Top Tacky Treasures
The Mark Eden Bust Developer, the Popener, a rubber band vest, and more

Nouveau Tacky
Jesus playing football, a Chairman Mao cigarette lighter, and other delightfully tasteless objects

Tacky Places
Foamhenge, Cooter's Place, Planet Wayside, and other whimsical places

Tacky Topics
The Tacky Treasures Road Show, Mike the Headless Chicken, big heads, art cars, salt & pepper shakers, ballerinas abuse

Seasonal Tacky
Naked witch earrings, Love Kubes™, kinky cuffs, pooping reindeer, Santa piñata, and other holiday treats

Books & Records
Why not eat insects, the Temple City Kazoo Orchestra, and more

Tacky Links

What makes something a tacky treasure? A tacky treasure is, first of all, tacky. However, to be a treasure, it must possess an additional quality, which could be any one of these: a naïve yet ultimately flawed effort to be sophisticated or stylish; a complete lack of shame in exploiting poor taste; or a deliberate flaunting of poor taste as a rebellion against established norms.

This web site was inspired by the Library of Congress exhibition, American Treasures of the Library of Congress. So what if they have a rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, and the contents of Lincoln's pockets when he was assassinated? Hey, I have cool stuff, too: the world's largest collection of Mark Eden Bust Developers, a Chairman Mao cigarette lighter (that plays "The East is Red" when you open it), and best of all, an actual Popener.

I have always enjoyed looking at, collecting, and reading about weird stuff. Perhaps it's because throughout my life, I've felt sort of a misfit. When I look at my tacky treasures, it reminds me that lots of people out there allow themselves to deviate from the mainstream of good taste and create something special. Collecting tacky treasures is my way of embracing my misfittedness, renaming it "eccentricity," and getting on with my life. I feel better already.

Finally, a disclaimer: this web site is not suitable for small children or people with an impaired sense of irony. Everyone else, come on in!

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