World's Weirdest Personal Collections
June 12 2009, Published 10:04 a.m. ET
Collecting memorabilia and other items can be big business and there's no shortage of people who gather autographs, coins, stamps and other similar material. But RadarOnline.com is more intrigued by the weird, bizarre and just downright strange things that some people collect, so click through our galleries and you'll be amazed at the world's weirdest personal collections.
1. Toilet seats: Barney Smith, an artist from Texas, has spent the last 30 years creating over 700 artfully adorned toilet seat lids. But does he ever use them? Lift the lid on his collection here: http://www.unusualmuseums.org/toilet/
Toilet seats: Barney Smith, an artist from Texas, has spent the last 30
years creating over 700 artfully adorned toilet seat lids. But does he
ever use them? Lift the lid on his collection here:
2. Medical antiques: Dr. Douglas Arbittier accumulates old medical equipment, focusing on cased surgical sets which contain charming items like amputation saws and bloodletting tools. http://medicalantiques.com/
Medical antiques: Dr. Douglas Arbittier accumulates old medical
equipment, focusing on cased surgical sets which contain charming items
like amputation saws and bloodletting tools.
3. Fish posters: Bob Toelle only collects posters that feature fish and has over 700 from around the world. http://www.fishposters.com/
Fish posters: Bob Toelle only collects posters that feature fish and has
over 700 from around the world. http://www.fishposters.com/
4. Handcuffs: Joseph W. Lauher has the biggest collection of handcuffs, leg irons, nippers (cuffs that lock one hand), and thumbcuffs. He's apparently very attached to his hobby. http://www.handcuffs.org/
Handcuffs: Joseph W. Lauher has the biggest collection of handcuffs, leg
irons, nippers (cuffs that lock one hand), and thumbcuffs. He's
apparently very attached to his hobby. http://www.handcuffs.org/
5. Calculators: Sergei Frolov has more than 150 Soviet-made calculators, including watches, slide rules, arithmometers, and vintage computers. http://www.leninburg.com/museum/main.php
Calculators: Sergei Frolov has more than 150 Soviet-made calculators,
including watches, slide rules, arithmometers, and vintage computers.
6. Sugar Packs: Phil Miller has been collecting sugar packs and sugar cube wrappers since 1978, beginning with the Presidents of the United States sugar packets. Incidentally, such collectors are called sucrologists. http://the.millerfamily.name/sugar/
Sugar Packs: Phil Miller has been collecting sugar packs and sugar cube
wrappers since 1978, beginning with the Presidents of the United States
sugar packets. Incidentally, such collectors are called sucrologists.
7. Back scratchers: Gideon Weiss has 236 unusual backscratchers, and most likely a very raw back. http://www.members.tripod.com/Gideon_Weiss/catalog.htm
Back scratchers: Gideon Weiss has 236 unusual backscratchers, and most
likely a very raw back.
8. Moist Towelettes: John French of East Lansing, Michigan has an entire museum dedicated to non other that those hand moist wipes used at greasy BBQ stands all over the nation. Unlike the "collection" grandma always had in her purse, French's collection ranges from a multitude of restaurant printed towelettes to some of the first mass produced towelettes created. Check out the site http://www.moisttowelettemuseum.com, or stop by and visit the Moist Towelette Museum. It's located in room 100 at the Abrams Planetarium on the campus of Michigan State University.
Moist Towelettes: John French of East Lansing, Michigan has an entire museum dedicated to non other that those hand moist wipes used at greasy BBQ stands all over the nation. Unlike the "collection" grandma always had in her purse, French's collection ranges from a multitude of restaurant printed towelettes to some of the first mass produced towelettes created. Check out the site http://www.moisttowelettemuseum.com, or stop by and visit the Moist Towelette Museum. It's located in room 100 at the Abrams Planetarium on the campus of Michigan State University.
9. AOL CDs: Of the billion or so software CDs that AOL starting sending out in the late 90s, Lydia (she doesn't give her last name) has managed to accrue over 2500, all with different designs and art. http://www.lydiasaoldisks.com/
AOL CDs: Of the billion or so software CDs that AOL starting sending out
in the late 90s, Lydia (she doesn't give her last name) has managed to
accrue over 2500, all with different designs and art.
10. Street signs: Since he was young boy and received a bulletin board about traffic signs, Steve Salcedo has been fascinated with them. Two years later he began rummaging through street departments, antique stores, and flea markets to create his collection of over 350 street signs. http://www.mycrazyhobby.com/
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Street signs: Since he was young boy and received a bulletin board about
traffic signs, Steve Salcedo has been fascinated with them. Two years
later he began rummaging through street departments, antique stores, and
flea markets to create his collection of over 350 street signs.
11. Banana labels: Becky Martz first became charmed by the differences between banana stickers in 1991, and now has over 7000 different labels. She probably does not have a potassium deficiency. http://www.beckymartz.com/
Banana labels: Becky Martz first became charmed by the differences
between banana stickers in 1991, and now has over 7000 different labels.
She probably does not have a potassium deficiency.
12. Bellybutton lint: Graham Barker has been collecting navel lint since 1984, and according to 'Guinness Book of World Records' he has the planet's largest collection. They fill three large jars and vary in color from yellowish-green to pink. You can see more here: http://www.feargod.net/fluff.html
Bellybutton lint: Graham Barker has been collecting navel lint since
1984, and according to 'Guinness Book of World Records' he has the
planet's largest collection. They fill three large jars and vary in
color from yellowish-green to pink. You can see more here:
