pjac

Brian,

Thanks for initiating this discussion.

For me, it’s a combination of the thrill of the chase, the history behind the item, and the aesthetics, although this latter factor may seem a bit strange to some. To illustrate this, the very first thing I collected as a kid in the 1950’s was a Belgian WW1 medal, for service in 1914-18, which is bell shaped, with a very striking profile of a very dignified soldier, wearing an Adrian helmet which bears a laurel wreath. It was the image that attracted me more than anything else. I then became a bit of a magpie, collecting just about anything I could afford e.g. badges, bayonets, helmets, patches, before settling on British army cap badges. This was driven as much by the look of them as anything else, but  I then began to research the story behind each design.

The interest in cap badges evolved into an interest in British Victorian and Edwardian helmet plates, so I began to collect blue cloth helmets and heavy cavalry helmets. Again, odd as it might seem, I only collected the plates and helmets which appealed to me aesthetically. I’m not a completer, who has to have one of everything. I aim to be able to display everything I have, so it has to give me pleasure to look at.

As far as the thrill of the chase is concerned, this is a key bit for me. Developing an interest in an object, researching its history, and then setting out to track it down and acquire it is absorbing and satisfying, and has led to making many contacts with fellow collectors, and membership of forums like this. Ultimately, this is perhaps more important than owning some of the objects. Why  do so many of us sell off objects which we once moved heaven and earth to find, if not to generate the money and the opportunity to set off on another chase?

Patrick
 

Brian,

I have recently returned to the Club, after quite a while - the absence wasn’t for any particularly good reason - just life. I have really enjoyed catching up with your ruminations. Thanks for your efforts. I never expected to see bread pudding mentioned on a military interest site! It reminds me that , when I was a kid, my mum used to make it, or apple sponge with custard, for Saturday lunch. This was fine when I played lacrosse on a Saturday morning as a junior, but was probably the main reason I never hit the high spots as a senior, playing on a Saturday afternoon. I’m not Canadian, by the way, lacrosse was a big thing around the  Manchester area, where I grew up 50+ years ago. Is this the first time lacrosse has been mentioned on GMIC?

Wasn’t it Miss Piggy who said “Pretentious, moi?”.

Anyway, keep up the good work.

Patrick