About Us

Our Story

Randomly Beautiful Collectibles started with a belief I still hold: the most interesting objects in the world have already been made. They're out there waiting — on the shelves of estate sales, in auction rooms, tucked into antique markets across the Midwest — just needing someone to recognize them and bring them home. That's the work I love doing, and this shop is how I share it.

How We Source

Every piece here is hand-selected — no bulk buys, no wholesale lots. Sourcing is a slow, ongoing practice: attending estate sales, working with regional auctioneers, and keeping up relationships with private sellers who know I'm looking for objects with genuine character and verifiable age. When something catches my eye, I take time with it before it ever enters inventory. Some pieces come home with me the same day. Others I walk away from and think about for a week first.

Authenticity & Era Assessment

Provenance matters deeply to me, and honest attribution is something I take seriously — because getting it wrong doesn't serve collectors, and it doesn't honor the objects themselves. Before anything is listed, I research maker marks, backstamps, construction methods, and material composition, cross-referencing against documented reference materials and specialist resources where needed.

When the record is clear, I say so. When it isn't, I say that too. If a piece is listed as mid-century, the evidence supports it. If it's listed as "style of" rather than "by," there's a reason — and you'll find that reason in the listing notes, not buried or glossed over.

The Curation Process

Not everything I find makes it to the shop. I look for quality of craft, honest condition, and a quiet distinctiveness — the kind that holds up over time. The inventory spans glassware, ceramics, porcelain, textiles, and jewelry, but the common thread is that each piece was chosen deliberately.

Listings include condition notes, measurements where relevant, and photos of any maker marks I can identify. I aim to give you enough information to feel confident before you buy — and if you ever have questions a listing doesn't answer, I'm easy to reach.

A Note from the Curator

I started collecting long before I started selling. It began as a personal habit — the particular satisfaction of identifying an unmarked piece of Depression glass, or tracing a porcelain backstamp back to a specific Staffordshire pottery. Over time that habit grew into something I wanted to share, and this shop is the result.

My own home is decorated almost entirely with antique and vintage pieces — the same kinds of objects you'll find in the shop, living exactly the way I think they should: used, displayed, and appreciated daily. I've started documenting that on the blog, where I share how I style and live with vintage finds room by room. If you've ever wondered what a piece actually looks like in a real home, that's a good place to look.

I believe well-made, well-chosen objects belong in homes where they're recognized and used — not stacked in storage. If you have questions about a piece, I'm always glad to answer them. And if you're searching for something specific, reach out: I source actively and keep a running list for collectors with standing requests.