The largest and most expensive collections. Huge collection of car models found in house donated to Protestant church World's largest collections
The unusual find was made after representatives of the Protestant community Celebration Church in Lakeville (Minnesota, USA) came to inspect the house bequeathed to the church by the recently deceased parishioner Dennis Erickson, according to Kare11.com.
Dennis Erickson, who died last December, in his will donated the house and everything in it to the parish of Celebration Church, of which he had been a member for many years.
Lisa Lundstrom, head of the financial service of the community, said in a commentary for the publication that the first visit to the house transferred to the church made an indelible impression on her.
“When I entered, I was breathless,” she testified: practically all the rooms in the house, all the free space - from the hallway to the bedrooms - was filled with shelves, on which thousands of scale models of cars were stored. “Literally: from floor to ceiling, in every single room.”
Even in the corridors, in the laundry room and in the bathrooms, shelving was installed on the walls.
It took several weeks to inventory the collection. According to the compiled catalog, it contains more than 30 thousand car models.
“This is one of the largest collections in the world,” said L. Lindstrom.
Dennis Erickson and his only and main passion
A resident of Lakeville, an engineer by training, Dennis Erickson began collecting model cars at the age of nine and devoted all his free time to this hobby.
He was a frequenter of antique shops and a regular visitor to car shows, devoting a lot of time to searching for models on the Internet. Until the last days of his life, Erickson made orders for the purchase of various models, and some of them continue to arrive by mail to his address even after his death.
Dennis Erickson was the only child in the family. He lived in the house with his parents, and after their death he became its only inhabitant. The Lakeville church member never married and had no children.
In addition to a huge collection of car models, D. Erickson collected and cataloged thousands of brochures on automotive topics. The shelves on which his collection was stored, he assembled with his own hands. The shelves were covered with Plexiglas to protect the models from dust.
“He took better care of these little cars than people take care of each other,” said Lisa Lindstrom.
Dennis Erickson died at his home in his sleep at the age of 69.
The fate of the Erickson collection
Since D. Erickson did not have a family, the Celebration Church took care of organizing his funeral.
It was decided to sell the Dennis Erickson collection. Lisa Lindstrom, appointed in the will as the executor of D. Erickson's estate, believes that the unique collection will probably be sold in large parts, since the sale of a collection of many thousands of individual models may take too long.
L. Lindstrom estimates that the Lakeville church could generate six figures from the sale of Dennis Erickson's collection, most of which will go to the Celebration Church community. The church already has plans for this money: the community intends to direct the funds to the development of youth ministry.
"I think using the gift that Dennis gave to influence future generations is exactly what he would want," said Celebration Church pastor Derrick Ross.
The largest collections of car models
The origins of modern model car collecting date back to the 1940s. The authors of the idea of a scale model of the car were sales agents of the largest French automobile concerns.
To make it easier for the future buyer of the car to imagine his purchase, salesmen began to carry with them exact models-copies of the offered cars. And the most popular scale today, 1:43, was chosen on the basis of numerous consultations with engineers, artists and even doctors. According to experts, models of this particular scale are both visual and easy to manufacture. Over time, models of other sizes appeared, multiple or close in multiplicity to 43 - 1:87, 1:160, 1:24, 1:12.
However, 1:43 remains the most common and popular format. The collection discovered in Lakeville is made up of models of this particular scale.
As of January 2014, Lebanese Nabil Karam (Nabil "Billy" Karam) was considered the holder of the official Guinness record for collecting model cars. More than 30 thousand unique models were collected in his collection.
However, a resident of San Antonio (Texas, USA) Hank Hammer (Hank Hammer) since 1968 has collected a collection of almost 36.5 thousand scale models. And taking into account the accompanying artifacts (brochures, catalogs, automotive-themed souvenirs, etc.), this collection has about 100,000 items.
At the same time, the collector preferred Porsche car models.
By now, Hank Hammer has abandoned his former passion. His collection is stored in two specially equipped houses with a total area of about 280 square meters. m.
Among the stars there are many true connoisseurs of art who are willing to pay big money for the right to own rare creations. For example, Madonna is a fan of the avant-garde. She collects paintings by Léger and Picasso.
Brad Pitt collects antiques. Of particular interest to him are jewelry, paintings and rare dishes.
Barbara Streisand is proud of her collection of exclusive furniture made in the Art Deco style of the 1930s.
Bill Gates is the owner of the world's largest private collection of books. His collection includes very rare publications, including the most expensive book in the world - "The Leicester Code", a handwritten diary of Leonardo da Vinci. Bill Gates paid $30.8 million for the rarity.
