What Is It That You Are A Collector Of

[steve williams]

I would bet that over our lifetimes all of us have been fervent collectors of one thing or another. Some of these things I have often wondered what possessed me to become a collector. As a kid , it was the typical sports cards, such as baseball, hockey, basketball etc. Then came for me a very intense philatelic collection and ultimately numismatic as well. Believe it or not I still have these collecting dust somewhere. In my professional years I started a collection of "mother and baby figurines" consistant with my specialty. Many of these are very ordinary whereas I have some that have been carved out of stone by people in Africa. These are certainly collector's items. I have collected cameras, watches some art work. Finally , I pride myself in my rose collection at my house with over 65 different varieties of roses growing in front and rear of my house.

I have friends who collect sewing thimbles, bells of all shapes, sizes and another who collects statues of elephants

So fess up and tell us what is collecting dust in your house. What have you been collecting all of these years. Many of my stamp collection is worth some money as are some coins. Wouldn't have a clue about my sports cards collection but I do remember the story of the one of a kind mint Rogers Hornsby baseball card which was acquired by Wayne Gretsky and IIRC valued at $175,000. Wouldn't all of love to find that once in a life time collectible sitting somewhere buried in our home worth a small fortune.
But that is stuff of which dreams are made

 

[Bruce B]

My first thought was wives...!

I'm still a kid... don't laugh..

Winnie the Pooh ... we've got 2 rooms in the house as Pooh themes. We even had our bathroom sinks glazed with grass/water/dirt and Pooh faucets. We haven't finished them yet though...

 

[carolkoh]

I'm a magpie. I have mineral specimens, fossil specimens, some David Winter Cottages, a Lord of the Rings movie poster signed by almost all the cast, a Catwoman poster signed by Jim Lee, some Guiseppe Armani figurines, various pieces of game art, and oh... a 1928 mahogany Knabe

 

[steve williams]

A very good friend of ours has a Knabe as well. A magnificent piano

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Nope. Nuthin'. I've even tried a couple of times, thinking collecting something would be cool, but for me, it just wasn't. I got up to 8 or 10 guitars once, eventually whittled that down to the 3 that get played weekly. Just haven't got the collector's instinct, I guess.

Tim

 

[RogerD]

I have always been a collector,even as a kid I had a big baseball card collection(4 large shoe boxes full) my dad gave them away to my cousin without asking me,I'm still pissed off about that one. Trains,lionel and standard gauge also,there again my dad gave my early lionel set away,baaah. When I moved to free America, I had a collection of class 3 weapons.

I still collect artwork which I find very rewarding. I enjoy fine Safari big bore rifles and someday I hope to own a fine English double rifle. I have always collected rare coins off and on. Older books,especially leather bound on history,literature,and African hunting and arms. My Mom loved books and nice things,so that's where I get the collector bug. My Dad is just the opposite,never collected much.

I like to collect older items that are unique and well made. In audio I think my Ampex,Studer,and Crown decks fit nicely. I also think my Vac 140's and 70/70 fit that description.

I guess I'm a renaissance man.

P.S I have a 1921 Baldwin 5.8 piano,I don'y play,but I just like to look at it.

I also like to collect cookbooks; Chinese,Italian,French and baking. I also have small collections of lobby cards, martini glasses and Persian rugs.

Over the years I have collected French bordeaux and burgundy wines but that needs to be drunk sooner or later,mostly sooner.

 

[mullard88]

I don't intentionally collect. I am just a sucker for certain things and end up with a collection. When I look at the things I have accumulated, they are audio equipment and golf clubs.

 

[JackD201]

I'm a lot like Mullard. I'm not an intentional collector. I buy things I really like and seldom if ever unload. Audio equipment and Software is one obviously. As for golf, I'd have a whole lot by now but since my preferences of stiff shafts and playable clubheads jive with local pros and top amateurs, I often donate them. What I usually keep are the putters.

Since the move to our house, art has become a growing interest.

Mullard, last night Juvy Sanso was here with Jack and Abby of Gallery Joaquin. It was a very enjoyable evening of art, wine and music. Juvy is big on Operas as he designed sets and costumes in Paris in his younger years. He had a lot of stories about the Saturday Club, most funny involving Legaspi and Ang who I know are two of your favorites. Sculptor Daniel de la Cruz showed them the sketch I made of a pair of Flamenco dancers that he had framed and was in turn the basis for a commissioned sculpture and they all kept telling me to mount it on the wall beside our Ocampo and Manansala sketches. I found it so funny. Not only does my sketch look like a chicken scratched it out, it was done on a Wynn cocktail napkin one very inebriated night in Vegas! Hahahahahaha!

