Player’s Collectibles sold to Regina owner

Many people enjoy browsing through stores that sell antiques and collectibles, but for Dale Harvey, his passion for acquiring collectibles began in a landfill.

“I collected as a child,” laughed the Moose Jaw businessman. “My mother used to hate seeing a dust bowl coming down the lane, but she knew that I had (dragged) something from the garbage heap.” 

The first items Harvey collected were two Stirling silver grape serving spoons. He became “absolutely thrilled” with them and cherished them over the next several decades. He never let them go and still has them in his collection.

That hobby of acquiring such trinkets eventually turned into a full-time job of selling them. He purchased Player’s Collectibles on Main Street 29 years ago when it was primarily a magazine shop and slowly phased out the reading materials for collectibles. 

After a full career — including stints as a professional fisherman and owning a non-collectibles-focused business starting in 1972 — Harvey has decided to retire since he wants to rest his feet. A buyer in Regina has purchased the shop and will have a couple from Toronto manage it. 

Harvey will remain on until April 21.

Thrill of the find

There is something that appeals to Harvey about acquiring collectibles.

“It’s the thrill of finding that very unique item you’ve maybe seen or read in books or magazines, and suddenly, you have it in front of you,” Harvey said. 

Harvey started professionally collecting fruit sealers and insulators — jars used to can food. One set of jars was considered a holy grail since the objects had beaver images facing left and right. The left-facing animal was extremely rare; Harvey never did see one during his searches.  

Harvey has seen various materials pass through his shop during the last three decades, he said. Each piece stood out for being unique, but it depended upon the customer and what he or she thought of it. 

“I’ve seen a lot of items that I would have liked to have kept, but you just can’t,” he continued. “I had a beautiful, beautiful French mantle clock and tandem vases that would have been nice to keep. (They) dated somewhere around 1840.”

A couple from Edmonton eventually purchased the clock and vases and took them home. 

Most of Harvey’s customers are tourists. However, some locals regularly frequent his business. When he sees them come in, he knows exactly where in his store they will go; many don’t look at anything else but their favourite pieces.   

Changing habits

Collectors today are more sophisticated than in the past, as they want items with better quality and that hold their value, Harvey said. Collecting moves in phases; what was popular four years ago is not as hot today. 

The biggest change Harvey has seen is that people do not collect brown furniture anymore. It wasn’t that long ago, he noted, that people were chasing after high-quality wood furniture. Now, more people are interested in buying short-lived Ikea items that are replaced after four years. 

“There isn’t the same attachment to the quality pieces that there used to be,” he said. “Young people today, I find, they will want one or two really, really good pieces for their home and they will pay a good price for them … .”

Conversely, Harvey appreciates heritage items and owns furniture that is more than 100 years old. 

Harvey will miss his customers after he retires. Some people “just blew in the door” to say hello; others have visited every day since he opened.

“It’s been an enjoyable time,” he added. “I looked forward to getting up in the morning … . If you like your job, it makes it easier to get up and go do it.”