Collectors’ Dilemma: Selling the Stories We Once Bought

Turkoman.khan · Yesterday, 12:37 PM

Thank you, Jim, for another great story—and for taking the time and effort to share it and illustrate it so well.
Before I go any further, I just want to say how I felt after reading that very autobiographical article about you (link below for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet).
https://objet.art/as/articles/68c95d7d9dc219f9828d9739

It really struck me how nicknames can sometimes hide the real person behind them, turning a true human story into something distant—almost like a “mighty mouse” or some other screen name—when there’s so much more beneath the surface.

That’s definitely not the case with you. Even surrounded by invented names, your true identity shines through, revealing a warm, engaging, and deeply human nature. Your passion for arms in all their historical glory really comes across—thanks to that wonderful article! Thank you so much for sharing your story with the world.

And I have to say, I love your stories! I was laughing last night while talking with a fellow collector who came over for an evening of good whiskey, a couple of cigars, and the pure pleasure of handling some fine arms and swapping stories—we almost felt like you were right there with us.

Coming back to the matters we discussed earlier in this thread, there are really two big challenges:
How to host and preserve stories like yours?—making them easy to find and keeping them safe in some kind of digital library or platform.
How to keep ignorance from taking over the art market?

Just today a friend sent me a Facebook post by dealer Peter Dekker. He shared the story of a Chinese sword replica he once bought for about ten dollars and sold years ago clearly as a replica—yet it has now resurfaced at a European auction being offered as a genuine antique.

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Yesterday, 12:37 PM	#6
Turkoman.khan Member Join Date: Apr 2023 Posts: 123	Thank you, Jim, for another great story—and for taking the time and effort to share it and illustrate it so well. Before I go any further, I just want to say how I felt after reading that very autobiographical article about you (link below for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet). https://objet.art/as/articles/68c95d7d9dc219f9828d9739 It really struck me how nicknames can sometimes hide the real person behind them, turning a true human story into something distant—almost like a “mighty mouse” or some other screen name—when there’s so much more beneath the surface. That’s definitely not the case with you. Even surrounded by invented names, your true identity shines through, revealing a warm, engaging, and deeply human nature. Your passion for arms in all their historical glory really comes across—thanks to that wonderful article! Thank you so much for sharing your story with the world. And I have to say, I love your stories! I was laughing last night while talking with a fellow collector who came over for an evening of good whiskey, a couple of cigars, and the pure pleasure of handling some fine arms and swapping stories—we almost felt like you were right there with us. Coming back to the matters we discussed earlier in this thread, there are really two big challenges: How to host and preserve stories like yours?—making them easy to find and keeping them safe in some kind of digital library or platform. How to keep ignorance from taking over the art market? Just today a friend sent me a Facebook post by dealer Peter Dekker. He shared the story of a Chinese sword replica he once bought for about ten dollars and sold years ago clearly as a replica—yet it has now resurfaced at a European auction being offered as a genuine antique.