Something for Everyone

Americans are a nation of joiners, and with the recent Beenie Babies craze, it’s clear we are also a nation of collectors. But those devoted to the cushy toys are only the tip of the iceberg.

If you treasure old appliances, collect beer cans, are thrilled by hatpins, thimbles and citrus labels or just love sand, there is a collectors group for you--from the Valley through Ventura County.

*

Old Appliance Club, P.O. Box 65, Ventura 93002; (805) 643-3532. E-mail: jes@west.net.

Founded in 1994 by Jack Santoro, the 5,000 members worldwide are historians, collectors and dealers who realize that old is often better when it comes to appliances. Santoro was in the moving and storage business 25 years ago and as a favor, fixed an old stove that was being stored. A new career was born. Today he is the No. 1 antique appliance restorer in the country, receiving requests by phone and mail from around the world.

“I always solve the problem,” he says proudly. “It’s not if it can be fixed, but when.” His advice for those who don’t love their old appliances: “Don’t throw stuff away. It can be worth something. Parts alone are valuable.” How valuable? One stove given to one member by another because he didn’t have room for it was worth between $10,000 and $12,000 after restoration.

It costs $18 to join the club, and members are entitled to a free consultation and free estimate of the value of the appliance. Four times a year they also receive the “Old Road Home” newsletter. Subgroups have spun off for people interested exclusively in toasters and mixers.

Before the 1994 Northridge earthquake, Santoro had 150 vintage refrigerators on the floor in one of his warehouses. He couldn’t keep them in stock because there was such demand. But when the building collapsed, he decided to work via mail order and now has 15 subcontractors all over the country doing repairs.

Many appliance collectors use their old appliances, and even people who are not collectors are in the market for old stuff. “The wealthiest people are buying older equipment because they say it holds up better,” he says, noting that virgin steel and virgin iron were used.

Besides using good materials, some of the older manufacturers were creative. Santoro knows of a 1929 gas stove that had a refrigerator attached; and also from that era, a stove with a pullout dishwasher.

By sending a size 10 stamped, self-addressed envelope, you can receive a free antique appliance buyers guide, “Keepers Versus Clunkers.”

*

International Sand Collectors Society, P.O. Box 117, North Haven, CT 06473-0117. E-mail: iscs@juno.com.

Everything you ever wanted to know about sand can be your reward when you join 140 members (seven in the Southland, including one in Newbury Park) in 14 countries.

The director, Nicholas D’Errico, has been a collector for 25 years has 8,000 types of sand in vials at his Connecticut home. Members range in age from 6 to 86, many being teachers. The group was founded in 1969 by engineer William Diefenbach, who died two years ago. The newsletter is aptly called, “The Sandpaper” and the last issue was 10 pages because there is so much to say about sand.

According to D’Errico, “It’s a great hobby that anyone can do. There’s no money involved because the sand can be kept in film containers, Baggies or seashells, and members trade sand. It still excites me after 25 years. The people are so interesting.”

*

Teddy and Me, contact Marlene Thomas; (818) 597-9007.

This group for those who collect teddy bears has 90 members from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles. Meetings are held the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6:15 p.m. at Thousand Oaks Inn. Members raise money to donate bears to help children in traumatic situations. Some members have thousands of bears in their collections.

*

The Bear Club, contact Sandy Mercer; (818) 907-6638.

This 70-member group is based in the Burbank area and holds dinner meetings at various locations in the area the first Wednesday of the month. One member, Barbara King, designs bears for Annette Funicello, sold on QVC cable shopping channel.

*

Southern California Thimble Collectors, contact Marian Lipsius; (818) 352-6413.

The 75 members meet six times a year (July, September, November, January, March and May) on the third Saturday of the month at Odd Fellows Hall, 520 E. Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale, at 9:15 a.m. President Tricia Sinclair says some members have thousands of thimbles from around the world. Thimbles are made of many types of material including silver, gold, platinum, porcelain and enamel. The earliest are made of rock and were used with fish-bone needles to sew animal skins.

*

Hat Pin Society of America, P.O. Box 1009, Bonners Ferry, ID 83805.

The group, which now has 500 members from around the world dedicated to the notion that hatpins and hatpin holders are works of art, was founded 17 years ago by the late Lillian Baker of Gardena.

She had a collection of hundreds and wrote the Encyclopedia of Hat Pins. Use of the hatpin began 100 years ago, and several manufacturers produced them. They created varied and valuable pins, such as ones by Lalique.

Members believe the hatpin and hatpin holder offer a social history of the last 100 years. A yearly convention is held.

*

Beer Can Collectors of America, 747 Merus Court, Fenton, MO 63026.

Founded in 1970, this group has 109 local chapters with more than 4,000 members worldwide--some in this area. They collect opened and unopened beer cans. Collections are culled from the more than 2,500 brands of beer that have come into existence in this country since 1935. Some companies changed can styles almost every year. Member Henry Herbst had 2,000 cans displayed on shelves in his home. Some members claim to have up to 9,000 cans.

The head of the local Golden State chapter, Jodey Schultz, collects colorful old beer advertisements, which were often done by prominent artists. He has hundreds of items, including figurines.

Schultz says serious collectors specialize in cans from breweries no longer in existence. Condition of the can is a primary factor. Some members also collect labels, bottle caps and openers. The first annual Beer Can Trade Show will be Oct. 4 at El Segundo Women’s Club. Contact Dan Andrews, (310) 541-5149 for show information.

*

Citrus Label Society, contact Noel Gilbert; (714) 871-2864.

The club has 234 members in various locales including the Valley. Meetings are held Saturday a month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a quarterly meeting always held--appropriately--at Sunkist Growers Inc. headquarters, 14130 Riverside Drive, Sherman Oaks.

Club secretary Noel Gilbert says 10,000 labels, first put on crates in 1895, continued to be used until 1955 when the fruit began to be shipped in boxes. Gilbert has more than 1,000 labels and says they show the development of Southern California lithography.

And for those who have been putting off joining a group, here’s one:

*

Procrastinators Club of America Inc: P.O. Box 712, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009; (215) 947-9020.

Most of the 5,100 members are professional people who share the belief that anything worth doing is worth putting off. They met with great success in 1966 to protest the War of 1812. Awards are given to horses that finish last.

Annual activities include a Christmas party in June and a Fourth of July picnic in January. To all true procrastinators, President Les Waas has these words of encouragement: “We as the Procrastinators Club are behind you all the way.”