 

[Hudda]

The only things I collect are my mistakes. I make my living selling art and antiques to collectors, museums, etc... As with anything else, it's like the shoemaker's children. I don't keep any of the really good stuff. Most dealers can't afford to. The old joke in the trade is: "How do you make a million dollars in the art world?" Answer: Start with 2 million.

I really love what I do though. It's hard work but never boring. There's always the chance of "the next great thing." It's also a very independent way of making a living. You sink or swim by your own wits.

Chris

 

[garylkoh]

Oh man, where do I start? As a kid, I started with stamps. I went through a phase of running around the kampong (rural village) catching butterflies. I have a rather large collection of red Bordeaux, white Burgundy, Sauternes and Barsacs, Brunellos, and Ports - no hurry to drink these as they will probably outlive me. When I traveled to India a lot, I collected quite a number of Kashmir carpets. Recently took out my Magic the Gathering cards (I may have 100,000) to share with my son. Cookbooks and recipes (still).

But I see myself less of a collector than an enthusiastic partaker. Unlike some of my friends, the wine I drink - I don't think that I have a single un-opened case. The carpets I walk and sit on, the cookbooks I regularly use.

 

[mullard88]

Hi Jack,

It would be nice if you could share a few of Juvy Sanso's stories when I visit you next week. I remember Juvy Sanso. He frequented the gathering of the Saturday group. He just socializes. He does his paintings in the privacy of his home.

Now that you mentioned paintings, I do have several on the walls and a few extras just lying around. I forgot to mention them as they do not require much handling from me unlike the stereo equipment and golf clubs. My wife who decides where each painting hangs has not asked me to help her rotate the paintings in ages.

 

[jadis]

In my younger days I collected stamps. I loved foreign things then, and was very interested in foreign countries. But somehow it waned. I moved to collecting SLR cameras and lenses in the late 70s to mid 80s and I guess I got burned out too. Then went into collecting speakers and vintage electronics to for my 3 different rooms but in the end I thought that 'consolidating' the budget and getting an 'all-out' system was better for me. From then on, I have been collecting LPs though I occasionally sell some that I figure I will not play anymore. I only collect those that I truly love and will play over and over again, well, mostly.

 

[audioguy]

I'm not a collector of anything but as a kid had a great stamp collection (actually STILL have it but not sure why) and an amazing baseball card collection. My folks gave it away (without asking as well) when I went off to college.

I also had a small small rock collection and it ended up wherever my baseball cards did.

 

[repman]

I have a fairly large collection of Emmett Kelly clowns. It started as a family tradition when my children were small they would always get me one for fathers day, birthday and Christmas and expanded from there.

 

[Cyclotronguy]

Cast Iron with names cast in like Kearney Trecker, Cincinnati, Lodge Shipley...... Monarch. The added thermal mass in the basement helps keep the house cool in the summer.

Cyclotronguy

 

[mep]

I'm not a collector of anything but as a kid had a great stamp collection (actually STILL have it but not sure why) and an amazing baseball card collection. My folks gave it away (without asking as well) when I went off to college.

I also had a small small rock collection and it ended up wherever my baseball cards did.

Are you still in therapy?

 

[Dimfer]

not really collecting, but I used to buy a hat wherever I go, be it a new city or a new golf course. Then unload them to friends and family whenever I go to my hometown. I had probably given away 200 hats (including company logo hats) during the past 20 yrs.

 

[steve williams]

I have a friend whose wife collects sewing thimbles. She has thousands

 

[rockitman]

I play and collect guitars, mostly of the electric type....a modest collection of 6 electrics and one acoustic. Lately, I enjoy collecting Studer A810 parts in case I need them down the road.

 

[Andre Marc]

I play and collect guitars, mostly of the electric type....a modest collection of 6 electrics and one acoustic. Lately, I enjoy collecting Studer A810 parts in case I need them down the road.

I just bought a Fender sunburst Strat, a Vox Wah and a Dunlop FuzzFace.

I stopped playing for 15 years....but getting back into it.