Is this an "old man's hobby"?

[Robert]

60 for me but next year I'm going to reverse the whole thing and be 59. Hopefully I'll be back in my late twenties or early thirties when it's time to take a dirt nap.

Robert

[Norman McCormick]

59, but I did start my first collection when I was 14 by the time I reached 18 I sold it all to concentrate on wine, women and, well, more wine and women.
Regards,
Norman.


P.S. Best buy of my early years was a 17thC katana with an earlier tsuba in WW2 mounts, cost me £1-10/-. In todays money £1.50p, bought a lot of the aforementioned wine, women etc. when I sold it. Oh for the gift of hindsight.

[Jens Nordlunde]

Ok, I am 71 and have collected for 45 + years.
Jens

[paolo]

I'm 61, and collect ethographic edge weapons by 12 years.
Paolo

[mross]

two years on the high side of a half century

[VANDOO]

MY MIND IS 20 BUT MY BODY IS A VERY HARD USED 66. I HAVE BEEN COLLECTING ETHINOGRAPHIC EDGED WEAPONS ON AND OFF FOR 50 YEARS. MY FIRST AND MOST TREASURED ITEM WAS AN OLD WW2 COLLINS MACHETE WITH SCABBARD AND BELT I GOT WHEN I WAS 8 AT A OLD ARMY SURPLUS FOR $1.50. IT HUNG DOWN TO MY ANKLES IN THOSE DAYS AND WENT WITH ME ON ALL MY EARLY RAMBLES AND ADVENTURES IN THE EAST TEXAS HILLS,WOODS AND TRINITY RIVER BOTTOM. I FORGED THRU MANY JUNGLES AND BUILT MANY FORTS WITH IT AND STILL USE IT FOR YARD WORK THESE DAYS.

THERE IS STILL HOPE FOR YOUNGER COLLECTORS AS THE INTEREST IS STILL THERE IN ARMS AND ARMOR AND SHARP POINTY THINGS. THE BOYS AND SOME GIRLS STILL LIKE CARTOONS AND VIDEO GAMES WITH HEROS WITH EDGED WEAPONS SO PERHAPS THEY WILL GROW INTO IT AND CATCH THE COLLOCTORS DISEASE. THE WINE WOMEN AND SONG DOES TAKE ONE AWAY FROM COLLECTING AS IT SHOULD BUT WE LEARN WITH AGE THAT THE SHARP POINTY THINGS ARE FAR LESS DANGEROUS THAN THE FAIR SEX.

[Norman McCormick]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

WE LEARN WITH AGE THAT THE SHARP POINTY THINGS ARE FAR LESS DANGEROUS THAN THE FAIR SEX.

Oh how true, how true.

[Iain]

25 - but been at it for a decade off and on.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

MY MIND IS 20 BUT MY BODY IS A VERY HARD USED 66. I HAVE BEEN COLLECTING ETHINOGRAPHIC EDGED WEAPONS ON AND OFF FOR 50 YEARS. MY FIRST AND MOST TREASURED ITEM WAS AN OLD WW2 COLLINS MACHETE WITH SCABBARD AND BELT I GOT WHEN I WAS 8 AT A OLD ARMY SURPLUS FOR $1.50. IT HUNG DOWN TO MY ANKLES IN THOSE DAYS AND WENT WITH ME ON ALL MY EARLY RAMBLES AND ADVENTURES IN THE EAST TEXAS HILLS,WOODS AND TRINITY RIVER BOTTOM. I FORGED THRU MANY JUNGLES AND BUILT MANY FORTS WITH IT AND STILL USE IT FOR YARD WORK THESE DAYS.

THERE IS STILL HOPE FOR YOUNGER COLLECTORS AS THE INTEREST IS STILL THERE IN ARMS AND ARMOR AND SHARP POINTY THINGS. THE BOYS AND SOME GIRLS STILL LIKE CARTOONS AND VIDEO GAMES WITH HEROS WITH EDGED WEAPONS SO PERHAPS THEY WILL GROW INTO IT AND CATCH THE COLLOCTORS DISEASE. THE WINE WOMEN AND SONG DOES TAKE ONE AWAY FROM COLLECTING AS IT SHOULD BUT WE LEARN WITH AGE THAT THE SHARP POINTY THINGS ARE FAR LESS DANGEROUS THAN THE FAIR SEX.

Barry was always the epitome of the adventurer/collector, and visiting him in his mini-Smithsonian in Oklahoma was something I will NEVER forget!
There was not an empty surface in his house that was not a display of something!
Always miss you my friend.

For me, collecting started much like this, I was a kid in Utah, WWII had been over just over 9 years. You could buy old bayonets out of barrels in surplus stores, and a guys dad had been a guard at a POW camp.....gave me a bunch of German medals, helmet etc.
That sent me off to US medals and patches (also in these stores).
Eventually by the 60s in southern Calif. I got my first sword, a Moro keris in a garage, my payment for helping sand down a Model A frame!

Off I went! My first regulation sword an old British M1796 heavy cav disc hilt...it was so exciting, especially that I had a book on old swords ("American & European Swords" Claude Blair, 1962)...and one of these was 'in the book'!!!
I could say........look! I have one of these!

My love of history had reached a third dimension as I could actually own the weapons used in events, times and places that fascinated me. With the cost of weapons usually a bit out of reach, I began buying books........and soon realized....it was studying the HISTORY of these weapons that was my passion, more than actually collecting them.
I still bought them, but aligned with things I was studying.........and was more for having singular representative examples of historic themes.

So for me it has been more a lifetime of research and serious study of arms history, and I have gratefully learned so much from the many authors and collectors who have virtually mentored me over so many years. These pages on these forums have presented the greatest opportunities for me over the past over two decades! and I will always remember the great discussions and adventures shared!
Now at 75, still hooked on research, but those swords collected years ago still with me. They have been my friends and guides into history........that rusty, beaten old disc hilt is still there.........smiling!
After all, well venerated at 215 yrs.....to my paltry 75!!!!

[Kmaddock]

Hi All

I'm 51 and collecting militaria since i was 14 or so . My dad worked part time in England with an ex WWII para, Paul the Para had no children and he knew I had an interest in militaria.

One time when I was over with my dad he gave me a lot of his insignia and his second pattern FS commando knife. I still have all these items but off topic for a Ethno forum.

I have collected on and off since then but my interest in Ethno weaponry developed around 15 years ago when I kept seeing interesting items in house auctions and car boot sales at ridiculously low prices so I started to purchase the items.

I have found this forum invaluable and ever so friendly, I cant contribute much but when i can i like to include my small bit of knowledge.

Thanks and keep well

Ken

[shayde78]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

My love of history had reached a third dimension as I could actually own the weapons used in events, times and places that fascinated me. With the cost of weapons usually a bit out of reach, I began buying books........and soon realized....it was studying the HISTORY of these weapons that was my passion, more than actually collecting them.
I still bought them, but aligned with things I was studying.........and was more for having singular representative examples of historic themes.

This tactile 3rd dimension of history is what compels me to invest time, energy, and no small sums of money to this hobby. That said, the conversations with those who are generous with their knowledge make it an enjoyable hobby.

Jim, I hope you go back and read post #108 from December 2012 (when you were a mere lad in your sixties). Thank you for setting a standard for those of us who pursue this interest.