The joy of collecting everything
Collecting satisfies our emotional, aesthetic and intellectual needs. Whether it is an occasional pastime or an all-consuming passion, collecting is a hobby that opens doors to new worlds. Collecting can be a happy, positive and enriching experience. There is no limit to what can be collected, or to the intensity of the pursuit. If you’re a collector and are passionate about your stuff, you’ll enjoy reading about and seeing the diverse collections that range from the ordinary to the outlandish. And for a novice to collecting, the excitement of the hobby will be your reward.
No matter what people collect, from ceremonial pottery to celebrity memorabilia, the impulse to hoard has been part of human nature throughout history. The phenomena of collecting for enjoyment began long ago when the Dutch of the Renaissance era created cabinets of curiosities, which were rooms stocked with small antiques and unusual specimens. For the next few centuries, the rich of Europe collected art and antiquities, books, and specimens from the natural world.
Why do we collect? Collecting fills our need to understand, share and to create. Collecting may start out as a hobby, but it can become an all-consuming passion. What is it that drives people to possess objects, even those with no conceivable use whatsoever?
- We collect for knowledge, to learn about things like rocks, gems or nature.
- We collect to understand history, which explains the collections of coins, Civil War firearms, and antique furniture.
- We collect memorabilia of our life, travel souvenirs and sports items.
- We collect to recapture our childhood, whether we played with plush Beanie Babies, Star Wars figures or Barbie dolls.
- We collect to express our appreciation of beauty. Our eyes are drawn to porcelain, bronzes, netsuke, and other objects.
- We collect to make a statement about who we are. We identify with our collections no matter what it is.
- We collect because we are driven by instinct to hoard things out of insecurity.
- We collect because we believe subconsciously in the power of artifacts to keep us safe.
- We collect out of a deep-seated need to own and possess things, an opportunity for material consumption in a consumer society.
- We collect from a sense of nostalgia for simpler times.
- We collect in the hope of striking it rich with a rare and precious find or to resell for a profit.
- We collect to display and decorate our homes, to affirm our good taste.
- We collect because we appreciate the handiwork, craftsmanship, and design of finely made objects.
- We collect to stay in touch with historical events.
- We collect because we love the lure of the hunt.
Whatever your reasoning for collecting, and no matter what it is you collect, do it with passion and for the sheer love of owning a piece of history, your past, or your present.
