With San Diego Comic-Con and the Major League Baseball All-Star-Game having both just wrapped up, it’s been a big couple of weeks for collectors of all kinds of memorabilia. Millions of dollars were spent, on posters, bobble heads, shirts, autographs, toys and items of every kind; all to be taken back home to be proudly displayed. A few of these may just be thrown here and there or shoved, forgotten on to bookshelves but serious collectors require serious displays. Frames, shadowboxes and wall shelves become the pillars of the monuments to their fandom.
Item # PSA009739
Memorabilia is the common ground where comic book nerds and film geeks meet sports fans and music freaks. Collecting is a big business. In an increasingly digital age, people who are passionate about the things they love–the things that form part of their identity–want tangible examples that they can hold and touch. In a world where you can download any song, or image or movie or picture, it can be very satisfying to say, “I actually went to a place and bought this. I was with other people who love what I love and here’s a real souvenir of that.”
Depending on how much the items mean to the collector, the amount of money spent on memorabilia can go from a very small amount (one retailer has a vintage Princess Leia action figure for sale at $12.99) to what may seem unimaginable to a non-collector ($7.2 million for the original manuscript of Don McClean’s “American Pie” lyrics). When a collector spends that kind of money on something they want to preserve it and display it in the best way possible. There are nearly as many different kinds of displays for memorabilia as there are actual types and genres of collectibles. Some of these are ornate and expensive; huge, multi-tiered curio cabinets with non-glare, uv protected glass and humidity controls. Some may be hand carved wooden mantlepieces where a fan’s collection of the 1975 Cincinnati Reds baseball cards may sit, each one mounted to it’s own plaque. But after spending so much on the items, there are ways to display one’s collection without blowing out their bank account.
Frames and shadowboxes are great ways to show off your memorabilia and collectibles. For flat pieces like newspaper clippings, prints, posters, art and programs, wooden frames are great for hanging your piece. There are a lot of great frames at Frame USA that are perfect for this. Our Black and White series is a simple but elegant frame that will show off your piece without distracting from it.
But maybe what you’re trying to show off isn’t flat. Maybe you want your friends to ooh and ahh over your vintage 80’s original My Pet Monster doll. For 3 dimensional items, a Shadowbox is always a great way to show off collectibles that have a little more heft. We have three different shadowboxes that are perfect for this purpose. Our Shadowbox Elite is great for smaller items (action figures, lead painted figures, baseball card collections). Our Shadowbox Showcase has a bit more depth so your Lord of the Rings Mithril chainmail shirt and ring of power have room to breathe. And for your 12″ tall Tardis replica? Our 3.5″ deep Shadowbox Box is perfect. Sports fans need not feel left out. All of these shadowboxes are also great ways to display your jerseys, bobbleheads, game-balls and autographed items.
So show off your memorabilia and collectibles with pride! Let everybody know that you’re a Dr. Who/Star Wars/Batman/Walking Dead/Avengers/Bengals/Metallica/Stanley Kubrick/Cavaliers/Disney fan. Frame up those pieces and let people know who you are.
