Embarrassed about Collecting Toy Soldiers? (1 Viewer)

[debrito]

Here are some closer and larger pictures.

Alex, where you putted your dioramas?

 

[Alexdakar]

I put them in the middle and some on a table that is not in the picture.

 

[The General]

I love that pic. Awesome!

 

[damian]

My fatal flaw is that I have no problem speaking my mind- good bad or indifferent- got me in plenty of hot water in the army and now in my "professional life" -which many veteran frogs here can attest to I have said so many things in my life that bring embarrassment that toy soldiers pale in comparison. At 36, I just don't have any interest in trying to find another hobby or the energy to do so really. It's toy soldier collecting till I die.

My wife and kids get embarrassed when I am at Target, Toys R Us, etc and some kid wants the same toy soldier tank, figure or airplane I want and I bump him out of the way or otherwise do whatever I can to make sure I get and he/she doesn't ( KIDDING!! - I think ).

I would generally avoid upsetting or insulting a paratrooper (current or ex) as a rule of thumb.

 

[bromhead]

outstanding displays,,thanks for posting

 

[bromhead]

I would generally avoid upsetting or insulting a paratrooper (current or ex) as a rule of thumb.

Especially one wearing a mohawk,with a bowie knife or had lost half his items in a low jump.

 

[mikemiller1955]

I retired early (47) and I'm always asked by friends I have not seen in a while, what I'm up to, or what am I doing now?

I tell them I play a lot of golf, I still league bowl, my health is good and I started collecting toy soldiers.

I get varied responses on the last comment.

My male friends are either very interested, feign a small interest or just pass over the statement.

I'm not embarrassed, but I'm surprised by the comments and replys I get on it.

Women sepecially are funny. Some think it's really cool and some think it's childish.

I thought I was doing real good with a waitress the other night until I told her I collected toy soldiers.

She laughed and told me to grow up. I told her I was 53 and she said to act my age.



I got over it and she did too, but people seem to look at it as a quirky hobby.

I have a friend who happens to be black and when he saw my Rorke's Drift diorama he asked me why all the "brothers" just have spears and sticks and the white guys have guns.



Of course he was joking and I told him I can't rewrite history, but he will work it into a conversation every once in a while to rib me.

Anyway, I quit telling people that I collect toy soldiers and now tell them that I make miniature army dioramas.

It sounds more sophisticated and mature to me, but they still look at me like I'm crazy sometimes.

Like most of you have already said, "I'm too old to worry about what other people think of me, or I just don't care."

By the way, Alex and MK26gmls, your set collection cabinet displays are beautiful,

Michael

 

[nmrocks]

Didn't know where to put this but went with the wife to Hobby Lobby and found all the window box and diplay cases 50% off. This is actually a football display case, it has an oval cut into the floor to steady the football but I just leveled it with cut to fit cardboard and covered and you cant tell. Not bad for 25.00 bucks.
Ray

 

[4th Hussar]

Didn't know where to put this but went with the wife to Hobby Lobby and found all the window box and diplay cases 50% off. This is actually a football display case, it has an oval cut into the floor to steady the football but I just leveled it with cut to fit cardboard and covered and you cant tell. Not bad for 25.00 bucks.
Ray

I wish I had a hobby lobby in our town. I could use a couple of those cases

 

[Njja]

Really nice display cases, and at a killer price!

Always nice to find a good deal!

 

[oberstoskar]

When I was a kid here in Australia every kid had toy soldiers.

As I got older (say about the age of 16) it had became very uncool to be seen buying toy soldiers.

Once I was in my late 20's it seemed to be acceptable again. Perhaps people thought I was buying for my kids or maybe I lacked the peer pressure that I had succumbed to in the past.

The fact that I had served in the Regular Army prevented my "Twenty-something" civilian friends from bagging me too much when I bought toy soldiers.



The conversation usually went like this.......

Him: Are you buying toy soldiers???????
Me: Yeah, why?
Him: Isn't that for little kids?
Me: Mate, have you ever been in the Army?
Him: Nuh!
Me: Well, when you have.... feel free to bag me about what a kid I am!


I felt somehow that my 3 years military service earned me the right to collect as many God-darned soldiers as I pleased!

