Favor to ask of forum members - Questionaire

[CromVABeach]

Hi Gang,

I was hoping the forum members could help me out, or rather my friend.

She is taking a distance learning class with the University of Victoria (in Canada) on Museum Curatorship. The assignment is to interview a collector and then draw parallels between what a Curator does and what a Collector does.

I answered the list, but mentioned I had access to a whole mess of collectors. I know how generous the forum members can be and there are only 18 questions. Also, I know how much you guys love to share your opinion.:lol:

I appreciate it.



1.) How many different types of collections do you have now?



2.) What do you collect now?



3.) When you look at your collection are you satisfied? With the content? The size? The completeness?



4.) What tools have you used for research and how have you gained information about your collection?



5.) How have you been able to obtain the pieces in your collection? Where do you look? How do you even begin to find where to look?



6.) What is the price range, or rather, how far would you ever be willing to go to get a piece that you wanted? What helps you determine that amount?




7.) What kind of records do you keep on each object (i.e. receipts, certificates of authenticity, boxes etc.)?



8.) Are your pieces marked? If so, are they marked by the manufacturer? By you?




9.) Do you display all of your collection, or are some pieces in storage?



10.) What do you do to protect your pieces both in display and in storage?


11.) Is care for your collection an important theme for you in your collection?


12.) What would happen to the value of your collection if something happened to your most valued piece? Or, to your most sentimental piece?


13.) Do you ever have people come to see your collection, or have you ever had your collection put on public display?


14.) Have you ever uncovered information about a piece in your collection that was new information in your collection genre? Or contributed to the correcting of misinformation?


15.) How do you decide what objects to keep and what objects to thin out?


16.) How do you go about finding a “new owner” for that piece that you want to thin out?

17.) Do you ever see an end to your collection?


18.) What groups, affiliations, conventions, outlets, do you participate in regarding your collection? What kind of knowledge or education do you gain or disseminate through these outlets?

[Walrus]

1) Comic statues

2) Marvel and DC statues

3) Content - Yes
Size - Yes
Completeness - No (especially with DC)

4) Forums on the internet

5) Ebay and direct from producer.

6) Went pretty high for Seinfeld Superman - most stuff retail

7) Keep boxes - video tape collection for collectors insurance

8) number and edition size marked on bottom of statue.

9) Almost all displayed - a couple in storage

10) Had a display case built for collection

11) Almost everything is near mint. Occasional paint rubs or chips don't bother me too much. Have had a local painter clean up a couple of things.

12) I'd be sad, but I am insured.

13) People see it in my office.

14) No

15) I'll replace a character with a better rendition of that character if it pleases my eye.

16) Ebay

17) Eventually - these buggers take up space.

[Hypersom]

1.) How many different types of collections do you have now?
Books, comic books, statues, busts, action figures, figurines, dvds, cds/mp3s

2.) What do you collect now?
Busts, dvds, cds/mp3s

3.) When you look at your collection are you satisfied? With the content? The size? The completeness?
Yes

4.) What tools have you used for research and how have you gained information about your collection?
Internet primarily, just always having my radar on in any situation, you never know when and where someone might say something about something I'm interested collecting.

5.) How have you been able to obtain the pieces in your collection? Where do you look? How do you even begin to find where to look?
Almost exclusively purchased online. I look at the manufacturer's site, online stores, ebay, online forums dedicated to my interests

6.) What is the price range, or rather, how far would you ever be willing to go to get a piece that you wanted? What helps you determine that amount? Price range is usually $50 to $90 and I'm easily willing to pay, higher than that and it has to be something really special to me for me to surrender that much money

7.) What kind of records do you keep on each object (i.e. receipts, certificates of authenticity, boxes etc.)?
Boxes, I previously kept a spreadsheet of statues and busts when I started my collection, after it cleared $4,000.00 I stopped keeping track

8.) Are your pieces marked? If so, are they marked by the manufacturer? By you?
Not marked, other than manufacturer numbering

9.) Do you display all of your collection, or are some pieces in storage?
All

10.) What do you do to protect your pieces both in display and in storage?
Shelving has been fastened to the wall to remove the potential of them falling over with all my busts on them, I have one display cabinet for "special" items.

