1. Red shoes
2. Mexican cookbooks
3. Dictionaries
4. Sets of silverware
5. Sets of glassware
6. Sets of dishes
7. Tennis shoes
You get the picture, I have a lot of
She started collecting nursing memorabilia and such years ago. She specializes in invalid feeders. I know all this because over the years when Grandma would visit me we would have to hit every antique shop in the area and she always was on the lookout for nursing items and invalid feeders. In case you are as uninformed about invalid feeders as I used to be, they are really quite cool looking. They look kind of like a beautiful little porcelain or ceramic neti pot.
Way back in the day, the nurses would fix up some gruel-type thing and pour it into the large opening of the feeder and then stick the spout part into the mouth of said invalid and then feed them.
Anyhoo, I was at my aunt's house on my way to Grandma's place and got to see what she has done with her collections. They are truly a sight to behold. I was really impressed with how she has everything displayed and truly honored. So many people call something a display and just aren't doing the items justice. I see people get called out on this behavior all the time on those Clean up your House types of shows.
So let me show you a few things in my aunt's nurse collection.
I didn't ask her if this shelf was custom made for her or not. But it was really cool with all the inset places to put pictures below the shelf where items sit. All of her nurses collection were in 2 rooms of her house, not spread out all over the place.
This is a close up of one of the inset photos from above. Isn't she a spectacular nurse?
Now, here she has displayed the nursing diploma and whole uniform from the cap to the cape to the shoes of a nurse in World War II. In the package on the floor next to her nursing bag is an afghan her sister nurses made for her and sent to her when she was in the war. Each of the nurses made one of the squares and then they put it together for her. How all of this stuff stayed together and ended up with my aunt, I do not know. But I love that she has the history and documentation of it all.
This is a different uniform with the cape, black nurses bag, and get a load of those comfy-looking shoes that this poor nurse would get to wear for hours on end!
This is the top part of the above uniform and her diploma that goes with it.
Next we have some posters and magazine covers that she has framed and hung in her office. How do you like that one?
No pressure there, right? If I fail, he dies? Yeah, no pressure. The next one is my favorite.
'Cause what says "Let me help you heal and regain your health like lighting a cigarette. In the hospital. Where we use oxygen. While you are lying on your back. In bed."
And here are some of the invalid feeders. Aren't they pretty? You just poke the spouty thing in the bed-ridden person's mouth and tip it up so they can take their nourishment. I love that they are all painted like fine china. Isn't that way better than all plain and sterile and hospital looking? And isn't it way better than the plastic disposable crap they now use for everything?
Grandma has been pushing my aunt to donate her collection to the nursing school where she teaches. I don't know for sure what she plans to do with it all, but I am really glad that I got to see it all and wander through it.
Do you collect anything? Does Paula's criteria fit for things in your life that you never thought of as collections before? Let me hear from you!
Those old nurse uniforms are lovely in their way.
ReplyDeleteI don't intentionally try to collect anything but it happens anyway with cookbooks and sunglasses. And cremains, which is a story in itself.
Wow! That is one fine collection. Especially with provenance on the particular WWII nurse's ensemble.
ReplyDeleteBecause of my relocation three years ago, a few of my collections are in large bins in the attic. I have approximately 50 pair of salt and pepper shakers, twenty to twenty five porcelain horses and Murano glass. I used to have oodles of '50s hats but now I'm down to two or three. I no longer look at signs on the said of the street telling where the sales are.
I said *side. Duh.
ReplyDeleteOh, thank you so much for sharing, Lisa Pie. What an incredible, lovely collection. I think those nurse's uniforms are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWell, I guess I'd have to say I collect dogs and ducks, unfortunately. But my main collection is books, copious amounts of precious books. I don't think you can have enough of them.
That is a marvelous shelf. I have never seen anything like it. Nor have I seen a collection of nurse memorabilia like that. I hope she has the provenance for all the items written down so that it is not just in her head.
ReplyDeleteI have some stainless steel drinking vessels from WWII that came from the VA hospital in Memphis, TN. They are engraved--6A, 6B, 5A, 5B, etc. That way the tall "glasses" with handles can be sterilized and the patient or the next patient can reuse it, and no mixup if the nurse takes several to be refilled. Yes, just another group of items I have meant to sell!
I collect A&W Root Beer Mugs and old advertising for A&W.
Thanks for the pictures, and, as always, an interesting post.
I love your aunt's "nurse" collection...what an incredible gift.
ReplyDeleteooh! One more dog and I would have a collection!
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love all the nurse items that your aunt has lovingly collected and stored. I do hope she'll put it in a museum at some point, so others might enjoy it.
WOW! yes, she is a true collector. that is really neat stuff. love the contrast of the antique invalid feeders vs. the plastic crap we now have. sigh
ReplyDeletecollections..... I try to avoid that, in constant fear of becoming a hoarder. it's in my genes, apparently.