EDOARDO – DO NOT DISTURB COLLECTOR

Meet Edoardo.

Edoardo is an 82 year old passionate collector from Turin, Italy.

We asked Edoardo 10 questions about his collection and his answers regarding his massive collection will show you the joy he gets from his lifelong collection.

Enjoy!

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Edoardo Flores, I’m an Italian and I live in Turin, Italy.

From an early age I lived in various countries owing to my father’s work (including manager of two hotels in Kenya in the 1950s). I obviously followed in my father’s footsteps because I also lived and worked in many countries.

My last job was as a training specialist for a UN Agency in an international training centre in Turin.

In the 32 years I worked for this organization I travelled extensively on mission and also resided for varying periods in several countries, mostly in Asia, including, among others,  Korea, Burma, Pakistan, Vietnam, and Iraq.

I have now retired (I’m 82 years old).

What do you collect and what inspired you to start collecting something so unique?

In my business travels (and not only) I stayed in many hotels and subconsciously I picked up a few “do not disturb” signs as souvenirs and I then displayed in my office.

Seeing them, a colleague suggested they would make a nice collection.

One souvenir led to another and it soon became  an addicting hobby and a lifetime passion.

Do any of your items have an unusual story behind them or something that makes them unique?

Among those mentioned below, I have two very special signs:

One is from the Vatican City, the Domus Sanctae Marthae, which functions as a guest house for those having business with the Holy See.

What makes this special is the fact that the current Pope Francis has made this his home since his election in March 2013. Obtained this through a good contact in the Vatican.

The second one is from the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem (Palestine), designed by anonymous street artist Banksy and other creatives.

Located opposite the portion of the Israeli West Bank barrier, it is billed as having the worst view of any hotel in the world. Sign obtained by kind donation of the hotel. The list could go on and on.

Do you have a favourite piece in your collection?

With a collection of 21.000 items it isn’t easy to have a favourite one.

My favourites are those that come from historic hotels with their famous guests, little known island countries, dangerous or disputed countries/territories, and many more. Examples above.

How do people usually react when you tell them about the unique items you collect?

Being a rather unusual collection, there has been a lot of interest from various sources.

Many articles have been written around the world, including a full page on the Washington Post.

I have also been invited on Italian TV and radio programmes, I participated in collectors’ exhibitions, and so on.

How has being a part of a collecting community helped you? What communities are you part of (groups, clubs, forums etc.)

I used to have a rather basic website which gave me some visibility on the web.

I then created a group on Facebook.

I also display images of my complete collection on Flickr. A lot of interest which allowed me to meet many collectors and people just curious about an unusual hobby.

How has your collection changed or evolved over time, and have your interests shifted the more you learned about it?

Over time, the design and materials used for DND signs have evolved.

Some hotels have become more creative and use eye-catching signs, but the basic purpose remains the same, to provide guests with privacy and convenience while staying at the hotel.

How do you care for, preserve, and display your unique items?

Since the beginning I kept a database with basic details of each sign.

I also scan and save the images of all signs.

The signs are stored in boxes, by country. I display a few of the more attractive ones at home but otherwise too many.

Has collecting brought enjoyment to your life? How?

It’s certainly been an enjoyable hobby for me, particularly after retirement.

I also became close friend of some other collectors and we have met on many occasions.

I also became more interested in the origins (countries, hospitality, history of hotels, etc.).

What advice would you give someone who is starting out collecting the same items as you?

Collecting isn’t usually planned, it just happens.

If you acquire an attraction for particular items you should learn as much as possible about them: how popular is the hobby, how easy is it to acquire items, build up good personal relations with other collectors, be proactive and don’t rely only on donations.

So there you have it, the amazing Edoardo Flores!

I encourage you to support Edoardo and join his Facebook page. You can also check out his Flickr account for more photos and his Pinterest account as well.

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