You know, come to think of it...
most items in my collection I found while searching in a much more broader fashion. I just don't really use specific terms when searching for stuff. I know it sounds pretty goofy and if you're married I certainly don't endorse it, but it has served me well over the years, although it can be VERY time consuming.
Same with catalogs. I will go through them over and over until something catches my eye.
I write this cause I think this is a great thread and when I started to think about what is tops of my want list for the coming year now that I got the '51 Bobby Thomson Ticket Stub... I really couldn't come up with anything specifically.
So...anyone else collect in this fashion or am I the lone nut-job here?
__________________
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote:
Originally Posted by jacksons
Happy New Year, everyone!
Saw Jimmy's recent post. I think I read recently where Marshall Fogel spoke about collecting "horizontally". Spreading your interests, so to speak. It's hard to focus on that very one thing, when there are so MANY great options to choose from - pennants, print material, photographs, pins, etc.
For me, it's the early Yankees and a fascination with the Deadball Era. These were tough to pass up.
Yankee Stadium Opening Day, 1923
Sporting Life Schedules from 1904 - 1913.
|
First off Jacksons. The items you posted are flat out tremendous! Absolutely superlative.
Regarding collecting themes, I tried about nine or ten years ago to put together a set. Now, one of my strengths as a man is I know what my weaknesses are. So I set out to putting together a 1968 Topps Baseball Card Game in high grade. I think it's only 33 cards that are not that tough to find in high grade although they do have some centering issues.
Anyway, after acquiring about half the set, I was bored out of my mind. Let me say that I have tremendous respect for all of you set builders out there. I admire your patience and determination. But I'm just not cut out for it.
Once I realized I could buy vintage photos of Babe & Lou for a small fraction of the price that their cards were fetching, I sold all of my card collection, about a hundred PSA 9 HOF players from the late fifties, the sixties and early seventies, and then started to focus almost entirely on vintage photos.
About that time a mutual friend had introduced me to Marshall as he knew Marshall was very passionate about photos and it didn't take long until I was completely emersed into collecting vintage photographs. One of the best tips Marshall ever gave me was to always keep an open mind when collecting.
Marshall is a real gem and very unique in his approach to collecting. First off, he put together the finest card collection in the hobby, which since has been bettered, and all the while he was also collecting pins, photos, advertising pieces, the finest game used bat collection extant, signed balls, pennants, game used uniforms and gloves, and some of the most fantastic odds & ends you'll ever see. And all the while never compromising quality.
So under his guidance, I started putting my collection together, with a decent but limited budget. For me, I love the fact that there will never be an end to what I collect, but my main focus is adding companion pieces for my photographs. This by far gives me the greatest pleasure.
There is something to be said for collecting things that can't be found in a monthly or even yearly price guide.
What Marshall taught me was the most simple lesson in the hobby... "Collect what you like in the best condition possible." Still the best advise you can ever get.
So Happy Collecting to all of my fellow board members and stick to your guns, no matter what others may say. I hope everyone gets the pleasure I get from collecting and also, the thrill of the hunt.
Sincerely, Jimmy