To what criteria do collectors collect?

[andrewM]

I have found this thread fascinating and, I suppose, it gets to the essence of what it is that makes a collector and, in this respect, there is no single view that surpasses all others, with everyone collecting to slightly different criteria.

I rather think that some discipline is required as, otherwise, this collecting thing can take on a momentum of its own, as PaulR observes and as many of us know. The event at Kempton on Sunday will require plenty of discipline, I submit!

I think there is also a common appreciation of the engineering behind the makes and models and, as 45flint notes, there is also a personal history behind these, reflective of the makers and designers.

Without collectors, of course, the bottom would fall out of the market and these devices would be consigned to the scrap heap. By contrast, people like us keep the products alive and in a good state of repair, ready for the next generation. To that extent, I suppose, we are curators and caretakers of a heritage and can call upon fellow collectors for advice and guidance - which this site has helped to make possible.

[Geezer]

A lot of us collect things we wanted but could not afford when they were new.

But the pattern of gun collecting (and most collecting) is that collectors - probably the majority - don't.

Which suggests, barring legislative changes, that the pattern will continue.

Example. My dad was 11 when the Airsporter was introduced. He has never had any wish to own one. Nor my mother, even though her great-grandfather worked at BSA when it was set up. I by contrast do own a Mk1 Airsporter. Most of the "vintage" enthusiasts, whether on here or stockpiling different variants of Martini-Henrys, or Brown Bess muskets, are driven by historical interest not personal nostalgia.

[DT Fletcher]

When I first started collecting airguns back in the '80s, there was practically no info available that was specific to collecting air guns and what was available was pretty pathetic. My only real air gun collecting fix came in the form of a couple English air gun mag subscriptions. But I didn't let that stop me. So, instead I picked up some books on the subject of collecting.

One of the things that I learned was that there was a special quality to a collection, any collection, that is the largest in the world of that type. I took this to heart and it heavily influenced me in making collecting choices. One example is my Crosman model 150 collection. I have just about every known model variation, the only reason I don't say all variations is that it's hard to really determine if any more exist. Some 150s, such as the model made in Mexico, are extremely hard to get. I am certain it is the largest in the world.

Sometime I dropped collections since I knew it would be impossible to obtain the largest collection: BB tubes for one. Visited an advance BB tube collector in Iowa and left knowing I would never in several lifetimes equal what this guy had. So the BB tube collection was sold.

Another tip that I took to heart was that the difference between an accumulator and a real collector is that a collector also collects the paperwork associated with their collection. That advice directly influenced me to start collecting air gun paper; which I'm certain is the largest in the world, at least with American paper. I have a large collection of European models, too, but since I'm not familiar with the air gun collectors in Europe there could easily be somebody hiding away with more. I had very little European paper until obtaining the paper portion of the Myron Kasok collection. Myron made many trips to Europe and believed just as strongly as I that the paper was critical to any serious collection. And it is so hard to get European air gun paper over here, I can be somewhat assured that this is the largest European airgun paper collection in the US.

Have I ever mentioned that I have books based on my paper collection? ;-)

What ended up really driving me in the field of Crosman collecting was the wonderful vintage Crosman airgun literature. (The leading character, and I mean character, at Crosman was PY Hahn. PY was an Art graduate from Georgetown University and was very talented. He personally produced all of the early Crosman paperwork up until sometime in the '50s.) Every new piece I found was safely stored in a top load archival folder and placed chronological order in binders. It literally took years to get all of the chronology correct. As this grew, I would find myself just slowly browsing through the binder in awe. Which is why I produced The Literature of Crosman. This book has all of the Crosman paper produced from 1923 to 1952. It doesn't have all of the owner's manuals but it has all of the catalogs, flyers, postcards, etc. It is expensive. I opted for full color, since that is the only way to fully appreciate this collection. I will never produce a B/W version; even though I'll never come close to getting back in book sales what went into producing it. I consider it my most important book on the subject. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Literature-...1687144&sr=1-2

[andrewM]

Thank you, DT Fletcher, for your interesting comments on collecting. It is always pleasing to have an American view and there are many Crosman collectors here who will be interested in your thoughts and, probably, your book. Certainly, this is serious collecting! There are those, here, with collections of over 100 rifles and pistols but, perhaps, few are as focused as you are.

As 45flint (also from USA I recall) reflected here, there are also people behind guns - the inventors, the manufacturers, etc - and that is where your focus on paper is especially interesting.

[45flint]

Thank you, DT Fletcher, for your interesting comments on collecting. It is always pleasing to have an American view and there are many Crosman collectors here who will be interested in your thoughts and, probably, your book. Certainly, this is serious collecting! There are those, here, with collections of over 100 rifles and pistols but, perhaps, few are as focused as you are.

As 45flint (also from USA I recall) reflected here, there are also people behind guns - the inventors, the manufacturers, etc - and that is where your focus on paper is especially interesting.

My desire and final acquisition last month of my Crosman Town and Country came after reading many posts online from DT and others. But having had his book for about a year, it is a kick reading the initial advertisements for the gun. It gives a greater appreciation for my earlier guns as well. These guns come from a very different time and knowing that context gives a greater appreciation for what they are. When I shoot them I’m a time traveler much more fun than the latest bullpup.

The downside is that I am now starting to get a interest in the early Crosman CO2 guns! I never really wanted to go there but I see why they bet the farm on that technology and made it work.

[ptdunk]

I didn't lust after any air pistols in my youth, I was happy with my Webley Tempest and borrowing my mates Daisy 717 and Record Jumbo.
Then recently the world of classic vintage air pistols has opened up to me and I'm discovering most of them for the first time.

When I shoot them I’m a time traveler much more fun than the latest bullpup.

I couldnt agree more.

[Garvin]

Which is why I produced The Literature of Crosman. This book has all of the Crosman paper produced from 1923 to 1952. It doesn't have all of the owner's manuals but it has all of the catalogs, flyers, postcards, etc. It is expensive. I opted for full color, since that is the only way to fully appreciate this collection. I will never produce a B/W version; even though I'll never come close to getting back in book sales what went into producing it. I consider it my most important book on the subject. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Literature-...1687144&sr=1-2

I bought this book and it's absolutely brilliant - such a good way to share the product of all that hard work building the collection. Like a hard copy version of Troubledshooter's Webley paper collection...