*** My One Piece of Advice To Fellow Collectors ***

[General Apathy]

.

If I could Offer One Piece Of Advice to Fellow Collectors, Don't Leave It Too Late . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

I have collected for around fifty years, back then there wasn't the benefits of digital cameras or computers and computer apps so I never really recorded all the pieces that formed my collection or passed through my hands.

 

here is a selection of my M1 helmets ( these were complete helmets ), I probably could have lined alongside my collection of all the different liners I collected. I collected much more than helmets, and I am now slowly going through all and any photos I have and annotating them with my name and date, some of the stuff lots of collectors may never have seen, such as the ' USAAF Crew Chiefs Stand ' shown below . . . . . . . .

 

My big failing is that I never photographed or recorded the individual pieces. All but four of the complete helmets have now been sold and all of the liners have also been sold with no photographic record to look back on . . . . . . . .  babe am I crying now . . . . . . . !!

 

So please don't wait until you have so many pieces that it is a chore to record them, record each piece as it arrives, today you have the technology . . . . . . . . 

 

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My best wishes for your enjoyment of the hobby.

 

regards lewis.

 

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[collectsmedals]

I agree with Lewis' remarks. I am nearly 63 years old and have been collecting since I was 12. I also failed to record my collection over the years and now that I am doing that it is an overwhelming task. 

 

I am doing just as Lewis suggests, photographing and making files for each piece, describing what it is, where I got it if I know that, and approximately what it is worth so that someday my children don't sell it for next to nothing.

 

Unlike Lewis very little has passed through my hands. I have only sold a couple of pieces over the years and gave away a few others, so I do still have most of what I have collected.

 

I am also discovering a number of treasures and disappointments as I go through everything. Thanks to the internet I have been able to trace medals and uniforms and discover their history that I never thought I would be able to find. I have also discovered a number of fake or put together items that I did not realize were bad at the time I acquired them.

 

My advice is document your collection but remember it is a hobby, don't turn it into a chore.

 

 

[General Apathy]

23 minutes ago, collectsmedals said:

I agree with Lewis' remarks. I am nearly 63 years old and have been collecting since I was 12. I also failed to record my collection over the years and now that I am doing that it is an overwhelming task. 

 

I am doing just as Lewis suggests, photographing and making files for each piece, describing what it is, where I got it if I know that, and approximately what it is worth so that someday my children don't sell it for next to nothing.

 

Unlike Lewis very little has passed through my hands. I have only sold a couple of pieces over the years and gave away a few others, so I do still have most of what I have collected.

 

I am also discovering a number of treasures and disappointments as I go through everything. Thanks to the internet I have been able to trace medals and uniforms and discover their history that I never thought I would be able to find. I have also discovered a number of fake or put together items that I did not realize were bad at the time I acquired them.

 

My advice is document your collection but remember it is a hobby, don't turn it into a chore.

 

 

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Hi Collectsmedals,

 

thanks for backing up and emphasising my suggestion, as you say don't let it become an overpowering task, when I started life was forever and I was never going to sell my collection, sadly reality hits home one day and I ain't going to be taking any of this with me . . . . . . when that day comes.

 

I lost a life long buddy in 2008 and in his final years I saw that all of his possessions no longer had any meaning for him, he couldn't even be bothered to sort his life and sell his possessions,  a sober lesson. 

 

thanks and enjoy the hobby, each to our own.

 

#1 German Army Rangefinder ( part of complete set )

#2 Early 1940/41 US Ski Goggles

#3 Unissed 1942 cover & Cup ( part of complete set )

#4 Original Camp Toccoa shirt ( Band of Brothers piece )

British made and white tongue 101st patches.

 

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regards lewis.

 

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[Dave]

Digital photos are free (assuming you have a phone that can take them) so I think this is great advice. I've also scanned all the hard copy photos I took back in the 90s (I didn't take any photos before then, but honestly, not much of my collection was too incredible back then anyway...) :D 

One of my biggest regrets was not photographing the one Alamo Scouts uniform I had the privilege of owning. I bought it when I was photographing everything and promptly took it to the SOS where I asked what I thought was an "astronomical" amount for it. I assumed it would never sell...and sure enough, it sold the first day of the show. I have a photo of the veteran wearing the uniform...but never once got a photo of the uniform when I owned it. Ugh... :( 

[General Apathy]

21 minutes ago, Dave said:

Digital photos are free (assuming you have a phone that can take them) so I think this is great advice. I've also scanned all the hard copy photos I took back in the 90s (I didn't take any photos before then, but honestly, not much of my collection was too incredible back then anyway...) :D 

One of my biggest regrets was not photographing the one Alamo Scouts uniform I had the privilege of owning. I bought it when I was photographing everything and promptly took it to the SOS where I asked what I thought was an "astronomical" amount for it. I assumed it would never sell...and sure enough, it sold the first day of the show. I have a photo of the veteran wearing the uniform...but never once got a photo of the uniform when I owned it. Ugh... :( 

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Hi Dave,

 

Thanks for adding additional suggestions to my original post, would be great if all were taken on board, it might even further the hobby by recording items with only one or a few surviving examples existing. Reshooting old photos onto digital is a great suggestion.  

