One unfamiliar with the nature of the collecting habit may not know that we pride ourselves on being unique. One might argue that having a singular mind in the acquisition of objects is simply that of someone bored with day-to-day life. In actuality, this habit is something of one that requires a certain level of knowledge, focus, and on occasion, even a discerning sense of taste.
In this particular hobby of animal figurine collecting, there are many flavors of collections and consequently collectors. A single collector often will change over time and this would be reflected in their curation. I myself, have had a very dynamic life in the years I have spent in this pastime. As a young child, the first products available to me were by the now world known Schleich brand. In the early 2000s I was enjoying what I would later understand were the last of Schleich's "Golden Age" of models. This period of the late 1990s and into the early 2000s was when they were producing their most species rich series, specializing in some groups, and the sculpting and paintwork quality is generally accepted as their very best they have offered in their history. Luckily, I was able to obtain several models that are generally envy worthy by younger collectors today, even versions of these models that are not as common (manufacturing location can lead to some slight variations in models, such as my German produced Black Labrador #16327). When my family relocated for a short 2 years, the new region did not have Schleich outlets anywhere, they only had Safari Ltd., a brand that for many modern-day collectors whose contemporary models for the time could not hold a candle to Schleich due to their more cartoonish sculpting style, messier paintwork, and more child appealing finish (at least in comparison). As a kid, I understood the difference distinctly, but had no other option for toy animal replicas. As an adult, I realize I was lucky to acquire several of these models as well and rue that I missed out on others, but at the time I just did not appreciate the figures as much as I did my older Schleich toys. So I gathered a handful of Safaris whilst living there, and once we moved back was excited to return to my beloved Schleich figures.
Fast forward some years, I kept all figures I had bought from both brands but still maintained the above opinion. As a young teenager in the early 2010s who had just discovered the STS Forum and had forged ahead into my new official "Collector's" life (the difference being the relatively mindless accumulation of toys vs. the purposeful acquisition of species or sculpted pieces etc.), I was quickly devouring forum topics and information and cataloging the information away in my head. The opinions of the two brands at this time largely reflected mine, though there were proponents of the Safari style as there were some naysayers for Schleich as well. And so my opinions were formulated on those of others, and as I came to be better known in this new frontier of collecting, I decided to trade off some of the less desirable Safaris in order to obtain my much preferred, and at the time highly valued, Schleichs. I became a Schleich specialist for a time, with the only other "acceptable" pieces in my collection being wolves of any make or model. My Safaris and some inherited AAAs from my older brother took a back seat. Fast forward another few years, having witnessed the grail-like worshipping of some older brands such as Play Visions or Club Earth, and the slowly positive dissemination of other cryptic brands histories (such as AAA whose moulds have been sold and reused under too many names to list here, and those are only the ones commonly known about), my tastes began to branch out. I still didn't retain any models that didn't have a specific brand associated with it, but the modern companies of Papo, CollectA, and Bullyland, all slowly began to invade my shelves (slowly because of poor access to retailers early on). I witnessed the birth of the young upstart brand of Mojo Fun, and the perceived torpor of Bullyland in this last decade. By and large however, I wanted models that I felt were either unique in speciation or were largely considered good representations of the real animal in miniature.
And now, the last few years of my collecting life. Once I gained adulthood and had some independence of my own, my collecting has radically changed again. My mind has slowly become more open to models; realizing that sculpts don't have to have a big brand stamp to be a worthy artist's work, or that even the quality of plastic can be more flexible (literally and metaphorically) to still be a wonderful figure. While my tastes have become a little less staunch and stagnate, I feel that my compendium has become what it is today by learning to appreciate more of what there is available. Now, while traveling I check gas stations for toy figures or convenience stores and have scored some decent figures there, I scour thrift and antique store shelves and have found treasures, my eyes always skim over ebay listings or the Forum marketplace and I have found models to appreciate. Many of these are things I know nothing of their provenance or history, but they have earned a spot in my curation of animalia. Previously quiet categories of my collection have now had new life breathed into them and entire groups of animals I neglected I have begun to accept a handful into the fold... my eyes are still discerning, but I have found that my mind has become much more receptive.
And thus, my history is that I started out as a Schleich specialist, turned into some sort of quality expert or modern standard officer, and have ended up as more of a generalist in all things. From the sampling of collectors I brush elbows with today, they each have their own style and preferences as well. Some are species specific, only collecting horses or dogs or bears of all sorts. Brands or styles may not matter as much as the model itself appealing to them. Some are collectors of merely one or two brands, acting as completists. Others are striving for a synoptic collection, focusing on the finer details of scaling their species to within realistic measurements of real animals. And others still focus on one particular scale at all, not being too particular of the number of horses or tigers they own as long as they are all within the same scale of measurements. Each collector in this field has found their niche in how they want to curate their hobby, something to occupy their spare time while enjoying replicas of animals and such histories of the models themselves. I always celebrate the understanding that we are all so different and yet share so many similarities that we can come together and socialize over it. Regardless of how you collect, I hope you can enjoy your own history and can appreciate that of others as well. Happy collecting!
