Collecting things other then comics.

[cloudofwit]

Just a small sampling of the CDVs (Carte de Vistes) I own of John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Lincoln.

 

 

I have a large Lincoln assassination collection including CDVs, books, pamphlets, letters, postcards, etc. It was my interest in this period of history that led me to represent the Booth family in the 1990s (and still now actually) in an unsuccessful four day trial effort to exhume the alleged remains of JWB from Greenmount Cemetery in Baltimore, MD. The issue was whether or not the remains are actually that of JWB. Although we had the support of the Smithsonian, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and the MD State Medical Examiner, the Cemetery opposed the effort. A fascinating experience nonetheless.

 

If anyone is interested in this issue, the Discovery Channel, I believe, is airing a program on Tuesday, November 10, 2009, on JWB and a couple of my clients were interviewed.

 

In a nutshell, how could a cemetery's authority win out? And why did they oppose the effort?

[cloudofwit]

I collect...

 

"The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guides." I have #2-39 and an abbreviated reprint of #1. Better save up the greenbacks if I'm gonna score an original #1.

 

"The Comic Book Marketplace" fanzine. I had a subscription back in the early '90s for a year and in the last couple of years have picked up a few more. Someone remind me of its run, as far as # of issues.

 

Books about Bob Dylan...I have 60 of these on two of my bookshelves in my office (spanning 1967-2007...and there hasn't been a stoppage of Dylan books in 2008-2009...I just haven't bought any in a while ). The most hilarious title being the U.K.-published 1991 tome, "Oh No! Not Another Bob Dylan Book." And trust me, since '91, there have been tons more books published on the singer. The award for the most ridiculous title, in my mind, goes to the 1980 effort entitled "Mysteriously Saved: An Astrological Investigation into Bob Dylan's Conversion to American Fundamentalism" (this title doesn't win the award for brevity either :smirk:).

 

Books about Woody Allen. I have 12 of them and I'm rather shocked that books on Allen are very few compared to Dylan. Even if you want to discard Mr. Allen for the travails in his personal life, the quality and frequency of his filmmaking is unparalleled (when it comes to American films, anyway). The guy's basically written and directed a film a year for the last 40 years.

 

Books by: Eric Burns, Stanley Crouch, Christopher Hitchens, and the late John Updike.

 

And finally, what I'd eventually like to collect are those Marvel super-hero 7-Eleven slurpee cups from the mid-'70s. Man, now there's some powerful nostalgic memories associated with those: picking up some Bronze Age Spideys off the rack and enjoying a delicious slurpee on the way home via a Huffy Dirt Bike.

[esquirecomics]

In a nutshell, how could a cemetery's authority win out? And why did they oppose the effort?

 

The laws surrounding exhumations vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Basically, once the body is in the ground the law controls its disposition. Exhumations, of course, occur all the time because there is usually nothing controversial about the request and all the relevant parties agree to it (and will indemnify the cemetery if something happens, i.e., damage to the grave site).

 

But if someone opposes the exhumation, whether that be a family member or the cemetery, a lawful authority must approve of it. In some locales, all one needs is the local coroner to approve the exhumation. In Maryland, it is the Court. Not surprising, there was a dearth of case law on the topic. A 1939 case said "good reason" is needed, whatever that means.

 

In the JWB case, I had all the known living relatives of JWB, 26 in all, approve of the exhumation. The cemetery opposed. Why? Because the president of the cemetery did not like the amateur historians involved with the effort (they had gone to him before I was involved) and he personally opposed the effort. That's all it came down to: one man.

 

I think anyone who attended the trial would agree I won on the science. I thought I won on the historical importance of the effort, but I lost on a specific theory that was being promoted, which is a shame because by the time of the trial I had abandoned the theory and was relying on the notion that historians had failed in their task and only science could shine the proper light. The fact is I believe I was ultimately proven correct because text books that children are taught from reference the possibility that Booth escaped and newspapers and television programs still discuss the theory almost 15 years after the trial. At least one of the expert historical witnesses for the cemetery later told me he had changed his mind and wished we had won.

 

C'est la vie.

[Baron]

I used to collect action figure toys (mostly comic related), Robotech, Macross, and Gundams for a while until I ran out of space and pretty much sold my entire collection. Now I'm down to just a handful of toys from my childhood, a few long boxes of comics.

 

Mostly I collect animation cels now (so much simpler to store them in flat folders)!