 

Sorry to hear of the sale of the Alamo uniform without you having a photograph of it.

 

Fortunately I recorded the day at the Show of Shows that I bought this veterans uniform set, great to have a face, name and history of the piece.

 

 

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regards lewis.

 

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[Thor996]

Good advice.

 

I have photoed and documented ALL my miltaria collection and am working on some other 'collections' of stuff now in my spare time. It all began a few months back in earnest [I had always had a 'sort of' inventory] when a friend contacted me about their dad's GAR collection. They had no clue as to what a lot of it was or what it was worth because the old man never left any receipts or any clues as to what would be valuable or not. Some of the stuff did have some value and a buyer was looking to 'score' it from them.

 

After that I took a long hard look at what I have amassed and after talking to my heirs, I decided my heirs wouldn't know a two cent item from a twenty dollar or a two hundred and so on so I got to work earnestly on my inventory.  I do have files on the stuff I bought on ebay over the years bc I did keep that on word documents -[copy paste] but what I paid isn't necessarily what things could be potentially 'worth'.

 

I can't stand people who deliberately fraud sellers, especially grieving people, so while it is a slow process to photo and document on a spreadsheet, it's a lot better than doing nothing and leaving a pile of 'what is this' to them.  In addition, while going thru my stuff, I have made some nice 'discoveries' of things that were filed in the 'safe place' files. I am sure that you all know what I am referring to there lol

 

 

 

[mikie]

Great and wise advice! My collection is tiny compared to most around here. I've made halfhearted  attempts to document it all, but as small as the collection is, the task proved too daunting to stick with for long. My family has no interest in any of it so I know I need to do this. I just need to get off my butt and do it. Thanks Ken for the kick in the pants. 

Mikie

[BryanJ]

How I’d like to see photos of the top three items you guys couldn’t part with and still have...

[LtRGFRANK]

4 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

If I could Offer One Piece Of Advice to Fellow Collectors, Don't Leave It Too Late . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

I have collected for around fifty years, back then there wasn't the benefits of digital cameras or computers and computer apps so I never really recorded all the pieces that formed my collection or passed through my hands.

 

here is a selection of my M1 helmets ( these were complete helmets ), I probably could have lined alongside my collection of all the different liners I collected. I collected much more than helmets, and I am now slowly going through all and any photos I have and annotating them with my name and date, some of the stuff lots of collectors may never have seen, such as the ' USAAF Crew Chiefs Stand ' shown below . . . . . . . .

 

My big failing is that I never photographed or recorded the individual pieces. All but four of the complete helmets have now been sold and all of the liners have also been sold with no photographic record to look back on . . . . . . . .  babe am I crying now . . . . . . . !!

 

So please don't wait until you have so many pieces that it is a chore to record them, record each piece as it arrives, today you have the technology . . . . . . . . 

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

 

My best wishes for your enjoyment of the hobby.

 

regards lewis.

I have albums with all my pictures and computor files but really nno good way to retrive them. When mt son retires from the Military he's getting my collection aand record every thing on a file system

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[917601]

Good advice all around. I would like to add posting pictures of what you have and had and any other information ( identification, history, provenance,...) benefits collectors, the forum , and future historians by saving them much time in identifying pieces they may acquire.

As an ordnance collector, I have put much time in correctly identifying items and posting most of my collection for everyone’s benefit.

[manayunkman]

Keeping tabs on everything that goes through my hands is a task I unfortunately don’t have time for so I take group pictures 

[mikie]

On 3/13/2021 at 4:49 PM, 917601 said:

Good advice all around. I would like to add posting pictures of what you have and had and any other information ( identification, history, provenance,...) benefits collectors, the forum , and future historians by saving them much time in identifying pieces they may acquire.

As an ordnance collector, I have put much time in correctly identifying items and posting most of my collection for everyone’s benefit.

Great that you say this!  Looking through old posts here has helped a LOT in identifying an item I've seen, or give info on something I'm looking at.  People documenting their collections here makes the USMF a fantastic reference source.  

 

Mikie

[czardom]

Documenting and photographing your collection can be important and a pastime as rewarding as adding to your collection.  If you have a large collection it would be easier to cart photos to military and gun shows when looking for items that you want but do not have.  This would help you prevent purchasing items that you already have.  Don't always rely on your memory as to what you already have.  Memories can be elusive sometimes.  

[MasonK]

Couldn't agree more. I always enjoy taking photos of a new item. I keep copies on my PC, as well as on the cloud, all organized by category. With the latter, I can access through the app on my phone. Makes it easy to pull up a photo for reference, etc., when on the fly.  

 

 

[General Apathy]

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Hi MasonK,

 

thanks, it looks like you are already ahead of the game in listing and photographing your collection, well done. 

 

regards lewis.

 

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