Welcome to Inspector Collector
I’m Harley Spiller and New York City flips my world. The 5 boroughs are an addictive assault on the senses, not unlike a platter of blazing-hot Sichuan food. New York’s abundance of international cultures, its smells, tastes, sights and sounds provide fodder for my 80+ collections of ordinary things like spoons, maps, neckties, yellow pencils, chewing gum in flavors unavailable in the U.S., thumbtacks, and more. Lots more!
I came to NYC to work in the curator’s office at The Jewish Museum, and am now the administrator of Franklin Furnace Archive. I also teach on a freelance basis, from kindergarten to college, using the moniker “Inspector Collector.” Collecting and inspecting brings me the greatest joy and this blog enables me to share that joy by featuring regular posts concentrating on the cultural, educational, and spiritual aspects of collecting. “Collecting what?” you ask. “Anything, anywhere, anytime.” I reply. My definition of “collecting” is as expansive as Mother Earth herself.
One of the things that caught my eye when I moved from Buffalo was Chinese restaurant menus. 25 years later I’ve earned the Guinness World Record for the largest menu collection – many people think that menu collecting is an odd or solitary pursuit but others have done it before me, in particular, Miss Frank E. Buttolph, Oscar Tschirsky, Louis Szathmary – who had the menu Lincoln brought home from his inauguration!
I’m here to share professional museum tips for both beginning and advanced collectors and archivists, and encourage your active participation in this blog. My posts will venture into the worlds of museums, restaurants, international culture, everyday objects, and more. Much more.
Enjoy. IC
Heartfelt thanks to Record Brother, a true friend who’s bugged me to blog for years. You wanna talk collections? Record Brother has wax you could only dream of.
