Do you ever feel like you're the 'evil' collector?

[cutiebunny]

I think that all of us, at least during some point in our collecting career, have something that bugs us about the people who help shape our collecting experience. Whether it's that infernal User123 on YJ that buys all the good stuff, the nameless entity that always snipes everything you want, the person who buys something you wanted only to never show it or the person that gets up at the crack of dawn to stalk a seller's site for updates, there's bound to be someone along the way that has angered you.

Yet, for all those complaints we might have about these collectors, I think all of us, at least at one time or another, have engaged in some, if not all, of these practices. In our pursuit of paper and plastic, although we might think of ourselves as fighting the valiant fight, depending on one's point of view, it's easy for anyone to be the villain.

So, if you did think of collecting in a "black/white-good/bad" way, what kind of collector would you consider yourself and, if you feel others think that way about you, how does that make you feel?

(I'll wait to give my thoughts on this one...)

[zerospace]

Geez, do I ever remember feeling this way about other collectors! There were a few names on YJ I would routinely cuss up and down, mostly because I never seemed to have enough money to beat them for certain things. At least one of those collectors never displayed his/her collection, and so every cel I lost disappeared into the void. *snif*

But now... *cough* ... it's the whole kettle & pot thing. These days I have more money to spend on cels than I did back then, and I tend to pick and choose what I spend it on, so I'm far more likely to bid higher amounts if it's something I really, really want (which isn't much these days). If I don't really want it, I still might bid, but just not nearly as much. It just depends on what it is.

I'm not arrogant enough to assume that anyone cusses my name like I used to cuss others, but I've had enough "gee, after I found your gallery, I realized where all the Heero cels have gone" comments on my gallery to figure that someone could potentially consider me a hog. I'll be rather bluntly honest: It doesn't bother me in the slightest. I make no pretenses, and I don't expect anyone else to, either. I'm usually very friendly and forthright with the people I compete with (which, thankfully, isn't very many most of the time), but I don't ask them not to bid on things, and in turn I don't expect that they'll ask me, either. If they tell me they're after something and I'm on the fence about it, it'll usually prompt me to stay out of it, though.

I do have to say that I've never been upset about people beating me to stuff on dealer sites. It just happens. I used to stay up waiting for updates sometimes, myself -- on rare occasion, I actually benefited from it. More often than not, though, I was disappointed.

I lose no sleep anymore over my collecting habits or the habits of others. I choose how I deal with other collectors based on their behavior towards me, and little else. If you're nice to me, I'm nice to you. If you're mean, rude, or otherwise spiteful towards me, I'll ignore you completely, and I will never, ever buy from you if you sell. That's pretty much it. If you outbid me, congrats. I'll probably visit the artwork in your gallery if you post it, but I don't tend to linger on things I lose. If I outbid you, I hope you aren't upset, but if you are... eh, sorry, but I can't say it'll bother me at all. *shrug*

Wow, I sound horrible. Oh, well!

[ToriPagac]

i am the bottom feeder who gets the scraps it used to bug me that people have nicer collections but the fact is i will never be rich i only have finished my wishlist with help and there are a few pieces i will likey not ever get does it bother e that buyer xyz buys all of cel whatever sure but this hobby all comes down to who has the most money i try not to hog all of cels of certain things but its not high end stuff for the most part that i buy this is where im at big wishes small wallet acceptance cels are a treat and few and far between but i cant expect others to collect how i do i just try to be nice when i can

[star-phoenix]

LOL! I know that feeling! Me personally, I know what I want, and if someone else wants it, then fight on!!

I have to admit, there were a couple of bidders in the past that used to annoy me a lot. They would literally pay anything for an item (and we were bidding on one of those auctions that would automatically increase the time if bid on last minute, I detest those types of auctions!!). So, knowing their personalities, I used to bid super high on an auction knowing that the person most likely was super competitive based on their bidding histories. And sure enough, they would continually increase the bid until they won, even when the item goes more than 4 times the amount of the market value. And then, I would try to go for a different auction that did not have as many bids on it hoping I would luck out and not get as much competition. But, if I lost, then I know the item was not worth the amount to me in the first place. It sure felt great putting a major dent in their wallet through. Yes, very evil. I know! LOL But, it turns out there was one bidder that would do that to about 20 auctions a week. And looking at their bidding history, they must have spent some ridiculous amount like $20,000-30,000 a month on auctions (sometimes even more)!!!! And seriously, one can put ANY PRICE on an auction they are bidding on, and they would win it every time! It was crazy!

