I've got an old barrel for a stove. Later, combing through a box of jewelry, she finds a huge, pearl-studded ring with a secret compartment hidden under the setting. It's the perfect ring, she says, for hiding poison. Mr. Nickoson started his prodigious collection in 1972, at the suggestion of a neighbor who became his partner. As folks stop by, they pick up pieces and then leave them someplace else, gradually distributing the chaos.
City folks love it.
They find things I didn't even know I had,'' says Mr. Nickoson, who lights fires for his guests and gives them prices as they hold up jars and tin pails. Ms. Clos and Ms. Webster visited the barn this week with Ms. Webster's daughter, Lisa Hartle of San Diego. Ooh,'' said Ms. Hartle as she stepped inside. The trailer is arranged by Mr. Nickoson's wife, Betty, who is more particular about her displays. An hour into the excursion, Ms. Hartle has empty pockets and a box full of purchased goods.