ROMAN ABRAMOVICH
paintings
Roman Abramovich is considered the most influential collector in Russia and is included in the global list of influential collectors. The billionaire collects mostly paintings by famous modernist artists. His collection includes works by Alberto Giacometti, Francis Bacon, Lusien Freud and many other eminent painters.
Abramovich bought paintings by Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon at auction at Christie's and Sotheby's in New York for $120 million, in addition, he got Alberto Giacometti's sculpture The Venetian for $14 million in his collection. As it turned out later, Roman bought the works of art as a gift for his beloved Daria Zhukova and her art gallery "Garage".
PENELOPE CRUZ
hangers
When it comes to quirky collections, Penélope Cruz could easily take the top spot. The beautiful, rich and famous actress collects hangers. She is said to have collected at least 500 coat hangers. At the same time, the star often replenishes her huge collection.
JOHNNY DEPP
hats
The famous Hollywood actor Johnny Depp has several collections at once, and very original ones. First of all, Depp collects hats. He already has so many hats that they do not fit in the two large rooms allocated for them. The actor buys the items he likes for his collection everywhere. There is a case when he bought a headdress from a homeless man, paying him an obscene amount of money. However, Depp's largest collection is figurines of clowns, but not simple ones, but evil ones.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER
cars "Hummer"
Iron Arnie collects cars and all-terrain vehicles of the Hammer brand. Schwarzenegger literally became obsessed with these cars after he saw an SUV created by AM General for the US military. At first, they refused to sell him a miracle of automotive technology, explaining that it was developed exclusively for the Pentagon. But the actor stood his ground.
After negotiations that lasted several months, the concern gave up. Since then, as soon as Hammer released a new product, it immediately ended up in Schwarzenegger's garage. Today, the actor's collection already has more than 80 copies, ranging from a tank to environmentally friendly models that run on electric fuel; Arnold acquired them when, following the advice of his image makers, he became a fighter for the cleanliness of the environment.
QUENTIN TARANTINO
Board games
The creator of "Pulp Fiction" collects old board games. He not only plays them in his spare time, but also keeps them in perfect order. All copies of the collection are systematized by titles and genres and are listed in the catalog, so that the owner always knows what and where he has. In addition, Tarantino collects vinyl records and movie rentals.
“For a film lover, collecting videos is like smoking weed. Laser discs are definitely cocaine. And the rolling copies are pure heroin. It's like you're high all the time. I have a good collection, I'm proud of it," Quentin admitted in an interview.
DUSTIN HOFFMAN
Teddy bears
Dustin Hoffman's hobby is no less touching than Tarantino's - he collects Teddy teddy bears (the toy got its name in honor of US President Theodore Roosevelt, who refused to shoot a tethered bear cub while hunting), the actor already has several thousand of them. Hoffman keeps his collection in special cabinets with glass doors, which allow a good view of the exhibits exhibited in them.
TOM HANKS
typewriters
But Tom Hanks collects vintage typewriters with keyboards in different languages. So the actor knows absolutely everything about the ancestors of modern computers. Moreover, he can easily disassemble and then assemble any, even the most complex instance. But Hanks has no order in his collection - friends say that both models of cars and their individual elements are always scattered around his house, like toys in a nursery.
REESE WITHERSPOON
textile products
Legally Blonde Reese Witherspoon collects antique lingerie, vintage fabrics and vintage embroidery, mostly on tablecloths. Reese already has a huge collection of really unique things. The actress buys copies for her at auctions and sales, in specialized antique stores, she does not disdain flea markets - if you're lucky, you can find real works of art there.
Witherspoon loves sorting through the exhibits of her collection - she says that the contemplation of beautiful handmade things not only brings her pleasure, but also inspires her.
HEIDI KLUM
shoes
Top model Heidi Klum collects shoes. Working in the modeling industry, mother of two daughters Heidi has accumulated many pairs of shoes. According to conservative estimates, there are already 2,000 pairs in her collection. The model explains this by the fact that she is a very thrifty person. The girl saves and saves something all the time. For things she even has a separate storage at home. Now the model dreams of one thing: that the feet of her beautiful daughters grow to the right size. Only then will they be able to wear out all those boots, sandals, sandals and shoes.
ANGELINA JOLIE
knives
Angelina Jolie does not have a women's collection - she loves to collect rare daggers and knives. The first dagger was presented to her at the age of 11 by the dearest person on earth. She passed on this love to her children. Her husband Brad Pitt is fond of much more peaceful objects - his passion is collecting furniture and coins, which can be of artistic value.
