Focus Collecting

I'm doing an interview this evening for May's Vintage Rebellion Podcast show and one of the items on the agenda for the interview is this collectors impressive focus collection.

And it got me wondering this morning why people focus collect. When I say focus collect I don't mean putting together a run of trilogos or 12 backs, I mean a character focus.

I started a Greedo focus around 16 months ago and when friends and family come round my house they often ask "why have you got several of the same figure", they especially can't understand why I've got three ESB ones all alongside each other which all look the same from the front.

I know many members on here have character focuses so would like to know what makes you decide to focus on just one character?
I know ScruffyLookingNH (Simon) was telling me at the last Farthest From that he is considering doing a Teebo focus as his colourings remind him of his butchers apron, so it kinds of intertwines with his life. Are all focuses formed on such basic ideas?

I did also wonder whether character focus collections were relatively new ideas, since the explosion of eBay and forums where it became easier to acquire goods, and looking back early 90s it is hard to find many collectors going down a character based route, although there was John Wooten's extensive and very impressive Stormtrooper focus back in the day.

So why? Be really interested to know.

I have a very small bossk focus, my brother gave me his childhood trilogo moc a couple of years back and it triggered a really fond memory of being at butlins as a kid with my dad and seeing a Bossk cardback in a dustbin (it was just laying on the top, we weren't going through people's bins!).
Naturally we picked it up and cut the nameplate out for what ever mail away was on offer then.
My dad can't remember it but for some strange reason it's really vivid for me and when I look at the focus it takes me straight back to that happy time

I think a lot of it boils down to a favorite character or childhood memories. When i had my Lando Skiff focus way back in the early 2000's there was only myself and David Gaule actively collecting him, although David collects everything Lando. I got a fair few proofs/cromalins/prototypes then. It seems much harder to even attempt a focus nowadays. I picked Lando then because he was one of my favorite figures, but sadly it all got sold on.

I am thinking of starting a Leis Boushh run now as its the only figure i still have from my childhood-and i know for a fact it was the last figure i EVER opened back in xmas 84.

A focus provides a bit more fun into collecting, because you are NEVER finished.

I've got a small C3PO focus that I'm actively looking to build. I've focused on C3PO as it was the only figure that I'd asked for as a Christmas present that my parents couldn't get hold of. They bought me a metal 3PO badge with flashing eyes instead which is a lovely memory. I'd love one of those badges now for my focus .

Similar stand point for me really with my power droid focus, it was a figure I could not find for love nor money as a kid, I vividly remember a good friend of mine having one & although an odd figure in terms of play-ability I always seemed to find plenty to do with the little box when I visited that friend, I also just love that it is so alien to every other figure, even the other droids & the cardback colours really do it for me, sadly not must in the way of pre production stuff out there for the little fellow.

My fx-7 focus came about as it was the first figure I received when getting back into collecting.
Also love the cardback artwork

I started my 2-1b focus back in 2007 as I wanted to be able to collect a little bit of everything and 2-1b was one of 2-3 figures that hand no known focus collectors on the rebelscum figure focus index at that time.



Jason

Han Hoth was one of my favourite figures as a kid, relatively affordable MOC, and I didn't have enough space to display a full run of MOCs.

As such a focus seemed the logical way to go. It's also a really good way of learning about the production process.

Like Joe - I passed on a few proofs back in the day because of cost, if only I knew what they would cost today :shock:

Having had a previous Luke Farmboy Focus before, I guess it's just a matter of personal preference? I always liked the figure but was too young first time around for the original SW figures.
I really enjoyed the hunt for some of the variants, which there were loads of with the LFB.
I've recently started out on a Rebel Commando focus. My main reason for this, was like others have mentioned, it became obvious very quickly that a full run of MOC would be unattainable and impractical due to finances etc...
The route of a focus appeals to me due to the fact that you can have a realistic aim putting together a unique collection. The Rebel commando carded figures are within reason, affordable and available!
It also gives me the option of saving for something really special, like a pre production piece to add to the Focus as my one "major buy"...if that makes sense?
I love the whole aspect of adding different cards, variants, bootleg figures and associated items to a focus. You can sit back once you have a nice collection and enjoy the variety of different yet similar items.

I went down the focus route after my loose collection almost became complete and rather than just pay silly amounts for the bits that I still need, or wait for mates to send me the bits I've been promised for nearly 2 years :lol: , I then decided to go down the oddball route. But then that is too vast. I was never going to be a MOC collector as they just don't appeal to me as much, so a focus was expected.

I chose R5D4 as I've always liked the figure, even as a child I had vivid memories of playing with R5 more than R2. Being a focus collector allows me to head down routes that would not be possible as a MOC collector.

I was drawn towards Luke Jedi as he was my favourite character and I have the clearest memories of playing with this figure from when I was a kid. When I got back in to collecting I initially wasn't sure where I was going but got a loose graded LJ figure and decided that I would focus on him whilst continuing my loose run.

