Collecting Focus

We didn't get a chance to talk about this at the Burbank Xena Convention due to lack of time, but one subject that has been on my mind lately is how to focus a collection. A good collection will have such a focus and it is that focus that gives the collection a coherency. For example, coin collectors often focus on a single coin type, such as nickels, or pennies, only coins made of silver, or coins made during a certain time period.

You might think that merely by have a Xena or Hercules collection that would be focus enough. But I would challenge collectors out there to think about their collection as it stands now and see if there isn't another focus inside the collecting focus of X/H. Here are a few examples of what I'm talking about (some of these are real collections out there):

• Collecting only gauntlets from the show.
• Collecting all things Amazon (costumes, swords, masks, chobos, etc).
• Collecting items connected to a particular character (Eve/Livia, Aphrodite, Joxer, Ares, etc).
• Collecting swords from the show.
• Collecting mugs and goblets used by characters or for set dressing.
• Collecting "emphemera" such as maps, scrolls, letters, poems, and posters from the show.

My own collection is focused on props and costumes that I think are "iconic" and only regarding Xena and Gabrielle. We can have friendly arguments about what we think is "iconic" or not, but my focus has been on items that are instantly recognizable (chakrams, swords, Gabstaffs, Xena leathers, BGSB Gab, Evil Xena) and these items tend to be from the early years of the show -- the Hercules Trilogy and the first 3 seasons of X:WP. Of course, I have a few exceptions, such as the yin-yang style chakrams, but in general, my focus is what I call "Classic Xena and Gabrielle."

So what is your focus? Do you have one or can you see from your collection that a focus is forming? I'd love to hear from you.

Happy Hunting!