In the meantime, Easby became a major art and antique collector, who inherited more than 100,000 antiques and personal items, many of which had been in his family for centuries. His collection includes items belonging to General George Meade, a chair and other high valued items belonging to Napoleon of France as well as jewelry belonging to Joséphine de Beauharnais. It also includes the very utensils that were used by the founding fathers of the United States during the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. Many pieces from his collection have been loaned to the White House, U.S. State Department for its diplomatic reception rooms, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Some of his pieces are also housed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Easby's furniture items were often traded at auctions such as Christie's and Sotheby's in the above one million dollar range each. Among many of the antique watches and clocks left to Easby, one was made for the 18th-century Queen Marie Antoinette of France.