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Carey (2008) developed an economic model and (see also: Carey 2008; McIntosh and Schmeichel 2004),
formula to explain collecting from both a financial and filling a space, creating a visually pleasing display,
nonfinancial perspective, considering the idea of “set manipulating the scale of objects (by choosing to collect
completion” as an important motivation of collecting large or small objects), and striving for perfect objects
behavior. McIntosh and Schmeichel (2004) view (or what one might perceive as “perfect” aesthetically).
collecting from a social psychological perspective, and
outline eight phases of the collecting process which Zigrosser describes what he believes are the instincts
may include: goal formation, gathering information, and motivations of the ultimate or ideal collector and
planning and courtship, the hunt, acquisition, post- remarks that this “collector does not wish to possess
acquisition, manipulation/display/cataloging, and for the sake of possessing but rather to commune again
finally, a return to initial goal planning or decision and again with the work of art” (1957, 23). The pure
to collect something. The process of setting goals, aesthetic enjoyment of collecting for the collector and,
completing them, and thus receiving positive feedback in terms of an art collection, the pleasure derived from
motivates the collector in this process. appreciating the beauty and craftsmanship of objects is
another aspect to consider.
Collecting has also been approached from various
psychoanalytic perspectives (e.g., Formanek 1991; Another private Korean art collection, but from a
Muensterberger 1994). Interested primarily in the Japanese collector, is chronicled in The Radiance of
motivations of collectors, Formanek (1991) created a Jade and Clarity of Water: Korean Ceramics from the
questionnaire to find out what influences collectors Ataka Collection (1991). Eiichi Ataka’s intense passion
themselves may attribute to their activities. These for collecting is described by Ikutaro Itoh, who saw
motivations were grouped into categories which Ataka’s process of collecting to be an art form in itself.
included: collecting as meaning in relation to the self, Itoh explained Ataka’s criteria for selecting pieces in
to other people, as preserving history, as financial detail:
investment, and as addiction. Responses varied not only
between collectors but also within individual collectors For Ataka, a work of art had to express a sense of tension. No
matter how celebrated a work may have been, he would avoid
themselves, who recognized and acknowledged it if it was at all excessive, showy, or vulgar. The objects that
changes in their own motivations over time. This appealed to him most had to have dignity, tranquility, and
concept of motivations changing throughout life is severity, and had to manifest fastidiousness and restraint. It
was as though he were searching for human characteristics in
echoed by Pearce (1998) who also adds that one’s social the ceramics he collected. (1991, 13)
surroundings and culture often play an important role
as to whether or not a person perceives his or her self Like Ataka, Chester Chang also looks for a certain
as a collector. Formanek concluded that one common human characteristic in the pieces he collects. What
thread in collectors’ motivations was the “passion for others might see as a flaw in a ceramic piece, such
the particular things collected” (1991, 285). as a misfiring, visible finger marks in the glaze, or
irregular, nonsymmetrical form, Chang sees as a mark
Danet and Katriel (1989) examined the aspects of play of uniqueness and artistic beauty.
and aesthetics in collecting. They explain that objects
collected are reframed, recontextualized, and classified Japanese philosopher Sōetsu Yanagi (1889–1961)
into belonging to a particular category. These items wrote extensively about this particular appreciation for
within a category established by the collector are the the irregular in terms of a Zen Buddhist philosophy
“same-but-different” with no two items exactly alike. In of “thusness” which eliminates the entire concept of
other words, the objects collected provide a certain visual perfect or imperfect. Yanagi believed that there was
rhyme to them, that appeal in such a way that a poem no point to collect anything at all but for the pure
cleverly rhymes words. Then there is the satisfaction reason of beauty alone. He explained that the beauty in
of ownership and control over the objects collected. Joseon period Korean pottery in particular lies in the
Finally, and central to the motivations of collectors in work of the unnamed artists who produced the pieces,
Danet and Katriel’s hypothesis, is the desire or pursuit free of any preconceived notions of what would be
of a sense of closure. Five strategies which collectors beautiful or ugly and no conscious decision to produce
may use to this end include: completing a series or set something either perfectly symmetrical or intentionally

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