The Art of a Gentleman - Collecting Vintage Cars

From a young age I collected things; I just didn’t know how it would manifest as I grew older and wiser. From collecting coins and currency when I was six, too collared polos in high school, to watches, I was never able to curb my desire to attain and collect things that caught my eye, and why would I? It has brought and continues to bring me joy and that is what collecting is supposed to spark in you, individualized specified joy. What comes with age, and time spent obtaining and learning information, comes a curated and refined eye for items that speak to your soul.  

Amongst the things that I collect, I collect vintage cars. Personally, I am drawn to the 1930’s vintage automobiles reminiscent of the Great Gatsby era because that style of car was so specific to that period of time; impeccably built, elegantly designed and it was a representative extension of the gentlemen driving them. As I began to recognize the uniqueness of these cars, I developed a desire to purchase them and acquire a slice of history. But as I have said above, and in my watch collecting story, what you decide to collect is completely up to the individual.  

While I am drawn to 1930’s cars in particular, BMW or Chevy for example may resonate with you, or maybe you grew up watching James Bond films and you love Aston Martins! My wife, for example, grew up admiring classic convertible Mercedes because that was the vehicle Grace Kelly would drive in her movies, winding through the Italian coast with a scarf tied around her hair. The truth is, there is no wrong way to collect, only your way to collect which is why it is important for you to actually like and enjoy the items you invest money into because at the end of the day, it is sitting in your garage. 

So how do you go about starting your collection? I always suggest when collecting to educate yourself as much as possible on the world you are about to enter, because from there you can make educated purchases. My second, and possibly greatest tip is to talk about your love of what you are looking to collect. I was once chatting with a man at a cocktail party about looking for a burgundy vintage car, and he happened to have a friend that had a car that he would likely be interested in selling. He connected the two of us and we did a deal 48 hours later! There are so many great vintage cars that are sitting in people's garages and they don’t always realize what they have or that someone would be interested in purchasing it. Once you begin to talk about your passion, people will begin to come forward and then you find yourself in the world of acquiring very cool cars. 

Next steps: if you have read this far you should begin to think about what you would like to invest in and educate yourself on this so when the time presents itself to purchase or NOT to purchase, because you need to know when you have to walk away, you can make an informed investment. Of course, you can always reach out to us for advice!