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Truth be told, I've been collecting Star Wars
memorabilia since 1980, after I first saw The Empire Strikes Back.
Being only eleven at the time, my funds were rather limited, thus so was my
collection. It consisted primarily of trading cards, magazines, pictures and
clippings I could find, and eventually the movie soundtracks. There came a
period of time after Return of the Jedi was released in 1983 when the
overall merchandising ceased. Aficionados who had opted for the collector
route early on preserved their treasures, while the toys, books, and
miscellaneous items of all the other fans got stored in attics or sold off to
a younger generation at garage sales. Then the release of Timothy Zahn's
book, Heir to the Empire in 1991 began a renewal of Star Wars awareness,
which took a substantial leap with the re-release of the films as
"Special Editions" in 1997, and has been continually growing with
the production and release of Episodes I, II, and III.
For this collector, this has been
something of a blessing, and perhaps a curse as well. The good news is that
now, in my adult life, I can actively pursue a collection of these films'
memorabilia. The bad news is that there is simply too much stuff out there to
be had. <g>
Star Wars collecting involves two generations -
the "original" items released during the first run of the films
(1977-1983) and the newer items flooding the market currently. I certainly
don't advocate one above the other. There are pros and cons of both sides,
and I think there is certainly room for both to exist in the collecting
world. For myself, the original items have a special significance in that
they come from the period in which I experienced these films for the first
time. I was fortunate enough to be a part of that "magic". Yet the
newer items tend to be much more accessible and, for the most part,
affordable. My collection has many more of the newer items than the original
line.
Sometimes people ask me just what kind of
things, or what specific items do I collect. I'm interested in just about
anything Star Wars related, from bookmarks, to toys, to life-size
replications of film props, and everything in between. (However, I've yet to
add any life-size replications to my collection, as they are quite
expensive.) But there are certain items for which I tend to have a personal
preference. I enjoy all the varieties of trading cards. Along the same line,
I like pictures, posters, and artwork. The films provoke a strong visual
experience, and so I like things that remind me of that experience. The films
also induce a very strong auditory experience, and so I have several copies
of the soundtracks. Other than that, I seem to be inclined towards items that
strike me as unique, or unusual, or just neat, in some way. Examples of these
would be items like the PEZ dispensers, plates and glassware, and that
wonderful hanging mobile from a bookstore display that my friend Sonia gave
me. <wave to Sonia>
I also find that my preferences have changed,
and continue to change as I build my collection. When I first began I had a
strong desire to acquire complete lines of certain items. I eventually
learned that this is hardly possible (unless some distant relative leaves me
large sums of money in his/her will), and only leads to great frustration for
me. And why in the world collect something if it leads you to frustration?
Now I've learned to just let my collection grow based on a combination of
three primary criteria-- personal interest, funds, and availability of items.
Some items that I thought I'd never be interested in collecting (like the
Kenner figures and ships) have found their way among my collector shelves.
And I always especially enjoy any items that I've received as a gift! For one
thing, it's special because someone else gave it to me. But I've also learned
that at times other people are more likely to buy something for me that I'd
never have bought for myself. (For example, every Star Wars computer game I
have - and I do enjoy them - have been given to me by my husband.)
The other thing people are always saying to me
is "I wanted to get you something Star Wars but I didn't know what you
needed/wanted." Or, "but I thought you might already have it."
I find this to be somewhat amusing (since I am always glad to take any
Star Wars related gift - even something that might be a duplicate of what I
already own), but I certainly understand the dilemma. And so, to help
eliminate this problem, I've decided to make a web page specifically for all
these dear people - Michelle's Star Wars
Collecting "Wish List". Feel free to
drop by at any time, as I intend to keep it updated and as current as
possible.
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