Kitcatt Nohr Digitas

It started when I was at art college - Norwich School of Art.

Everyone collected something.

Martin stuck used Gitanes packets on his bedsit wall. And started hunting down Arts & Crafts furniture, in various states of repair, long before prices went through the roof.

Phil Carter had every model of a Citroen 2CV ever produced.

Pete Smith still collects beer mats. Sorry, Pub Ephemera.

Me, I sought out Victorian hand-coloured postcards of holiday scenes with palm trees in Bring and Buy sales, market stalls, junk shops, anywhere.

I found something poignant in messages that had been sent from far-flung places to friends, relatives or loved ones back home, perhaps in Norfolk, or Lancaster, or Cheam. At a time when few could afford to travel. Having grown up in Lancashire, these images of distant paradises seemed so exotic. Over the years, other bits of ephemera presented themselves. Restaurant ash-trays. Packaging. Jig-saws.

Friends started sending me holiday postcards with palm trees on whenever they came across them.

And so my collection grew.

And is still growing. In Marrakesh this Easter, I picked up a brass door hook with twin palm trees, and twin hooks, from which my dressing gown now hangs. But no, I haven’t found one with palm trees on it yet.

Other collections coming soon: vote for which you'd like to see next...

• Old cameras
• Tin toys (this is a big one)
• Guitars
• Souvenir shot glasses

Vote in the comments section at the bottom of this article