Collection Award Winner 2024 - Howie Schecter

Editor's Note:  Howie Schecter's Silver Bookmarks collection has been acknowledged before receiving the Collection Award on World Bookmark Day.  Be sure to read a lengthy and entertaining interview in Collectors Weekly from 2009. Howie also has some of this information and more on his web site About page.  From there, you can explore the wonder of his extensive and beautifully documented collection. Also note that he is selling part of his collection. Here, we ask him a few additional questions about his collection and collecting strategy.  

​- You have told a nice story about how you started collecting, inspired by your cousin.  Then you had a friendly competition over collecting.  How's that going? What are your totals now?

Unfortunately, my cousin has passed away a few years ago. She had approximately 15 pieces. At the peak of my collection, I had 1223 pieces.

- Are there any bookmarks you have identified (e.g., from a catalog) but haven't yet acquired?

There are a few from the 1888 Gorham catalog that I would still like to acquire but they are very rare and don’t come up for purchase very often. I am always on the lookout for them.

- Since you specialize in those made by Gorham, have you ever tried to contact the company for information or just to let them know about your collection? 

I have never contacted Gorham. I didn’t think they were still in business, but they are. They are now owned by the Lenox Corp.

- Your website and the CW interview show that you have done a lot of research about silver bookmarks in general and specifically for each one.  How did you learn where to research, and what do you usually do when you acquire a new bookmark?

Most of the information I get from a bookmark comes from the hallmark. I have several books on silver hallmarks and when I get a new one, I immediately look up the hallmark (if one exists). If there is no hallmark, or it is only marked sterling, I try to estimate its date and origin. I’ve seen so many I have a good feel for its age and origin.

- What reference source do you wish you had that doesn't yet exist?
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I wish there was a source of all the old silversmith catalogs online in one place. I have reproduction copies of some old catalogs but if there were more of them it would make identifying them easier.

​- What do you think makes your collection special or unique as compared to other collectors of silver/metal bookmarks?

What makes my collection special is the website. There really is no other one quite like it.

​- How did you decide what to include in the description of bookmarks in your database?

​I just tried to add as much information as possible.

Click to see description in database

- The wooden cabinet you use to store your bookmarks is fantastic!  How are the bookmarks organized within it? Since you have so many, how can you find an individual bookmark?

I recently rearranged all of them (it took 3 days) to put them in numbered order. Each drawer now has a label of the range in number of the bookmarks and those are in that drawer. They may not be in exact order within the drawer, but it is close and if I need one I can go to the drawer that it is in and find it quickly.

​- Do you have any advice for those beginning to collect silver bookmarks?

Acquire what you like and if you can, haggle!