Who We Collectors Are – The Committed Collector

Considering my background in journalism, I’ve always found the reporter’s questions to be a useful tool. Brainstorming the who, what, when, where, why, and how of a news story generates many initial questions that journalists can then use when they interview the people involved.

In addition, posing these questions ourselves and then coming up with our own plausible answers leads to a valuable analysis of almost any subject, especially one we know well. In this case, collectors and collecting are subjects I know very well, so my answers to the following questions can form the basis of a series of posts on collectors and collecting as I see them.

Today’s post, then, will be the first of several working through the basics of who we collectors are, what we collect, and, perhaps most important, why we collect.

If I were writing a news article and heading to an antiques shop or collectors’ convention to interview people who were there to acquire items for their collections, I’d jot some general questions like these beforehand:

Who collects things? Who collects these things?
Who are collectors in general, and who are they specifically?
What kinds of people collect things?
What are they like?
How can collectors be categorized?

Using my own experience as a longtime collector as well as my own observations of family, friends, and acquaintances who are also avid collectors, I’ve answered these questions and come up with a number of different kinds of collectors.

Although my list is not necessarily comprehensive, and the classifications aren’t necessarily applicable to all collectors, I think many of them describe me and the collectors I admire quite well. I’ve come up with 18 different kinds of people who collect, and I’m going to divide them up over the next three posts, so let’s get started.

Collectors are…

1. Materialists: My first thought was to say that only one kind of person collects, for collecting is about possessing things—and lots of them. Accordingly, the vast majority of collectors appreciate tangible items that nature has created or humans have produced. We collectors like things. We are tactile beings and want to see and touch and ultimately own the objects of our desire. We are very rarely minimalists, so we collectors are much more often materialists. My husband even says I’m a maximalist. Hmm.

2. Professionals: On the one hand, some longtime collectors have amassed so much, that they turn their hobby into their career, and they become antiques dealers or flea market vendors. Others have professions that allow them to amass things. Museum curators, gallery owners, college librarians, and interior designers are expected to buy for their employers or clients and often end up collecting additional pieces for themselves.

3. Hobbyists: On the other hand, most collectors are amateurs and pursue collecting as their favorite pastime. They enjoy going to swap meets or flea markets on Sunday afternoons, and they spend evenings checking local classified ads or online auction sites. Like me, they collect simply because they enjoy going, looking, finding, and acquiring.

4. Generalists: Quite a few collectors develop a fondness for a broad field of collecting, such as glassware or postcards, so they gain some knowledge of their large areas of interest and build quite wide and varied collections. They usually have numerous types of items in their collections, and they often identify themselves by name as dish collectors or Barbie Doll collectors or Star Wars collectors.

5. Specialists: Many collectors, however, concentrate on their particular fields and limit themselves to fairly specific collections, such as Depression Glass candy dishes, antique medicine bottles, and real-photo postcards. These enthusiasts are fascinated by the variety within their areas of interest, so they develop specialized knowledge and expertise, and assemble collections that are unified and cohesive.

6. Omnivores: And then there are the avid hunters and gathers who appreciate almost every kind of collectible they encounter. They find value in antique treasures and new merchandise. They appreciate the fine arts as well as the mass produced. They’d happily have one of everything—or, better yet, two or three or more. The only limitation I’ve found for omnivores is typically along gender lines, with some collectors (like yours truly) pursuing only what I’d call feminine items, while others (like my big brother) collect masculine ones.

Although I’ve only just started, I’ve certainly described myself in one or two of these first six categories of collectors. As a materialist, and the committed collector, I’ll just say “the more, the merrier” and sign off for today.

Patti

Check back on Friday when I’ll post the next half dozen kinds of collectors you might encounter—or might be. In the meantime, please leave a comment and let us know who you are as a collector.