For over 25 years I was a trivet collector without a national group to represent me. Although I was the Leader of a prosperous Internet Trivet Group with over 250 cyber members, I longed for real world interactions with other collectors.

By chance, in 2003 I learned of and joined the Midwest Sad Iron Collectors Club, a national group for Iron & Trivet collectors. For several years I kept up with the MSICC activities through their quarterly Newsletter, but I never quite got around to attending their yearly Convention.

To make a long story short, in 2007 our daughter moved to Cincinnati- so my husband and I made the decision to travel to Indianapolis that August for the MSICC Iron Auction and Convention. We squeezed in a day visit to Mary before returning home.

We had such a wonderful time in 2007 that I attended again this year (2008) when it was held in Kansas City! Now my future plans will always include attending the Annual Convention.

Why is meeting, networking and socializing with other collectors so important? Because it inspires and energizes us as collectors! It gives us the opportunity to share our knowledge, while learning more about the hobby we love. And it provides the opportunity for Buy/Sell/Trade activities, which is especially important to specialized collectors who appreciate the chance to deal directly with others who understand the history, rarity and value of their items.

So … seek out and join an organization that addresses your collecting interest!

If you are interested in Trivets, Irons or other Laundry Day Collectibles, you would benefit from joining Pressing Iron & Trivet Collectors of America (formerly the MSICC; the name was changed in August 2008 to better reflect the demographics and interests of the members). For more information, contact PITCA.

Lynn Rosack is a Worthologist who specializes in trivets and kitchenalia

Everybody loves the circus. That may sound like a cliché but, it’s a fact. If you’re interested in collecting circus memorabilia and learning more about the circus, look no further. Below is information from the websites of some of the better known organizations and links to their web sites. Have fun!

Circus Historical Society (CHS)

Founded in 1939, the Circus Historical Society, Inc. (CHS) is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit educational organization dedicated to recording the history of the American circus from the first one in Philadelphia during 1793 to today. Membership includes people from all walks of life including historians, scholars, circus personnel, memorabilia collectors, Americana specialists and just folks who share both a love of the circus and a desire to preserve and disseminate its great and interesting heritage.

As in most organizations that share a common interest, the CHS members gather at a different location annually in North America to hold a convention. Papers are given, films and slides are presented, meaty tidbits of circus history are exchanged, current circus executives set forth their views and challenges, friendships are renewed and new ones made, all in the interest of circus history preservation. These sessions represent the culmination of a focused year of circus research and writings on the part of many CHS members and are cherished visits to the circus past and present.

Bandwagon, the CHS’s bimonthly journal, publishes captivating articles relating to circus history. Articles have explored such far ranging topics such as the Forepaugh-Sells seasons 1910-1911, seal lion training, circus balloon ascensions, circus parades of the 1930′s and the Ringling Bros. winter quarters in the early 1900′s. Most issues cover a half dozen topics varying in length from a single page to fifteen pages

Circus Fans Association of America (CFA)

The CFA dates back to 1926 when the first annual convention was held in Washington, D.C. in conjunction with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. The purpose of the Circus Fans Association of America is:

Education & Understanding – To provide educational resources related the circus. To promote an understanding and appreciation of the art of the circus.

Communication – To be a point of contact between the people of the circus, artists or executives, and the outside world.

Support – To help insure the Circus will continue to exist among us as a social, educational and recreational art form. Visit our Calendar page to view support events..

Preservation- The National Circus Preservation Society (NCPS) is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization affiliated with CFA. Its main goal is to develop, promote, and advance information and knowledge for a better understanding of the American Circus, and to preserve the circus as part ofAmerican history.

Publishing – The White Tops is the official magazine of the Circus Fans Association of America. It began as a newsletter in May, 1927 and now is a color magazine that comes with the CFA membership six times a year.

Circus Model Builders (CMB)

Circus Model Builders are men and women, boys and girls who love the circus so much they want to have a show of their own. They know and are fascinated by the circus as a whole. They know the progress of a circus day from the minute the first train or truck pulls into sight until the fading lights in the distance tell them that the show is gone and that another circus day has become a memory. A Circus Model Builder’s goal is to own a show in miniature-down to the last performer, roustabout, bull, wagon, or prop. Whatever the size-one wagon or a complete show-you can be sure it is a true replica of this great institution.

The Little Circus Wagon is the official magazine of the Circus Model Builders, Inc. and is one of the many benefits of joining the CMB. It is published six times a year. This is the authority on Circus models and model building. In it’s pages you’ll find great articles, circus pictures, circus news, modeling plans and other things of interest to circus enthusiast, all contributed by members, for members

Windjammers Unlimited

Windjammers Unlimited is an historical music society that is dedicated to the preservation of traditional music of the circus. This music is kept alive via live performances and recording sessions at the annual convention and summer meetings.

Annual membership includes a subscription to the Circus Fanfare newsletter, the official publication of the Windjammers. The Circus Fanfare is published bi-monthly and is mailed to current members. It contains articles, reviews and information on Windjammer events.

Membership is open to all who share an interest in playing, hearing and preserving the traditional music of the circus.

If you like old clocks, are curious or just like to fix intricate mechanisms, have a look around at www.nawcc.org. Here you will find a comprehensive horological library, (Horology is the science of clocks and watches) a vast clock and watch museum, an internationally recognized clock and watch repair school, and thousands of other people from all over the world interested in some of the same things you are.

The National Association of Clock and Watch Collectors (NAWCC) is a nonprofit organization devoted to the education of the public on the art, science and history of vintage clocks and watches. With nearly 200 local chapters in all 50 states, Canada and abroad, collectors get together usually once a month or so to learn, trade, socialize, teach, listen, speak about and show off their collections. Yearly, regional and national events bring out hundreds and even thousands to major cities where dealers & collectors congregate. The public may attend how-to workshops, lectures, seminars. BUT, for member’s only; at a large trading floor called THE MART. Clock and watch collectors from all walks of life wheel and deal in horological related artifacts, clocks, watches, tool, parts, books, ephemera, advertising memorabilia and anything else related to the keeping of time.

Every other month NAWCC members receive two publications,

*The NAWCC BULLETIN has various horological research articles, a Q&A column, updated convention schedules and a bevy of related news and stories. Also included are reports on the local chapters events.

*The NAWCC MART lists horological items wanted, for sale, auctions and services; along with advertising by the various horological trades people. Here you will also find auction reports as well as registration forms for the various regional conventions.

Did you realize the clock is the most important machine of the last millennium? Of all time? (no pun intended) Without the mechanical clock, most other machines would not even exist. Chaos would rule the day and night ….and who would know the difference? Is was not until the masses began using clocks did large companies and organizations even exist. Except for the military, mass production was not used by any other industry …until clockmakers began making clocks using interchangeable parts.

I for one am fascinated by the ingenuity and organization it took to produce these old timekeepers and nearly everyday see one like no other. Over the last few hundred years clocks have been incorporated in nearly everything. There are clocks of wood, glass, brass, shell and steel; little clocks, big clocks and all in between, I’ve seen girl clocks, boy clocks even endogenous ones. You can name just about anything and someone probably has already made a clock out of it! Pretty or ugly …and even pretty ugly, there’s one out there for you!

So, if you like old clocks or are just clock curious check out www.nawcc.org And be sure to look at the NAWCC website’s virtual museum online at http://www.nawcc.org/museum/nwcm/MusMap.htm