Collectibles – A Hobby

collectibles The wonderful thing about taking up collecting as a hobby is that there is no limit to what you can collect, from soap dishes to vintage cigarette boxes, so it is a pastime that can suit any budget or lifestyle.

If you are considering taking up collecting, then think about what subjects interest you, and how much space you have to store and display your collection in.

History

If you are interested in a particular period in history then this can be a great starting point for your collection. For example the American Civil War (1861-1865) is a rich historic period for collectables, with hundreds of items still in auction houses and antique shops for sale at affordable prices, including swords and other weapons, photographs, military trunks and uniforms. If you are restricted for space then one popular area of collectables from this time period are Civil War letters, which come from a variety of sources but mainly soldiers writing home to their families. These letters expose a very real and human side of the conflict and provide a fascinating glimpse at another time which was very different from our own.

Letters can fetch anywhere between $50 – $4,000, depending on the writer and the content, and those that include photographs are the most popular in the salesrooms. The best deals on Civil War letters are found in auction houses, both online and the more traditional bricks and mortar versions, but it is important that you do a little research and verify the authenticity of each letter before buying. Collecting historic memorabilia can be a very rewarding hobby, and certain artefacts can also be an investment, gaining in value as they get older and rarer.

Film and television

Film and television memorabilia is also very collectable, so if you are interested in this sort of industry you have an excellent and very rich subject to focus your collection on. There are all sorts of different items to collect from vintage film posters to props and film/TV stills, and you could also try one of the oldest and most popular forms of collecting, philography, which is the collection of autographs. You can get autographs of hundreds of different film and TV stars, as well as other famous people throughout history including politicians, sporting heroes, writers, poets and musicians.

Perhaps the most rewarding way to collect autographs is to visit film and TV sets, premieres and other events and try and get the signature you want directly from the celebrity themselves. Of course for most collectors autographs are bought from auction houses and specialist dealers, and can range in price from $40 right through to the most expensive autograph of all time, that of William Shakespeare which is estimate at $5 million dollars (of which there are only 6 examples in existence). Autographs appear in many different formats, including signed photographs, programmes and publicity releases, but one of the most popular forms to collect is a handwritten, signed letter, as not only do letters have the signature of the person, but also show some insight into their lives and personality.

You can collect film and television memorabilia from specialist shops and dealers, as well as private sellers listing items on online auction sites such as eBay, but do a little research and try and verify the authenticity of any pieces before you buy, especially autographs and signed photos, letters and documents.