ELTON JOHN
glasses
The most talented British rock singer, musician and composer is a well-known collector. Along with rare cars, of which he already has 26 pieces, Elton John collects glasses.
He has over 250,000 different glasses in his collection. There are so many of them that on tour in Brazil in March 2013, the artist, as expected, took off numbers for himself and his assistants, but also took off a separate number for his glasses! Lenses of all colors of the rainbow, glasses with antennas, headlights and other devices. In his collection there are even glasses with wiper blades, like on a car windshield.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG
bakelite jewelry
If you're too young to remember the Bakelite craziness, then know that in the 1970s, Bakelite (a type of plastic) became popular as a material for making toys, buttons, household items, and even jewelry. It is this type of jewelry that Goldberg collects. She has been known to wear her Bakelite jewelry to various events and to The Today Show. She even wore some of them to the Oscars. Other bakelite lovers are Barbra Streisand, Diane Keaton and Lily Tomlin.
DEMMY MOOR
porcelain dolls
The Striptease star may not seem like someone who would be interested in dolls, but Moore doesn't just collect new and vintage dolls, she also collects them in very large numbers. She has so many of them that ex-husband Bruce Willis bought her a second house just so she could keep her collection there. Her collection consists mainly of realistic dolls and bisque porcelain dolls. Unglazed porcelain dolls are famous for their matte skin-like finish and large size (sometimes as large as a baby). These are exactly the kind of dolls that can often be seen in horror films. The value of her collection? Over a million dollars.
ROD STEWART
train models
When it comes to model trains, Stewart can easily be the most ardent collector. In fact, he's so addicted to them that the third floor of his home in Beverly Hills has been turned into a huge model of a 1940s Chicago train, measuring 7 by 37 meters. The model is complemented by terminals, parks, warehouses and more. Stewart has described his train collection as "very soothing" and often leaves to play with it. He even takes some models with him on tour, or builds some of the elements of the models himself. Oh yeah, Stuart is not alone in his love of trains. His fondness for model railroad trains is also shared or shared by Phil Collins, Family Ties star Michael Gross, Frank Sinatra, Patrick Stewart, and Neil Young.
ROSIE O'DONNELL
McDonald's toys
Just because you're a rich celebrity doesn't mean you have to collect very expensive things, and Rosie proved that when she started collecting toys from McDonald's and eventually turned her entire office into a colorful display. Rosie started her collection the old fashioned way: going to McDonald's and buying their food to get toys. At one point, she visited McDonald's every day to collect 101 tiny Dalmatians from the famous movie. Of course, McDonald's heard about it and decided to send her the entire collection. Her decision? Continue to collect more Mickey D toys. Rosie's collection includes over 2,500 pieces and is constantly growing. When asked why she chose the Happy Meals toys, the comedian said that they are simply a reminder of her childhood.
Claudia Schiffer
insects
The image of the model does not fit at all with the collection of insects, nevertheless it is so. German model Claudia Schiffer is the owner of a large collection of various insects.
DAVID ROCKEFELLER
beetle collection
The oldest member of the Rockefeller family has a taste for bugs. Insects, not cars. In fact, David Rockefeller Sr. started collecting beetles when he was under 10 years old (now in his 90s) and even discovered some rare species.
TAYLOR SWIFT
snow globes
Popular singer Taylor Swift loves snow globes! The girl regularly replenishes the collection with new items and shares their photos on the social network.
DITA VON TEESE
stuffed
The extravagant dancer holds her own when it comes to collecting. In an interview, Dita admitted that she collects stuffed animals: “Antique or “ethical” stuffed animals - I mean stuffed animals that died a natural death. I think they are very beautiful." For the sake of a hobby, von Teese even had to re-equip the apartment in a special way: change the wallpaper throughout the house and make special rooms with the ideal temperature for storing exhibits. Storage for the furry collection was converted from two bedrooms.
Kiefer Sutherland
Gibson guitars
Kiefer can be considered one of the most ardent collectors of Gibson guitars. At last count, he has 38 guitars in his possession, which he keeps in his studio. He has had a love for these musical instruments ever since he first heard about Jimmy Page and Angus Young.
