I understand how collectors feel when they see fantastic specimens that they could hardly get in the market crumble and decay with neglect in a Museum. But lets face it, Museums are not passionate collectors who will take care of their collection with all the loving care they can spare. If the weapons are like our children, Museums are like orphanages. It may not be the best place, but at least some decent care is dished out by the Museums.
Moreover, collectors lose interest, get lazy and forget. A well-kept collection could as easily fall into a decrepit state when the collector falters in his passion. More often than not, collectors pass on and you know what their children do to the collection that they never cared about...
All things are impermanent; all things that are made will eventually be unmade. It is the natural way of things. Clinging on otherwise is probably not going to change much, but it would certainly add more worry lines and white hairs to ourselves. We do what we can and let the rest take its natural course.
