Here a pig, there a pig … Dacono woman muses on hog wild collection

    Carol Brossman would be the first to say her collection isn’t really about the pigs.
    But scanning the hundreds of little porcine faces peeking out from every nook and cranny in her Dacono home, it might take a moment to believe her.
    “I would say there’s about 800 or 900, counting the lil’ bitty ones,” Carol gestures to the menagerie of wooden, glass, plastic and cloth piggies she’s gathered through the years. “I don’t have a problem eating bacon, and I’ve never wanted a pet pig. It’s about the stories. Every one that I’ve gotten has meant something special to me.”
    There’s a porcelain pig snuggled up with a blanket that draws her eye. She turns the crank on the bottom and a sweet lullaby spills out.
    “That one’s from my mother. She always teased me about my collection, but she knew I loved to get these pigs,” Carol said. “But we went Christmas shopping together and I didn’t know she got that. And we lived right next door to her. She passed away on the 17th of December. My mom wanted the presents opened after she passed. I opened it and I knew she was thinking about me.”    

Photo by Ben Wiebesiek

Carol Brossman shows off a small corner of her stockpile of more than 600 pig collectibles. The collection started on a whim, but now many of the figurines represent a story, place or family member in Brossman’s life.

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    The Colorado native started her collection, accumulated from yard sales and gift stores, to fit in with her family.
    “Everybody in the family was collecting things,” Carol said. “My daughter and son were collecting cars. And she would collect different things, and my husband collects skeleton heads. So I was thinking about what I could collect.”
    The idea came when Carol volunteered to assist a field trip for her son’s kindergarten class. The trip was to a farm outside of Libby, Mont., where the family was living at the time. The students were organized in groups with an animal sign.
    “And our group was the pig, and I thought this is something I could collect,” Carol said. “And I still have the sign.”
    Her family eventually dropped their own collections, but the swine soiree wasn’t ready to call it quits.
    “It kind of went overboard. Now I only keep a new pig if it does something unique or useful,” she said. “I’ve got cookie jars, a canister set, a candy dish, pot holders, but not so many stuffed animals.”
    She knows her husband, George, is only bluffing when he says the pig collecting is over.
    “I’m her biggest pig,” he laughs. “I tell her we’re not getting any more, but then when we’re out, I’ll see one that she doesn’t even notice, and I’ve got to bring it home.”
    The couple has been together nearly 50 years, and it’s clear they still love to give each other gifts and surprises.
    “This is one of my favorites,” she said, pointing to a pair of pigs reclining on beach chairs. “It reminds me of relaxing in Florida on the beach with George.”
    This time of year, a new wave of pigs emerges from storage to decorate the Christmas tree.
    “I should make one to sit at the top of the tree,” she muses.
    Her husband just chuckles.
    Carol said her collection replaced an earlier obsession.
    “I used to collect key chains, too,” Carol laughs. “But that’s a whole other story for another time.”

Contact Ben Wiebesiek at 303-659-2522, ext. 206, or email bwiebesiek@metrowestnewspapers.com.