What else do you collect?

[Diamondback]

I collect WWII miniatures, specifically the Axis & Allies Miniatures line from Wizards of the Coast.

By conservative estimates, we're talking about $5000+ worth of little plastic ships and planes, several thousand individual copies of various figures--some of which I'm working on re-detailing, individualizing and correcting paint jobs where WOTC got lazy or sloppy on factory finishes. (They seem to really like slapping a camo scheme from one side of a ship onto the other as well even if it's not historically correct to do so... good luck painting "splinter" camo on a ship that's 2" long in 1/1800 scale!)

Other than that, guns, plush sharks, books on military history and miniatures and models of certain aircraft.

 

[Harp]

Speeding tickets.
And some illegal parking windshield police love notes.
And a license plate renewal citation too.

That's just this week.

 

[Land-O-LakesGal]

Speeding tickets.
And some illegal parking windshield police love notes.
And a license plate renewal citation too.

That's just this week.

I thought that was all pretty much in a days work for those that live in Chicago.

 

[Harp]

I thought that was all pretty much in a days work for those that live in Chicago.

I moved back to my hometown, Oak Lawn, Illinois; which is like Mayberry,
with a less hectic pace. The cops here have little to do except tag traffic and parking violation.
So it takes about a week to get a Chicago day's work done.

 

[Annichen]

I collect Colin Clive memorabilia,"doctor" Frankenstein 1931..
Have been mad for him since I was a kid.

 

[Xavier_Godshore]

Not necessarily all that vintage but I collect memorabilia from the band Queen. They've been my favorite band since I was 13 (I'm 31 now). Specifically I collect the 7" 45's with picture sleeves. I collect a lot of other Queen memorabilia as well but I try to stick to things officially licensed by the band as if I didn't put any parameters around what I'll collect, I'll run out of run and/or money, thanks to the eBay.

I'm not a huge sports nut but I collect anything and everything related to a baseball player named Dale Murphy ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Murphy ). He was huge in the 80's and as an 8 or 9 year old kid, he was my favorite ball player. I probably have close to 150 cards, stickers, pictures, etc. Always on the lookout for more. So if you've got any....

One last collection: I have collected wooden nutcrackers for years and just this last Christmas I've called it quits as the collection has grown far too out of hand. I've got about 500 of them and most of them never even see the light of day. I'm looking to pair down my collection so if you're a nutcracker collector, do let me know and I'll fill a goodie bag for you.

~ X

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I collect militaria, pocket knives, watches, coins, vintage toys, amusement park memorabilia, and books* for the most part. As I have a wide variety of interests, the aforementioned are just my more active areas of collecting. Of late I've been collecting anything on Sherman and Stuart tanks: books, models, toys, tank crew uniforms and insignia, etc. And maybe one of these days an actual M5A1 Stuart or M4 Sherman if I win the lottery!

*largely military history, aviation, railroad, vintage technical, how-to, and hobby books

 

[Diamondback]

VC, it might be possible to upscale one of the various cardmodel Shermans or Stuarts to build a full-scale mockup as a lawn ornament... how d'ya think your neighbors would like that one?

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

VC, it might be possible to upscale one of the various cardmodel Shermans or Stuarts to build a full-scale mockup as a lawn ornament... how d'ya think your neighbors would like that one?

I wouldn't mind having one of the full-size inflatable Shermans that was used to fool the Germans into thinking the Invasion was going to be at Calais. However, I do have one of the card model books. With a bit of plywood and other scraps the possibility is quite intriguing.

I am so loving the idea!

 

[Miss sofia]

Cigarette cases, clip on earrings, gloves, cribbage boards, old bottles, waifs and strays...

 

[Diamondback]

I wouldn't mind having one of the full-size inflatable Shermans that was used to fool the Germans into thinking the Invasion was going to be at Calais. However, I do have one of the card model books. With a bit of plywood and other scraps the possibility is quite intriguing.

I am so loving the idea!

Advice, look for a kit from GPM, Halinski or Fly Model. Most of the centers of "accurate" cardmodeling seem to be in Poland and Japan, although Fiddler's Green out of Arizona and Oregon (alas, air and buildings only) doesn't do too bad within the instant-gratification end of the field and their quirky little niches.

Who knows, if you can design one with retractable road-wheels to keep the treads off the street, you may be able to cruise around the neighborhood in it! (Messin' with nuisance neighbors' heads FTW!lol )

 

[Berlin]

I collect shoes. Preferably high heels. I currently own alot of them and my house spits them out, out of protest. Meaning: I barely have room for so many shoes.

