HOW DID I START COLLECTING?

by Michael Kokin

Many years ago, I had a close friend in Los Angeles who invited me to go to a Native American Show. Never having attended an event like this, I thought it might be interesting and in as much as I collected many things, I wanted to see what my friend's interests were. This was many years ago, and naturally the prices of Native American artifacts at that time were much lower than they are today.

The first vendor that he stopped to talk to had what I realize today was a magnificent Apache Olla, about 28" high and about 30" wide, with numerous human forms as well as animals. When my friend inquired as to the cost and the gentleman said $4,000.00, I said, "Stop everything! It is impossible that this basket could cost that much." I told my friend that I had just returned from Botswana in Africa and all of the natives were making baskets and one could purchase a basket like this for a few hundred dollars. He started to laugh and told me, "It's not the same thing."

I now realize how ridiculous I must have sounded. In any event, we went through the rest of the show and I found all objects of great interest, especially the things that had collection history (i.e., found at the Little Big Horn, belonged to Chief Gall, belonged to Geronimo, etc.). At this point, having the interest and financial resources to collect, I started on what turned out to be the most fascinating area of collecting that I ever participated in. I began visiting museums, bought every book on historical Native American artifacts that I could find, and visited every trade show and numerous galleries. It did not take too long before my wife & I had a collection of 1,500 objects and we added 2,000 square feet to our house to house them.

After a number of years, I decided to make a career change and we opened our first gallery. It gave me the opportunity to own some of the great Native American treasures. As a collector, this would have been impossible. But in as much as they were coming in and going out, I still had the pleasure of ownership, although sometimes for only a brief period. In the course of this endeavor, I have met many wonderful people who shared their knowledge and collecting interests, made many new friends, and now earn my living in an area that I truly love with a great sense of accomplishment and an in-depth view of the Native American culture.

This is not to say I did not make mistakes. There were times that I bought things that were extremely esoteric, as my passion for the art sometimes overcame clear thinking. In the end, when we decided to open our first gallery and a good portion of our personal collection became the inventory, we did very well financially. Great things are always great, and when I am asked about investment potential, one of the answers I give is that if you are going to collect, you don't have to spend a fortune, just find a reputable dealer, buy a half dozen books, and acquire the best that you can afford. Most dealers will share their knowledge of what is great and what is not. After a short period of time, you will know the difference yourself.

I wish you good collecting and hope that you enjoy a rewarding area of our country's history as much as I have.