Theme Your Crystal Figurine Collection
By Lowry W. Mell
After a few years of collecting crystal figurines your display shelf or curio cabinet can begin to look cluttered or disorganized. A good way to solve this problem is to theme your collection.
Here are a few simple tips that will make your display dazzle with interest. Look over your crystal figurines and identify those figurines that have something in common. For example, you might have a crystal elephant, a horse on a ball, and a clown. The theme here would be a circus.
If your crystal figurine collection is comprised of all animals, view them as farm animals, forest animals, jungle animals, zoo animals and build a cluster of figurines in these groups. Dolphins, oysters, starfish, lighthouses and sailboats create an ocean theme. The different themes are limited only by the figurines in your collection and your imagination.
Some collectors focus on one category of figurines such as butterflies or frogs or dogs. In this case, you can theme by manufacturer, color, size, style or artistic value. Each of these themes can be made attractive and interesting.
Collectors who have only a few crystal figurines can combine two or three figurines together in a group. Placing a crystal butterfly next to a crystal rose figurine is a nice touch, or placing a frog under a mushroom works nicely. Think about relationships and you'll come up with lots of ideas and combinations.
The best time to reorganize your crystal collection is the day you clean and dust your display. As you remove the figurines, place them on a large table in the appropriate groupings you have identified. Once all the crystal figurines are on the table, you have plenty of room to rearrange each grouping according to size and eye appeal.
Spend some time on this activity to get the best visual effect that you can. Does the grouping look better with the figurines facing each other or all facing in the same direction. What is the best angle placement for each figurine in relation to the other figurines in the group? Obviously the larger figurines should be behind the smaller figurines.
But what do you do if all the figurines are about the same size? Try placing small, clear plastic stands of varying heights to raise the figurines in the back of the grouping. Varying heights adds interest and focus to the theme. You may have to do some searching for the plastic stands. Try arts and crafts shops and collectible stores.
Avoid using solid material for stands in a lighted curio cabinet. It will block some of the light filtering down through the figurines and glass shelving and create unwanted shadows. Figurine displays on a solid wood shelf or in a bookcase would not be affected by solid or colored stands. Just remember, under certain lighting conditions, crystal figurines will pick up and reflect the colors around them. Is that an effect that you want?
Now that you have all your theme groups laid out and adjusted for height, you can begin placing them back in the display cabinet or on the shelf. When the display area is completed, stand back and visually check each theme group. Can you see all of the figurines in the group? Can you immediately identify the theme? Make your final adjustments and you're finished. Sit back and enjoy your beautiful crystal figurine collection.
If you want a stunning display of crystal figurines theme your crystal figurine collection. Your display will be organized, interesting and have great eye appeal.
Lowry Mell is a retired Merchandiser and former Management and Business Consultant. His articles focus of new and creative ways to use and display crystal and crystal figurines. For more information, visit: http://www.CrystalSplendor.com
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