To Buy Or Not To Buy

[Vermithrax16]

Resurrect older thread to say:

 

The struggle is real! Struggling right now! 

[Surfson]

I tried to contact Bob Hughes through his website but the email was not valid.  Is there a way to contact him?  Based on the rave reviews, I would like to get to know him.  Cheers, Bob

[Japan2112]

Here is what I have tended to do, after years of collecting. Discover my study interest (Gokaden, Bizen, Shinshinto, Tadayoshi school...Impressionist, Goya, or whatever...)and buy something that is representative and of the best quality I can afford. The smith, school, period, village... representation provides timeless opportunity for study and enjoyment. If I like what I've found in research, I will buy another, or something that compliments or contrasts the work .

In this way, a collection can become a just few pieces that really "talk" to you. As Ray points out, tastes change with appreciation - as in wines, so a collection may morph over time, but if you stay focused on quality you won't be so apt to "turnover" your purchase.

 

An interesting collection focus could be - students of the Soden Bizen masters - those of Kanemitsu, Nagayoshi, Motoshige. The collection could be as small as 3, but what a story.