 

[davidraphael]

For the last few years I've been collecting recordings that never had official releases, so, for example, I have lots of jazz concerts takes from unreleased transcription disks etc, but I also have studio outtakes of tracks that never made it to the album.

I also try to collect albums that are either no longer in print or never made it to cd.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I have quite an extensive Snoopy collection. Unfortunately, I have no room to display it having moved to an apartment a few years ago. But I hope to someday have a "Snoopy Room."

Thing is, there is ALWAYS something new coming out - I think Hallmark has a new stuffed Snoopy for every holiday.

I used to snatch up anything I could find. Now I'm much more selective in what I buy. I do have a few prize items from the '60s (one is a lamp - it's Snoopy as the Literary Ace) that I really like.

I too am something of a Snoopy fan. The one Snoopy item I would like to have is an Apollo 11 commemorative Omega Speedmaster watch that has Snoopy as an astronaut on it. Alas, it's around $1,500 on eBay.

 

[Gromulus]

Collector vs. User

Well I am not into collecting just for the sake. I like to use things I am interested in. The notable exception here being Chilmark pewter Civil War statues.

Handguns, knives, "N" scale model trains, flashlights and (ok a bit weird) --- carry-on luggage/bags.

 

[Diamondback]

VC, do you have any of the Axis & Allies Miniatures Shermans or Stuarts? (15mm scale, like Flames of War miniatures) I might be able to put you in touch with a guy who can set you up with some for fairly cheap...

 

[Gilboa]

For the last few years I've been collecting recordings that never had official releases, so, for example, I have lots of jazz concerts takes from unreleased transcription disks etc, but I also have studio outtakes of tracks that never made it to the album.

I also try to collect albums that are either no longer in print or never made it to cd.

How very interesting!



I used to collect graphic novels and jazz records, but sadly had to sell them due to unfortunate circumstances many years ago.
Oh, and old saxophones - the oldest was from the 1920s, the most beautiful resounding body, no laquer so metal could swing freely ... but alas, it too, had to go. Life's little quirks ...

One day I will start all over again!


Currently I humbly collect cigarette holders ...


Meant to add: I have and still do collect old books of any kind.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

VC, do you have any of the Axis & Allies Miniatures Shermans or Stuarts? (15mm scale, like Flames of War miniatures) I might be able to put you in touch with a guy who can set you up with some for fairly cheap...

I'm fortunate that there's a hobby shop not too far from me in Garden Grove, CA. It's a place called Brookhurst Hobbies. They have a very good selection of both Axis & Allies and Flames of War miniatures. They must have been in business for some 40-50 years (under different owners). I know they've been around for as long as I can remember.

http://brookhursthobbies.com

A low cost alternative source for 15mm Shermans is, believe it or not, Matchbox and Johnny Lightning. Even though they're supposed to be 1:64 scale I found that their Sherman tanks are exactly 1:100 scale. Several years ago Johnny Lightning came out with a series of military vehicles, which included a 1:100 Sherman and M3 Lee. Other vehicles in the Johnny Lightning series was the M1A1 Abrams, Kubelwagen, Hummer, and the Dodge ambulance (made famous in both the movie and TV series M*A*S*H*) They can still be had for anywhere from 99 cents to $5.00 as opposed to $12 for a Flames of War version. Check some of the local Hot Wheels/diecast shows in your area.

 

[davidraphael]

How very interesting!

If you're interested, there's a big online trading community that collects rare, unreleased recordings. And of course it's all free. Autumn seems to bring out the jazz collectors and a load of great stuff surfaced recently. In the last few weeks I picked a load of OOP (out-of-print) recordings from the 1920's-50's - Django, Goodman, Shaw, Tatum, Fats Waller, Jelly Roll, you name it, they're all there.

There was also a really nice duet concert of Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass. There are DVDs, too. A recent favourite is of Bill Evans playing in one of his friends' homes in 1970.

It's crazy that so much stuff never had an official release. Some of it is even better, imho. For example, ECM records released a Keith Jarret trio concert (or part of one). I have two other complete concerts by the trio that were never released and I think they're far superior.

 

[Diamondback]

VC, I was asking mainly in case you didn't--I have a pretty good collection myself, but I'm always looking for supplies to build "The Horde" with. (My goal on the AAM collection is a complete Division of each type, Infantry/Mechanized/Armored, for each major country of the war--for tanks, a complete armored division of each basic type--Panzer IV E, F, F2 and G would all be in one division, M4A1, M4 Rhino, M4A3 and M4 Calliope all in another.)

Thanks for the link--maybe they have a few things in other areas I'm looking for!