Year to year I add to my collection like anyone else, but there always seems to be one piece that stands out from the rest. It may be something I've been chasing for a while, or an item thrown in by a fellow collector to help even out a trade.
With 2019 coming to a close, this barber shop sign is my choice for favorite of the year. It was at one of the last antique shows of the summer, laying under a dealers table after he ran out of real estate to display it at waist level. My first thought was, "that's old", and the tag showed the latest patent date of 1927 so I was right on that guess. Two sheets of quarter inch pressed clear glass form the letters. My second thought was the condition. Not NOS but close, right down to the green marble paint and certified fire hazard original power cord. He said it came out of a hotel lobby in Saratoga, which made perfect sense and served as the reason for the great condition. I'm cleaning up a spinning Marvy light up pole, and this will look at home mounted on the wall above it. Not the most money I spent to add something to my collection this year, but it never fails to make me smile when I see it. I dropped in a small light on an extension cord to show what it will eventually look like illuminated. Hands down, my favorite buy of 2019.
It never gets old looking at other collections and seeing the things folks collect. Feel free to add your favorite aquisition of 2019.