- Joined
- May 8, 2015
- Location
- Pittsburgh, PA
To me, one of the most appealing aspects of collecting is that each participant gets to pick his or her own unique goals based on their interests, knowledge, time and resources. Some collectors have very well-defined goals, even to the point of seeking to acquire one or more specific items. Others may focus their collecting energies on a specific type of artifact. Within the very broad category of CW artifact collecting, that could be hats, or uniforms, or firearms, or presentation swords, or identified items generally, or photographs, or ephemera, or Confederate money, or Civil War tokens, or surgical equipment, or dug relics, etc. At one time, I was focusing on US coinage from the 1861-65 period. Others may have no more specific goal than generic "personal satisfaction." As my CWT handle implies, I collect pocket watches with CW provenances. Within that general pursuit, I have specific aspirations that I may share after I hear from some others here.
I believe that an organized, curated collection, which is distinct from a mere accumulation, or a horde, is greater than the sum of its parts. Collections can tell a coherent story and provide insights into the people who created or once owned the artifacts. Anyone with a big enough checkbook can usually put together a pretty impressive bunch of stuff. For me, the challenge has always been to know more about the artifacts one has collected when one passes them along than one knew when one first acquired them, and to pass that knowledge along to the broader community with the artifacts. Collecting shouldn't be a zero sum game. Some of my horological publications likely will continue to be read long after I am gone, and knowing that gives me satisfaction.
The upside of casting a wide net is that one may maximize one's collecting opportunities. If you're in a hurry to assemble a large collection rapidly, and you have a large collecting budget, that approach has definite advantages. The upside of specializing is that you have much more of an opportunity to become a genuine expert in what you collect. Knowing more about the items you collect than most of the people selling them gives you a tremendous advantage, and helps you to avoid costly mistakes. (Everyone, certainly including myself, will occasionally continue to make mistakes, but your batting average will go way up if you specialize.)
But 'nuf said by me here. I'd like to hear from others.
I believe that an organized, curated collection, which is distinct from a mere accumulation, or a horde, is greater than the sum of its parts. Collections can tell a coherent story and provide insights into the people who created or once owned the artifacts. Anyone with a big enough checkbook can usually put together a pretty impressive bunch of stuff. For me, the challenge has always been to know more about the artifacts one has collected when one passes them along than one knew when one first acquired them, and to pass that knowledge along to the broader community with the artifacts. Collecting shouldn't be a zero sum game. Some of my horological publications likely will continue to be read long after I am gone, and knowing that gives me satisfaction.
The upside of casting a wide net is that one may maximize one's collecting opportunities. If you're in a hurry to assemble a large collection rapidly, and you have a large collecting budget, that approach has definite advantages. The upside of specializing is that you have much more of an opportunity to become a genuine expert in what you collect. Knowing more about the items you collect than most of the people selling them gives you a tremendous advantage, and helps you to avoid costly mistakes. (Everyone, certainly including myself, will occasionally continue to make mistakes, but your batting average will go way up if you specialize.)
But 'nuf said by me here. I'd like to hear from others.
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