Regrets in Collecting ?
Thunderpussy
Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
I shouldn't really be here as I'm not big into collecting but, I was
Wondering if anyone might have a story or two. About items they
Regretted buying? or were cheated on ? Or indeed what they thought
Was one thing, and turned out to be another ? Or Items you've spent
Years trying to track down ?
Wondering if anyone might have a story or two. About items they
Regretted buying? or were cheated on ? Or indeed what they thought
Was one thing, and turned out to be another ? Or Items you've spent
Years trying to track down ?
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
Comments
My main collecting was books for over 30 years, since I was a wee tot. Then I started running Bond and spy collector events. With the help of some very nice people including some here at AJB, I experienced the joys and heartaches of collecting... collectors together.
A visit to the lair of the Mantis opened my eyes as to moving from book collecting to props. Aided by some (more) book sales and the few props I'd collected from events and actor contacts, etc. I went after props in full tilt mode. Answering your questions:
* I think everyone who has bought more than a few props has made regretful decisions--spending a bit too much or winding up with something not carefully checked before purchase. I've felt cheated on a few purchases but working with props was new--very different in some ways from Bond books and Flemingiana--and it was pointed out to me here at AJB and elsewhere that I could be cheating collectors unless I fixed my own sales pitches. "Caveat emptor" for everyone.
* I've spent most of my life trying to track down Bond items I can source and afford. I remember a pre-eBay and pre-Internet life of this kind of action. Some people were very kind to me including Otto Penzler, John Gardner, Steve Kulakoski and other fellow authors and collectors. I remember when there were 50 and not 50,000 items for Bond on eBay! Now one has to be a genius and extend much time to find items on eBay and I'm not too good at this pursuit! I spent years hitting hardback book goals, then years culling paperbacks from around the world and all kinds of firsts, then some years pursuing props to get original and/or replicas from all 26 Bond films... and mostly casino items until recently, because I've spent years trying to find some of those. Still looking!
The hunt is a joy and yes, sometimes getting that item is a joy, too. My advice for aspiring collectors is to focus. If you're going clothes, pick one 007 or literally pay the consequences. If you've got a passion for high end books, stick to British or American or foreign editions only and don't think you can afford it all. Locations can often be found for free so I collect those and take fans on locations tours, which are a blast.
Over the years I acquired various items, but did not seriously start collecting until the early 90's, I have been buying items on Ebay since 2000 and acquired some real gems at stupidly low prices.
I am happy to say that Mrs AA shares my enthusiasm for collecting* and sometimes finds items for me :x
(*Mrs AA collects Handbags, Shoes and Clothes 8-) )
Do I have any regrets? I have a few, but to few to mention.
it must have scared the living daylights out of him
Games Workshop Citadel miniatures
Star Wars movie prop replicas
Lord of the Rings collectables
Indiana Jones gear
James Bond gear
U.S. Special Forces militaria from the Vietnam war
British Airborne forces militaria from WWII
Just various militaria!
As someone with OCD collecting is a nightmare and I've had to really recognise that to stop myself going crazy with the spending!
I've probably lost more money than I've ever made on selling stuff on. Certainly the LotR stuff I 'invested' in was a bum idea, because the franchise never took off like SW has over nearly 4 decades. That said I sold my GW miniatures collection with some profits in the hundreds of percents, but that's still not much when your talking about little lead figures bought originally for a few pence or pounds
Bond stuff has a great appeal though because I buy the gear, not the props, so it's all very useable in day-to-day life, which is enjoyable. And Bond stuff tends to hold its value, so is a good investment if you do need to see some money back.
Favourite pieces?
Bond - the AM sitting in the garage and Omega on my wrist
Indy Gear - got a Raiders style fedora that I wore on adventures around China and Mongolia, which was made by the same guy who went on to then make the hats for HF in Crystal Skull
Star Wars - have an original MPP flashgun which is one of only a dozen in the world I know of that exactly match the one used in A New Hope to make Vader's lightsaber hilt
Militaria - silver cigarette case of South African Battle of Britain ace Adolf 'Sailor' Malan. Made in 1939 and perhaps purchased to celebrate his promotion in 74 Sqn that year, there is a reasonable chance it was in his pocket when he was brassing-up those Luftwaffe aircraft
Highs from the pleasure. Lows from the pocket pain. C'est la vie :007)
See here when someone or other, shows an interesting item, or collection
I didn't even know existed.
Effort put into getting that one special piece {[]
Same with the clothes, I've learned so much from reading about where people
Have bought the same clothes, shoes etc. The cut of the different suits, in my
Opinion all help to give an insight into the films , beyond cinema facts and figures.
On regrets, I was told something similar by my big brother years ago, but it was about
Women. " The ones you think most about, are the ones you regret not asking out."
I think that is a mirage though
As for regrets, like Mantis said, I only regret the items that I should have purchased and didn't. Like the TMWTGG villains 1 sheet that I came across in a collectibles store for $15.00 or $20.00. What a mistake that was!
DG
"People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." Richard Grenier after George Orwell, Washington Times 1993.
Collect something because you enjoy it, and you cherish it. If sentimentality or happy memories tie into it, so much the better. Never collect as a financial investment. - That path will always lead to regret and sorrow.
I don't regret the collectables I missed out on. There are far worse things to miss out on or loose in this life.
on a brighter note - Starship 54 is released in a couple of weeks. Plus (in spite of demand) I nearly have all the Tracy brothers. Happy day!
I think mine is the things I wanted to buy and never got the chance. The QoS stuff comes to mind here, when I was still in school and broke. I'd have loved to rock the Greene party suit.
You still can - there are many practical alternatives out there. It's probably the best, and most timeless, suit which DC has worn so far. -{ though if you're thinking of buying a Tom Ford original, it will leave you broke even longer.
As they say regrets are generally the things you have never done! But no use looking back better to look forward they will come up one day
Cheers :-)
...knowing you can't have everything Bond-related that serves as promo in public because "you might sell it on ebay" and they instead throw it away
Much you have, there's always something more. You just
Need !
that's what's a real pee-off at some times