For isle collectors, nirvana’s just days away

During the 25 years that Ilene Wong and her husband, Wayne Maeda, have put on the Hawaii All-Collectors Show, they’ve met dozens of people who, like themselves, have curious interests.

For example, Keith Krue­ger collects fossils of all kinds, including dinosaur poop and footprints (yes, they’re real).

Then there’s Dusty Gruver, who counts human skulls and voodoo necklaces among his tribal art and artifacts from around the world.

Wong loves toy Japa­nese monsters. One of her favorites is a 1960s battery-operated Godzilla whose eyes light up as it walks, roars and breathes smoke.

"It’s about a foot tall with tiny gears and a little motor that’s controlled with a wired remote; there were no computer circuits back then," she said. "Wayne collects memorabilia from local TV shows that were popular in the 1950s and 1960s such as ‘Sheriff Ken,’ ‘Captain Hono­lulu’ and ‘Checkers and Pogo.’ That old saying ‘One man’s trash is another man’s treasure’ definitely applies to collectors. We’re a really eclectic group."

She and Wayne started the Hawaii All-Collectors Show because they wanted to shop local; paying for airfare and hotels to go to similar mainland shows was expensive, so they decided to organize their own event.

"That way, instead of going to the merchandise, the merchandise would come to us," Wong said. "But little did we know that running a show meant we wouldn’t have time to shop. On the bright side, it’s always a pleasure to help a collector find a special piece."

One year, she recalled, a shopper told them she had been hunting for an early 1920s-era glass rocking horse blotter for years without success. Back then, pen tips were dipped in ink, and blotters were used to absorb the excess. Clips on the bottom of the rocking horse device attached the heavy blotter paper to the freshly penned document, making it easy to do the task.

"I went on the intercom and asked if anyone had the blotter for sale," Wong said. "Within five minutes a vendor came to the information desk with the exact blotter the woman had been looking for. Hooray!"

About 170 vendors will be participating in this year’s show, the majority hailing from Oahu and the rest from Japan, the mainland and the neighbor islands. According to Wong, most of them are part-time dealers who have day jobs.

Also in the group are people who regard collecting as an investment and others who see it as a way to make money with a quick flip on a hot, hard-to-get item. The rise of online sites with a wide reach such as eBay and Craigs­list has made it easier for people to sell their collectibles.

Everything imaginable will be up for grabs at the Hawaii All-Collectors Show, from pretty to practical to peculiar. Think anime and aloha shirts, tikis and textiles, coins and comics.

"We call our show ‘all collectors’ because all items are welcome as long as they’re family-friendly and relate to antiques and/or collectibles," Wong said. "We’ve had prehistoric Megalodon shark’s teeth up to 6 inches wide that were thousands of years old. We’ve also had the latest Hot Wheels cars, superhero toys and everything in between."

According to her, the largest things at the show so far have been vintage cars, including Porsches, Mustangs and a James Bond-type Austin Healey. The smallest item was a koke­shi doll the size of a grain of rice that was displayed in a little glass case.

Also vying for attention are special exhibits, which have run the gamut in subject matter, from the history of radio in Hawaii to photos of toilets one collector came across on his worldwide travels. A standout this year will be what Wong calls "a rolling man-cave on wheels" — a 1965 Volkswagen van filled with bottles, signs, posters, glasses, slippers and other Primo beer keepsakes.

Those wanting to support a good cause can buy usable vintage stamps at 90 percent of face value from the Stamp Club or a toy from the Aloha Den of Good Bears of the World, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that gives teddy bears to lonely seniors and sick, injured and underprivileged children in the United States and abroad.

"The Hawaii All-Collectors Show offers the largest selection of vintage Hawaiiana under one roof plus wonderful Asian, American and European antiques and collectibles," Wong said. "It’s a great place to buy quality, well-priced furniture, jewelry, dinnerware and decor. Handcrafted vintage furniture is usually made from solid wood and will last for generations instead of just a few years. Estate jewelry is usually much cheaper than new pieces and can be found in styles ranging from Victorian goth to ‘Mad Men’ mod."

While browsing, shoppers can meet and chat with knowledgeable vendors who are happy to answer questions and offer tips on how to start a collection.

According to Wong, many younger collectors are nostalgia-driven.

"They remember how Grandma cooked delicious meals with Pyrex dishes, and now they’re into buying that almost indestructible glassware from that era for their own use," she said. "Collectibles are called tangible memories, and when you think about it, that makes sense. It’s amazing how something as simple as mixing batter in an old Pyrex bowl can take you back to your childhood."

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Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.