Publish at December 15 2014 Updated November 05 2025
Not a collector? Many of us have neither the interest nor the space for dustbins, but come to think of it, we all have a few compilations under our belts that can be likened to a collection of what meets our preferences in reading, music, film or other interests.
Thot Cursus and most regular publications are based on a focused interest, but we're a long way from the spirit of the collector, who aims for a form of exhaustiveness: possessing at least one representative of all the characteristic elements of a more or less defined field.
Rock collections, insect collections, sticker collections, coin collections - what child hasn't started one of these?
As a means of discovering the world, a collection is a first-rate tool, since it teaches us to look for differences in similarities. As intelligence is made up of the faculty of discernment, making a collection mobilizes it; we learn to observe and distinguish details. Added to this is the concept of value: what is rarer obviously has more, but also what is most sought-after, what stands out, what has social, historical or symbolic value.
In the sciences, we see much the same phenomenon: faced with a mystery, we start by building a collection. Paleontology, botany, virology, medicine and most of the sciences began with a collection of artifacts and phenomena, which we tried to classify, date and order in an attempt to find their logic. The curiosity cabinets of the Renaissance bear witness to this.
When the first triceratops skull appeared in 1889, followed by a second, it was clear that these animals were not on Noah's Ark. But where did they fit into our history? Fossil collections began to grow in importance and value.
In the 1910s, when electrical installations began to penetrate society, electrocutions became a real problem for medicine. What to do when faced with an electrical burn? Thousands of cases were compiled from all over Europe, and it was eventually discovered that electrical burns were sterile, enabling treatment methods to be modified. Safety principles were also deduced.
For a researcher, artist or historian, being able to refer to a collection of artifacts is an immense time-saving advantage: instead of having to run around the world, someone has already done it, often several people over several lifetimes.
The result is prestigious collections: on earth, there are collections of seeds, ice cores, meteorites, microbes, yeast and many other things that arouse admiration or envy for the institution that owns them. People come from far and wide to consult them.
The critical mass of related objects makes it possible to discover certain relationships that would otherwise have remained invisible. What's more, the drawing power of a large quantity of rare and related objects is often the main raison d'être of public "exhibitions": they attract curiosity and... funding. The collection also has a social value, providing a pretext for exchange.
Auctions for an Elvis jacket or the one worn by Johnny Hallyday at his 2,000th concert remind us that collections are also a social mirror. Only one fan would give symbolic value to the faded shoe recovered by a diligent costume designer at the end of the tour... and dozens more to snatch it up.
If emotional motivation is at the root of many a doll or electric train collection, monetary lure is also at work: how many enthusiasts have invested the bulk of their savings in their collection of cars, sports cards, medals or stamps, only to end up putting them back into circulation at a fraction of their acquisition value? Because there's a whole industry to support: auctioneers, brokers and intermediaries of all kinds, including forgers, ready to do anything to satisfy and exacerbate the collector's passion.
The world of art collectors adds a layer of prestige or snobbery to the act of acquiring a work at a certain price. Recently, a sculpture of a dog (Balloon Dog) sold for over 58 million dollars (43 million euros). We can discuss the concept behind this original work at length, but it's a safe bet that what we'll remember most about it is its price.
In the end, we're back to basics: beyond its personal emotional value, a fine collection that appeals to many people will have great value, including emotional value, if it is shared and appreciated. The key to a successful collection is, of course, the interest it is capable of arousing.
Illustration: yurok - ShutterStock
References
Why collect? - Canada Science and Technology Museum
http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/francais/collection/collectingfr.cfm
Stamp Market - Exchange Community
http://www.lemarchedutimbre.com
Collecting insects - Space for life
https://espacepourlavie.ca/insectarium
Jeff Koons - http://www.jeffkoons.com
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