Someone contacted me recently to invite me to participate in a formal auction of celebrity memorabilia, including some cowboy boots worn by some stars (I’ve never heard of) who have appeared in movies. He found me by using an internet search engine and looking for results on “vintage cowboy boot collector.”
Imagine that? Search engines point to my website when searching for that phrase.
I also searched that phrase, and reaffirmed my personal thoughts that there are two types of boot collectors.
The first type of boot collector is the type this guy was after: people who collect “things” that have some affiliation with someone notable. I could imagine that placing a pair of John Wayne’s boots would be quite the topic at a party where the owner could display them prominently.
The other type of boot collector is someone like me: a guy who admires different styles, colors, heights, and skins from which boots are made — and who has a boot collection that he actually wears. Every day. Several pairs of boots each day. Imagine that?
My boots are not on display in my home as they are stored away in various locations that I built for them. Most of the storage is behind closed doors and out of sight — one reason why I use my website regularly to remember what I have so I can wear something different each and every day.
Both types of boot collectors overlap somewhat. While I am mostly a “collector-wearer,” I have some boots in my collection that no longer fit me yet I still hang on to them. Some old vintage Frye boots are an example. Eventually, I will part with my old, non-wearable-to-me Fryes. (I’m sure my spouse would like that!)
So while I do have a small part of me that is a “collector-displayer,” my spouse and I are the only people who see my boots on display. If the boots have no particular nostalgic value or other reason to hold on to them, I have sold them, given them away to charity, or discarded them — depending on their condition.
And also, I am not interested in acquiring boots worn by some celebrity for some amount of money well beyond my budget. I never have been that star-struck.
If you search for boot collectors and my website or this blog comes up, think of me as a “collector-wearer.”
Life is short: Wear Boots!