But, crazy joking aside, it always boils down to what you are willing to pay for that particular item. There is no evil or good sides at all when it comes to economics. A price becomes valuable only when 2 people with money want it, and the one willing to give more money gets the item. At least be glad that if you don't win it, it was because you felt that the item was not worth that much to you, and not because you couldn't afford it. And be proud of the ones you do keep in your collection, because those are the treasures you won at the price you wanted! That is how I see the world of collecting.

[Sui Kune]

While I used to feel that way in the past in toy collecting, I realized I shouldn't let my hot temper get the best of me and instead do my best to become friends with people who love and collect the same things, because that's a pretty cool thing to have in common.

However, I admit to becoming increasingly paranoid that I might be seen as (or even become) the "evil" one in what I collect of cels, because I have such a narrow, laser-guided focus. I'm scared to be accused of "hoarding", or even just seem stuck-up in general, even though the last thing I'd ever want to do is act like an ass or make anyone uncomfortable. I love this hobby, I love all you guys for all the support and enthusiasm (which is very infectious), and I love seeing everyone's collections. I know though I'm incapable of being cutthroat when it comes to collecting anything, about the most aggressive I ever get is chasing down leads to an extremely rare wishlist toy. However, I admit to being a bit oblivious; sometimes I can word things rather strangely without knowing it and not know if I break etiquette even when I pay close attention because I have Asperger's Syndrome. But I don't justify anything I say with it, if I make a bad mistake I apologize and really learn something from the experience, and know to be very careful next time. Sometimes I just need things spelled out to me is all.

Anyway, I don't really think of it as an "us versus them" thing. I do get really disappointed when a really cool cel falls into a void, but it happens and who knows, someday it may appear again. Toy collecting has taught me the latter; you never know when something may appear again, and that always gives you hope for the one that got away.

[ReiTheJelly]

When I first started collecting, I used to complain a lot when certain individuals would walk away with what felt like EVERY FRICKIN' CEL (CCS collectors know which Y!J bidders I'm talking about). But then I realized that if I had unlimited funds, I'd do the exact same thing. So while I still feel a little bitter when I lose an auction for an item I really wanted, I don't resent the high bidders like I used to. I wouldn't say I've completely given up my bitter angsting, because I haven't: cel collecting is about buying one-of-a-kind artwork. If that art disappears into a "black hole" collection, it may not reappear until that person dies 60 years from now. I am much happier when the art appears in an online gallery - at least I can visit and admire it. It is doubly annoying when I see art sold to someone who has an online gallery...but only has 20% of their collection visible, or who never updates their site. I get more aggravated with those folks, because not only do I know who bought the piece, but I also know that no one will ever see it again. Even if someone is a collector who never sells anything, at least give people the small joy of viewing the art you've collected.


That being said, over the last 9 years my collection has become very focused. While my budget has not increased, I have been able to make some lucky purchases. I think it is possible for new collectors to view my gallery and consider me a mean hoarder, just by virtue of how much I've managed to amass from my areas of interest. Unless the newbie is a millionaire, it isn't realistic for them to expect my 9-year-old collection to look like their brand spankin' new one. Sure, my collection has cost me a lot of money, but that costs has been spread out over almost a decade.
In the past, it would have bothered me to know that someone, somewhere on the internet might think badly of me. But the older, wiser me doesn't really care. Would I like to be friends with everyone? Sure! Is that a realistic goal in a competitive hobby? Nope.

I collect what I love and I am a fairly gregarious person. If people have a problem with that, so be it.

