Collecting without research is like going to a banquet without eating!
True, it takes a certain knack to ferret out and find what it is we seek, but at this point it's just accumulation.
The pursuit of knowledge raises this to a higher level. When a body of knowledge is built up over time true scholarship is the result.
Our recently deceased friend Michael was a perfect example. He observed objects in public and private collections, found items one at a time and slowly built his own collection based on what he learned over the years, all the while doing further research. The gathered body of knowledge he posessed is, to anybody who followed his efforts, astounding, and represents true scholarship.
While there are a lot of highly intelligent and passionate members of this forum, none have come close (IMHO) to his depth of understanding.
He can never be replaced.
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