Ratting Around For Adult Collectibles

I spent the day ratting around for stuff -- yes, vintage nudie stuff.

Hubby is also a collector, and while he doesn't collect what I do he certainly supports my smut habit, both from the understanding of a collector who lusts and as a man who doesn't exactly complain when I bring more naked women and vintage erotica. So we spent the entire day as collectors dream, scouring for objects, especially those we can actually afford.

As usual, he ends up with more stuff to add to his collection. This because the real good nudie stuff isn't just rare in terms of what survived (or hasn't been snatched by family), but because most places won't sell the stuff. Those who run rummage sales won't exactly display the stuff for their neighbors to see. Ditto donating to the local thrift shoppes.


And on the rare occasion the smutty stuff ends up at a thrift shoppe, they dispose of it quickly. (Some just plain toss it out, per their policy; others have been wiser and have relationships with most fortunate private collectors &/or dealers who get a call and quickly arrive to purchase the boxes at the back door. I am always trying to get myself into that action; but so far, have had no luck making the proper connections.)

Even at antique shops, managers do not like to display & proffer the smut. They fear everything from shoppers complaining that they won't come in anymore because their children can see it, to groups protesting against child porn in nudist magazines. Since the line between art and porn is so subjective (and the debate regarding nudist materials even more heated), most managers won't even bother to make a policy other than, "No."

I do know a few managers/owners who keep smut stashed under the counter etc. for dealers & collectors like myself; but it takes quite a bit of time to develop the trust & relationship to be taught the secret knock & password. I have a few of these opportunities, but usually the dealers will pay so quickly for the good stuff that there's not much left for me to pick through.

Occasionally, estate sales are the best hunting grounds. These folks both know the value of smut and now to peddle it. They will clearly state "vintage Playboys" in the ads (why Playboy is allowed to be named everywhere, while other mags are not, still amazes me), but otherwise refer to other naughtiness as "risque collectibles" or "risque barware and publications" or some such. In any case, we collectors know what they mean. And we show up in droves -- on the first day. (For cheap sluts like me, it's often more of a museum visit than a buying spree... but sometimes I do get lucky.)

All of this is to say that today, my options were few.

What you see here, the photos illustrating this post, were the "dirtiest" things I could find today. And I didn't buy any of them. While worthy of adding to my collection, they were too expensive for things I see often enough, like ceramic s&p shakers with nude girls, pinup calendars (even soapy nude ones), and vintage lingerie boxes.

Even this had to be refused.



A vintage wind-up dancing couple made of celluloid, which apparently also had some paper with it... A booklet or crushed box? Difficult to tell through the display case. It has its charms, but at $32, it was out of my reach. (If they had been nude, well, that would have changed things considerably. *wink*)

However, it should be noted, that had any of the items in the photos been priced to match my meager funds, I would have purchased them, brought them home, taken better photos, and presented them to you with more information and research.

Which all should just be a reminder to you to send me more money. (Support this blog by supporting the advertisers!)

Meanwhile, I, we, just enjoy the window shopping.