[esquirecomics]

Mostly I collect animation cels now (so much simpler to store them in flat folders)!

 

Anything in particular? Ltd Ed? Production? Theme?

[Spider]

Comic Books and comic related statues.

[Baron]

Mostly I collect animation cels now (so much simpler to store them in flat folders)!

 

Anything in particular? Ltd Ed? Production? Theme?

 

Original production cels. Mostly stuff like Macross, Gundam, Voltron, and stuff from comic shows like Batman: TAS, Superman, etc.

[esquirecomics]

Purchased this recently. The last letter Lee Harvey Oswald sent to his mother as he was defecting to the Soviet Union in 1959.

 

[ComicDoc]

Heroclixs !!

 

;

[comicdonna]

I have been collecting a fair amount of silver, with a splash of gold. Although, I will probably sell it eventually to purchase a comic or two.

[TheDanimal]

I like to keep a focus with comics. I would be too distracted collecting something else...

 

But in another life, I would of LOVED to collect Revolutionary and civil war relics! Letters, weapons, currency, etc.

[adamstrange]

Purchased this recently. The last letter Lee Harvey Oswald sent to his mother as he was defecting to the Soviet Union in 1959.

 

That's an important letter!

[Duffman_Comics]

Heroclixs !!

 

;

 

This brings up an interesting point. I had none of these until a "Convention" a couple of year's back where I was given a few figures.

 

I liked the look of them, the detailing and especially the size (small) and I could hear my inner OCD saying "These are neat! These are cheap! Couldn't be hard to complete a collection!"

 

That's when rational me took over and asked what the set-up was with boxes of this and cases of that and such and whilst I still have the few figures I was given I have successfully suppressed the desire to get any more.

 

Anybody else actually had to say "no, I am not collecting those", simply because you know the strain it would put on "other areas of the household"?

[oakman29]

Purchased this recently. The last letter Lee Harvey Oswald sent to his mother as he was defecting to the Soviet Union in 1959.

 

 

Oh my freakin GOD! Sir I collect autographs as well,and that is as rare as you can get.A letter of one of the most infamous people in American History,and to his mother no less.WOW

[batman_fan]

I hate to keep posting this, but I collect 1940 Superman puzzles

 

 

 

[jimjum12]

Judy and I also collect art books published by Paper Tiger and some of their other imprints. They are/were owned and operated by Roger and Martin Dean...the artists who did most of the album covers by the band Yes. Many of the books feature album covers and book illustrations by specific artists. They're very cool. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[Lt. Eckhardt]

Some of the many things I collect:

Comics

Baseball Cards and Autographs

Delftware

Beer Steins

Oil Paintings (Have a nice collection of still life and landscapes)

Movie Memorabilia and autographs

 

Flea Markets, Antique stores, Thrift shops, and garage sales are my friend!

[Mr.TawkyTawny]

I enjoy surrounding myself with collections of unique things that have some physical reflection or remembrance cue of my life's path, my personal adorations or artifacts from my lifetime studies. My inner sanctum is similar to Conner MacLeod's private den.

 

Maritime historical ocean liner memorabilia.

Rocks and actual remnants from historical sites and important architecture around the world.

The Moon or Nasa Apollo space missions.

Statues - primarily copies of sensual or critical technique altering works I deeply admire. It's the Hearst side in me I developed after visiting San Simeon as a kid.

Painting reproductions - Museum issued copies of favorite artists or themes. As they say "I don't know much about art, but I know what I like."

Napoleon Bonaparte - personal effects. This is the tinture of Sidney Reilly in me.

Harry Potter movie production props and memorabilia. I'm an absolute fan-atic about the movies and everything connected to them.

 

I could never get a tattoo as I know too well my interests evolve and change over time. Things I liked in my 20's I dislike in my 40's; stuff I admired in my Teens I abhorred in my 30's. Keeps my passion for collecting exciting.

 

[FlyingDonut]

Postcards of my hometown, Barrington, Illinois. Barrington is quite old for the midwest (founded in the late 1850s), and the downtown area hasn't really changed since about 1925. I have about 75 of them, would be happy to scan some for people if they're interested.

[jools&jim]

 

'70s "Adventure Team" G.I. Joe figures and accessories (originals and re-issues)!

 

 

Cool records--singles and LPs--from the Rock era (ca. 1954 - 1979)!

 

 

Vintage audio gear!