Bob Welbaum
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Speaking of strange, one of my first projects at Tomart was Tomart’s Price Guide to Garage Sale Gold, listing the most valuable contemporary collectibles in 52 categories. One category I researched was thimbles, and while doing so I came across the May/June 1992 issue of The Thimbletter, a newsletter published by Mrs. Lorraine M. Crosby. This issue contained the “Thimble Collectors’ Survey & Questionnaire,�? the best example I’ve found so far as to what can happen when collecting becomes obsessive. Mrs. Crosby has graciously given me permission to reproduce it here (in slightly abbreviated form, with the choices following the questions).

And if you start, please promise you’ll read the entire questionnaire.

Thimble Collectors’ Survey & Questionnaire

1. List the number of thimbles you own under the following categories:

Gold, silver, pewter, aluminum, nickel, brass, porcelain, ceramic, wood, ivory, plastic, other

2. Of this total, how many thimbles do you consider to be intimate, personal and lasting friends or companions?

3. Do you have names for your thimbles? Example: Irv, Ted, Joe, Gwendolyne, Pat, Nancy?

Yes, No

4. Do you dream of thimbles?

Yes, No, Sometimes

5. Have you ever had a conversation, chat or dialogue with a thimble/thimbles?

Yes, No, Tried

6. Are all of your thimbles “housebroken�??

Yes, No, Some

7. Do your thimbles have a listed or unlisted phone number?

Listed, Unlisted, Party Line

8. Do you take your thimbles on vacation with you, or go separately?

Together, Separately

9. Do you watch TV with your thimbles?

Yes, No

10. If so, who picks the show?

Thimble, You

11. Do you give your thimbles an allowance, holiday bonus, tip or gratuity?

Yes, No

12. Do any of your thimbles play cards, go bowling, golf or play board games (please exclude Monopoly)?

Yes, No, Specify

13. Do you own a thimble that speaks a foreign language, or speaks in strange tongues?

Yes, No

14. HYPOTHETICALLY: on Saturday night would you let your favorite thimble drive your car?

Yes, No, Take bus

15. HYPOTHETICALLY: your house catches fire. You can save only yourself or your thimbles.

Self, Thimbles