Boldly Collecting...
In 1966, at the age of eight, I was permitted to stay up late on Thursday evenings to watch Star Trek. The depiction of spacecraft traversing the universe and encountering alien civilizations captivated my imagination from the outset. I diligently followed the exploits of Captain Kirk and his crew throughout the three seasons of the original series, subsequently continuing with the animated adaptation and all Star Trek feature films.
The debut of Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987 arrived at a particularly opportune moment in my life, allowing me to fully appreciate its novel vision and narrative depth. While I remained committed to viewing each subsequent Star Trek series, none resonated with me as profoundly as The Next Generation. Its compelling characters and intellectually stimulating episodes solidified my enduring admiration for the franchise.
It was not until the announcement of Christie's "40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection" auction, held from October 5–7, 2006, that I contemplated collecting memorabilia from The Next Generation. Attending the auction preview in New York, I was thoroughly impressed by the extensive array of original costumes, props, and models exhibited. The prospect of possessing an authentic piece of Star Trek history was exciting. I participated in the live auction, ultimately acquiring five lots: Data's dress uniform from the film Nemesis, Shinzon's costume, Q's Sheriff of Nottingham costume, Data's smoking jacket, and Q's Judge costume.
In the wake of the Christie's event, I discovered weekly auctions facilitated via eBay by It's A Wrap—a Hollywood memorabilia retailer. These auctions, conducted from December 15, 2006, to March 2009, became a principal source for much of my expanding collection. Through these endeavors, I joined The Star Trek Prop, Costume & Auction blog, administered by Alec Peters. This online community introduced me to fellow collectors worldwide, many of whom remain close acquaintances. With the forum's eventual closure, two primary collector groups emerged on Facebook, fostering the continuity of this vibrant network.
My enthusiasm for collecting intensified as I engaged with auctions hosted by numerous entities, both prominent and boutique, including Profiles in History, Heritage, Propstore, Julien's, Propworx, and Propdomain. Private transactions, facilitated through relationships built within the collecting community, further enriched my experience and enabled access to rare and significant items.
The premiere of Star Trek: Picard in 2020 rekindled my anticipation for the franchise. Each episode was not only a narrative event but also an opportunity to potentially acquire favored costumes and props. Since then, I have successfully obtained several items from the series through both auction and private sale, thereby further enhancing my archive of Star Trek memorabilia.
My collection is meticulously organized by series, encompassing both television and cinematic entries, and is further subdivided by season and episode. This systematic approach facilitates exploration of the franchise's development and offers an opportunity to appreciate the craftsmanship inherent in each artifact.
Upon reflection, the past twenty years have yielded invaluable friendships, experiences, and tangible pieces of Star Trek history. I trust you will derive enjoyment from browsing this collection, curated with dedication and passion, and perhaps experience the same sense of wonder that Star Trek has instilled in me.
