Philosophical Approach To Collecting ?

I have been officially certified anal (9.7 on a 10 scale) by the best philatelic psychiatrists and so I may take a different approach to choosing what to collect and how to collect the material once that decision has been made.

Two years ago I decided to collect MNH Israel tabbed issues. I bought the album and went to work filling spaces. Last year I got on a kick of studying the history of the Mutiny on the Bounty and the aftermath - all the way through the sex abuse scandals of the last couple of decades. I bought the album and again went to work filling spaces with MNH material. This year I'm looking at Malta/Cyprus or Spain/Portugal for my next excursion into the wilds of philately.

Sorry this is so long, but here's the question. If I have this Serial Monogamy relationship with my collections would you rather do it my way, or use a Polyamory approach and work on a number of collections at the same time.

And if you did, wouldn't it be a more disorganized and haphazard approach? Wouldn't you be sacrificing efficiency in studying a single program area for the enjoyment of hopping from one collection to another on a whim?

The Professor would like your input, if you please!

This is such an interesting question and one I have been pondering of late. My renewed interest in collecting as an adult came from being given some old albums and rediscovering my childhood albums. So initially I have a lot of stamps just to sort, work through, and organise. At the moment. I am trying to learn and gather. I think its like trying different subjects in school before deciding on a major.
I have to keep reminding myself that this is a lifetime hobby,and not to get too overwhelmed trying to do everything at once. I am also very limited in time and budget, so that must have an impact on what and how I collect.
I have lots of enthusiasm but sometimes lack focus, especially sustained focus. I can't ever see myself following your method, laswabbie, of filling an album with MNH. But I do like your idea of tying in an area of study with collecting the stamps.
At the moment, I am moving from a manic gathering phase into a consolidation phase. This cycle will probably repeat itself at some point.
I think ultimately, serial poligamy will be my style - concentrating on a few topics/areas at a time. At the moment I am interested in stamp design and engravers, for instance. But when/if I will settle into an organised pattern - who knows!

Swabbie, I work on several collections in no particular order but as things come along. But then, I don't generally cherry pick what I need but hope to come across it in the auction lots I purchase since the hunt is a big part of the fun and not just throwing a known quantity of cash at a specific, desired item.

Or look at it this way sailor, what's wrong with having a girl in every port?

Stampgal, I could almost have written your response verbatim. Isn't it kinda weird, and very cool of course, to find like-minded people so far away? In my social circle, I'm a very strange duck. It's nice to know that there is a bigger pond out there.

In response to laswabbie, I'm inclined toward the polyamory approach...I've got enough monogamy already. Ha ha!

I find myself going full blast at a particular aspect of collecting, then switching and going all out on another. I guess it is a matter of what interests me at the moment. The one area that never wanes is my general US collection. I am always looking for additions to it.

Swabbie I find I tend to focus on one particular country or interest at a time. Right now I am working on Spain. There may be the odd cover here or there but mostly I work with, study one country at a time.

When I started back up, and started going through all the stamps from different countries. I became overwhelmed. Too much to do and not enough time to do. So I put the WW stamps aside for now, to concentrate on my US collection. Which is where I am at now. Since I have slowed my buying down for the moment, I am picking up 1 country at a time, printing pages for them and filling them with what I have. When all the stamps I have are put away, then I will go back and start filling in the ones I like. I am mostly monogamous, with an occasional foray into polygamy.

Like stampgal I tend to be unfocused, to put it mildly. I have a ton of unorganized stuff to go through yet I keep getting those deals that "I just can't pass up" from the guys at the stamp club.

I am going to try very very hard not to add to my collection until I can make some sence out of what I alwready have. Be wait there is an auction at our next stamp club meeting. Unless I play hookie I know I won't be able to resist

Dianne

Swabbie, I don't know what you are talking about ! I am glad you mentioned Spain as I can help you with that...thanks again for the modern Germany !!

Count me in the group of serial monogamists.

I try to focus on one country as much as possible before moving to a new country. Of course, even after I move on to a new collection, I still go back occasionally. Also, I find that each new collection holds my attention for a little shorter timespan before I'm thinking of moving on to something new.

This is starting to sound a lot like my love life, so I'm getting a little depressed now ....

KS

I'm neither I'm still dating all the material trying to find a sweet spot... for now I'm fill World wide upto 1970's I work on what ever country I open my stock books to that day. yesterday was chili today china, yikes...

It varies over time, but at the moment I have a severe case of Philatelic Polygamous Syndrome, working on too many projects at once. My desk at the moment is a chaotic confusion of Victorian classics, modern Canadian definitives, Tuvalu covers, album page prototypes and unpaid utility bills... .......

I think you win Bee See

Dianne

laswabbie


I am Working/collecting on nine different subjects,plus a couple of my own.
Does that make me a polygamist,OMG
David

BeeSee,

I dont believe unpaid utility bills are very collectible, actually I think they send someone to your house to collect you for them eventually...
you might want to focus on them today :)