NICOLE KIDMAN
Jewish coins
When Nicole is not filming or playing consoles, she can be found looking at her collection of ancient Jewish coins.
luxlux, wday, newrezume, plitkar, bugaga
For many millennia, the necklace has not gone out of fashion, decorating women's necks around the globe. The materials from which necklaces are made are changing, plastic and crystals are replacing precious stones, but the essence of this luxurious jewelry remains the same - as before, it emphasizes the femininity and beauty of its owner. Let's trace the history of the necklace along with the "Atmosphere".
People began to decorate themselves in the Stone Age. And what could be easier than hanging around the neck the fang of an animal killed in the hunt? Archaeological research confirms that the first pendants were carved from animal bones suspended on a string of salted animal vein. Their age is already fifty-five thousand years. As soon as mankind learned to work with metal, medallions became not so primitive. Bronze and copper elements appeared in them. But in general, we will consider these uncomplicated jewelry to be the prototype of a modern necklace.
Luxurious gizmos appeared in ancient Egypt. Pharaohs wore necklaces made up of many polished and glazed gold plates. Such a necklace, of course, was very heavy, and for convenience, a counterweight was even hung on the back. Finding Egyptian necklaces was not difficult, since the owner was buried with them. The most famous pendant is Tutankhamun's golden scarab beetle.
In ancient times, neck ornaments were treated with special reverence. They were not only an attribute of luxury, but also a sacred thing. For example, the Inca priests wore jewelry made of gold beads woven in several rows, and among the Aztecs, a necklace of bird feathers was worn around the neck of a person before a sacrifice.
A necklace in a more familiar form for us appeared several centuries later in ancient Greece. It was an ornament made of small shells strung on an ordinary thread. A similar necklace was worn even by men as a talisman when they went to sea, as well as on holidays in honor of the gods and wedding ceremonies. In ancient Rome, pendants had a more utilitarian character: all legionnaires wore pendants with their own names. They helped to identify the names of the soldiers who fell on the battlefield and convey the message to relatives. This type of medallion is used in the army today.
In the Middle Ages, only members of the royal family, the spiritual nobility and representatives of the upper class could afford necklaces. The fact is that then precious stones became especially popular - and ordinary people could not buy such expensive jewelry. But the rich had a place to roam, and both women and men. Churchmen's necklaces were often adorned with a crucifix or a Maltese cross, and were made entirely of gold or silver. A sapphire or emerald was set in the center of the cross. And we can judge the jewels of the highest nobility by the many pictures and testimonies in fiction. The record holder was, perhaps, Marie Antoinette, who had a huge collection of jewelry. Among her necklaces were gizmos of such value that even the royal family had difficulty acquiring them. The wife of Louis XVI adored diamonds, one of her most expensive necklaces used stones weighing almost two hundred carats, including pink, yellow and transparent diamonds. Queen Elizabeth I, on the other hand, had a special craving for pearls, which at that time was considered a love stone.
Tighten the noose
Let's go back a little to the origins and remember that the word "necklace" comes from the French collier, which translates as "collar". Such a strange meaning is explained very simply: at that time, most of the necklaces tightly wrapped around the neck.
Collars (or, as it is now fashionable to call them, chokers) became popular in France in the 18th century during the Rococo period, and in the Victorian era they began to be worn by Queen Victoria. Later, in the 19th century, in England, the wife of Prince Edward of Wales, the Danish Princess Alexandra, loved to wear a choker so much that she received the nickname “dog girl” among the people. And such a strong love for chokers was not without reason. The princess had an accident as a child that left a large scar on her neck. To hide it, Alexandra began to wear a necklace of strings of pearls or velvet ribbons studded with precious stones high under her chin. By the way, it is from here that the fashion for “suffocating” necklaces originates, the most extravagant of which were described in the works of the Marquis de Sade.
The most popular in those days were chokers made of velvet or strands of pearls, decorated in the middle with a tablet with various patterns. They were made by the famous French jeweler of the era, René Lalique. Also in the middle there could be a jumper studded with diamonds. But not every beauty could afford such luxury, so jewelers began to make necklaces from less expensive materials: gems were replaced with crystal, and pearl strings with lace.
In the twentieth century, Coco Chanel made chokers one of the main accents of her collections, and they began to live a new fashionable life. Now their fan is John Galliano. He considers the collar to be a versatile piece of jewelry that goes with both evening wear and jeans. But they do not leave the necks of royal persons either, for example, Princess Diana adored pearl chokers, now and then putting them on social events.
