Collecting | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/collecting/RSS feed for CollectingenThu, 24 Sep 2026 19:04:30 +0000The Humble History of the Bedpanhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/the-humble-history-of-the-bedpan-180989560/Over the past few centuries, inventors have tweaked the design of the receptacles here and there, but overall, not much has changed about the dependable medical supplyThu, 24 Sep 2026 19:04:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/the-humble-history-of-the-bedpan-180989560/In 1952, You Could Buy a Pack of Baseball Cards That Included This Mickey Mantle at a Corner Store. Today, You Would Probably Have to Go to an Auction Househttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/pack-baseball-cards-included-mickey-mantle-corner-store-today-probably-sothebys-180989281/The rookie card of the future Yankees legend once sold for pennies. But, even with garish colorization, it became a treasured symbol of the golden age of the sport that is now valued in the millionsWed, 26 Aug 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/pack-baseball-cards-included-mickey-mantle-corner-store-today-probably-sothebys-180989281/In Some Trattorias in Italy, Diners Can Enjoy a Meal and Take the Plate It Was Served on Home as a Souvenirhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/in-some-trattorias-in-italy-diners-can-enjoy-a-meal-and-take-the-plate-it-was-served-on-home-as-a-souvenir-180989386/The Piatti del Buon Ricordo, or “Plates of Good Memories,” tradition dates back to 1964, when a clever marketer came up with it to encourage Italians to travel across the country and taste regional dishesTue, 25 Aug 2026 12:42:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/in-some-trattorias-in-italy-diners-can-enjoy-a-meal-and-take-the-plate-it-was-served-on-home-as-a-souvenir-180989386/