What else do you collect? (1 Viewer)

[REVWARBUFF]

I was wondering if any of you collect something other than toy soldiers. Whether it be currently or at sometime in the past, i.e.--baseball cards, civil war memorabilia, model trains, etc. I am curious to see what else interests us forum members besides this wonderful hobby.

For me, I collected baseball cards in the past but gave that up about 8 years ago. In conjucntion with my newfound military miniatures, I also collect sports figurines that are much larger than the toy soldiers, as they stand about 8 inches tall. Additionally, I collected US coins in my youth and amassed quite a collection. I am thinking about selling it though as I no longer have the interest and could put the money towards this hobby.

So if you don't mind sharing, please tell us what your other interests are. By the way, Shannon tells me that she would love for us to complete that part of our member profile, as not a whole lot of us have done so.

Mark

 

[gk5717]

I also collected baseball & hockey cards. I stopped in the early 90,s when I took up soldiers.
I was lucky with the baseball cards, I still had my complete sets from the 50,s and early sixties, plus I got back into cards in the late 70,s before they really took off.
I,ve sold most of the cards to pay for my K&C collection, which again I was lucky as I started that in 2002 when most dealers still had everything in stock.
I also collect Conte,s plastic figures and playsets, plus McFarlane hockey figures.
Gary

 

[erniesstudio]

I also have been collecting most of my life,apart from K&C and Holmegaard,which are current,past collections have been Coins ,Comic Books Atr Deco figurines ,Oriental Blue and White, Murano glass, Antique lighters and cigi cases ,Vintage atlas Ellis pottery,ect..ect. I,m collectic..still have core collections of each ,the rest was sold to purchase my true passion .being my toy soldiers K&C.....

 

[jazzeum]

Jazz.

 

[fishead19690]

I was never into the sports cards but I collected the nonsports cards from movies and tv shows. I had all those star wars card, space 1999,combat the tv series,mork and mindy, happydays,battle star galltica,ect.ect.......just about all the non sports you can think of. I also collected some comic books also, my favorite was sgt.fury and the other war comics like sgt.rock and others. In my early teens I started to play guitar and began collecting albums and had over a thousand and doing the rock band thing and started collecting all kinds of guitar magazines and song books music theory books ect.ect.....and still have TONS of them from the early 80,s to 2000 and now have well over a 1000 cds also from metal to jazz to classical with many bootlegs and rare stuff. I have played in rock bands till about 5 or 6 years ago when my daughter was born and i just got sick of it draging equipment around at 3-4 in the morning for a few extra bucks on the weekend but I still have most of my guitar collection and equipment hoping to maybe someday get back into it. Before I quit playing I was mostly into playing classical guitar piece and started getting into some jazz but I came from a hard rock background growing up on hendrix and van halen and a lot of the shread guitar players like vai and many others from that vain of guitar playing. The other big hobby I had for years was playing chess. I have a few nice chess sets and me and an old school friend played since we were in grade school together and got pretty good over the years. We used to get together all the time and play for hours on end reading chess books and practicing on the computor ect. to try and get a edge on one another but since settling down with the wife and kids thats pretty munch died out also. We still get together once in a blue moon but my chess game is a little lacking right now. It was at its hight back when the church down the road had a chess night on thursdays and there were a few real good players there one was on a master chess level and could play 4 or 5 guys at once. The only time I got to play him was in one of those games with 3 other guys at the same time but I was the last player standing and it went to end game with just a few pawns and he beat me by one pawn.But he had white I,m running out of room for all my collections and I,m finally thinking of getting my own home in the next year or 2 if I can ever stop buying toy soldiers. Then i,ll have plenty of room for more but no money to buy any.

 

[Gideon]

I have a yahoo group - for a long time now called oldtoysgroup.

Here is the link:
oldtoysgroup

The picture on the landing page is from my collection. Here is a link to a folder I feel really shows my collection of vintage military toys as it stood about 2 1/2 to 3 years ago. The collection has grown quite a bit. Enjoy:
My Tanks

 

[wadepat]

Gentle Friends,

In addition to toy soldiers, there have been two other major collecting themes in my life. For a number of years I was a very avid collector of postage stamps. I still possesses a very nice stamp collection, but I have not added to it in years. I would return to it in a heartbeat if my funds would allow me to do so!