On all screens
In our time, the necklace has become an exclusively female attribute, while men wear only strict pendants. Of course, to this day there are varieties of male beads and amulets, but they are used only for ritual purposes. But the ladies have mastered all kinds of complex necklaces that jewelers began to invent. And, of course, celebrities began to wear necklaces. So, the unsurpassed Sophia Loren posed for Vogue in a luxurious Riviera necklace encrusted with diamonds. Its peculiarity lies in the design: the stones are interconnected so tightly that it is impossible to see the places of their fastening. This creates the illusion of a flowing stream.
Marilyn Monroe also had an iconic piece of jewelry. She wore the Moon of Baroda necklace with a pear cut canary yellow diamond in the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The words of her song "Diamonds are a girl's best friend" could well be dedicated to this unique stone. By the way, its history goes back half a century.
Elizabeth Taylor once told reporters, "My mom told me that I didn't open my eyes for a whole week after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw was a wedding ring." In her huge collection there were almost three hundred legendary jewelry, most of which were bought by her husband, Richard Burton, indulging the desires of his beloved. They cost at that time about twenty million dollars. However, at an auction dedicated to the actress, they were sold for one hundred million. Elizabeth loved jewelry so much that she dedicated a book, My Love with Jewelry, to it. And Liz not only wore other people's jewelry. So, the design of the legendary wandering pearl "Peregrine" was invented by the actress herself, and her husband gave her the jewelry as a result. The pearl crowning the necklace is considered one of the most significant in history. Found in the 16th century in the Gulf of Panama, it has become part of Spain's crown jewels. In 1969, the pearl was bought at auction by Taylor's husband. Impressed by the portrait of Mary Stuart, the actress commissioned Cartier jewelers to create a new ruby setting for her.
And the most recognizable necklace appeared in the movie "Titanic". The necklace with the romantic name "Heart of the Ocean" was crowned with a blue tanzanite weighing fifty carats in a ribbon. Since then, many jewelry companies have been producing analogues of necklaces with blue heart-cut stones. After the release of the film, an exact copy of the jewelry was created, however, this time with a sapphire weighing one hundred and seventy carats. It was sold at a charity auction to the husband of singer Celine Dion, who performed the song My Heart Will Go On in Titanic. Moreover, the “Heart of the Ocean” had a real prototype. This is a blue diamond "Hope" necklace designed by the jeweler Pierre Cartier in 1910. The socialite Evelyn Walsh-McLean bought it and wore it practically without taking it off. After her death, the necklace passed to her grandchildren, who sold it to the jeweler Harry Winston, who in turn donated the stone to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, where it remains today. By the way, this is perhaps the most famous unfortunate jewelry in the world: everyone who once wore it either went crazy or was killed. Thus, Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI were beheaded, and the Princess de Lamballe was beaten to death by a mob. In 1911, the owner of the pendant was Mrs. Evelyn McLean, who was not afraid of the dark past of the diamond. However, the fate of this woman confirmed the murderous energy of the jewel: Evelyn's son died in an accident, her daughter died of a drug overdose, her husband went to his mistress, and the owner of the necklace ended up in a rooming house for the homeless.
The Kohinoor diamond is also notorious. It was brought from India in 1850 and presented to the royal family. He is now in the crown of Elizabeth II. Fortunately, for the queen herself, the diamond is harmless, but each of the men who wore this stone was soon deprived of the crown.
practical method
Ladies fell in love with these jewelry for a reason, because they are able to visually lengthen the neck, emphasize the line of the selection and stretch the entire silhouette. To do this, you just need to choose the right model of the necklace. A long necklace will suit the owners of a short neck, which, thanks to it, will look more elegant and graceful. To emphasize the neck, which is distinguished by its beauty and without additional tricks, a light decoration with pendants will help. Choker necklaces are best combined with dresses that open the shoulders and a deep neckline, but long models are also suitable for closed dresses.
And what happens to the trends this season? Of course, voluminous jewelry, which can become a key detail of your image, does not go out of fashion. These models are generously studded with stones, crystals and beads and are perfect for laconic monochromatic outfits.
Ethnic style is no less popular. Combine such necklaces with hippie-style clothes, just don’t overdo it, otherwise they won’t be able to distinguish you from “flower children”.
Multi-layer pearl necklaces are also very relevant, especially if they are decorated with an original brooch-like clasp. Wear them openly, exposing the neck and décolleté line. Also, this fashionable accessory can be worn over the collar of a shirt, sweater or dress.
Learn about the ten strangest collectors and their collections:
1. Bob Gibbins and Lizzie: 240 sex dolls
Bob Gibbins, 60, and his wife, Lizzie, 55, have a rather unusual collection of 240 different kinds of sex dolls that they dress up and take with them on their shopping trips.
