All the Best Rubbish: The Classic Ode to Collecting

“A delight. All the Best Rubbish is one of those rare volumes that both instruct and entertain. I recommend it to any collector.” —Harold L. Peterson, Chief Curator, US National Park Service

Ivor Noel Hume, the former chief archaeologist of Colonial Williamsburg, offers a delightful, anecdotal, and informative celebration of the joys of collecting. 

In his newly revised edition, All the Best Rubbish traces the fascinating history of collecting from its recorded beginnings and describes the remarkable detective work that goes into establishing the probable facts about uncovered and often underappreciated treasures. Now expanded with hints, tips, and helpful information about antique-hunting online, All the Best Rubbish is the ideal book for the antiquarian or amateur.

Noël Hume has pursued bottles, pottery, clocks, and coins through junk shops, street markets, attics, and cellars on two continents. He's unearthed the most fascinating—and valuable—rubbish from the most unlikely places: the shores of the Thames in London; the lagoons of the Caribbean; the bottom of Martha Washington's well. Hume knows everything that's worth knowing about collecting—why we do it, what we can find, where we can find it, and what we can learn from it.

This classic ode to collecting, beloved by antiquarians for decades, is rich with the stories behind the finds:

• Archaeology for the Amateur: Join the former chief archaeologist of Colonial Williamsburg as he unearths treasures from the shores of the Thames to the bottom of Martha Washington’s well.
• The Thrill of the Hunt: Learn the secrets of scouring junk shops, street markets, and online auctions for underappreciated rubbish that tells a remarkable story.
• The Human Story of Objects: Go beyond dates and prices to discover why we collect, what objects reveal about their owners, and the historical detective work involved.
• Buyer Beware: Navigate the world of fakes, forgeries, and misrepresentations with witty, firsthand accounts of an expert’s own triumphs and blunders.