Fabulous Beasts & How to Collect Them

The social histories of many animals - that is, the history of their interactions with people - can be fascinating. For example, did you know that for Native Americans, flitting and glittering dragonflies are believed to embody the souls of departed loved ones? But on the other side of the world, Swedish folklore is less whimsical and describes how dragonflies have an important role in determining your fate when you die. Or did you know that if you really want to capture a unicorn there are only two guaranteed means? Spoiler alert: you need a tree or a virgin, either will do.

But apart from the intriguing folklore, for thousands of years people have produced and collected images and artefacts depicting the animals important to them. Some are simply mass-produced tatt. They weren't valuable then, and they're not valuable now.

But some items are valuable. Beautiful, desirable and very collectable, some items are increasing in value all the time. How can you tell what's what?

In this series, Debra Palmen utilizes her tertiary qualifications in social anthropology to bring you the stories and quirky facts surrounding some of the world's favourite animals. But what makes the series unique is then drawing on her long experience as an antiques dealer to discuss the collectables associated with each animal. She outlines what's valuable, what's not and why.

If you want to assemble an interesting collection of antique and vintage pieces relating to your favourite animal, a collection that might even appreciate in value over time, this series will prove a useful guide. It's not exhaustive, but it is pretty thorough. Or if you'd like to give a marvellous gift to a friend with a favourite animal, one that will make them gasp in pleasure and surprise, you've come to the right place.

Not every animal is featured in this series. To make the cut, they need two essential factors: they must have an interesting social history and they must have a range of antique and vintage collectables associated with them.

But that still leaves many fabulous beasts for us to consider. A huge amount of research and all of Debra's professional experience has been drawn on to bring you this information. Here in Book 1, she has selected ten animals to start. More will follow.

In a nutshell, Debra's aim is to entertain and inform. You'll not only enjoy reading about your favourite animals, but if you want to start an antique or vintage collection the knowledge you gain here should help you make informed decisions and avoid costly mistakes. And if you already own a few pieces, wouldn't it be nice to discover something wonderful about them?