Collected: Living with the Things You Love

by Fritz Karch, Rebecca Robertson

In Collected, expert collectors and decorating experts Fritz Karch and Rebecca Robertson present a tour of peculiar, elegant, and awe-inspiring collections from around the world. The book teaches readers the basic principles of the hunt while exploring the thoughtful and inventive ways people display their various collections, from the accessible and affordable to the aspirational extreme. The featured collections range from dice to café au lait bowls to 19th-century-French sewing tools to sand from world travels—illustrating collections as expressions of personal style. From no frills (“The Modest”) to ornate (“The Exceptionalist”), Karch and Robertson examine the selected collections according to personality type. The book showcases 16 different collecting personalities, each with its own chapter, featuring gorgeous photo­graphs, vignettes showing how the objects are displayed, and a collecting lesson.

Genres: Nonfiction, Design, Art

352 pages, Hardcover

First published October 14, 2014

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming soon!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book with exquisite photos of people's collections that they live with daily. The collections are categorized into types (seasonalist, pragmatist, fantasist, naturalist, etc.) and each chapter has a two to three page description of the category. The collections range from the rare and expensive to the quirky and mundane. This is a fun book to look at and would be an interesting conversation piece on a coffee table.

That said, the title is a bit misleading. Though you do see photos of collections as they are presented in people's homes, the book itself isn't really a how-to-incorporate-a-collection-into-your-life sort of book. In some photos, it is easy to see how a nook is found above a door to house a pitcher collection or whathaveyou, but in many cases, the photos are so tight on the collection itself that there is no way to get a sense of how the owners are "living with it." Still, it is a joy to look at.

This book will appeal to those who are interested in the myriad objects that people collect and some unique ways they are displayed.

[Heather Alderman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great coffee-table book detailing different types of collectors and their unique ways of displaying these collections.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

A coffee table style book and a heavy one, but well worth a look. The authors have done a great job of showcasing and categorizing collections. While some of the collections are of items that we all are familiar with, many are of things that are very different. And collections in the Nature and Minimalist categories were very interesting. There's not a lot of copy in this book, it's definitely an adult picture book. And the photographs are truly beautiful. For a beginning collector, or anyone, actually, this book presents an overview of collecting and offers ideas on what others have deemed collectible and how they have showcased their collection.

[Roberta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me happy. It is a book to be savored. Don't rush through it. Take your time. Examine each photograph thoroughly. Look at the details of the various collections. It may remind you of something you used to collect. It may inspire you to start a collection. The Christmas tree on page 287 tickled me. I want a tree like that. This would make a perfect housewarming gift.

[Sharla · Rating 2 out of 5]

I left this coffee table book on the corner of my kitchen table, planning to read it while I was cooking supper and such. Given that it took me nearly five months to finish it, I think I did not find it terribly interesting. Some of the photography is was interesting, but the accompanying captions were often written in complicated, overwrought language.

[Julie Waldman · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a coffee-table book that's actually readable, and a lot of fun. amazing stuff that people collect, and some surprising ways to display the collections. worth looking for at your local library!

[Rissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully curated collection of collections. I loved the organization by theme.

[Manny Villa]

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[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so much fun! Collections that I never could have imagined are so artfully displayed. A few collections were totally unfamiliar to me. This edition gives numerous ideas for displaying all those things you may have been collecting over the years and had no idea how to display them for the greatest impact and enjoyment. This is a must for the book collector on your gift giving list.

[Redgie · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEAUTIFUL!!
I want ALL THE THINGSSSSSS

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of great photos of collections- plus lots of little tidbits about the wide variety of items. Makes me want to go hunting for more lab glass tomorrow!

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me want to add to/begin more collections. Trying to hold back!

[Brette Sember · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was fascinating to see the categories of collectors Karch designates - and to find that I fall into several. I enjoyed looking at the collections and the way they are displayed in this book.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. It's a fascinating read on why people collect what they collect and how they display it. The authors used to work for Martha Stewart, so visually, it's a beautiful book.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

a book to go back to--so much fun to look at! there are collections of everything.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved flipping thru this book. I love seeing colorful collections. My favorite sections were the colorist (Converse, Cathrinholm, Pyrex!) and the seasonal section, but all of it was fun!

[Susan's Sweat Smells Like Literature · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and fun book about collections, organized by types of collectors: minimalist, maximalist, miniaturists and many more... Will you recognize yourself?

[Joan Arbogast · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delights the eyes!

[Karen]

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