So, who collects and why?

To me there are 3 distinct types of collector each one unique in their reason for collecting and the type and size of their collection, whether that collection be music, CDs, movies, stamps, art or anything else.

Collecting for Love

The collector who does so for love is the collector who does so for their own gratification, collecting what they choose and when they choose. Their collection may involve heading to auctions and collecting unique pieces or not.

This type of collector collects based on different variables. Although they may wish to have a full collection, only some of these collectors will allow money to be no object in their quest for a full collection, because, put simply, their collection is for themselves only and according to their personal tastes.

How many of us can say that we own every single musical release by our favourite artist? And when we say that we own every release, are we including all the different special editions as well as all the releases made internationally?

I’m a big Jeff Buckley fan, or at least I was. When I heard the song “Last Goodbye”, I fell in love with the melody and became a collector of the different single versions of that song. My Jeff Buckley music collection includes some live albums as well as a live DVD, but does this make me a Jeff Buckley music collector, when I don’t have a full collection?

Collecting music for love is personal and cannot be any other way. Personal taste is personal choice and that goes both for the size and the content of the music collection.

Collecting for “Money”

Did you ever watch the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous? There is a wonderful episode in which Edina goes out to buy art. She’s told by the snobbish receptionist that they don’t have anything for her there and then she reveals that she wants to buy absolutely anything that will be worth a fortune in a few years and of course she buys up most of the showroom.

Edina was collecting for money. She didn’t care about the art, she just wanted something that would prove to be an investment, or not in her case.

Traditionally it was rich people and royals who were collectors of this type as they could afford to add to their collections. And what has changed over the years? Art still tends to be only for those who have money and means as they choose what to collect once they know that something is worth something or wanted by someone else.

Michael Jackson collected the work of the Beatles and became the copyright holder of their full collection. Did he do it for the love of the Beatles music? Did he do it for the money? Did he do it for the power of control? Well, we’ll never know now, but there are many more reasons than just simply money, that some people choose to build elaborate or unique collections.

The Hoarder

Some people have natural tendencies towards collecting, or rather they just can’t throw anything away. Whether they mean to or not, they end up having a multitude of collections.

The hoarder may see something they like one day, or they may receive a gift and it goes on from there. Perhaps they get a job-offer lot to pick up a carload of goodies, or perhaps it was an inheritance. Either way, the hoarder just hoards.

This type of collector may have a number of collections yet be none the wiser to the content of any of them, or they may have a few standalone collections which stand out amongst the chaos.

Did I miss a collector trait? Which type of collector are you?