Military collectors in North America?

[Hawesj]

Does anyone have any stats for how many Militaria collectors there are in North America?

I am getting grief from the wif over collecting German Militaria

If it was up to my wife, there would definitely be 1 less collector!

[Lloyd I.]

If it was up to my wife, there would definitely be 1 less collector!

Dont feel bad, my wife left me over it. I tried to make her happy and sold my DK winners tunic, KM Kiel stamped flag!!! my 1950 M38 jeep with original plate for the first USMC order!! most of my assault weapons and WW2 rifles. She left me anyway because I was still buying medals.

Good news is now I can buy anything I want and not have to hide it because the thought of a four hour bitch out session isnt hanging over me anymore.

I even tried to point out the investment value in my collection. Wrong answer! It wasnt something she could wear or feel like a goodess driving around in so it didnt matter.

I feel for you.....I really, really feel for you.

[Glenn McInnes]

Dont feel bad, my wife left me over it. I tried to make her happy and sold my DK winners tunic, KM Kiel stamped flag!!! my 1950 M38 jeep with original plate for the first USMC order!! most of my assault weapons and WW2 rifles. She left me anyway because I was still buying medals.

Good news is now I can buy anything I want and not have to hide it because the thought of a four hour bitch out session isnt hanging over me anymore.

I even tried to point out the investment value in my collection. Wrong answer! It wasnt something she could wear or feel like a goodess driving around in so it didnt matter.

I feel for you.....I really, really feel for you.

Couldn't have said it better myself..... For some reason women just don't like this stuff

Glenn

[hcliffe]

I don't know of stats, but you could probably get some help from the OVMS. I'll bet they can tell you how many members they have, and that is just one organization. Not sure that would help your problem though....

Something that helped my wife a bit was that she collects antiques and receives the "Antique Roadshow" magazine. In a recent issue, there was an article by Bruce Hermann of Grenadier Military Antiques http://www.grenadiermilitaryantiques.com/aboutus.html

Bruce wrote about the hobby, comparing it to other hobbies and forbidden dynasties (Klansmen, Japanese, Vietnamese etc.)

He made some really good points and my wife commented that it made her feel better about it. I saw him at the SOS and thanked him for writing it. If interested, I'll bet you could email him and he could send you a copy of the article.

[Lee Ragan]

The American Society of Military Insignia Collectors has over 2,000 members if I remember corectly. Then you have people in the Association of American Military Collectors which has to number several hundred. I don't know how many collectors are in the Company of Military Historians, the two clubs in Canada and all those closet collectors. Oh yea, lets don't forget the guys who collect military vehicles, military flight gear, military gun collectors.... hell, there's gotta be thousands of us.
My wife comes from a collecting background (girls stuff), so we made the junk stores & flemarkets since the days before we got married. As long as I keep it under control, she never gripes. She even likes some of my militaria. Now the 1st wife wasn't like that at all. That one hated it, so I really didn't get into serious collecting till after trading number one off for number two.

[Greg Kubasek]

I guess I am lucky. My wife loves my collection. She still does throw out the oodd "you keep wasting your money on that stuff" comment but she likes to look at it and understand the value not just monetary but historically so it is a non issue.


As far as how many collectors are out there it would be hard to say. I've seen this discussion before on the forums and it really depends on how you might class a collector:

There are the people who have one or two iron crosses and there are the ones who have full houses full of stuff, and then of course everyone in between.

I often think about how many TR collectors there are here in Calgary, I personally know of atleast 5 "serious" collectors but judging on how much TR stuff that was on sale at the last gun show there must be more out there.

Greg

[John Pic]

My wife doesnt mind she hates to see it when I sell something.She asks questions about the history but thats about it.Here we are at the SOS

[Billy B]

Couldn't have said it better myself..... For some reason women just don't like this stuff

Glenn

Wow you couldn't be more wrong, mine likes to dress up in uniforms and she makes me call her Helga

[Glenn McInnes]

Wow you couldn't be more wrong, mine likes to dress up in uniforms and she makes me call her Helga

Does she have a sister


Glenn

[DaveJ]

I got to say I got a keeper,
Lets me buy almost anything, although she has a plan for sale when I am Dead,
I hope I can beat her to it and sell it before hand.
I just got a killer item on hold for Christmas(hope it is paid for by then) from her. Tole her a thing or two I was looking for and it happened to show up , and get put away for me
I will show you when it is mine