By Richard K Munro

Of course, my most intimate collections are the collections I have in books in several languages. I have over 500 books in Spanish, about 10 in Portuguese, about 50 in Scottish Gaelic, about 20 in Latin (which I read) and about 20 in Ancient Greek (which I am learning to read.) I have a few books in Italian, French and German (languages which my father knew but in which I am weaker), I have over 3000 books in English including some signed by the authors Such as William Styron, E.D. Hirsch jr, Diane Ravitch, Andrew Roberts. I had a book signed by Kenneth Roberts but I solid it years ago to pay a few bills. I had picked it up in a garage sale in Kirkland, Washington -they were just giving away some books- and I sold it years later for about $400. I was sorry to see it go but glad I had read it. I hope my books find a nice home when I am gone. Some are worthy of being preserved. I also have some museum replicas of classical art which I picked up over the years. The most special, I would say is a full sized museum replica of Athena Mourning (Greek: Σκεπτομένη Αθηνά).

It is said, that Athena is reading a list of fallen Athenian soldiers and sailors. I have always had an interest in public monuments and this is one of the great ones. It is made of white Parian marble and dates from the 5th century BC It is only 0.48 meters high . Today it is displayed at the Acropolis  in Athens, with inventory no. 695. I picked it out in Athens and carried it in a box on my lap on the plane flight from Athens. My mother asked me if she could display it on the hall of her home “as long as she lived.” Of course, as a dutiful son I obeyed. In 2004 after almost forty years in her house -which is not longer in the family- my sister packed it up and mailed it to us in California. She looks over my right shoulder as write.

I also have a large collection of CD’s mostly classical music. I used to have hundreds of LP’s but have given most away as I now longer can pay them and they took up too much space but I still kept about 30 or so for Auld Lang Syne and for the liner notes. I also have a large collection of DVD (mostly of classic films). These have value only for me but I enjoy having them. Today, however, I mostly watch movies streamed on TV or listen to Spotify.

I have also a collection of fossils and minerals I collected in early youth. One of the most interesting to me is a piece of native copper. It struck me that this is why copper like gold is one of the most ancient metals known to man as it occurs unlike iron or silver in nature.

I have in a box with autographs of baseball players I collected with my son circa 1966-1992 including many Hall of Famer players such as Bob Feller, Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan, Yogi Berra. Some are on cards, some are on baseballs. The best part of that collection is the memories of how we collected them including meeting and talking to the players in person. The nicest players I ever met were FELIPE ALOU (then with the Braves -I saw him play in the 1962 World Series) and BOB FELLER. My son and I talked to Bob Feller for over an hour when he came to Bakersfield. We talked about his career but also WW2. He would sign anything for free and he signed a book I brought plus a photo for my son. I also have a few Hartland Baseball Statues. I had many more but sold quite a few to pay some bills. I had a Ted Williams from 1961 Yankee Stadium that my father bought for $1.95 and I sold it for $450. I made over $1000 when I sold my Hartlands but I could not bear to part with them all -and some were very common and only worth $50-100 each. So they remain.

Since early boyhood I was fascinated by toy soldiers and military miniatures. Some I painted myself during long hot summers on the porch while listening to baseball games on the radio. But the most colorful and impressive are my Elastolin Roman soldiers. These are German made circa 1963-1972. They were not easy to come by and getting extra weapons then pre Internet was very difficult They are very sturdy and colorful if somewhat romanticized and fanciful . To accompany then I have some “barbarians” (Huns, Goths, Normans). I have complete set of Elastolin Romans including a ballista and a four horse chariot. These I have displayed in a glass case as if they were in fierce battle (four levels) About thirty years ago my mother lovingly pack them in boxes and sent them to me from New Jersey. Naturally, she was instrumental in acquring them over the years. In 2000 she and I went to Germany and we visited a Roman history exhibit. They displayed some dioramas with Elastolins!

In the gift show they did not have Elastolins but they has Bully Romans which are quite nice.

My mother bought me a handful and one, the centurion is now in command of a sailboat I have in my pool. I call it the RHINE PATROL. When I see it go back and forth I think of my late mother who said, “LOOK RICKY, ROMANS!” She died January 4, 2001 but I have many memories of her and collections that she encouraged and helped make. After all the years the memories of her love and laughter are more precious than the objects themselves. I was a good son but I know I could have been a better son. But I do know one of the great delights in her life and that of my father was for them to know our three children -all of whom have memories of them.

“What is it, namely, that connects the temporal and eternity, what else but love, which for that very reason is before everything and remains after everything is gone.” (Works of Love, Søren Kierkegaard)

In all its varied forms -C.S. Lewis wrote of the Four Loves- love is the raison d’etre of man’s life.

Love is, perhaps, the most powerful force we encounter in ourselves and in others. Collections are interesting especially as they often recall passions, travels and love. They may not have much material value but the have a strong educational and sentimental value. I read Caesar’s Commentaries in 1965 and Xenophon’s Anabasis in 1966 chiefly because of my interest in classical history sparked by my Elastolins.