Bob says that he has always been interested in these dolls, but his passion began to really develop when he bought various rag dolls and other toys for his two children. He then moved on to buying store mannequins, which he spent two years buying up a rather impressive collection. However, what he really wanted to collect, he realized only when he got on the online forum of silicone doll lovers. In 2007, with the support of his wife, Gibbins purchased his first silicone doll, Beverly, for about $4,000. But that was just the beginning, as the couple continued to buy different types of sex dolls, from cheap inflatables that cost $639 maximum to lifelike silicone dolls like Jessica, who blew a hole in the family's budget by cutting $11,202. Overall, Bob and Lizzie Gibbins have estimated that they have spent about $160,000 since they started collecting sex dolls.
Even though sex dolls are usually bought and used for sexual purposes, Bob says he never used his girls in this way. He admits that he finds most of them attractive, especially given the fact that they are designed with perfect figures, but he considers them all to be members of the family.
2. Graham Barker: The largest (and probably the only one in the world) collection of navel fluff
Collecting navel fluff is probably not a hobby worth mentioning in conversation, but that hasn't stopped the 45-year-old librarian from collecting his navel fluff for 26 years.
Graham Baker from Perth, Australia has been building his strange collection ever since he noticed fluff in his navel one night and wondered how much navel fluff a human could produce. The only way to get an answer to your question was to watch your navel and collect your own navel fluff. Contrary to what many people think when they first hear about his strange habit, Graham isn't obsessed with belly button fluff, and he doesn't spend all his time staring at his belly button either. He is driven by pure curiosity and he devotes only ten seconds of his time to collecting navel fluff, doing this right before he goes to the shower.
The amount of fluff he finds in his belly button each night depends on the type of clothes he wore that day, but he has found that warm underwear is the most productive. Every night he collects his navel fluff and puts it in an earthen jar he bought specifically to store his navel fluff. At the end of each year, he adds that year's navel down to his huge collection. In the 26 years he has collected his own navel fluff, he has been able to fill three glass jars and is already working on a fourth. Believe it or not, his vast collection weighs only 22 grams.
After making it into the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest collection of navel down, his three glass jars of navel down ended up in the museum for an undisclosed sum.
3 Eric Ducharme Latex Mermaid Tails 
When Eric DuCharme dons his beautiful mermaid tail to explore the crystal clear waters of Florida's natural springs as a merman, he says he's also reincarnated mentally. It's the unique, exciting life of a Florida man who says he eats, sleeps, and breathes mermaids while trying to physically look and act like them as often as time permits.
Ducharme has been fascinated with mermaids ever since he was a child. At the age of 16, he gave his first show, swimming as the merman prince at the Little Mermaid Show "Weeki Wachee Springs" in 2006.
To date, DuCharme has his own business called "Mertailor". He manufactures tailor-made silicone, urethane and latex tails, such as he wears.
4. The largest collection of chewed nicotine gum in the world 
Have you ever heard of someone who rolls chewed nicotine gum into a ball like it's dough? No? Well, then listen.
When Barry Chappell was on an international flight, he started chewing nicotine gum because he couldn't smoke. Due to the fact that there was no garbage can nearby where he could throw the gum, he simply held it in his hand and rolled it into a small ball. Piece by piece, his ball of chewed gum increased noticeably in size. It was at that moment that his amazing idea was born. Why not roll the world's largest ball of chewed nicotine gum and quit smoking in the process?
Now, six years and 95,200 gum later, Barry is a non-smoking superstar. He rolled up a giant ball of chewed nicotine gum that weighs almost 80 kilograms!
Source 5Paul Brockman: A collection of 55,000 dresses he chose for his wife 
If love was measured by the number of dresses, Paul Brockman would most likely have received the title of the most loving husband in the world. Over the past 56 years, the German-born, Lomita, California-based contractor has given his wife, Margo, 55,000 dresses, each of which he chose himself.
The first ten dresses in Paul Brockmann's impressive collection were free. He got them while working at the seaport in Bremen, Germany, where workers could choose what they wanted when the bales of goods were opened. He gave them all to his then-girlfriend Margot. After they met for a while, Paul asked for his girlfriend's hand in marriage from her parents.
Margo shared his passion for dancing and they went to the dance floor every week, but Paul wanted her to wear a new dress every time, so he bought her more and more dresses.