[tex-chan]

I know for a fact that several folks out there consider me to be the "evil" collector. (Or perhaps just "evil", period. )

I have received enough nasty, mean emails and PMs over the years to leave no doubt about it. I would like to say that it doesn't bother me. Truthfully, it shouldn't bother me. I know that. And yet, I am a very introverted person. It is hard for me to deal with and communicate with others, even when it's online and not face-to-face. I don't like conflict, and I found the mean emails to be quite hurtful, which is the main reason I don't participate in the cel "community" very much any more. Over the years, I've learned that I'm much more comfortable lurking and, hopefully, not being noticed. I'm seldom comfortable posting on AB any more, other than in fun threads like "something fun" and the new "show me" thread. In fact, I'm seriously doubting the wisdom of posting this reply.

[Gonzai]

Don't know, don't care. The way I look at it is, no one collects what I do, so
I don't even think about it. Actually, the one thing I collect the most, one of
my closest friends collects as well. She has twice the money I do, and is willing
to spend it for what she wants. It used to bother me somewhat, but then I
realized that if she was willing to pay that much for something, then it was her
right as a collector. What is really cool about it, though, is that I know if she
ever sells, she gives me first shot.

As for the early updates, sure I catch them, however, I don't get up early and
wait for the updates. Its called email notification. If your phone is set loud
enough, its sure to wake you when the update occurs.

[kizu]

I've never felt like a truly evil collector, although I'm sure some have may have thought that of me at one time or another. I will never ask someone to not bid/buy just because I want to the item. In fact I encourage them to just do what they need to do. I'm of the mind set that no one is entitled to a cel. We all got to work for it. I do think though that sniping on the Japan deputy service is one of the worst things practiced by some collectors and encouraged by the deputies. I downright think it's evil because the seller isn't getting their full due and the other party knows over bidding isn't really going to cost them the full bid price. At times I suspect some people over bid and don't really have the funds because deputies let you leverage your dollar and also let's you pay later. I guess in this way some collectors may think I am evil because they think "it's all fair game". In this way I don't think it's fair game (just because you can doesn't mean you should), I think it's rather opportunistic and I suppose I will never change my thoughts. Ah there's the evil side of me coming out. Heh!!

[jcaliff]

I only get angry at people who seem to be taking advantage of others by unethical practices, but not regular competition. Some of the folks I really like in the collecting community are/were direct competition for certain series (you know who you are), but I've always felt like, at least for the stuff I collect, that there's generally enough to go around. Still would like a child-Sarutobi Ryu Knight cel someday though.

Back when I was much more actively collecting, I actually kind of liked seeing the same names pop up on YJ auctions. I felt a kind of brotherhood with those collectors, even though I never met or communicated with them, because we had very similar taste. Even when I wasn't planning to bid on something, I'd click on stuff I knew was quality and see the bidder ID and think to myself, "Yep, I thought you'd be bidding on this."

[sensei]

Thought I'd posted on this last night, but it must not have gone through.

Fact is, the most compelling part of this hobby is the very fact that the prize is not one of the rare limited edition reproductions of a highly prized image, but "the" image. Once you own that, no one else can have it, or even see it, except by your permission. That is, truth to tell, the peak emotion, not just to have "a" cel from a prized scene but to have "the" cel. And I wouldn't have stuck with this particular form of collecting if it were not so.

So, yes, there is an absolute power of ownership, and for some people, that power corrupts, absolutely. For years, "the" sole surviving 1856 one-penny magenta British Guiana stamp, widely believed the rarest and most valuable stamp in existence, was locked in a bank vault while its owner served a life term after being found guilty but insane after a senseless murder. (He died in prison recently, so the stamp will go up for auction again soon.)

I haven't done anybody in, lately, that anyone has noticed yet, but I do try not to be all-consumingly possessive of my art. I feel that they will pass on to other hands eventually, so I curate them carefully, and all the more so for items that I know are significant and unique. There's another side to ownership: if I damage or allow a unique item to be damaged, then that damage is irreplaceable. I can't just order a new cel to replace the A1 END when its lines fade or if it's creased by poor storage. And, like others who have checked in, I don't randomly go for every cel of a given type, but increasingly pick my auctions and think more than twice before hitting the "bid" button.

It can be evil, but doesn't have to be. The pleasure is part of what life offers you, and you're a fool to turn it down. But when pleasure becomes obsession, as with anything -- sex, chocolate, bjds, crocheting -- then it becomes a lust rather than a pleasure.

