There is a collector in Hawaii who has one of the largest and finest Uni Monster toy collections, and he's generally very private and doesn't show his collection. People have asked and have been turned away. Well, a mask collector/dealer I know visited him and took some pics while he as there. He also visited Dan and Dante Renta, whose collection has also been somewhat of a mystery.
This is a hugely picture intensive post and may take an eon to load if you don't have broadband.
http://www.thehma.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?p=38936#38936
It's really helpful to have the text to go with those photos, but if you can't get it to load, you can see it direct from his photobucket account. Start here and work forward.
http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee320/princeofdarknessMikeW/?start=100
I'm assuming that must be the collector who has the Tomland Mummy. How many monster mega-super-collectors can there be in Hawaii? Too bad the Mummy didn't sneak into one of those shots.
All of the collections in that post are eye-popping.
Tom,Do you have any idea why someone with such a wonderful collection wouldn't want others to see it?
I've known a couple of collectors who are extremely private about what they have.
I don't understand it either....sharing is a BIG part of the fun!
Dunno if it is some strange paranoia they suffer from or if they just like to keep to themselves.
Some people don't want to be troubled by others making unwanted offers to buy or trade items that they intend to keep -- or having to fend off self-invited tourists -- and some are (rightly) concerned about theft. I know a number of instances of collectors who were robbed after getting some local publicity for their collector mania.
Still, it's a shame that some unique items are locked away in private collections -- never to be seen by anyone but that particular collector.
Thanks Bobby for sharing the HMA thread with us. Wow! What can I say? There are no words to describe such a monster orgasm as that. Priceless. Absolutely priceless.
I have known Bryan for a long time. You have touched on some of the reasons that he is so private about his collection. The fact is, some people just aren't as social as others and he really isn't interested in the social aspects of the hobby. He is into collecting for himself, and that's as far as it goes. He's a good guy and friend of mine, but groups just don't interest him at all. I'm not really surprised that he let Mike take the pics, but I would be surprised if he weren't a bit upset that he posted them. I know that any pic he's given me have always come with a "don't give this out to anyone" promise attached.
One heck of a collection, though! He's been hardcore into it for a LONG time and he isn't afraid to throw the big bucks around to get what he wants.