Collecting

[peekaygee73]

There's a really interesting article on the BBC website today about collecting memorabilia. It's specifically about one guy's love of football and the collection he amassed over 30 years but I think it'll strike a chord for most of us on here.

How a football fan's collection of memorabilia is helping others

How a football fan's once-treasured collection is helping others to remember happier times.

www.bbc.co.uk

It's really got me thinking, particularly how he talks about what to do with his collection.

Associating memorabilia with a bygone time and place is definitely part of it for me. I'm reminded of my childhood, friends, places, old toy shops, playing, etc... It's a cliche but it really was simpler times. Whilst I do get a buzz from finding, buying and displaying items I do wonder sometimes if it consumes too much of my free time (not so much now, but certainly it has in the past). Having recently moved house I now have a little more room to display my collection, but I do still have a lot of stuff (SW and non-SW) that's boxed up out of sight. I rotate some things but feel I've bought other things as I'm trying to be a completist (I blame Kenner with their 'Collect all ...' MOC packaging )

I'm interested to know others thoughts on the article and their attitudes to collecting.

 

[Palifan]

Great article and my collect ting habits have been on my mind for a while now and this also makes me think about what I have.

I buy fewer and fewer SW items each year now and have focused a lot more on other vintage and custom toy items. The problem is that I still have everything (for the most part), and can't really display a lot of it at the same time. There are also a lot of items that don't really interest me in the same way that they did when I bought them so it does feel like it's time to thin out some of it. I have been doing this with my SW items, especially with things that I ended up with multiples of due to upgrading. There's still a little more to go with this but my collecting space is getting pretty cramped now and I'm still finding things I want each month. I feel like it's getting to a point where I might need to just turn off some of the FB groups I'm part of and the content checking on eBay, as it does take up time each day and also makes me always aware of something else that I really want. There's also the expense which I've been on top of with items I've sold, but I could do with selling more to help out with the cost ( the customs aren't in the vintage SW price range but it can all mount up quickly some months).

I keep putting the decision off about what to do but I can feel like that time is rapidly approaching and I'm also interested in hearing how other people are feeling about their collecting habits. The end of the day I need to own my collection and not let it own me (as it feels like it does sometimes).

Ian

 

[UKS]

I have kept everything from my childhood up till now - So add to that my Adult collecting and I am overflowing with product. I am planning my downsizing over the next few years, I feel. I first will clear our the Adult purchases I am not interested in.. and then see where that leaves me. I may have to thin my childhood stuff, (which was always a deeply unsettling idea) but now with it surrounding me, I feel I perhaps can put some of it to a better place or home with other collectors. For instance, the digging up of my childhood Action Force/GI Joes has got me interested again, but the remnants of MASK, Dino Riders and even Space Precinct (?!) - do I really need to keep them?

UKS

Edit: The super big question is my MOC Star Wars collection. I enjoyed getting it, but it isn't bringing me any joy just being put in storage.

 

[peekaygee73]

I may have to thin my childhood stuff, (which was always a deeply unsettling idea) but now with it surrounding me, I feel I perhaps can put some of it to a better place or home with other collectors. For instance, the digging up of my childhood Action Force/GI Joes has got me interested again, but the remnants of MASK, Dino Riders and even Space Precinct (?!) - do I really need to keep them?

I don't have any of my childhood SW, Transformers or Action Man - they were sold in the 80s. I do have most of my lego and various other bits and pieces of stuff. For example, I still have my childhood 'Lego Car Chassis' (8860) which is boxed and complete... but I just can't bring myself to sell it when they don't seem to sell for that much. Even though I know I won't display it or do anything with it. I think I'd feel different if I still had my childhood SW stuff.

 

[peekaygee73]

Great article and my collect ting habits have been on my mind for a while now and this also makes me think about what I have.

I buy fewer and fewer SW items each year now and have focused a lot more on other vintage and custom toy items. The problem is that I still have everything (for the most part), and can't really display a lot of it at the same time. There are also a lot of items that don't really interest me in the same way that they did when I bought them so it does feel like it's time to thin out some of it. I have been doing this with my SW items, especially with things that I ended up with multiples of due to upgrading. There's still a little more to go with this but my collecting space is getting pretty cramped now and I'm still finding things I want each month. I feel like it's getting to a point where I might need to just turn off some of the FB groups I'm part of and the content checking on eBay, as it does take up time each day and also makes me always aware of something else that I really want. There's also the expense which I've been on top of with items I've sold, but I could do with selling more to help out with the cost ( the customs aren't in the vintage SW price range but it can all mount up quickly some months).

I keep putting the decision off about what to do but I can feel like that time is rapidly approaching and I'm also interested in hearing how other people are feeling about their collecting habits. The end of the day I need to own my collection and not let it own me (as it feels like it does sometimes).

Ian

I seem to be able to sell on things I'm not interested in - doubles, stuff bought as part of lots, etc... It's the 'completist' mentality that's my downfall. There are a couple of bands whose memorabilia/records I collect, and I find myself buying stuff that just gets put away knowing I won't look at it for ages - just because I want to have every vinyl/CD release of every single. I tend to go through phases of this then have a clear out; not usually of the stuff I've bought recently but older stuff I know I no longer want. I usually find that when I have a clear-out I'm not buying at the same time. It's like I've got fed up with myself and recognise I need some more room or don't need so much stuff!

You're right though, it needs to be you that owns your collection and not the other way round. I was buying a particular range of 1/6th scale figures, purchasing every single one, till I realised 'This is nuts, I'm buying them whether I like them or not just to be a completist'. Stuff like that, when boxed up, consumes a lot of space.