Margot never liked to go shopping, so Paul chose and bought dresses on his own. He bought dresses before work, after work, and even during work, sometimes coming home with a pile of thirty new dresses. He bought them during the end-of-season sales and everywhere he saw something he liked. At some point, his obsession with dresses got out of control and he stopped caring about their size.
He never set any kind of budget for his purchases. Sometimes he spent everything he had in his pockets and waited until the next week if he had no money. The most expensive was the dress he spent $300 on and which Margo never wore. As you can imagine, most of the 55,000 dresses Margot never wore.
6. Jian Yang:
The white exterior and spartan gray staircase of Yang Jian's neat little house give no hint of what's lurking inside - the pink floor in the living room and his collection of over 6,000 Barbie dolls.
The 33-year-old man from Singapore prefers minimalist décor, but Barbie dolls and 3,000 other dolls fill three of his living room's four walls, nine mirrored closets in his dressing room, and shelves in his office.
Jiang has a professional interest in toys as he is the director of marketing at Omicom Media Group. However, he started collecting Barbie dolls at the age of 13, when he bought a Barbie model called "Great Shape", dressed in a turquoise tracksuit and striped leggings.
His boyish interest has turned into a "crazy obsession" supported by his friends and accepted by his family. He spent over 20 years and $404,681 to build his collection.
Note: Although Jian has an impressively large collection, the 2013 edition of Guinness World Records gave the award for the largest collection of Barbie dolls to a woman from Germany named Bettina Dorfmann, who has a collection of over 15,000 of these dolls.
7. Chris Reid: The world's largest (and funniest) collection of huge water pistols (Super Soaker)
Just look at Chris Reid's crazy collection of huge water guns. The huge squirt gun first appeared in 1989 and quickly replaced other types of squirt guns. With its pumping system, the huge water gun practically gives you the ability to shoot water over long distances many more times than conventional pistols.
In all, he bought about 340 huge water guns, including 240 unique designs (the rest are either other colors or duplicates). His very first huge yellow/green squirt gun, model 50, was signed by Lonnie Johnson, who invented this type of squirt gun.
Source 8Robyn Amato: A collection of 3,000 Raggedy Annie dolls
Despite being surrounded by over 3,000 Raggedy Annie dolls, Tampa, Florida resident Robin Amato can't stop adding to her collection. She never had a Raggedy Annie when she was a child, so her insanity didn't start until she was in her 40s. Now, a 58-year-old Florida woman admits the dolls have taken over every room in her house.
So far, she has spent over $20,000 on dolls, Raggedy Enya cookie jars, and other collectibles related to the doll.
Amato loves to dress up as Raggedy Annie, and takes some of her collection of dolls on her daily walks. She hosts tea parties and also spends daily time in a special bedroom set aside for her Raggedy Annie clan.
Source 9Vic Clinco: World's Largest Collection of Hot Sauces 
Vic Clinko has the largest collection of hot sauces in the world. His astounding collection consists of 6,000 bottles that he has purchased from all over the world. His collection even has a rare bottle of sauce called "Blair's 16 Million Reserve", which is the hottest sauce on the planet. Bottles of sauces from ceiling to floor are lined with all the shelves in the dining room of his house in Phoenix (Phoenix), Arizona. Bottles can also be found in built-in wardrobes and refrigerators.
He has been collecting bottles of sauces for the past 17 years and rightfully owns the largest private collection of hot sauces in the world. Mr. Clinko, who works as a chef at the Four Seasons Hotel, said that the most valuable bottle of hot sauce in his collection costs about $900 and is unique. The most expensive bottle of hot sauce in his collection cost $4,000.
Source 10 Paul Luke: World's Largest Collection of Milk Bottles
The former milkman had to build a museum behind his house in the garden after his house became too small for his collection of more than 10,000 milk bottles.
Dedicated to his craft, 33-year-old Paul Luke kept his first bottle of milk when he was just nine years old and earned his own living expenses by working as a milkman's assistant. However, over time, his collection swelled to over 10,000 bottles, the rarest of which date back to the 1890s.
Anything can be collected. And it doesn’t matter if these are expensive items or some trinkets. The main thing is that your collection is numerous and then you will definitely get into the Guinness Book of Records.
1. The largest collection of toothpaste tubes.
Val Kolpakov (Georgia, USA) has assembled a collection of 2,037 different tubes of toothpaste collected from all over the world, including Korea, Japan, China, India and Russia.
2. The largest collection of belt slings.
Christian Gfrerer from Austria collects slings. His collection is 3260 pieces and is constantly updated. By setting this record, Christian broke his own record of 2,671 lines.
