vision of collecting.

[Jean-Loup]

This thread will be about each persons own collecting philosophy.
There are several types of collectors, many different collecting fields, and many different visions and resons of collecting (investment, historical interest, neonazism, fascination in war...)
So, I will start with my collecting philosophy. Its quite original.
I consider my collection as a mass of war souvenirs. Souvenir doesnt mean money... For me, each of my objects has to have its little story. Thats the thing that vet gave me, thats the thing I got that time when I got up a 6 in the morning... Going into a dealers shop and buying a helmet makes no sens to me. Its like the difference between fish you caught yourself, and fish you baught at the supermarket. Or like buying a little Eiffel tour, without ever having been to Paris.
To me, a collection should not be a question of money. Any rich guy can go to Bill Sheas site, and have a great collection in one day. But thats not what collecting is for me. For me to have a feeling towards my stuff, I have to have found it myself, and know some of its story.
About money, I dont want my collection to have anything to do with money. These objects are all military items that were stolen one day or other. If I want an item, I keep it, and if I dont want it, I give it away. These objects are history, and I dont see why I would make buisness with them. If you want to invest, buy a house, or gold... If a vet gives me something, then that thing is considered sacred. I am the only person on earth to know for sure that a vet realy gave me this object and who had that feeling at the moment he gave it to me. The vet didnt give it to me so I would sell it and make money.
To conclude, all my objects are "first hand", "virgine" pieces. I dont want anything that has been in the hands of anothere collector. The more history an object has in it, the more it was worn, the better. I know this is a very special vision of collecting, and that there are many other ones. I would enjoy hearing them to understand them more.

[Ty Smith]

For me, collecting is for historical interest, for my wife's justification it is an investment,


I just like having something that was part of history. I buy from vets, dealers and collectors. The items I like best are the items that were given to me by vets. I would never sell those items. They mean much more to me.

I agree it's nothing better than finding something really good in a pile of junk somewhere.

[Den]

I collect militaria for the historie that is behind a piece. My main collecting field are german helmets. I find the thought that a helmet has realy seen battle very interesting! If a helmet could speak, it could tell many stories. Those helmets where you can see that they indeed have seen battle realy speak to me!
I like the German stuff the most, because they had the most beautifull stuff to collect to my opinion

[david carlson]

For me, it's putting my hands on history. For many years, I was into metal detecting, digging up Civil War relics all around Northern Virginia . . . being able to reach down and pick up a belt buckle that was last touched by a Yankee soldier 140 years ago is an awesome experience.

As far as WWII helmet and hat collecting, it's a similar thing. I've read so much about the war since I was a kid , talked to a lot of veterans, became dear friends and spent a lot of time with a German family in Kiel who endured the war . . . to be able to own such potent, been-there symbols means a lot to me.

It's great that so many association members have received such wonderful gifts from vets. But because I haven't had the pleasure of being given such items by vets (except for some marvelous photos snapped by my neighbor as he was flying over Germany in a B-17), I'm gateful for the Bill Sheas and Peter Whamonds of the world.

And this Forum . . . I've learned so much from reading your messages. Thanks.

[WalterB]

I am sorry to interrupt the spirit of the thread, but David Carlson, please show us those pictures taken from a B-17!! I would love to see them!

[Ty Smith]

Hi David, You ought to drive south to Richmond a dig up some good confederate relics. I can show you some good spots. One of my best gifts is that given by a B-24 pilot, pictures of flight over Japan with his crew etc.. I got medals and much more. They will never leave my collection.

[Willi Z.]

I do not believe that the greatest collections are built from just buying from a dealer's website. It takes more than money to put a great collection together. It takes years of chasing 1 single helmet, and building a collection piece by piece with patience. Then you become truly attached to those items, and I think this is what makes collecting so great. I can now go 6 months without finding something I need, then all of a sudden you find the piece you have been waiting for. I know FJ collectors who can wait 10 years or longer to find a splinter clip-on cover.......maybe another 10 to find a green one. The instant gratification crowd tends to loose interest in an item as quickly as they bought it from the website. The veteran angle is great, but getting more and more less common as time goes on. And clearly, many items come from dealers and their websites. Not every area is a guaranteed investment. Depends of the rarity, desirabilty and condition. If everyone sold their collections at once, we would all be in trouble. But, when you compare spending money on other hobbies (golf, etc) we get much more of a return. Some better ways to spend our money and certainly alot more worse ways.. in regards to investment.

Willi

[david carlson]

by request . . . Here's a couple of the photos given to me by my nextdoor neighbor when I was a kid. They're only 3 x 5 inch snapshots, but they mean an awful lot to me.

In keeping with the spirit of this thread . . . I plan to hang on to them because they were a gift from a veteran. He wanted me to have them because I was so interested in what he did during the war. He's passed on . . . but I'm glad to share a very small record of what he saw.

[david carlson]

One more . . .

[WalterB]

David, very cool pictures! Thanks for posting them. You are lucky to have had an opportunity to share a moment with a veteran and for him to have given you something so unique. Very nice!

[Ty Smith]

David, These are really impressive! Nothing better than a snapshot from history. I'll try to post some of the B-24.

[william r match]

David,

You can nearly feel the awesome power of that bomber outfit.

At the same time it also makes you very humble and thankful when considering the sacrifice made all those years ago.

Nice poignant images.


Billy

[Ty Smith]

A few B-24 flight pictures. I got this vet's entire WWII collection. It was quite a gift.

[Ty Smith]

A few more pictures, I have many from this vet.

[Jean-Loup]

Those picures are really cool!
Does anyone know what material the flak jackets they had were made out of???
JL