jeudi 25 octobre 2012

Western Collectibles Bring The Past Alive

By Paul Budde


The Wild West is a place of dreams and fantasies. There were great legends built out in the wide prairies and terrifying mountain ranges. Western collectibles let modern people reach out and hold parts of that time. They let dreamers catch a bit of the adventure of trail guides in the wilderness or cowboys on the range might have felt.

When some people hear the word collecting, they picture silly statuettes of dogs or children. While there is some of that in this genre, much more involves actual historical items. Others are modern interpretations of life during the main expansion period. Still another area is fiction, both contemporary to the period and more recent, about the heroes, villains and adventures of the time.

Artists from modern times often draw inspiration from this period. Sculptors might create statues in bronze or stone of twisting, fighting broncos. Or create a scene with a cowboy standing by a stream. Painters or even glass artists bring village scenes to life, showing native tribes as they imagine them. They wrap themselves in dreams of untamed spaces and let their minds and creativity soar, producing both original one of a kind pieces and small runs of prints or copies.

While recently created art lures some, others prefer pieces from history. The drama of that era does not only draw people today, but also back then. Many artists and others journeyed from all over the globe to capture images. Their drawings and paintings hang in world-famous museums, as well as private homes. The journals they kept offer a glimpse into a time now gone.

The ephemera of real life draws some. The idea of owning something once used by a real cowboy or nomadic Native sparks many imaginations. Saddles and six-guns, arrows and moccasins all have their place.

Provenance is important in some cases. Having a documented history for an item can increase its value at auction, which is important for some. Others simply like knowing they own a piece of historical significance. Still others enjoy building a collection around a single place, person or event in time. They add items to more accurately chronicle the history of their chosen focus.

Western collectibles draw that child in many. The one that played Cowboys and Indians, or dreamed of chasing train robbers and bringing them to justice. They remind of a simpler time, of great migration and great opportunity, whether that be through land rush or gold.




About the Author:



Aucun commentaire:

Enregistrer un commentaire