One of the worst parts of being a collector is that there are some that just do not get what a collector’s passion is. When one collects it is because he finds that the item makes his life more complete and makes him happy. Those that have never collected really don’t understand.
I was an antique dealer for many years and never had a problem with selling an item I purchased and as matter of fact I tried to sell items I purchased the same day. I was looking for profit. I had a plan which I followed very close and that was put a profit on the item and sell it. I usually went with a 15 to 20% profit on anything I purchased. This worked well for me for the better part of 25 years. The realization that I was a collector was when I purchased a ventriloquist figure. I just could not sell it. As matter of fact I wanted another.
I equate this with a drug addiction. I love the hunt for a figure and the fabulous gratification I get when I find a figure but I realized that it was a fix just like a drug addict. Very quickly, within minutes, I am again in hunt mode. Now the comparison is just to give you an idea as to how a true collector feels. This is true of any collector be it stamps, coins or beany babies. For me it is ventriloquist figures.
Once my collection started to take on some size I had to share and hence the Ventriloquist Central Website. This gave me the perfect venue to allow everyone to see the collection. But recently I have been told, and I will not mention any names, that it is a crime that I have purchased all these great figures and have kept them from others to purchase. Well boy that statement bothered me because I am not stopping anyone from purchasing figures. As a matter of fact there have been many figures that I would love to have purchased but had lack of funds.
Also I was told someone said they would not go to my website because all I do is say lookie see what I have today!! Well isn’t that small thinking on their part. I do believe that today the website Ventriloquist Central totally lives up to its name of being a central place for viewing everything from new to old relating to the art of ventriloquism. And of course every so often I show a new addition to the Ventriloquist Central Collection. I want to share.
I know I am not the first in the ventriloquist world to suffer this jealousy because W.S. Berger also had to deal with this. Also many may not know but WS also did a lot of selling. He sold both books and ventriloquist figures. As matter of fact he sold most of the Insull pocket figures because he imported them. I too sell but I only sell when I have purchased something and have upgraded.
Anyway I just wanted all to know I truly enjoy being able to share what I have put together and I hope you enjoy seeing the figures as I ad them to the website.
Also make sure you register for the Ventriloquist Central Birthday Bash because then you will get to see the collection in person
Click here for more about the Ventriloquist Central Birthday Bash
Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com
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Dan Willinger is a ventriloquism enthusiast and ventriloquist figure collector. He has been collecting for over 25 years. He created the Ventriloquist Central Collection. It now has over 100 ventriloquist figures and over 50 of them are Frank Marshall figures. Because of his love for the art of ventriloquism, Mr. Willinger created the website Ventriloquist Central. For more information about the website, go to: http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com
Copyright 2010 by Dan Willinger
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