I fell in love with a faceted Clichy paperweight that I still have. Leo Kaplan, a respected paperweight dealer in New York may have suggested that we make the visit. When I was 10, there was a famous paperweight dealer named Larry Selman in Santa Cruz, CA. I have since given it to the Pabst Mansion along with a letter by Captain Frederick Pabst and a folio turner. He loved dogs, and had a John Martin Tracy painting of pointers which had belonged to his father. My paternal grandfather collected rare books, French bronzes-mostly dogs by PJ Mene. Father collected beautiful shotguns including two from Purdey in London. As a 7-year-old, I felt I was looking at “magic” suspended in glass. I was encouraged to pick things up, if I exercised care and caution.

My mother and great grandmother Ilma Vogel Uihlein always had a few Baccarat paperweights on their desks. I appreciated the collections of others, including my grandmother who collected bohemian glass and overlay glass, much of which was gifted to the Milwaukee Public Museum. My mother was very self-controlled and curated – she did not have a passion for junk. Have you seen the Will Fellows book, A Passion to Preserve: Gay Men as Keepers of History? My passion for collecting was fostered by my family, especially my grandmother, paternal aunt, father, and great grandmother. Evidenced based studies suggest gay men were the keepers of history. One day after going through a pile of hundreds, I caught the bug and bought ten. I enjoy the sense of history and the graphics are always beautiful. I save for higher priced pieces but also love to collect Victorian cabinet cards which are usually just a couple of dollars and very accessible.

Wherever your finances may fall, collecting things at different levels will help build an interesting collection. One example is the Institute of Graphic Arts Oaxaca which includes a center for photography and as well as other art forms. The piece I purchased is a reminder of his beautiful life, what he did for the people. He was a driving force that changed the cultural landscape of Oaxaca. The results of his good work in his community sparked a desire in me. I found a piece a few weeks after I returned home at auction. Recently, after a trip to Oaxaca and discovering the work of the late Mexican artist Francisco Toledo and what he did for Oaxaca, I wanted something he touched or made. Objects that spark a memory, commemorate an event, or define a sense of beauty are also of interest to me. I am drawn to a bohemian aesthetic and it influences the way I collect. Something inexpensive can have great value in terms of beauty and importance. I collect because of Desire, a never-ending hunger to constantly look and appreciate and wonder. I collect paintings, photos, antique cabinet cards, illustrations, works on paper, paperweights, and more, both contemporary and antique. The great-great grandson of Captain Frederick Pabst, Joseph Pabst has a background in art history and design and has been collecting art and objects since he was a child. Recently, Milwaukee collector and activist Joseph Pabst graciously spoke with us about his remarkable collection.

Portrait painter pabst