The second major collecting theme of mine has been American Musclecars of the 1960's and 1970's. I used to compete in car shows and I won my share of trophies doing so. Now, I try to stay out of the heat as much as possible. I still have the car I have loved the most, but preparing and showing the car during the hot summers has just become too much work for this old man.

I should also add that my wife is an avid collector of miniature tea sets. I participate in her hobby with almost as much enthusiasm as she does. Her tea set collection competes with my toy soldiers for display space in our home. She has a very noteworthy collection and I admire the tea sets as much as she does. I think my participation in her hobby helps enable her to be supportive of mine.

Could I collect even more things? Oh, yes, but I dare not start! Toy Soldiering would suffer if I did so.

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

 

[kilted vampire]

Toy trains Mostly Lionel these days. Been known to collect Marx trains as well. Also Dept 56 Buildings and Le Max as well . They have wonderful animations ! You can find them at Michaels Craft stores. I've collected a lot of junk in the past.comic books hot wheels. It is the hunt that thrills me. Having an item is anti climatic if I really thought about it.

 

[Njja]

Pat what is your particular Muscle Car?

I built a 72 Cuda a few years back....hole nine yards balanced engine, interior

new dash headliner, complete interior, new paint, mechanicals.

Only minor problem, I forgot the ride we used to love when we were kids.

Wife did not! Beautiful car sat in the garage until I sold it to a local much

younger fireman.

I'm thinking about the new chevy pickup or perhaps a shelby GT 500,

wife will ride in either!

Njja

 

[wadepat]

Pat what is your particular Muscle Car?

I built a 72 Cuda a few years back....hole nine yards balanced engine, interior

new dash headliner, complete interior, new paint, mechanicals.

Only minor problem, I forgot the ride we used to love when we were kids.

Wife did not! Beautiful car sat in the garage until I sold it to a local much

younger fireman.

I'm thinking about the new chevy pickup or perhaps a shelby GT 500,

wife will ride in either!

Njja

John,

My musclecar is a 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda Performance Package. It is painted Tor Red (Dodge name for the color is Hemi Orange). The car includes a black interior, black vinyl roof, and black hockey stick trim. It is powered by a 383 cubic inch big block (I could never afford a 440 six barrel or a Hemi) which has been bored and cammed. The engine is connected to a 727 Slapstick and power is transmitted to the rear wheels through an 8 3/4" limited slip differential. It is a beautiful car and I dearly love it.

I first acquired the car in 1988. It was basically rust free as it sat in the New Mexico desert for years. As you might imagine, the interior was trashed and needed much attention. When I originally acquired the car, I had to use it for a daily driver which I did for about two years until I could purchase a small pickup for my daily needs. It was at that point that I became serious about a complete restoration and that process took me another two years.

During the warm weather months, I participated in weekend car shows and I was successful in winning my share of awards. The car shows were great fun, but they are also an amazing amount of work. Unless one has competed in the shows, one really does not realize how much effort goes into preparing the car. I would usually spend six to ten hours detailing it on a Friday night before a Saturday show. On Saturday I would drive it to the show and spend another two to three hours preparing it for judging after registering the car for the show. All of this activity would take place during the very hot summers. If others are reading this post and think the hours I would spend detailing the car are lengthy, remember that the car was already cleaner and more glossy before I would start to detail it than anything you might find on a dealer's showroom floor. Car show competition is very, very keen.

The car is fun to drive, but I do not get it out much anymore. I live on gravel roads in the country, so I am very careful about where I drive it. And, yes, the car was not built with too much comfort in mind. Be that as it may, I have been a MOPAR fan for many, many years and I love the E-bodied 'Cudas (1970 -1974) more than any other musclecar.

I am pleasently surprised that the car you chose to restore was also a 'Cuda. It is truly a small world, isn't it?

