Is having a focus a good thing?

[edd_jedi]

As with most people here I've had a couple of focuses (foci!?) in the past, and ran into these two problems:

1) Luke Bespin - things I wanted were too scarce or expensive (eg Ledy MOC, prototypes)
2) 12 backs - I completed it so got bored!

I imagine both of those problems could apply to any focus. So I'm beginning to wonder if they're a good idea? I remember when I collected in the 90s, my focus was "anything I didn't already own" :lol: which meant I never ran out of things to buy, and they were often not too expensive. I guess you could say my focus was "vintage star wars toys" and that was probably my favourite period of collecting.

What do you guys think?

 

[mr_palitoy]

A focussed collection does look nicer when displayed. You're right about them drying up though, I have 3 on the go which are pretty much done due to lack of new stuff.

Jason

 

[PGowdy]

I've never been one to stick to one focus. I, like you once did, collect any and all SW (vintage) as long as it's stuff from when i grew up. That's the only rule. Here and there i've latched on to one figure and created a mini focus around it (Yak Face, Stormtroopers & Yoda) but i don't get bogged down in "right, gotta own everything with this figure now!!..." With Yoda i wanted him on each card and both figure variants. Then i moved the **** on.

I also change what i collect all the time so in don't get bored of SW. I collect loads of other toy-lines from the 80s. Mainly carded figures but also electronic games, stickers and trading cards etc. If you like, it's a complete "lack of focus!" that keeps me going.
I reckon it's gonna take me years to complete a loose set of SW figs cos i'm always collecting something else so never really put much effort in. Like you said, when it's done, you're board, there's nothing left to do. So why would anyone want to get to that point ??

Personally tho i think it's each to his own. I think a focus will suit some collectors and keep the passion there while with others it will quicken the burn-out.

 

[itfciain]

I'm pretty much with Pete on this one. I have just been collecting anything and everything. I love MOC's and have bought loads in the past couple of years - I have not had a focus, I have just bought things I don't have. I enjoy it better this way and it also allows me to build up a nice collection and in flipping bits and pieces along the way, it has not cost me a great deal.

 

[Dark Sith Lord]

I'm pretty much with Pete on this one. I have just been collecting anything and everything. I love MOC's and have bought loads in the past couple of years - I have not had a focus, I have just bought things I don't have. I enjoy it better this way and it also allows me to build up a nice collection and in flipping bits and pieces along the way, it has not cost me a great deal.

I agree with you completely. I prefer to collect as many different vintage stuff as possible without a particular focus.

 

[Caswellbot]

A great idea for a thread Edd. I will start off by saying that I think it can very much depends on whether you are a completist or not. If you can live with the thought of not having everything your focus has to offer then its no bad thing.

I think focus collecting can bring about some really in depth insights into certain figures and runs which is great for the hobby. Alot has been learnt about preproduction from focus collections.

I know that I will never complete the 3 pack run but it wont stop me trying to get as many as I can. There is something about them which just really makes them stand out amongst other Star Wars toy items and I love some of the figure combinations. I think as long as you enjoy what you are collecting and have your reasons theres no real right or wrong way. Focus collecting can be a little restrictive at times though.

Bare with me here but ..........I wonder if the way people collect is a reflection of their temprament or personality?? Just a thought. Are you sporadic or random if you collect all manner of things? If you focus on one particular figure etc. is there something about you where you feel compelled to have the most comprehensive collection of that figure etc. If you only collect c9 figures or tip top carded figures is there an element of OCD about you. You get the idea..........

I guess what I find interesting is the thought of why and how people collect the things they do?

Sorry for the slightly philosophical twist to the discussion.

 

[spoons]

I've almost got all the production Han Hoth stuff I want but I'm not bored of the focus. I was planning to get all known card front/back combinations but found that wasn't doing it for me so now I just get cards I like.

The focus sits on the shelf looking good until the next piece finds its way in.

In answer to Chris' question I started the focus because it was an achievable and affordable target, but I still buy enough random things not to be too focussed on one thing. I also have my die cast and int4 things going.

I've also found that the need to buy anything at all drops off after a while, which has to br good compared to those collectors that go mad on one thing rack up a load of debt and sell it all off 6 months later.

 

[sith-smith]

Surely you can only get bored of a focus if your only focus was collecting rather than having?

Once you have everything and there's nothing left to collect boredom would suggest that the thrill was in the hunt rather than in the owning.

Whatever your focus, if you enjoy looking at simply for the sake of looking at it then you've probably got the right focus.


