Existentialistic question

[KuKulzA28]

I collect. And then I sell them. I don't have it in my budget to accumulate much of a collection at once... so I never have a big collection. It is constantly being sold/traded for other items. Than way I lose less money, and spend a few precious months becoming familiar with a piece, and I am never cluttered. The few weaponry/tools that I keep are onces that I actually use.

Maybe if I had a lot more money and a very settle lifestyle, things would change?

I don't know, but I doubt it.

[Lee]

While I will quickly agree that the proper, intelligent way to collect is to focus on an area and to refine a small but select collection with upgrades and disposals - this has never been my personal practice. I am a 'roach motel' for these things; I'd say no more than a half dozen deaccessions over 4 decades...

[Battara]

On the wife, my wife is fine with my collection as long as there are no active working guns in the house. She is wonderful.

On the thing of collecting focusing on certain areas - don't get me wrong, I have things that are not from the PI, Turkish, or Indonesia, but they are not the majority of my collection. "Where your heart is there will be your treasure also" is what Jesus said, and it is a great insight. My major passion is PI/Moro, but I am also global. This is great for me since I am not independently wealthy.

[fearn]

Hi All,

I'll admit that the caretaker thing is as much a counsel of perfection as reality. I've got a few guilty secrets sitting back in the corners, and I need to get the rust off them.

That said, I'm honestly more interested in information in most cases than I am in having a representative piece, and most of my small collection is functional to varying extents.

So far as spouses go, my wife asked me, early on in our relationship, what I was going to do with a new piece?

It's always good to have an answer for that. Mine was several minutes long.

The wonderful thing about that question is that, once your partner asks it, that gives you the implicit right to ask it back (used with good judgment, of course). Tastes for fine jewelry and fine blades can certainly complement each other in a relationship...

Best,

F

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by fearn

Hi All,

I'll admit that the caretaker thing is as much a counsel of perfection as reality. I've got a few guilty secrets sitting back in the corners, and I need to get the rust off them.

That said, I'm honestly more interested in information in most cases than I am in having a representative piece, and most of my small collection is functional to varying extents.

So far as spouses go, my wife asked me, early on in our relationship, what I was going to do with a new piece?

It's always good to have an answer for that. Mine was several minutes long.

The wonderful thing about that question is that, once your partner asks it, that gives you the implicit right to ask it back (used with good judgment, of course). Tastes for fine jewelry and fine blades can certainly complement each other in a relationship...

Best,

F

I agree absolutely. There is always a "tradeoff" with one's spouse, and jewellery works just fine. I personally am lucky that my wife approves 100% of my collecting interests so long as the $$ are not needed for more important things.
Stu

[Emanuel]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

There is always a "tradeoff" with one's spouse

I call that tax. Tariffs on imports apply to the "nation of two" as much as to any other nation/country

I'm a generalist in most things. I collect broadly based on my means at any given moment, and depending on what strikes my fancy. I don't believe in constraints none of this "focused collection" business.

I'm also terrible at managing what/how much I buy. Often I'll see a bargain and rationalize that I can sell the piece at a nice profit after I clean it up. Then I clean it, study it, appreciate it...and it never leaves my care and the profit never materializes...only net monetary loss...

Recently I decided on a "1 piece per month" policy. It forces me to be more selective, but it also encourages me to spend more on nicer pieces. The bottom-feeder in me still keeps a lookout for bargains though...

[Rick]

Originally Posted by fearn

Tastes for fine jewelry and fine blades can certainly complement each other in a relationship...

I find that is the case for me .

My next keris has already cost me a string of pearls .

Insurance against gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair .

[Spunjer]

Originally Posted by KuKulzA28

I collect. And then I sell them. I don't have it in my budget to accumulate much of a collection at once... so I never have a big collection. It is constantly being sold/traded for other items. Than way I lose less money, and spend a few precious months becoming familiar with a piece, and I am never cluttered. The few weaponry/tools that I keep are onces that I actually use.

Maybe if I had a lot more money and a very settle lifestyle, things would change?

I don't know, but I doubt it.

sounds kinda like me, lol.
the good thing about that is, ever since i started collecting, it was my goal to know more about these artifacts. knowledge. seems like when you discover something new, you appreciate it even more. even the plainest kris has story to tell. come to think of it, these commoner swords has the most story to tell. it's with that original owner 24/7. it was his pride and joy. now, nothing beats with that actual sword on your hand. you can only read so much about it, but once you got it in person, it takes a whole new meaning. think of it like a library: you borrow a book, you read it, once you get done, you return it. of course there are what i call the Keepers, which, weird as it may sound, you can actually feel if certain pieces wants to stay with you.
as for the wife, she doesn't have a room to complain. i don't remember complaining when she got them kitchen knives, lol
nah, she's cool with it...

[KuKulzA28]

Originally Posted by Spunjer

now, nothing beats with that actual sword on your hand. you can only read so much about it, but once you got it in person, it takes a whole new meaning.

Most definitely

Originally Posted by Spunjer

think of it like a library: you borrow a book, you read it, once you get done, you return it.

That's how I see it. Some like to amass libraries, others just borrow books... and I guess in a way, it's the same with weapon collecting

Originally Posted by Spunjer

of course there are what i call the Keepers, which, weird as it may sound, you can actually feel if certain pieces wants to stay with you.

Yea, it is kind of strange... sometimes there's something special about a certain piece, and it's hard to say why

[Rick]

I'm down to one or two a year .
Not much leaves my collection .

Then there's the rare bottom feeding score .
Mostly not from eBay .

[Neil]

Reading this thread I have laughed out loud more than once, thank you. We are a strange lot. I have asked my self many times why I collect the things I do. In the end its just who I am I think.

As far as limits go, I have a few guidelines. Predominantly I collect antique Chinese civilian arms. I have been a student of Chinese martial arts for a long time and have found working with these pieces lead me down such insightful paths of understanding, both in the history of my interest as well as my personal practice. That being said, the items I collect need to be complete and functional for solo kung fu practice routines, and or examples that offer a new opportunity to learn in a broader context. Few seem to be long term keepers. The chase is fun though.