Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I just finished reading a fantastic biography on stamp engraver Czeslaw Slania.
I enjoyed it immensely, of course I want to begin compiling his work into an album for my enjoyment immediately.
It raises a question though, I have reinvigorated my love stamps, and my interests are going in so many varied directions right now.
Is this a bad idea, or should I take it all in and select my favorite areas of study? I am a rookie, in many senses and thought I would "poll the audience" for opinions.
That being said, I HAVE to do the Slania album, to beautiful and fascinating to ignore.
Kind regards forum-mates.
Garner
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Let the interests go where they want. Eventually, you will find some that truly don't interest you any more, and you can sell/trade those stamps for the area(s) that still keep your interest. It is a hobby. Have fun. Don't get wrapped up in "What should I do". There is no right or wrong. It's all about you and what you want.
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I had a dear friend (now departed) who had collected all the Slania designed stamps as MNH, and, on a lesser note, was instrumental in creating an interest for me and my husband in Slania's work. Also, he was responsible for creating what I believe was, and may still be the one and only commercially available Slania album.
Collecting Slania stamps is a fascinating and fun side step from typical country collecting, and one which is quite rewarding for the person who appreciates the beauty of these miniature works of art.
While our collection of CZ stamps(used)is far from complete, we are always quite pleased when we can add one more.
Judy
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If you are not already aware of it, you should find this site of interest. It was compiled by our late member Mette Heindorff.
http://www.slaniastamps-heindorffhus.com/
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08:55:03am
" ... Let the interests go where they want. ..."
Absolutely the best advice. One of the most rewarding benefits of stamping is that it can take you into areas of knowledge you will have never imagined until the interest suddenly develops.
I sometimes joke about my collection of postally used Tokelau Island stamps on cover with cancels in green ink as a way of poking fun at some of my fellow hobbiests who do become overly specialized to the extent of missing the beauty of the sunset in the search for a perfectly round pebble.
And don't forget the sudden rediscovered excitement at finding an old interest that had been set aside among the clutter of a stamp room that is unearthed one day and brings that gleam to the eye once again.
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I counsel beginning collectors to collect anything and everything that catches their fancy and that they can afford. By studying their stamps and reading about them and joining discussions like the ones here in Stamporama, they will learn a great deal and will eventually begin to categorize and discriminate and drop some interests and expand on others and develop new interests.
Another thing I tell beginning collectors is not to put great stake in the potential resale value of their collection. Unless a collector collects for a great many years, and becomes a true specialist in his area, he is unlikely to turn a profit when he sells. Stamps, indeed, are for most garden-variety collectors a poor investment, at least in terms of cash return. (They are a wonderful investment in terms of education, and in terms of the socialization that can result from meeting with other collectors. And even modest collections can provide a welcome return on their investment. I probably spent more than $1200 on my Eire collection, and when I sold it directly, to a dealer, I was pleased to receive a cheque for $700. Sure, I "lost" $500, sure surely gained $500 worth of knowledge about Irish stamps, Irish history, about philately in general. And I had a great deal of fun when I was working with my Irish collection. I stopped when Ireland came out with its first "Love" stamps. Ick. Ick, ick, ick!
I started as a child by collecting the world, but eventually sold my collection because I thought I had lost interest in stamps. I hadn't. When I re-started, in my 30s, I began by collecting just Canada. Then I added Ireland, the U.S., Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Stars on Stamps topicals caught my eye, then stamps issued because of the Second World War. Then I discovered the joys of collecting covers, and then picture postcards. Now I concentrate on various aspects of the Second World War, everything I can find related to the Vietnam War, and the mid-period of commercial airline development; four different airline crashes have intrigued me and I have a number of crash-covers from each one, as well as postcards and stamps picturing the types of airliners that fell from the sky.
So far, I have developed five display class exhibits from my collections, and by doing so learned a great deal more about my collections.
One of the best things about having multiple collecting interests is that you never come away from an auction, bourse, or stamp shop without at least one worthwhile item, and sometimes several. Of course, you often come away with an empty wallet, as well! I know a collector who almost always leaves with empty hands. He specializes in Canada and has a nearly complete collection, but isn't interested in varieties, or used stamps, or stamps on piece or cover. He spent more than $10,000 on one long-sought stamp. But he's always grumpy anywhere there are stamps for sale because the dealers don't have anything he needs. He blames the dealers. He also leaves our stamp club meetings early if no other members have anything of interest to him, and if the meeting topic doesn't have anything to do with Canadian stamps.
Bob
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Once again, a wealth of knowledge.
Thank you for all the advice, words of wisdom and information on this subject.
I will dive in and let the "spirits" guide me. ( Is there a demigod or patron saint of philately?)
And Bob, loved the "ick ick ick" comment, I wholeheartedly agree.
Thanks again SOR.
Regards.
Garner
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( Is there a demigod or patron saint of philately?)
Saint Phil of Telic, of course!
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01:26:30pm
All of which good advice can be summed up in;
"If you collect for pleasure you will be rewarded, if you collect for profit you will be dissappointed."
There might be an exception for the latter, but not the former.
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...unless you collect for the profit of knowledge and enjoyment.
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Evening fellow SOR compatriots.
I just finished reading a fantastic biography on stamp engraver Czeslaw Slania.
I enjoyed it immensely, of course I want to begin compiling his work into an album for my enjoyment immediately.
It raises a question though, I have reinvigorated my love stamps, and my interests are going in so many varied directions right now.