Have any of you guys ever felt embarrassed or intimidated in your youth about being a collector in this great hobby?

I also spent my high school years in Sydney, and I was in cadets too. I loved toy soldier, but I kept it as my own secret during my teen years and only kept my collection at home in Hong Kong (I was in boarding school). I was very embarrassed when my dad revealed my secret hobby to my housemaster when he visited Hong Kong. None of my Aussie 'mates' knew my secret hobby.

Now that I am a professional working in Hong Kong, I have the freedom to buy toy soldiers (mainly K&C) with my own money and I am no longer embarrassed about my hobby (except about collecting the LAH line... but well, being Chinese, I nation was not involved in any part of that history with Hitler.)

 

[Jagdpanther]

I guess a few people no about that I collect Toy Soldiers especially my family. To them they believe its a waste of money and time. At a younger age 21, I am very fortunate to be able to afford them most my age would not. To bad there inst a number more of younger collectors. I dont really care what people think if they new I collected Toy soldiers. The Only thing that might be embarrassing to someone if they didnt understand is my small but growing LAH collection some people might disapprove on that part of my collection. But all in all im happy with this Hobby and hope to collect for many years.

By the way Great collection Alex I really like that display cabinets.

 

[Capitolron]

Great Looking Office !

Nice Collection ! Interesting idea on your display in the small curio cabinet - might steal that idea from you.

Well, I sure am not shy about my collection. I have almost all of it now in my office. It sure brings up a lot of conversation from all of the people who come by here on business.

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[Capitolron]

Alex

Fantastic Collection - really looks great !

Ron

The only time I'm embarrassed is when my room is a mess because I'm working on some toy soldier project. If my room is clean then I like to show off my collection.

 

[glossman]

I thought this thread deserved a bump after a repeat viewing of the splendid displays of Ron and Alex.

Best, Raymond.

 

[wayne556517]

As some have brought up about LAH i had them displayed in my lounge found when bringing ladys home some didnt understand so it has been shifted to computer room.Not embarressed at all some people dont understand why i MAINLY collect WW2 germans.So now the SS are in the lounge...............


Wayne

 

[Currahee Chris]

I get to feeling pretty guilty when I think about sick children who are fighting cancer and other illnesses or starving and I am indulging in this hobby. This train of thought is a slippery slope as it could apply to just about anything else in my life- could I live in a smaller home and donate the difference to a charity, etc-

Truthfully, I have become somewhat indifferent about this hobby over the past year or so. I have really become conciously concerned about the human condition and could reasonably see myself someday selling off my collection and giving it to a children's charity.

Just my opinion,
CC

 

[Warrior]

When I was a kid here in Australia every kid had toy soldiers.

As I got older (say about the age of 16) it had became very uncool to be seen buying toy soldiers.

Once I was in my late 20's it seemed to be acceptable again. Perhaps people thought I was buying for my kids or maybe I lacked the peer pressure that I had succumbed to in the past.

Pretty amazing comments as they are pretty much 100% spot on; 90% of the collectors I talk to had toy soldiers as kids, peer pressure resulted in them giving them up roughly at age 16 (in the states, that is also the age many of us lads started to drive and discovered the female gender) and then reentering the hobby in their late 20's, early 30's.............

 

[VanguardFC007]

Being one of the younger members here (18) I would agree. I dont really talk about my collection with my friends but when they see it they usually just kind of go with it. Ive always been the kid in school who did great in history and wanted to join the military so everyone just figured it all was connected and never gave it a 2nd thought.

 

[Grognard]

I personnally don't feel embarrassed at all. I am actually proud to display my collection in my home office and show it to my friends. Some of them actually didn't know that such thing existed, I mean metal toy soldiers that look like a piece of art. Each soldier has a story (I collect Napoleonic) and it's a great topic of conversation. Coming myself from Europe it's a common thing for young people and adults over there to collect stuff like comic books, stamps, etc. Regarding whether the money I spend on this hobby would be of better use, it's like saying that no one should buy painting, cigars, nice Cognac, etc. as long as you can afford it I personnally don't see any issue with that. I have a budget for charities as well...You have only one life, so enjoy it!