistoric figures. There's also a shelf dedicated to mojo and another to papo. Anyway, you get the idea. I haven't organized my safari animals yet, because the bookcase from my grandma has to be moved in to the room that houses the other displayed figures. This room I call the storytelling room. It's a small room in my apartment, but I've managed to fit some furniture in there. In the glass cabinet, I have shelves of safari, AAA Papo, and mojo prehistoric figures. I'm having trouble figuring out just where to put the Schleich prehistoric figures. The papo and mojo ones are together on a shelf, because I have so few of them. As for other collecting news, Mom and I ordered from the Schleich website tonight. We ordered five schleich things for my collection. They are as follows:

Tortoise Home 42506.

Flower House 42445.

Elf parlor 42186.

Movie Ophira 70711.

and the Hell hound 42451.

Anyway, that's what we ordered, so I'm very excited about getting these. Well, that's the news for now, so I'll post if there's more.

Aschuck

Hurraay !!! So great that your arranging is moving fast forward

And it seems that you are waiting for some great, new Schleich too

If you get so many that you can not display them all at the same time, maybe you have to do as some of us do : Keep some boxes of models ( for example under the bed) and then exchange the displays now and then