As a past collector of many of the items that you mentioned, I also miss the shows that QVC used to have, especially the collectors' days. I always looked forward to those.

I believe that "collections" have gone out of style - Hummels are becoming less and less valuable every day. I have Hummels I inherited from my Grandma who bought them pre WW11 for pennies - I believe they are getting back to that value today. I will always value them because they are pretty and they were her's. I also have a collection of Fenton that belonged to my Mom - they are also losing value every day but I love them and looking at them makes me think of her and how she treasured them. I think if you love something you should collect it for that reason - not because you think it has or will gain any value. that is always a gamble.

As for the QVC selection of programming - all I can say is BORING BORING BORING. I am sick to death of purses , beauty products and computers. They desperately need someone with some imagination. I remember when what ever QVC was selling would become the trend now all they do is follow follow like a bunch of sheep whatever they see elsewhere. I rarely watch anymore at all.How about getting in some designers that people have actually heard of before instead of the same old stuff that we can see every day at the mall and don't have to pay S&H for. The only "designer" on QVC who I had actually ever heard of before they were on QVC is Bob Mackie. They used to have Diane Von Furstenburg and Pamela Dennis. And, of course, we will always miss Nolan Miller.

I would like to see some home decor shows and I would like to see some hobby shows like the sewing machine shows on HSN or the scrapbooking shows used to be popular, and the coin collector shows.

OK - I'm done ranting - thanks for reading.

Last edited on 7/27/2012

I go so far back as to remember Bob Bowersox wearing white gloves and selling crystal objects. They also had doll shows from vendors other than Marie Osmond.

The best is yet to come................

I have to begrudgingly agree with morning lover about the "monetary value" of most collectibles. The high prices at resale we saw for antique and collectible items in the 80's and 90's (and some still into the early 2000's) has diminished over time.

I think the true value of collectibles, has not gone away, but maybe just sleeping for now. I have always thought the true value of a collection (be it bears, baskets, Fenton, crystal, quilts, dolls, Christmas ornaments, coins, or whatever) is that it makes a house a home. It puts your unique stamp on the place that you live, gives definition to who you are. It gives you pleasure in seeking and aquiring pieces to add to your treasures, and as in morning lover's case (and many other's too) is something to be remembered treasured by future generations. It ties us to our mothers, grandmothers, and aunts. The gun or tool collections that are split among the sons and grandsons after a man's passing serve the same function.

Even those collections or pieces that we inherit that are not what we would purchase for ourselves, are something to be treasured and passed down. I think the OP is very right. QVC has lost a lot of customers because they are way too focused on clothing, handbags, shoes, and beauty products, and when they do bring us other things, they are moving toward the cheap, made in China junk that can be had anywhere. They seem to have forgotten that there is a market for fine quality European and American made products, and many of us are just going somewhere else to buy them now.

On 7/28/2012 mominohio said:

I have to begrudgingly agree with morning lover about the "monetary value" of most collectibles. The high prices at resale we saw for antique and collectible items in the 80's and 90's (and some still into the early 2000's) has diminished over time.

I think the true value of collectibles, has not gone away, but maybe just sleeping for now. I have always thought the true value of a collection (be it bears, baskets, Fenton, crystal, quilts, dolls, Christmas ornaments, coins, or whatever) is that it makes a house a home. It puts your unique stamp on the place that you live, gives definition to who you are. It gives you pleasure in seeking and aquiring pieces to add to your treasures, and as in morning lover's case (and many other's too) is something to be remembered treasured by future generations. It ties us to our mothers, grandmothers, and aunts. The gun or tool collections that are split among the sons and grandsons after a man's passing serve the same function.

Even those collections or pieces that we inherit that are not what we would purchase for ourselves, are something to be treasured and passed down. I think the OP is very right. QVC has lost a lot of customers because they are way too focused on clothing, handbags, shoes, and beauty products, and when they do bring us other things, they are moving toward the cheap, made in China junk that can be had anywhere. They seem to have forgotten that there is a market for fine quality European and American made products, and many of us are just going somewhere else to buy them now.

Well said and I totally agree.

Lots of the more trendy collections don't seem to be selling well- and not just on QVC. I have several friends who run estate sales and whole house sales as small businesses and they say they have to place very low prices on collections just to get them carried out of the houses.

I do have a few pieces of Fenton and I'm hoping someone in my family will accept them one of these days because several of the pieces have been in our family longer than I can remember. That means some are pre-WWII. And even for a free, sort of sentimental item, there's not a long line of takers!

Amen!