Just my 50 yen (worth more today than it used to but still...)

[PandemoniumonParade]

There are days I definitely feel like an evil collector, or at least a crazy stalker. While I've been in this hobby for over a decade most of my collection was purchased on the tight budget of a high school/college student living off minimum wage. So compared to many people's galleries on this site I consider mine to be mediocre at best.
Of course I've never blamed anyone else for having better collections, in fact one of the most appealing aspects of Beta and Rubberslug for me is that other collectors are nice enough to share their galleries with the rest of the world and let strangers view their prized treasures. But there are days I DO find myself shaking my fists up at the heavens and asking the universe why I couldn't have the nice cushy job and stable disposable income I have NOW back in oh say 2004 when it seemed the internet was full of cels from several series that have all but dried out or skyrocketed in price in today's market. And now that I'm an adult with the financial means to pursue this hobby more actively I still can't help but feel sometimes like I really missed the boat for a lot of the good stuff.
So with that said, I'd say I'm a evil collector because lately I've been finding myself lurking through several galleries where the curator hasn't updated in years (or close to even a decade). I look at these sites filled to the brim with gorgeous cels and my mind begins to drift to several different scenarios as to where they are now. Does this person still treasure their collection? Or are these wonderful pieces of plastic just lying in some closet somewhere forgotten and neglected? Or god forbid, does the person just not update and participate in the community because they've chosen not to or simply because they have other things going on with their lives?
I find myself very tempted at times to contact some of these old curators and ask about their collections and whether they'd be interested in parting with these cels if they're out of the hobby. But then another part of me has to take a step back and chastise myself. These collectors collect for their own enjoyment and it isn't any of my business what they do with a cel after purchasing it.
But that doesn't stop me from staring at those outdated pages and dreaming about what could have been.

[sensei]

I find myself very tempted at times to contact some of these old curators and ask about their collections and whether they'd be interested in parting with these cels if they're out of the hobby. But then another part of me has to take a step back and chastise myself. These collectors collect for their own enjoyment and it isn't any of my business what they do with a cel after purchasing it.
But that doesn't stop me from staring at those outdated pages and dreaming about what could have been.

I would say (even as a passionate collector who bids to get and keep) that there is nothing wrong with a polite inquiry. I've been on the receiving end of such queries several times, and, so long as they are respectful, the worst I've done is to respond that the item inquired about is not for sale. On the other hand, I have quietly sold or traded for some of my pretties, knowing that something that I got long ago may be "just another cel" in my mind and could be a wishlist for someone else. I do think that this "aftermarket" may grow to be as important or more so than the Yahoo Japan or Mandarake sales.

[JWR]

Well by the time I got into Anime cel collection I had a couple of advantages. First being my age and that having my kids pretty much grown and off in college I am able to set aside a nestegg of funds in which to spend if needed. Second was that having collected comic art where a nice piece starts at $500.00 and goes up to the $2500.00 I was not so thrown at the price of nice anime cels which were what I considered a bargain.

So I am sure that when I 1st got in the game there were a few people out there that looked at me as being somewhat evil in that if Maria & I liked a piece I generally won it have deeper pockets that a lot. I do remember getting a few nasty emails & feedback from some that thought that they should have had the piece I outbid them on. I never really took it too seriously.

When I look at a piece I research it and set a max of what I consider it's worth. If I get it for that or less then it is good, if I get outbid, well then the person valued it more than I did and "over paid" for it. Having this attitude helps keep things on an even keel.

Now a days I have not had much competition on the items I have caught my eye. The main reason I expect is that we have been drawn to series that have not been that popular. Thats ok for I have no problem enjoying a series that does not draw hundreds of hits each time I update. Maria & I enjoy it and thats all that matters. Thats a sign of the current market and just not much is on the market from the more popular series I collect.

[ladydouji]

In some ways I think I was lucky that when I got into cel collecting my favorite show was one of the less popular ones, so I ended up with very little competition for the cels I wanted. There are a few exceptions to the rule and a couple of cels I'm sure caused a few screams of frustration when I got them.