11.) Is care for your collection an important theme for you in your collection?
Yes

12.) What would happen to the value of your collection if something happened to your most valued piece? Or, to your most sentimental piece?
I collect what I like, not for monetary value. If something happened to my most treasured peice, I would still collect others I like and probably try to replace the peice if I could

13.) Do you ever have people come to see your collection, or have you ever had your collection put on public display?
Not just for the purpose of seeing it, but if I have people over I show them. Never on public display

14.) Have you ever uncovered information about a piece in your collection that was new information in your collection genre? Or contributed to the correcting of misinformation?
I've made suggestions on forums regarding what I believe needed to be changed to busts that are going to be made so they are "accurate" representations of a character.

15.) How do you decide what objects to keep and what objects to thin out?
I'm still trying to figure that out.

16.) How do you go about finding a “new owner” for that piece that you want to thin out?
Never had to.

17.) Do you ever see an end to your collection?
It is possible I could change my mind about collecting, but I'm 46 and have been collecting things in one form or another since I was a little kid.

18.) What groups, affiliations, conventions, outlets, do you participate in regarding your collection? What kind of knowledge or education do you gain or disseminate through these outlets?
Online forums primarily, sites dedicated to statues and toys, some info gleaned from online store sites. I learn about whats being considered for production, what's currently in production, and what's finished and for sale.

[CougarTrace]

1.) How many different types of collections do you have now?

Mostly Bowen, some Hard Hero, and some Sideshow



2.) What do you collect now?

Bowen


3.) When you look at your collection are you satisfied? With the content? The size? The completeness?

yes, I can't complain.

4.) What tools have you used for research and how have you gained information about your collection?

I've used JINX mostly (the best there is). But, I've used Randy's site and Ebay as well.

However, the new statuearchive.com is one I will be using as it has and will have incredible amounts of info.

5.) How have you been able to obtain the pieces in your collection? Where do you look? How do you even begin to find where to look?

I don't look for prices on my collection, but if I did I guess I would go to EBAY.

6.) What is the price range, or rather, how far would you ever be willing to go to get a piece that you wanted? What helps you determine that amount?

I'm not paying above retail for a statue.


7.) What kind of records do you keep on each object (i.e. receipts, certificates of authenticity, boxes etc.)?

I just keep the box and statue.

8.) Are your pieces marked? If so, are they marked by the manufacturer? By you?

just marked by Manufacturer.



9.) Do you display all of your collection, or are some pieces in storage?

most of mine is stored until my display room is available.

10.) What do you do to protect your pieces both in display and in storage?

Mine are kept inside of the house in a closet so just keeping them in the box is fine.

11.) Is care for your collection an important theme for you in your collection?

yes

12.) What would happen to the value of your collection if something happened to your most valued piece? Or, to your most sentimental piece?

not much. I don't have anything considered extremely valuable that I couldn't go get again.

13.) Do you ever have people come to see your collection, or have you ever had your collection put on public display?

no

14.) Have you ever uncovered information about a piece in your collection that was new information in your collection genre? Or contributed to the correcting of misinformation?

no

15.) How do you decide what objects to keep and what objects to thin out?

well, lately if its too big for my collection or display area (see Sideshow) then its the one that goes

16.) How do you go about finding a “new owner” for that piece that you want to thin out?

I'm a believer in giving my fellow collectors great deals. I try to use the forums to give the deals. In some cases, I've used EBAY.

17.) Do you ever see an end to your collection?

yes, one day when I just don't have anymore room. But, today isn't that day:D

18.) What groups, affiliations, conventions, outlets, do you participate in regarding your collection? What kind of knowledge or education do you gain or disseminate through these outlets?

I am in the Republic of Texas and while our group is mainly just about fun, we do talk about our collections and I learn from the pieces others have.

I go to one or two Wizard World conventions, also.

Most of my knowledge is gain with my kindred on this great site.