Bob Hunt's Hobbies

Hobbies include

• Genealogy: Discussed on my genealogy pages

• Vexillology. That's the study of flags. My interest began with the Confederate battle flags but includes regular Confederate National flags, civil war medical flags; state flags; and those of various other countries, including "countries that used to be". The history of US flags can be found linked on two pages, including historic flags. The American flag has its own home page!
  And I blend my interest in flags into my current passion of...

• Stamps.  "Philately singularis"! I've collected stamps in some format for about 50 years now. Check out my Stamp Collecting page to see where you might fit in, or just to get an idea of my obsessions!

• Model railroads  "Microferroequinology". Especially HO. I like creating dioramas; weathering; electronics; modular concepts; special collections and presentations. Some railroad history as well.
  Another way of blending hobbies, for me, is to combine model railroad and railroad history with stamp collecting.
    Two ideas here -- Railway Post Office cars and covers. I like the variations presented by collecting models of the various railroads' display of their colors and styles of railroad post office cars. And "covers" refers to envelopes with postmarks indicating that mail was serviced on a particular train moving between distinct cities.
  
  • See my page on an idea for a Railroad Interpretive Group.

• Coffee mugs! I prefer flags on mugs, and mugs about stamps. Sometimes there are subtly funny remarks and sayings appearing on mugs, and I find that I just HAVE to have them! And sometimes other topics appeal to my collecting instinct, such as "coffee" mugs, and "tea" mugs, and "chocolate" mugs. Sometimes there're mugs which are just plain pretty! But regardless of the theme, the cost can't be high - maybe $1 at the most - else I couldn't afford to get it! And how do you display a mug collection? I use a long rod, hung from the ceiling; then I put a special hook on it - the hook is an 'S' hook found in garden centers, with one curve of the 'S' larger than the other. I put a bunch of these hooks on the rod, suspend the rod from the ceiling, and hang mugs on the hooks! An assembly goes in front of a window (up high), or in the archway of a room. Innovative!

• Rogue neckties. If a woman likes it, it can't be collectible. Colors, designs, attachments: They all contribute to a good ol' unwanted tie. Maybe it's the only one like it in the world. Whatever, it may make it into my collection! It also can't cost over $2, and even THAT'S expensive; better if it's 75¢. If they're long enough, I wear them. If they're too short - well, I'm still thinking about what to do with them. Making a window valence (cutting off the excess tie), a quilt, or just hanging them for inspection - all interesting ideas. I've even experimented with making clip-ons out of the short ones!

• Old collections, not currently on the front burner:
  
  • Bottles! Only recently has my interest developed in this area, and only for "Clifton Forge" bottles. I was reminded of the old Coca-Cola Bottling Works which produced Coke in those little funny-shaped bottles which I could get at the church every Sunday after services. I saw one at a friend's house and tried to find my own. I have found many examples of other types of CF soda bottles now! I looked at every little junk and collectible shop from Harrisonburg to Lexington to CF, but it took eBay to find the curved ones. Also there is the Peerless Creamery bottles, of which I have identified four varieties. There's an old-fashioned one, and the more familiar squared style in Quart, Pint, and Half-pint. I'm still trying to find the Pint at a reasonable price. The label on all of them is printed on the bottle. One of mine has been coated with white latex paint inside which makes it look like it still has milk in it. I've seen them with styrofoam peanuts inside, but that is hoakey to me, as it looks like the milk curdled! Guess it doesn't affect the value as much as paint does. But I don't collect them as a investment (that's what my tie collection is for!).

  • US and foreign coins and currency (well, they still are interesting). Even the older $20, $50 and $100 bills will be tomorrow's collector's items since they are being replaced with newer designs. And the state quarters and all the new nickles are very interesting and still cheap! But the new Presidents coins seem interesting but just a moneymaker for the US Mint! Not to mention the gold Presidents' wives coins, at a higher cost! Seems like the State Quarter program was such a hit that the US Mint wants to cash in on it some more!

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