I've completed a number of foci over the years until I found the right one. Completed that as best I could, but still get joy from simply owning it and looking around it.

I think having a focus is a good thing, even if you focus is simply 'vintage star wars toys' or 'I buy what I like'

At the end of the day, you should be collecting for yourself, so whatever makes you happy in collecting, go for it!

 

[Frunkstar]

Excellent idea for a thread in deed, I have been out of the hobby for some time & coming back to it after a break has freshened my enthusiasm for it all, I seem to be the odd one out here, but I was collecting anything & everything at one point but found it was not where I wanted to go at all & each time something of interest came by that was a bargain I would buy it & push it in between an ever growing amount of things that in all honesty IMO looked a right bloody mess, as I did not have enough space to display it all in the way I would have liked to, I ended up with boxed & un boxed, carded & loose in figures ships comics stickers key chains even som modern toy line items that "seemed" to fit in nicely etc etc etc :?

The way I see it from my perspective is that if you have the room to make it look good & get the joy out of owning it then go for it, if its going to end up packed away in the loft or wardrobe in boxes for the foreseeable future don't bother as its a waste.

I must side with caswellbot's philosophical view on this in that I think a great deal of what & how you collect comes down to personality make up, I for 1 am confessed a bit OCD & have been as long as I can remember, but knowing this helps, not knowing it does not & its got to be the same for most other personality make up's or should I say disorders :lol:

Lets face it - we are all a litte strange collecting 30 year old plastic kiddies toys, but there again show me a normal "human being" & I will show you someone fit for certification!

I have streamlined what I collect & do have a focus which I wholeheartedly enjoy but I keep my eyes & ears wide open to what the future holds for my collecting & would like to think I never loose interest in all things star wars related, funnily enough I have been considering another side run'ish of the modern stuff as I must say that I do like the astromech droids - looks like there are bloody loads of them 2, so should keep me busy for a while if I do :lol: :lol:

 

[spoons]

A very good point Gary, and I think that edd is a self- confessed collector rather than owner, which may explain the question

 

[Frunkstar]

& ditto to what Gary said!

 

[edd_jedi]

A very good point Gary, and I think that edd is a self-confessed collector rather than owner, which may explain the question

I definitely do really enjoy the hunt. But I've also enjoyed owning things in the past too, I owned some of my MOCs for nearly 20 years without selling/trading them (before they got nicked!)

I think you're absolutely right about having a focus you enjoy. I liked the 12 backs I got, but don't think I really loved them, hence selling after a few months. Where as my tri logos and Luke Bespin foci I really did love, they brought back mass nostalgia for me. I just can't bare starting either again from scratch. Especially as tri logo mania shows no sign of slowing down, part of the fun of it for me was that I could pick most of them up for £15-£30 with a bit of effort. Now anything tri logo seems to be crazy money, heated up even more by the bloody AFA brigade putting anything without completely smashed bubbles in a stupid case.

 

[BlueDog]

I can't see myself ever having the commitment to concentrate on one particular focus. Being only new to collecting I would imagine you would need a fantastic amount knowledge behind you before starting. I think I'll remain an "if I like it I'll buy it" type.

That said I can really appreciate the focus collections I've seen, through other's efforts like Chris's three packs I've seen items that I never knew existed. That's the fun part of this hobby, discovering vintage items that someone's focus has brought to light for others in the collecting community to appreciate.

 

[plantman]

i tried foci but really wanted everything and it just became stupid and costly, i ended up just keeping iconic pieces and selling the rest.

I love the hunt too, i hunt to sell and that gives me money to buy stuff to keep, my loft once had boxes and boxes of toys but they never got appreciated.

even if you get a collection and then sell it, that still feeds your star wars addiction, just having the figures in hand again brings back that childhood feeling....

its all good fun

 

[Black Falcon]

I enjoy having a character focus

Sure, there are other collectors who are probably going after the exact same things I am, when they eventually come along. I don't think any one collector is ever going to put together every production and prototype piece for any character focus. Once you accept that, you get to just enjoying adding the occasional piece to your run.

I try and have some easier to find focuses going alongside as well. These might be modern or vintage and maybe not related to any one character. Perhaps Lego, vintage trading cards, bookmarks, posters or something. It is satisfying to use the knowledge you gain, to piece together a set of things. Also that's then something that would probably sell/trade better too. Sometimes these focuses are current trends, like Legos or Gentle Giant and I can look forwards to future releases.

- Graham