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I am at the end of the collection frenzy… it was a happy experience… I do collect Toy Soldiers (all scales and materials are collectable as anything else).
Will probably do maintenance, substitution and small additions now and then… but the “frenzy” is over.
It is quite useful to have a final objective or goal, or simply limit.
I do not want to die with orders on the Post if you know what I mean. I did not wanted to die over my drawing table doing just another project of a building or whatever… (read computer instead of drawing table if you must)… and I retired from the daily practice of my profession -arquitect. which does not mean I do not do some maintenance jobs and “little things” now and then.
So, after so long collecting Toy Soldiers, Books, Music, and Films. Here find a few tips I wish I had known myself in my time.
1.- If you want sometning (badly) as a collector go for it inside your budget (of course)… but do take other matters in consideration: a) Your age. b) The age of the company or individual who produces that “thing” you want to collect.
2.- Do not “pester” with requests about delivery time those that are “artists”, and it is not a derogatory name. You have to considere their personal situation, age, whims, list of other customers/patrons before you etc. It is very silly to send emails, letters, telegrams, notes in red ink pinned with a fancy dagger to his/her door won´t do either…
3.- Be ready to compromise. Or even fell for some new proposal from friends you will have in the end of it. Example: My 54mm Dorset Soldiers French Foreign Legion modest collection was/is finished… then Antony Spencer designed a new legionnaire pose and posted the pic on Facebook… I saw it… “legionnaire standing loading round”… I contacted him (yet again)… a box of 4 figures + a new sergeant pointing (also “new”) and 3 other figures to fill the standard 8 figures box (a small reorganization of the collection is always ok)… and I expect them end of November 2026. Mind, not “casts” anymore, fully painted and gloss varnished if you please… no time at all for the chores I enjoy, need my time for others things and priorities.
4.- Do not blame the Postal Service… nowadays calling it “service” is a bit of a joke compared with how good it was long ago!… Yes! parcels get lost, arrive late, are dispatched with wrong addresses or instructions, parcels containing lead toy soldiers when scanned by security services are opened matter of fact sometimes fighting against terrorism (I agree with that practice even if it is frustrating for us collectors), some are even stolen… yes it has happened to me… in my case I was refunded and got a replacement order to the credit of Robert Prati (RP World Models).