Collecting: A REAL Collector!

[VorpelSword]

This story is about collecting cameras, but it could apply to collecting about anything, including knives.


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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, maybe 30x30, with built in glass display cases full of minty-to-pristine examples of notable cameras from 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.



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 leather. Each had a ground glass measured in square feet ( so, larger than 12' x 12") . Well, this was twenty-five years ago . . .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. He 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/min, then his forehead broke out in beads of cold sweat and he blurted out, "You mean take pictures?" He turned his back and walked rapidly away.



Now THATS a collector. . . .Not that th

 

[eveled]

A camera collector who doesn’t take pictures. Lol.

The odd collector story I remember was about a guy who collected ball turrets Like off The bellies of bombers! How cool is that? He had some mounted on wooden frames and he could climb inside and spin it around and such.

The really odd part was that he didn’t have any interest in owning any of the guns, not even fake mock ups. If I remember correctly he didn’t own any guns at all.

 

[mitchnola]

Never was a collector of things till I joined this site and fell in love with LGs. Started off with the goal of acquiring every variation of his production models.

Spent all of last year hunting and buying and quickly reached the goal and plus some. In the process I acquired some rare ones that I wouldn’t really carry. At some point I had the realization that it just felt wasteful to have them sitting on the shelf but at the same time couldn’t bring myself to use them. So I decided to sell them off to those that would enjoy and appreciate them as safe queens.

So I trimmed down the collection to those that I love but will also use. Still have more than I need so I guess I’m a collector of users.

 

[sgt1372]

I get why the camera collector might not want to actually use one of his prized cameras to take pictures but what I don't get is why he apparently wasn't interested in taking & developing ANY pictures with ANY camera which is the impression I got from the story.

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I'm a collector of many things.

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I've got a lot of knives in my "knife collection" which I never use BUT I also own many other knives that I do use.

I've also collected a lot of handguns, rifles & shotguns, some of which I shoot but most that I don't shoot any more.

I've also collected about 2k LPs & about 1k CDs, most of which I've played only once but they're there to play again whenever I want.

I've also collected a lot of stereo gear which I only use when I want to play some LPs &/or CDs but some that I hardly ever use at all.

I've also own a lot of TVs & video equipment; most of which I use but some that I don't use at all.

I also have a collection of over 2500 DVDs & VHS tapes, most of which I've only watched once or twice.

I've also collected a lot of weight lifting & exercise gear & equipment, most of which (except for my rower) I don't use at all any more.

I've also collected a lot of books on various topics, most of which just sit on the shelf after I've read or looked at them once.

I've also collected a lot of art & art objects that I look at (which is all they are good for) all of the time.

I've also collected a lot of Danish teak & modern Asian furniture which I look at & use all of the time

I've also collected 5 vehicles, one that I drive all the time & the others that I drive only some of the time.

I also still own a 1960's vintage Nikon FTN that I don't use any more, but that I use to use it a lot & I use to develop B&W film pics that I took with it, that I do not want to sell because of the memories that it belongs back when I see/hold it, apart from the fact that it's worth next to nothing these days.

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The joy in collecting to the collector is in finding the desired object & the possession of it. Use of the object is usually (but not entirely) out of the question because use would cause wear & deterioration (rather than preservation) of the object.

If you don't understand this, then you obviously are NOT a collector.

You're a "user" (someone who believes things that you buy are meant to be used & are useless otherwise) and there's nothing wrong that but there's also nothing "wrong" if someone wants to collect things (and not use them) because s/he values them as they are & has no need or desire to use them.

 

[norcalAF]

Never was a collector of things till I joined this site and fell in love with LGs. Started off with the goal of acquiring every variation of his production models.

Spent all of last year hunting and buying and quickly reached the goal and plus some. In the process I acquired some rare ones that I wouldn’t really carry. At some point I had the realization that it just felt wasteful to have them sitting on the shelf but at the same time couldn’t bring myself to use them. So I decided to sell them off to those that would enjoy and appreciate them as safe queens.

So I trimmed down the collection to those that I love but will also use. Still have more than I need so I guess I’m a collector of users.

I just need an auto Eagle and then I'm done!

 

[jlauffer]

Cut something? Inconceivable!!!