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The hobby of collecting
Anything is liable to be collected or turned into a hobby. Here we offer you a full guide of the latest trends in the sector and an overview of what is outstanding in each field.
Collecting is one of the world’s commonest pastimes, but also one of those which require most constancy and perseverance. Building up a collection may be a task of huge proportions and, depending on what is collected, it may involve a large monetary outlay.
The main motivation that prompts someone to start a collection is a liking for something. Cinema-lovers, for example, accumulate films, posters, books, merchandising and all manner of objects related to their preferred directors, actors or screenwriters. Keen readers who can afford it will opt to seek out incunabula and first editions of their favourite authors.
There is a niche in the world of collecting for everyone. Anything is liable to be accumulated and classified – or in a word, collectible. From vintage stamps, postcards, collectible cards and stickers or badges to artworks, original photographs, antiquarian books and luxury articles.
Trends and fashions
Like all fields, that of hobbies and collecting is driven by the fashions of the moment. For example, in today’s world of photography, the practitioners who do not see photography as a way of capturing reality are in the ascendant. In the field of antiquarian books, the forthcoming bicentenary of Spain’s Constitution of 1812 has made this text one of the most sought-after by bibliophiles.
In hunting, the classic side-by-side shotguns are losing ground to over-and-under ones, while in the carpet market, demand for nomadic rugs has risen in response to nomadic tribes’ tendency to settle.
By contrast there are arts which are waning, such as that of portrait painting. Fewer and fewer families keep up the tradition of having their portraits painted, though the market for it is still alive.
But the fact is that the collecting tradition continues, as witnessed by the countless art and antiques fairs held around the world and the continual auctions of artefacts that end up in the hands of avid collectors.
Culture as a hobby
As well as a guide to collecting, in this section the reader may find the best places to appreciate art, the most beautiful bookstores in the world, the best museums and galleries and the star venues in which to enjoy classical music, opera or ballet. This Hobbies and Collecting section is intended to be a meeting point for the most demanding enthusiasts.
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Published in Hobbies and Collecting by M. J. Arias on 08/03/2010
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