3. The largest collection of sunglasses.
Betty Webster (Kamuela, Hawaii, USA) started collecting sunglasses in 1999. People who visited the Hawaiian Islands, having learned about the addiction of a woman, simply gave her their glasses. Her collection includes 1,506 pieces.
4. The largest collection of sneakers.
The largest and most complete Nikes collection in the world consists of 2,388 pairs and is owned by Geordie Geller, who lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. All sneakers are brand new, in their original boxes and valued at over a million dollars.
5. The largest collection of candy wrappers.
Milan Lukic Valdivia from Peru is in charge of collecting packaging for sweets. Milan has been collecting chocolate wrappers for over 32 years. Its collection includes samples from 49 countries and includes 5,065 wrappers.
6. The largest collection of police hats.
The owner of the largest collection of police hats is Andreas Skala from Germany. The collection includes 2,534 unique items. Andreas Skala broke his previous record.
7. The largest collection of fire helmets.
The well-presented collection of fire helmets consists of 838 items and is owned by Geert Suer from the Netherlands. His collection began in 1976 with a London fire brigade helmet. Since then, he has been collecting helmets from all over the world. Traveling to different countries, whether it's a business trip or a family vacation, the first thing he visits is the local fire station.
8. The largest collection of pencils.
Tushar Lahanpal from India collects pencils. He collected 19,824 units. The largest in his collection is 3 m long, 29 cm wide and weighs 3.63 kg. And the smallest is only 4 cm in length. The teen also owns a gold-plated pencil, pieces studded with Swarovski crystals, and a pencil used by the Queen of England, which he bought for £400.
9. The largest collection of pizza boxes.
Scott Wiener from the USA is engaged in an unusual occupation - collecting pizza boxes. The selection consists of 595 pieces and contains copies not only from the favorite pizzerias in the area, but from 45 different countries around the world. In this case, you can also admire the ability to fit almost 600 pizza boxes in your apartment in New York.
10. The largest collection of teddy bears.
"Teddy Bear City" is the name of the Jackie Meely collection, which is located in a small house on Main Street in Hill City. 8,026 pieces is a record that is hard to beat.
11. The largest collection of horseshoes.
Petr Kostin from Chisinau (Moldova) collects "happiness". His huge collection consists of 3200 horseshoes. All samples are not new, but were once worn by horses, bulls and donkeys.
12. The largest collection of rubber ducks.
Charlotte Lee from the USA has 5,631 rubber ducks that she has been collecting since 1996. All of her toys are displayed in glass cases on four walls in a separate "duck room".
13. The largest collection of Barbie dolls.
There are over 100,000 Barbie doll collectors in the world. But the largest collection belongs to Betty Dorfmann from Germany, consisting of 15,000 different dolls. She is also the proud owner of a rare 1959 Barbie, the company's first doll.
14. The largest collection of bottle caps.
An unusual hobby is collecting bottle caps. Poul Ho Poulsen from Denmark has been doing this since 1956. Its huge collection includes 101,733 different caps from 183 countries.
15. The largest collection of ballpoint pens.
Angelika Unverhau from Germany is the owner of a huge collection of ballpoint pens - 285,150 pieces, excluding duplicates imported from 148 different countries of the world.
16. The largest collection of wooden walking sticks.
Dalmasio Fernandez from Spain collects his own wooden walking sticks. His original selection is 1,872 canes.
17. The largest collection of things related to the hamburger.
Daytona Beach, Florida hamburger lover Harry Sperl collected 3,724 hamburger items, setting an unusual world record.
18. Largest collection of Do Not Disturb signs.
Rainer Weichert from Germany collects Do Not Disturb signs. Hotels, cruise liners, planes from 188 countries of the world are the main assistants in this unusual business. The entire selection has 11,570 characters. The rarest and most valuable item is from the Olympic Village in Berlin from 1936, and the oldest is from the General Brock Hotel in Canada from 1910.
19. Largest collection of valid credit cards.
Walter Kavanagh from the USA is the owner of 1,497 individual valid credit cards for a total of $1.7 million. The culprit of this hobby was a bet made with a friend. And they were collected in just a year. By the way, cards are stored in the largest wallet in the world with a length of 76.2 m and a weight of 17.49 kg. And if you fold them at the end, they will reach the top of a four-story building.
20. The largest collection of toys from fast food restaurants.
Percival R. Luge from the Philippines is a quick eater. His collection of toys from fast food restaurants includes 10,000 items. Even such a hobby can lead to the Guinness Book of Records.
