"State of the Art" (1 Viewer)

[Arnhemjim]

While stating at the introduction that these thoughts do not represent an agenda, just by so doing it is understood that hackles will come up on an entire group of individuals who do have agendas, and “just know” there is one here somewhere.

It is my personal opinion that with the exception of the limited population of those collectors who still actively acquire vintage toy soldiers, i.e. 1893-1966 W. Britains Ltd., Lineol, Elastolin, Mignot, Lucotte, and comparable antique makers, that the vast majority of active collectors today have evolved to acquisition of figures that can only be described as ranging from military miniatures to truly objects-d’art.

The second significant factor which I personally feel has, and is impacting the “toy soldier” collector’s domain, is the fact again that the majority of active collectors fall under the genre of dioramists (sic), totally dissatisfied with merely putting their collection on display. They compete, even now in ever increasing active competitions, rivaling not only each other, but literally highly professionally researched and executed national military and regimental museum dioramas, world-wide.

Although both these factors has had a monumental positive effect in the evolution of the “hobby” from several aspects, it has also given rise to a myriad of highly contentious issues. Witness this forum as well as the other active forum. If individuals pause for a moment and reflect on both the direct and indirect impact, single words immediately come to mind, cost, quality, scale, proportion, pose, color, finish, historical genre, frequency of issue/addition, accuracy, depth of research, just to cite a few. Any one of these words can (AND DOES) evoke not just “decided opinions”, but emotions raising to a level of profanity, if not just short of challenges to a duel.

As a result current manufacturers, as well as the membership of the collector community, are constantly under challenges which are inimical to what most would consider the objectives of a hobby.

Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory

 

[sammy719]

While stating at the introduction that these thoughts do not represent an agenda, just by so doing it is understood that hackles will come up on an entire group of individuals who do have agendas, and “just know” there is one here somewhere.

It is my personal opinion that with the exception of the limited population of those collectors who still actively acquire vintage toy soldiers, i.e. 1893-1966 W. Britains Ltd., Lineol, Elastolin, Mignot, Lucotte, and comparable antique makers, that the vast majority of active collectors today have evolved to acquisition of figures that can only be described as ranging from military miniatures to truly objects-d’art.

The second significant factor which I personally feel has, and is impacting the “toy soldier” collector’s domain, is the fact again that the majority of active collectors fall under the genre of dioramists (sic), totally dissatisfied with merely putting their collection on display. They compete, even now in ever increasing active competitions, rivaling not only each other, but literally highly professionally researched and executed national military and regimental museum dioramas, world-wide.

Although both these factors has had a monumental positive effect in the evolution of the “hobby” from several aspects, it has also given rise to a myriad of highly contentious issues. Witness this forum as well as the other active forum. If individuals pause for a moment and reflect on both the direct and indirect impact, single words immediately come to mind, cost, quality, scale, proportion, pose, color, finish, historical genre, frequency of issue/addition, accuracy, depth of research, just to cite a few. Any one of these words can (AND DOES) evoke not just “decided opinions”, but emotions raising to a level of profanity, if not just short of challenges to a duel.

As a result current manufacturers, as well as the membership of the collector community, are constantly under challenges which are inimical to what most would consider the objectives of a hobby.

Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory

Not exactly sure where you are going with this thread Jim, but from my perspective of collecting I guess I fall in the catagory of "dioramists" new word for me, but as far as my collection I most certainly like to display my product in some type of diorama setting, I believe this goes back to my childhood days of building wonderful battles with my Marx battleground play set and dreaming up all kinds of "wish I could do this or that scenerios" as far as the art part of it, that's way out of my league, Hell I posted a few snaps today and was pretty happy with my I-Phone and playing with the color varations on the phone!!! It's all good to me, I do wish I had Frank's skills to eliminate bases and to add such nice backgrounds but that's all PC stuff at the end of the day it's the collection I have in my dioramas in front of me be it small or large that I enjoy, now if Tom, Dick or Susie want to go to the extreme and build works of art of his or her collection I'll be the first one to tell them "wow!! great job!!" but I do understand your point of view that sometimes in this hobby the lines can get blurred between just having a decent time or someone having a go at you personally on what you may/may not collect...Sammy

 

[Arnhemjim]

To Sammy and All Members of the Forum,
My only intent was to generally reflect on the hobby itself, and it would appear that your personal perspective is both mature and balanced. My sincere apologies for being too obtuse in my observations. Point being that some collectors are continuously suffering from self-inflicted wounds due to their own conscious choices as to what and how they collect, and what they chose to do with their collection. It certainly seems to manifest itself in the "requests", tantamount to demands, and not to subtle hints at boycott of the manufacturers by some of the resident semi-professional critics. With a little introspection they might be a little more tolerant of the less sophisticated, or those who may choose a different course, perhaps simpler and less cost, time and skill demanding. Just thoughts.

Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory

 

[sammy719]

To Sammy and All Members of the Forum,
My only intent was to generally reflect on the hobby itself, and it would appear that your personal perspective is both mature and balanced. My sincere apologies for being too obtuse in my observations. Point being that some collectors are continuously suffering from self-inflicted wounds due to their own conscious choices as to what and how they collect, and what they chose to do with their collection. It certainly seems to manifest itself in the "requests", tantamount to demands, and not to subtle hints at boycott of the manufacturers by some of the resident semi-professional critics. With a little introspection they might be a little more tolerant of the less sophisticated, or those who may choose a different course, perhaps simpler and less cost, time and skill demanding. Just thoughts.

Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory

No apologies needed here Jim, I follow you more clearly in this post, some folks are fantastic at painting, modeling, building dioramas ect. but trying to keep up with the Jone's is what kind of pushed me out of collecting K&C awhile back as I was trying to play catch up with releases made prior to my joining the metal world of K&C, it became more of the hunt then the enjoyment of the set purchased, that's when I sort of reinvented myself to follow what brought me to toy soldiers to start with...."enojoyment", plain and simple, point of the matter is if I only pick up one new set for a whole month or so I certainly take the time to enjoy that set, if I have to put a tank on layaway for 3 months it's like Christmas when it finally arrives!!!!!!!!!! so simpler, less cost has certainly made my hobby a more enjoyable one, as far as the critics they are a dime a dozen be it sports/politics/ and of course our toy soldier critics which I am included in all of those said topics, I just don't take myself as serious as some do, unless you're talking the Orioles and the Colts!!!!^&grin...Sammy