The past, present, and future all come alive with antiques
The best way to advance in our future is to understand where we are today and where we came from. Huh, you may ask? It’s simple really. By preserving things from our past and remembering our history, we learn from them. This helps us to make informed decisions about our present and future. Things in history may not have always been good but if we understand what happened, we can make sure we don’t allow history to repeat itself. When it comes to antiques, we can hold onto the past and have it be a constant reminder of how far we’ve come.
In the world of communications and technology, we have come a long way from the days when a simple telephone was the latest and greatest. We thought we were so technologically advanced in communications. Nothing could stop us! Looking at those old relics now is just a reminder not only of how far we’ve come but how things have changed so much that there is just no going back into that realm. Many people love collecting old telephones and communication memorabilia because, quite frankly, although we’ve advanced and progressed so much farther, they sure don’t make them like they use to!
I love photography. I love to take pictures and I love to appreciate other artists’ work. One thing that gets me so excited is when I walk into an antique shop and I find old photography. Not just old photos but equipment as well. There is something so intriguing and so honest about holding on to photography memorabilia that inspires me to take my own photography to a new level. Sometimes you have to view the past to understand what the future holds.
I display antique cameras and photography around my house and studio so that I can understand my own work. I look at the vintage pieces of photography art I have hanging on my walls and I wonder how such beautiful work can come from such archaic equipment. Then I realize, it’s not the equipment, it’s the person behind the lens that creates the magic. I can get the latest, sophisticated camera there is but if I don’t see what I am capturing behind that fancy camera, it’s not art. And that is what inspires me about antique photography memorabilia. I even use some of those old relics on occasion!
What inspires you? Maybe you love books or advertising. Whatever your appetite for life is, chances are you will be inspired by collecting specific antiques to help motivate you. The antiques are a part of our past whether we were alive to witness it or not. Old books inspire a writer to tell their current story and shapes ideas for future stories. We look at old advertising that is still relevant today. For instance, signs from Coca-Cola made at the turn of the century can still sell Coke products today.
We don’t want to lose our past and this is why we have wonderful antique shops all over this great nation of ours. They allow us to hold onto the past and bring these things into the present so that we don’t lose them in the future.
