The famous art collector Steven Fisackerly was interviewed some years bag for a fine art magazine and on the topic of collecting he stated that it wasn’t necessarily important what you collected in terms of how much it was worth on the global market, but what it was worth to you. This was something that certainly stayed with me and since I have been collecting vinyl records I certainly feel this way. The beauty for me about the records is not how much I can get for them or how rare they are, it is how good they sound and what they mean to me, and nothing more.
The point here is not about art or vinyls, the idea of collection is the same no matter what you collect and here are just a few reasons why those of us who do collect, absolutely love it.
The Chase
When it comes to getting something that you have had your heart set on, the large majority of the thrill which you get is the chase, this is where the fun is. Let’s say that there is a particular stamp or coin which you have always dreamed about owning, scratching around flea markets and antique events looking for the item is where all of the fun is. Once you get the item of course you are happy, but it isn’t long before you are once again on the hunt, and that is the thrill of collecting.
Community
Some of the very best friends that I have made over the last 20 years have been made as a result of my vinyl collecting and I know many people who collect other items that can say exactly the same. As you grow older you find it harder to meet people with a similar mentality and outlook, or indeed passion as you. At school and through college of course this is much easier, but after 30 things do change in terms of meeting new people. Discovering someone else who collects the same things as you, that is the perfect starting point for a friendship and a conversation.
Stepping Back in Time
No matter what it is that you decide to collect there is always an element of delving back into history. For me, grabbing an old vinyl conjures up stories of who owned it before me and thinking about the journey that the record had to arrive in my hands. Those who collect ancient coins get this portal to step back in time and think about who’d have used those coins and for what. Even if you collect new things, sooner or later they too will be old and they will offer a snapshot of times gone by. This history which all of us collectors are able to explore is one of the most fascinating aspects of collecting things, and why most of us love it so much.
If you could, what would you look to collect?