Is this a bad idea, or should I take it all in and select my favorite areas of study? I am a rookie, in many senses and thought I would "poll the audience" for opinions.
That being said, I HAVE to do the Slania album, to beautiful and fascinating to ignore.
Kind regards forum-mates.
Garner
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this post
11:17:44pm
re: Czeslaw Slania
Let the interests go where they want. Eventually, you will find some that truly don't interest you any more, and you can sell/trade those stamps for the area(s) that still keep your interest. It is a hobby. Have fun. Don't get wrapped up in "What should I do". There is no right or wrong. It's all about you and what you want.
Login to Like
this post
re: Czeslaw Slania
I had a dear friend (now departed) who had collected all the Slania designed stamps as MNH, and, on a lesser note, was instrumental in creating an interest for me and my husband in Slania's work. Also, he was responsible for creating what I believe was, and may still be the one and only commercially available Slania album.
Collecting Slania stamps is a fascinating and fun side step from typical country collecting, and one which is quite rewarding for the person who appreciates the beauty of these miniature works of art.
While our collection of CZ stamps(used)is far from complete, we are always quite pleased when we can add one more.
Judy
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this post
08:35:01am
re: Czeslaw Slania
If you are not already aware of it, you should find this site of interest. It was compiled by our late member Mette Heindorff.
http://www.slaniastamps-heindorffhus.com/
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this post
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
30 Jan 2012
08:55:03am
re: Czeslaw Slania
" ... Let the interests go where they want. ..."
Absolutely the best advice. One of the most rewarding benefits of stamping is that it can take you into areas of knowledge you will have never imagined until the interest suddenly develops.
I sometimes joke about my collection of postally used Tokelau Island stamps on cover with cancels in green ink as a way of poking fun at some of my fellow hobbiests who do become overly specialized to the extent of missing the beauty of the sunset in the search for a perfectly round pebble.
And don't forget the sudden rediscovered excitement at finding an old interest that had been set aside among the clutter of a stamp room that is unearthed one day and brings that gleam to the eye once again.
Login to Like
this post
re: Czeslaw Slania
I counsel beginning collectors to collect anything and everything that catches their fancy and that they can afford. By studying their stamps and reading about them and joining discussions like the ones here in Stamporama, they will learn a great deal and will eventually begin to categorize and discriminate and drop some interests and expand on others and develop new interests.
Another thing I tell beginning collectors is not to put great stake in the potential resale value of their collection. Unless a collector collects for a great many years, and becomes a true specialist in his area, he is unlikely to turn a profit when he sells. Stamps, indeed, are for most garden-variety collectors a poor investment, at least in terms of cash return. (They are a wonderful investment in terms of education, and in terms of the socialization that can result from meeting with other collectors. And even modest collections can provide a welcome return on their investment. I probably spent more than $1200 on my Eire collection, and when I sold it directly, to a dealer, I was pleased to receive a cheque for $700. Sure, I "lost" $500, sure surely gained $500 worth of knowledge about Irish stamps, Irish history, about philately in general. And I had a great deal of fun when I was working with my Irish collection. I stopped when Ireland came out with its first "Love" stamps. Ick. Ick, ick, ick!
I started as a child by collecting the world, but eventually sold my collection because I thought I had lost interest in stamps. I hadn't. When I re-started, in my 30s, I began by collecting just Canada. Then I added Ireland, the U.S., Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Stars on Stamps topicals caught my eye, then stamps issued because of the Second World War. Then I discovered the joys of collecting covers, and then picture postcards. Now I concentrate on various aspects of the Second World War, everything I can find related to the Vietnam War, and the mid-period of commercial airline development; four different airline crashes have intrigued me and I have a number of crash-covers from each one, as well as postcards and stamps picturing the types of airliners that fell from the sky.
So far, I have developed five display class exhibits from my collections, and by doing so learned a great deal more about my collections.
One of the best things about having multiple collecting interests is that you never come away from an auction, bourse, or stamp shop without at least one worthwhile item, and sometimes several. Of course, you often come away with an empty wallet, as well! I know a collector who almost always leaves with empty hands. He specializes in Canada and has a nearly complete collection, but isn't interested in varieties, or used stamps, or stamps on piece or cover. He spent more than $10,000 on one long-sought stamp. But he's always grumpy anywhere there are stamps for sale because the dealers don't have anything he needs. He blames the dealers. He also leaves our stamp club meetings early if no other members have anything of interest to him, and if the meeting topic doesn't have anything to do with Canadian stamps.
Bob
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this post
re: Czeslaw Slania
Once again, a wealth of knowledge.
Thank you for all the advice, words of wisdom and information on this subject.
I will dive in and let the "spirits" guide me. ( Is there a demigod or patron saint of philately?)
And Bob, loved the "ick ick ick" comment, I wholeheartedly agree.
Thanks again SOR.
Regards.
Garner
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this post
12:44:48pm
re: Czeslaw Slania
( Is there a demigod or patron saint of philately?)
Saint Phil of Telic, of course!
Login to Like
this post
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
31 Jan 2012
01:26:30pm
re: Czeslaw Slania
All of which good advice can be summed up in;
"If you collect for pleasure you will be rewarded, if you collect for profit you will be dissappointed."
There might be an exception for the latter, but not the former.
Login to Like
this post
05:07:37pm
re: Czeslaw Slania
...unless you collect for the profit of knowledge and enjoyment.
Login to Like
this post