ANDY – SNOW GLOBE COLLECTOR
Meet Andy
Andy has a great story to tell about his incredible snow globe collection.
Andy also runs the Snow Dome Museum and his own website (links below) which is an encyclopaedia of snow globe information.
I encourage you to support him by visiting his website and looking around.
Enough of my chatter though… Here’s Andy!
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m Andy Zito; USA Citizen, male, Born in Brooklyn, New York, married.
What do you collect and what inspired you to start collecting something so unique?
I first got interested in snow domes from buying some at a quirky gift shop called ‘Wacko’ in Los Angeles.
Wacko sold wonderful, Funky, Kitschy items that appealed to me as great items to start collecting.
Through snow dome books and other collecting reference books, I made contact with other major collectors. I got their unique perspective and knowledge on snow dome collecting.
From this I got the bug. So I began to more seriously to collect older souvenir, figural and advertising and character snow domes and snow globes.
Some of the additional binding elements to my passion for them are:
- A background in advertising illustration and map illustration, which show landmarks and well-known icons. Also an intense interest in knowing about the world’s cultures, and makeup. Souvenir snow domes and snow globes also help me ‘ANCHOR’ and ‘PINPOINT’ where everything is for me.
- I have traversed the United States back and forth several times, visited many landmarks, tourist traps and hangouts.
- So between the tourist travels, advertising background and map work, I have developed a keen interest in older souvenirs from all over the world as well as collectible advertising items. It follows that a passion for souvenir and advertising snow domes and globes, followed and developed.
Do any of your items have an unusual story behind them or something that makes them unique?
I highly focus on older plastic snow domes from highway hangouts or also called Roadside attractions.
Highway Hangouts, added new character to the American roadside in early days of auto travel in the USA.
Themes like trains rides, miniature golf, gardens, trained bear acts, animal parks and storybook castles got more and more unusual and fantastic in their signage and architecture.
Do you have a favorite piece in your collection?
The First snow globe ever issued at the 1889 Paris Exhibition. Here it is here:
How do people usually react when you tell them about the unique items you collect?
Mostly amazed -Usually favorably, sometimes horrified.
How has being a part of a collecting community helped you? What communities are you part of?
Currently I am the Admin of the FACEBOOK’S Snow globe Collector’s group with close to 4,000 members.
How has your collection changed or evolved over time, and have your interests shifted the more you learned about it?
First Roadside, then my collecting interests went more worldwide as it gave me a more international appreciation for other cultures, norms and history.
How do you care for, preserve, and display your unique items?
Bookcases and glass display cases mostly – revolving the collection from time to time.
Has collecting brought enjoyment to your life? How?
It is in itself an International education and worldwide cultural and historic appreciation..
What advice would you give someone who is starting out collecting the same items as you?
Join groups and develop friendships with other similar collectors.
Well, there you have it! Another, rare, and remarkable collection!
And I have to say – Andy is incredibly humble when you consider the rarity and depth of his collection.
We all know he’s spend a lot of time and effort collecting and we’re grateful he chose to share it here…
I encourage you to support Andy by joining his Facebook group and checking his website http://www.andyzito.com/snowdomes/
As mentioned earlier, Andy runs the snow dome museum that you can find at snowdomemuseum.com. (there’s some amazing stuff for sale on there!) It’s a one-of-a-kind museum and I encourage you to have a browse.
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