I Know I'm One, Do You?

Cowboy Curtis Action Figure, Herman Toys, 1987

No, the title of this post is not paraphrasing Pee-wee Herman's often-spoken line on the 1980s Pee-wee Herman Show, "I know you are, but what am I?"

Along with statues of deer, Pee-wee Herman's front yard on The Pee-wee Herman Show was cluttered with other animals and figures as illustrated above.

Raising a male child of the 80s, The Pee-wee Herman Show was often on in our house when it aired. My son, who was around 4 when he began watching the show, used to think Pee-wee Herman lived in a house on our street.  Like Herman's house on the show, one of our neighbors had a pair of deer statues on their front lawn.  Each time we'd drive past that ranch-style house, my son would exclaim, "There's Pee-wee Herman's house!" and I'd always say, "No it's not. Pee-wee doesn't live there." In hindsight, I should have explained to him that the neighbor had deer statues like the ones on the show.  (The statues are no longer there.  So I assume different people reside there now.)

Even though this post includes a picture of a Cowboy Curtis figure that is fashioned after the role played by Laurence Fishburne on The Pee-wee Herman Show as well as a photo of Pee-wee's house, the show is not the subject of this post.

I was recently required to write an introduction of myself to a non-doll-collecting audience.  The introduction ended with the following statement, "I am a plangonologist (I collect dolls)."

If you collect dolls, did you know that's what you are? It's an odd, infrequently used word.  When it is used, most people do not know the meaning.  I encourage all fellow doll collectors to embrace this term.  The next time someone asks about your hobby, and particularly if they give you any hint of side-eye or appear to question your sanity, let them know you are a plangonologist.  Boldly proclaim it and paraphrase Pee-wee if you'd like by saying, "I'm a plangonologist, what are you?"

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There are other infrequently used names for people who collect all types of objects.  If you collect things other than dolls, some of the terms listed below might describe you:

• Arctophile, Arctophillist: A lover or collector of teddy-bears.
• Aurelian - Collector of butterflies or moths.
• Bibliophile - Collector or connoisseur of books.
• Cartophilist - Collector of cigarette cards etc.
• Conchologist - An expert in or collector of shells.
• Copoclephile - A collector of key-rings.
• Deltiologist - Collector of postcards.
• Discophile - Collector of gramophone records.
• Exlibrist - Collector of bookplates.
• Iconophile - Connoisseur or collector of book illustrations, engravings, etc.
• Lepidopterist - Expert in or collector of butterflies and moths.
• Notaphilist - Collector of banknotes.
• Numismatist - Expert in or collector of coins.
• Oologist - Expert in or collector of bird's eggs.
• Paroemiographer - Writer or collector of proverbs.
• Phillatelist - Collector of postage stamps.
• Phillumenist - Collector of matches, matchboxes, and books of matches.
• Porcelainist - Connoisseur or collector of porcelain.
• Tegestologist - Collector of beermats.
• Virtuoso - A collector of works of fine art or curios.

Source of the above list:  https://everything2.com/title/Names+for+Collectors

The first section of this page allows you to guess the meanings of the terms used to describe various collectors.

Check out some plangonologist products that I added to Zazzle.

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There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.
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