Collectors: Their Habits, Their Psychology

by Natalie Fisher | photos by Misuzu Sato

Leaning on the coat rack in a vintage store in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, I saw him. I knew right away he was the one for me. And so, I asked the shopkeeper how much he cost. $19. Perfect. My lucky number. I never was a big believer in fate, but some things you just can't explain. How else would I have found him? My life has changed since the purchase of my first red hat. Tall and feathery, he can cover my bad moods like he covers my hair. I wear him to most special events and on almost every holiday. Since I stumbled upon him that fateful day in Charleston, I have gradually found more and more caps to accompany my first. My most recent catch is a sequined beret. Only $5. And red, of course.

I never really thought about the fact that I am a collector. In elementary school, I collected raw macaroni noodles. In junior high, Starburst wrappers were my game. In high school, I began my obsession with fairy wings. And now, entering college, I have moved on to red hats. Why? A study conducted by William D. McIntosh and Branden Schmeichel concentrates heavily on collectors' habits and their motives. Basically, McIntosh and Schmeichel divide collectors into four categories, based on their reasons for accumulating random objects.

The first type of collector McIntosh and Schmeichel define is the passionate collector. People in this category find something they love and soon become heavily involved in finding as many of this item as they can. They often form large collections of their chosen object. Having tangible proof of their work is satisfying. This type of collector is the most likely one to continue collecting a specific object for a long period of time. Emotional and obsessive, these people feel some sort of personal satisfaction when a new item is obtained.

Amy Blumenfeld, a first year student from Atlanta, Georgia, is a prime example of the passionate collector. When asked about her collecting habits, she replies quickly: "I used to collect tic-tac boxes. I guess I collected them because they weren't that expensive and they were easy to find. I wanted to have a huge collection. I bought tic-tacs just so I could have the boxes and I would ask my friends to give me their boxes too. My mom eventually threw my collection away without me knowing because I had so many. I was so mad. Ugh. I was so mad." Amy's testimony perfectly describes the passionate collector. Although she had no sentimental connection to the tic-tac boxes, she formed an attachment to the idea of have a huge collection of them. She was passionate about adding the empty boxes to her collection. She was passionate about watching her collection grow.

The Inquisitive Collector

McIntosh and Shmeichel also document the inquisitive collector. These people see collecting as an investment. They are the most likely to sell their items when the time or price is right. You may remember the Beanie Baby craze. You may have even been a part of this movement. Sure, some of the animals were cute. And we all wanted to know which Beanie Baby had our birthday. There were websites and books devoted to the value of each specific Beanie Baby, and stores dedicated entire sections to auctioning off the rare ones. McDonald's even benefited from the trend by including Mini Beanies in their Happy Meals. Although few people still have the desire to buy cloth animals stuffed with beans, collectors saw them as an investment when the consumer value was high.

Daryl Bloomberg, a freshman also from Atlanta, Georgia, recalls being a part of the fad. When asked why she first began her collection, she pauses. Then, thinking aloud, she begins: "At first I thought Beanie Babies were cool and wanted some. All my friends were getting them. Then my parents bought me a couple. As my interest faded, all I really wanted was the Jerry Garcia bear, but that one was really expensive. It was a collector's item. I finally got it for Hanukah one year. Then when I realized people were selling their Beanie Babies for mass amounts of money, I decided to keep collecting them to sell, even though my interest in them had dropped". Daryl stops talking. Then, she launches into another explanation. "Actually," she sighs, "I never sold a single Beanie Baby. But when I am like 30, they will all be collector's items." Inquisitive collector? I think so. After all, Daryl held on to her profit-scheming ideas just as she held on to her Jerry Garcia bear. She is waiting for the right price. She is waiting for the moment when she will make a profit off her collection.

The Hobbyist Collector

Besides inquisitive collectors like Daryl, there are also hobbyists. These people collect purely for the enjoyment of collecting. They do not have any special attachment to the items they seek, yet they do not want to sell them. These people are normally goal-oriented and enjoy searching for uncommon items they can display or receive praise for.

Sophia Szombathy, another first year student from Atlanta, Georgia, fell under the hobbyist category as a child. When asked about her collection, Sophia becomes quiet. She then launches into an explanation: "I used to collect these little porcelain animals from antique shops. I think it was because my mom always took me to antique shops, and I figured I might as well buy something when I was there. After a while, I liked going to the stores with my mother so that I could buy more animals to add to my collection. I started to have fun with them as my collection grew." I nod in understanding. Sophia fits the hobbyist collector mold perfectly. She doesn't have any special attachment to her items, she just enjoyed collecting them. Furthermore, Sophia enjoyed displaying the animals. After all, they still sit on a shelf in the family room of her childhood home.

