Not knife related, but this is a to-the-point true story about a genuine collector: This is about antique cameras, but it could be about knives, or cars or buttons.
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The Path Not Taken . . .A True Collector
Back in the mid 1990s I belonged to a local camera club. I was relatively new to Large Format photography (head-under-the-cloth view cameras) and slowly feeling my way around on a boot-strapped, badly frayed, shoe-string budget. One club meeting took place at a member's home where he showed us his newly completed showroom for all his cameras.
Wow: This was a dedicated room over a two car gsrage , so pretty big. There were built in glass display cases (lighted) full of minty-to-pristine examples of notable cameras. They ranged rom tiny Minox, through Leicas and Hassle lads . . .and every odd-ball model and format imaginable; all great stuff. Cabinet space below held seconds (and thirds) of the items under glass. There were a few unopened boxes still factory sealed in shrink-wrap.
Displayed in the center of the room were two huge ultra-large format studio cameras. Yards of bellows held up by intermediate adjustable frames on geared tracks. Everything was glowing wood and supple leather. Each had a ground glass measured in square feet ( so, larger than 12' x 12") . Well, this was years ago in the 1990s. . .my best memory now is that they were just sooooo BIG. They dominated the center of the display room like The Guns of Navarone.
Weeks later I ran into him at a local camera show. I suggested that we could make a few pictures with one or both cameras. At first, he looked a little confused. I said it gain and he understood. but hesitated. I told him that I was working at a major teaching hospital where I had access to X-ray and MRI films in large sizes. He was not enthusiastic. I told him that I could get the films developed in their appropriate chemistry in the dedicated automatic processing equipment at the hospital. . . .for free.
His eyes began to scan left and right like he was speed-reading reading something in the air just above my head, His blink rate went above 120 and his forehead broke out in beads of cold sweat. Finaly he stammered then blurted out, "You mean take pictures?" He turned his back and walked rapidly away.
Now THATS a collector!