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

 

[Njja]

Pat:

Well how about that! I always had a lot of respect for the Hemi when I was

a crazy teenager. In high school I drove a 1964 corvette fuel injected with

375 HP. My mother also enjoyed driving the car, and she would come home

and tell me people would pull up and try to race her at a light and be shocked

when they saw who was driving!! It took a while for the other kids to figure it

out.

In 1969 I sold my vette and bought a brand new 396 chevelle 375 HP and

had my local speed shop set it up. They pulled the polution gear, reworked

the distributor, installed an injector kit in the big holley 4 barrel and put

an electric fuel pump in the trunk. I was pushing 450 HP but I could never

touch a hemi, or 435/427 vette. Everything else was pretty much fair game.

I had a fellow with a 396/375 Nova that kept chasing me, never could beat

the chevelle. He finally put on a pair of slicks (after going to my mechanic)

and called me out on old Hwy 27 one Saturday Night. It was a good race

until his drive shaft let go! Slicks are really rough on a drive train.

My mom loved the chevelle also.....she always asked me why the car had

so much power! But she grew up driving a stick, so she could handle herself.

Lots of luck with your car, I still love the power except now I usually keep it

under 50.......even when I'm on the V-Rod.

Njja

 

[wadepat]

John,

You must have had as much fun as a teenager as I did. Street racing was great fun, but now, like you, I obey the speed limits (except sometimes when I am in the 'Cuda). At least a little wisdom has accompanied my aging.

The Hemi's are awesome! Several years ago, when I was competing in an all MOPAR show, I saw a Hemicar with a sign placed on it that read: "It is Hard to be Humble!" That seemed to say it all.

Was your 'Cuda a 340 machine? I would also be interested to know if it was a numbers matching car. What color was the exterior and interior? Did you ever show it? I know this is a toy soldier forum, but I cannot resist asking you these questions!

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Guys,

This is a good idea for a thread lets us see what else we have in common. I would have loved to get into the cars when I was a bit younger but there never seemed to be enough cash available to do it. The car I favored is the 69 Camero. I nearly got one right before my daughter was born but it was going to require way too much money and time to get it back to where it needed to be...some day right.

Well anyway aside from the toy soldiers and some GI Joes I have a ton of baseball cards that I am currently sorting through to down size to only a select few stars and my favorite team the Yankees. I have a good run of Yankee cards from 1948 to the present. One of the gems is a 1956 Mickey Mantle that even though its in fair condition it is still one of my favorites and I also have a beautiful Cal Ripken jr 1982 Topps Traded Card that is just as crisp as when it was printed.

I also collect military brass insignia from my branch (Armor/Cavalry) I currently have a very nice collection the spans the period of 1850- 2000. The thing thats nice about this collection is they are inexpensive and small so they dont take up a lot of space. This keeps my wife very happy since she thinks I have too much stuff.

She and I also collect Native American art. Pottery and jewelry from the south west Northwest and Alaskan art this is something we got into when were travelling around. Like someone also mentioned we do this together and have some wonderful pieces on display.

But the toy soldiers are my favorites and always have been.

Dave

 

[Njja]

John,

You must have had as much fun as a teenager as I did. Street racing was great fun, but now, like you, I obey the speed limits (except sometimes when I am in the 'Cuda). At least a little wisdom has accompanied my aging.

The Hemi's are awesome! Several years ago, when I was competing in an all MOPAR show, I saw a Hemicar with a sign placed on it that read: "It is Hard to be Humble!" That seemed to say it all.

Was your 'Cuda a 340 machine? I would also be interested to know if it was a numbers matching car. What color was the exterior and interior? Did you ever show it? I know this is a toy soldier forum, but I cannot resist asking you these questions!