The Expressive Collector

The last type of collector that McIntosh and Schmeichel define is the expressive collector. These people collect certain objects as an expression of who they are. I guess I fall under this category. Although I am not sure what raw macaroni noodles, Starburst wrappers, or fairy wings have to do with my personality, I am a red hat person. Simple as that. Red hats are me. I am bold. I am confident. I am fun. I like attention. By wearing my red hats, I can express myself without trying to. People can see a certain side of me, and they don't even have to have an in-depth conversation or a lingering glance into my eyes to understand.

Most collectors' motives have to do with the self. People enjoy setting goals they can obtain.. As well as categorizing collectors, McIntosh and Schmechiel outline specific steps the average collector utilizes to obtain his or her desired items.

The Five-Step Process

The first step in the collection process is the decision-making stage. A collector must decide to collect a specific object. This decision can be conscious or subconscious. For example, collectors often stumble upon an item they like, and then choose to purchase more of that item. On the other hand, a collector will sometimes buy an object with no intention of collecting more. Then they will receive a related item as a gift, and decide to make a hobby out of it. The piece of choice is rarely a necessity. However, the collector often forms a bond with the idea of obtaining enough of a specific object to form a collection.

After the collector decides on a specific object, he or she must gather information about it. This information usually concerns the whereabouts of the chosen object or how much an addition to the collection will cost. Collectors visit auction websites such as Ebay and Amazon, search in thrift stores and junk yards and ask friends and family for information concerning their collections. This is the phase in which collectors often buy books or magazines concerning their items. The obtainment of the ideal item becomes more than just an idea. The collector begins to take the collection process seriously.

After collecting information on the chosen item, the collector begins the planning phase. During this phase, the collector begins to set his or her prices and zero in on certain objects. An emotional attachment to the desired item normally begins here. Possessing the wanted item becomes a very tangible and exciting thought. The serious collector often becomes heavily involved in the collection process during this phase, isolating him or herself from others. Driven by the need to succeed, the collector becomes adamant about obtaining the next and more difficult item.

After planning his or her mode of action, the collector enters the next phase in the collection process, the hunt. During this time, the tension present when acquiring the desired item is at its highest. All that is left to do is reach and purchase it. The collector often travels hundreds of miles to find the wanted item. This phase can be competitive and harsh. Chances are, other collectors are bargaining for the exact same article. If the collector loses the item to another collector willing to pay a higher price, he or she often returns to the first or second phase of the collection process. As you can imagine, the stress level of this phase is high. However, the collector learns the rules of the trade quickly. If his or her hunt is successful, the next step is the payoff.

After finding the object of desire, the collector reaches the most rewarding step of the cycle. The acquisition of the wanted object releases the tension the collector has been holding inside. The item is physically present. The collector can breathe deeply. Obtainment of the desired item is often accompanied by increased personal confidence and the feeling that one can do anything. This phase is also commonly escorted by high endorphin levels and an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. The collector has succeeded in accomplishing a goal.

Once the collector returns to his or her home with the acquired object, the display phase begins. It is common for the collector to feel that his or her newly obtained object deserves to be noticed. It is also common for the collector to reorganize the old collection and clean the area around it. A space is cleared for the new object, and the item is placed in its designated spot. The collector often stands back to admire his or her hard work. Family, friends and other collection enthusiasts will be called upon to admire the new acquisition. The collector can sleep easy. Knowing the sought-after item is no longer available to others provides the collector with pleasure and a sense of well being.

Quite an ordeal, huh? Well, don't get too excited. It isn't over yet. The collection process is endless. After the desired object has been displayed, the collector enters the last phase in the collection cycle, the return. During this phase, the collector either decides to stop collecting for good, chooses to acquire another object, or begins the collection process with an entirely different item.

What do you make of all this madness? I never knew collecting could be so involving. I never thought about the fact that I might subconsciously go through all of these steps when I buy something as simple as a red hat. That fateful find in Charleston introduced me to a new way of living. Although I am not as heavily involved in the collection process as some people may be, I now know more about the psychology behind it. I am conscious of the fact that when I enter a vintage store, my eyes scan the room for a red hat first. Is a sparkly head cover worth all the trouble of this drawn out collection process? I would say so. I guess I am, after all, a collector in red.