Regrets? Bottle collecting versus living your life. ABN member earlyglasscollector

[Steve/sewell]

http://earlyglass.blogspot.com/2011/05/regrets-bottle-collecting-versus-living.html

What a neat title to an excellent piece of heart felt words from a collector who has frequented our forum here. I have faced this dilemma before many times in the last 5 years. Everything Marc Nightingale writes about to a T ......I have felt and pondered. This is a good read if your bottle collection is growing out of control and you still have an active household full of kids growing up fast. Where does it end, should it end,can you walk away from it,could you sell your collection ? These are questions you need to ask yourself and your spouses or your best friends. You see all of us are blinded by the thrill of having just one more piece you don't already have......and it never ends does it?...... That need to get just one more

I have come to the conclusion if you over collect anything you lose the passion for the older items in your collection and you just keep feeding the insatiable desire to have more and more newer items rather then study, appreciate, and cherish what you already have. What a great read form a learned glass scholar on the other side of the Pond who has frequented our forum in the past. The guys that dig and find their bottles really have it figured out the best. It is the thrill of the hunt that is the most gratifying.......

I believe eBay and on line glass auctions have made it too easy to assemble a great collection in no time if you have the funds to do this with but it has robbed the thrill from our hobby by making it to convenient to acquire new items at too fast a pace .. Over stuffed shelves with too many bottles looks like rush hour on the interstate or a food shelf at a Sam's Club. A smaller collection with rarer bottles is most likely the better long term investment and is more eye appealing.

My son pointed out to me recently that I have become too obsessed with my glass collection which I adamantly denied at first until he pointed out things he and I used to do before glass collecting became a full time hobby for me. Like it or not all of us are hoarders and it doesn't really matter if the glass we own is valuable or common IT IS ALL CONSUMING and can get out of control real fast.

 

[carobran]

My grandfather has asked me before"but what is the purpose of having and spending money on bottles?.what good are they?"

And the answer is I really don't know,Do they have a real purpose?-No

Am I ever gonna reach my collecting goals?-No,because when I reach one I'll just set another,then another,It will just be a never ending cycle of chasing something that can never be caught.

I've asked myself before,"Why not quit spending money on bottles and spend it on something you can really enjoy(like say,chocolate[]),of course,I enjoy my bottles,everybbody does,but all I can do is look at them.Sometimes I wonder,Why am I doing this?And I'm not quite sure

But could I ever just up and walk away from it? - Thats the stupidest question I've ever heard in my life.I couldn't if I tried,and I don't wanna try.[]

 

[rockbot]

All hobbies can get out of hand. Patience is what one needs.
Get out and explore, dig a little, buy a few, hell we work our asses off, why should we feel guilty?

Beats wasting time on drugs, alcohol and gambling, what does that get us? yet millions of people do that everyday.

Some how along the line things changed, we got to spend every minute of time with our wife and kids or we feel guilty. We go to their school events, watch them play sports, pick them up from this, take them to that, buy them this and that.

Lucky if most of us got to do a few things a year with our parents when I was young and I remember those things like it happened yesterday.

Quality time my friends, spend quality time and the hell with quantity!

 

[coreya]

Well said all!! I've found also its the thrill of the chase that drives most collectors (hoarders) not the aquisition. When I see something interesting the hunt is on and the endorphins flood the brain but once the hunt is over its like a giant letdown and the hunt must begin again to feed the habit!!! Anyone want to buy my collection????[][][]

 

[cowseatmaize]

That was great, I may have to respond.
I don't hear from him much on this site but he's a regular of the British Antique Bottle Forum. I haven't been by there in a bit, I'll have to take a trip back over the pond and say hi.

 

[AntiqueMeds]

Bottle collecting versus living your life

I would say a person who goes through life with passion for nothing is more pitiful than a person with an all consuming hobby.
You only get ONE very short life. Do what makes you happy and try to pass that joy onto others.

 

[JOETHECROW]

ORIGINAL: rockbot

All hobbies can get out of hand. Patience is what one needs.
Get out and explore, dig a little, buy a few, hell we work our asses off, why should we feel guilty?

Beats wasting time on drugs, alcohol and gambling, what does that get us? yet millions of people do that everyday.

Some how along the line things changed, we got to spend every minute of time with our wife and kids or we feel guilty. We go to their school events, watch them play sports, pick them up from this, take them to that, buy them this and that.

Lucky if most of us got to do a few things a year with our parents when I was young and I remember those things like it happened yesterday.

Quality time my friends, spend quality time and the hell with quantity!

Ding, Ding, Ding..We have a winner!!!!

Couldn't have said it better....

 

[PrivyCheese]

Hi, My name is john. I too am a collector of collections ( hoarder). I started hoa....uummmm collecting at the ripe age of 12. Could I ever stop hoar....darn it! collecting? NO! I believe in balance. I was married , had a child, coached sports for over 20 years. Could I have a better collection if I spent all that time raising a family etc. digging for bottles ? Sure, but could never have had the wonderful memories I have outside of collecting. I also agree with Matt, to be happy in life is everything. If you are happy you will be a better husband, parent etc.

The problem like with any addiction is how much it adversely affects your life. If you dont find quality time with you family, then its a problem. Could I sell my "stuff" ? NO! Besides, the way I feel it isnt mine to begin with. I cant take it with me. But what we can take are the memories we have. Just make sure there are as many happy ones as possible. My crap will go to my only child, If he decides to sell it, fine with me. I will be dead and it wont matter to me. But he has grown up around collecting and is a collector himself.....imagine that?


SO I say to you, continue your collecting, but remember those we impact everyday. Remember balance is the key to life.So join me in my new 12 step program for bottle collectors.

 

[RICKJJ59W]

I really dont "collect anything at this point in my life.I. I like digging bottles just as much as the bottles them selves. I have many bottles but they are only "on lone"they can't go with me. Someone else will have them in their collection.

I don't buy bottles. I might buy one if it grabs me when I see it. But I will not spend good money on a bottle,for one I don't have good money[8D]
The thrill of digging old bottles is what keeps me going back for more. When I can no longer physically dig,I will have to get into something that involves old bottles. Shows,talks, just going along on digs what ever it takes,I will be around old bottles.

 

[cyberdigger]

Since my wife thinks my hobby is cool and we don't have kids, I'm kind of exempt I suppose from worrying about losing quality time with family, but I can see that being a detriment to anyone who puts their hobby in front of their family..!

I've been a bottle guy since age 5, and I enjoy being an expert in the field.. I still have a lot to learn but I'm working on it.. hopefully as I reach retirement age I can switch from painting to bottle dealing.. heck, I'd do that today if I could..!