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

Hi Pat yes it was a 340 with a beautiful Orange paint job. I purchased the

car from a Delta Pilot that had just been laid off. He has pulled the original

340 engine which needed to be redone, installed a smaller engine and had the

paint job done. After I got it I had the engine done (matching numbers) of

course it was bored out necessary for the rebuild. I did the interior, dash

including hooking up all the original equiptment....radio, speakers, ect,

headliner. And we installed new front end componants, various bushings and

bearings and so forth. Only had one small problem......the mechanic that

helped me got a tiny bit sloppy with the oil pan. He pinched the gasket when

we were reassembling the engine. I wanted to wait to get a new one, and he

wanted to get the motor reinstalled and fire it up. He was a better mechanic

then I was, so I trusted his judgement. We got the motor installed, then had

to test drive it to properly adjust the timing and such. Once a motor is bored

out, all the old timing numbers and marks go out the window. We got the

motor running beautifully but as you can imagine I had a tiny oil leak.

I had this beautiful car, with really carefully done work, a beautiful detailed

engine compartment and a tiny oil leak....bummer! You could not remove the

oil pan without pulling the engine (due to a cross member on the frame). And

after the tough job of lining up the tranny when installing the motor I was

not up for that!

I showed the car under "Drive and Show" which cut me slack on the tiny oil

leak, but it still bugged me......never again! The easy way is no way.

I am busting my butt looking for my picture amblum but so far no luck, and

wifes new trash compactor busted....thank you G.E. Profile Series!! Dam

thing is jammed with door open, its an electic motor drive and no way to

reverse it. G.E. feels it doesn't need customer service on duty until 8am

monday so I have a $650 open built in garbage can in the kitchen.

If I find the picture album before my blood pressure hits 350 I'll post em

otherwise I'll pass out in a controlled rage!!!!

Njja

 

[maddadicus]

Toy trains Mostly Lionel these days. Been known to collect Marx trains as well. Also Dept 56 Buildings and Le Max as well . They have wonderful animations ! You can find them at Michaels Craft stores. I've collected a lot of junk in the past.comic books hot wheels. It is the hunt that thrills me. Having an item is anti climatic if I really thought about it.

I have a 20' by 20' toy train layout with about (35) Dept.56 and Lemax Buildings and animations. I still collect comic books as well as Soldiers and I scratch build 15mm ACW Ironclads and Timberclads and have several small Warhammer 40k Armies.....I am hoping to get into wargaming bigtime as well as ACW reinacting. Will try to save some free time for my real job, to pay for all this stuff...Michael

 

[Combat]

I collect signed books. Mostly nonfiction, bios.

 

[Fubar]

Cats. The barnyard is overrun.

 

[Leadmen]

Cats. The barnyard is overrun.

Fubar: Can I send you my 18 year old cat named Napoleon to your barn- he would enjoy the Oregon sun to retire in. Second thought he don't like to share. John

 

[theBaron]

Beer steins. I have over 200, as well as other brewery and beer paraphenalia (serving trays, advertising pieces, an oak keg from Kloster Andechs outside Herrsching, south of Munich--there's a tale). All kinds, from the decorated steins with finialed lids that most people think of (and which are generally unhistoric, when found in toy soldier/military miniature displays), to plain gray stoneware, lidded and uncovered, porcellain, fayence, glass, handled mugs, stemmed pilsner glasses, plain glasses. Each one has been baptized, at least once.

Overwhelmingly from German breweries, although I also have collected mugs and steins from the old Neuweiler brewery here in Allentown.

I've also collected some items that are an adjunct to collecting, casting and painting toy soldiers and historical models. Postcards and other illustrations of uniforms, flags, some books.

Oh, and the R. Lee Ermey motivational action figure, and the Ann Coulter action figure (they sleep in separate boxes).

Prost!
Brad

 

[hhenry]

Beer steins. I have over 200, as well as other brewery and beer paraphenalia

Brad,

I enjoyed hearing about your beer stein collection. I got into sampling different beers when I lived in Munchen in the mid-80s. I have two of the glass "Mass" beer steins from Okotberfest, as well as some Weiz beer glasses.

Besides Britains toy soldiers/military miniatures, I also collect historical, mostly military, themed cigarette cards. Also, I like military history, so have an extensive book collection. I have hockey cards and some GI Joes from when I was a kid, but I don't actively collect these anymore.