Whilst looking out for LJ items after I picked up my first MOC I came across some vintage items with the cardback picture and purchased them on impulse and then my desire for items with this picture snowballed from there and it became part of LJ focus.

Items don't come up often but when I do find something and purchase it I get a great buzz Just received a 17"x20" poster from America as my latest addition.

I'd say the focus found me

Focus collecting? What a load of bollocks :lol:

Joe said:

Focus collecting? What a load of bollocks :lol:

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^^ This

Like a lot of people I started a focus collection after finishing my loose set. It kind of gave me a direction after concentrating on the loose set for so long ( 7yrs ). I wanted to do a focus but wasn't sure which character to go for, it was between Yoda, Chewie and Lando Skiff, the later being my favourite figure as a kid. I decided that Lando wouldn't offer enough diversity so it came down to Yoda and Chewie.

These two stood out as I had a few quite rare pieces that would make a nice start to a focus, for Yoda I had a nice 32 back and a one off NZ 32 back and for Chewie a Palitoy 12back and a one off NZ Toltoys 48 back card.

In the end it was Yoda that won out but it could've gone either way, it's amazing how many of the figure you chose start showing up for sale when you start looking. Countless hours searching for Yoda items on ebay, and forum members giving you a heads up when something they think may interest you comes along. I miss focus collecting, it was good fun.

I wonder if Pete still has his army of Yaks 8)

I don't think I had even heard of focus collecting when I was a 'lone collector', off forum and picking bits up from eBay, fairs and the ever reducing list of vintage shops and market stalls. That was a time that I was still looking finish the complete run of loose and vehicles and MOCs were also just a very nice thing t own, but not something to ever dream of completing a run of.

Then I found this place, the Facebook groups and had lurked around RS... things oddly enough quickly change.

What I didn't realise early on was that I had actually three focuses on the go from the start really. My collection was displayed in the following manner:

- Loose run
- Vehicle/Playset run
- Random MOCs
- R2-D2 shelves
- Han Solo shelves
- Boba Fett shelves

So, despite their distinct lack of quality and an awful lot of modern items holding them together, I had three focuses almost straightaway, just because the figures meant a lot to me and over time I'd (by stealth!) gathered a few shelves of pieces that related to each one.

When my MOC run started to come together I noticed that in the process I had managed to get a SW, ESB, ROTJ and Tri-logo Han original. I had also realised that even getting one vintage Fett MOC came with a mysterious rarely spoken of tax and therefore pulling a run together on him would mean a bigger bank account than I possess. R2 was cool but I never had a love for the vintage figure (don't shoot me...) I really preferred the more modern interpretations I had... so he dropped to second place. Han won... well he shot first.

I think that the character Focus has been one of the most enjoyable bits of collecting I've done. Clue is in the name. It gives you a focus, by the time most come to take one on they have explored loose runs and MOC runs etc and are looking for something else to grab and keep their attention. The process of starting and working on a character focus is quite different, its more specific, possibly more dedicated.

They can also (oddly) broaden your mind and eyes to a plethora of things that are not just the standard vintage toy line. I have learnt a fair bit about cardbacks and using the Kellerman guide as well as Jason's Palitoy and Joe's Tri-logo guides. I've also learnt a tiny bit (compared to some of the collecting legends out there) about baggies, about paint apps, about COO markings, about bootlegs and stationery in this process. I'm no expert, but do feel I know a lot more about the hobby, the toy line(s) and even the films due to having the focus.

I have one vintage pre-production item (a revenge proof) in my focus and I feel that its no less a focus because of it. I don't actually see these items as being key to having a focus at all, don't get me wrong, I'd love a few more items, but they are not crucial to me. The scope for a character and how you choose to develop your focus around it is so broad you don't have to go all out and spend thousands on a first shot. A set of pencils or exercise books with the character on is just as great a run in my mind.

Guys on the scene get to know you collect the character and give you a shout on interesting items, I see that in some situations, things even get randomly sent without warning between collectors because they know one or other has that focus. I myself thanks to a number of super guys have been given drawings/paintings and a couple of great loose figures with either an odd COO or paint app for example.

I strongly believe that it builds the community feeling having a series of these focusses going on.

Nick_IoW said:

Joe said:

Focus collecting? What a load of bollocks :lol:

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^^ This

Click to expand...

Joe said:

Focus collecting? What a load of bollocks :lol:

Click to expand...

You two should consider focus collections, you have the right personalities for them

I focus on key things I remember meant something to me as a kid . that is why I have a small focus on Yoda , Ben . I also fell into a Jawa focus not sure why .

Would like a Vader focus , but would be a slippery slope :shock:

I am considering going down a focus route as my collecting so far has been anything that catches my eye, I would love an At At Driver focus as it was my first figure back in the day, however I'm not sure I could afford all the variants.
What would be a good figure to start a focus on, something at the cheaper end which is atainable on a modest budget. Any advice would be appreciated.

steve obi wan said:

Would like a Vader focus , but would be a slippery slope :shock:

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Yes it is ...