I thought I would tell you about another of my collections, namely the "Home Sweet Home" range from "Colour Box". This consists of hand painted ceramic resin models of cats, often humorous or nostalgic. The models are sculpted by a gentleman called Peter Fagin, and are produced in Lauder, a town in the Scottish Borders. These models appealed to me as a cat lover with two cats of my own, also I love the wealth of attention to detail that makes these models so special.

Once again, I have my husband to thank for this collection, as he bought me my first 2 models about 10 years ago as a birthday present. Over the years since I gradually accumulated about 2 dozen of these whimsical models as birthday and Christmas presents from my children and husband. Then about 5 years ago, I decided to start a contemporary collection, as all the antique things I had collected had either got too expensive and/or hard to find. I looked around and thought that as I already had several of the "Colour Box" models, I might as well stick with them.

I have long since lost track of how many I have now, but I'm sure it must be around the 300 mark, filling 3 cabinets and now overflowing on to my chest of drawers. I have nearly all of the models that have been released since I started seriously collecting them. The older models are much harder to come by. When I first started collecting them I managed to pick up quite a few "retired" models in gift shops that had old stock laying about. I also have managed to find a few old models on the secondary market, at antique centres, bric-a-brac shops and the like. Also I have been able to buy a few oldies direct from the "Colour Box" collectors Club, who offered odd retired pieces for sale from time to time when they come across them, at such times a stock-taking.

My ambition has long been to come up with an idea for a model that could be produced to join the range. If you can suggest something that Peter Fagan likes the idea of , and he produces that model, you are sent one of the first prototypes. I have submitted a few ideas in the past, but so far no luck. Still hope springs eternal - I'll have to keep trying!

If you wish to know more about "Colour Box", a book is available;- "A collectors guide to Colour Box - Home Sweet Home and other collections" by John Hughes. Published in the United Kingdom by Collectables Publishing Limited.

Sadly Colourbox as such does not exist anymore , however Peter Fagan is able to keep up the good work via the Internet, you might like to check out his website http://www.peter-fagan.com.

Happy Collecting Love

Wendy

E-mail wendy@villagenet.co.uk.