The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
For oneman, fun and investment collide Star Wars toy collector enjoys sharing experiences
Brandon Frederick:
HAMILTON >> Brandon Frederick admits he never really had a lot of Star Wars toys as a child. But he is definitely making up for that now.
“We were really a one-figure family,” the Hamilton Central School class of 1999 graduate said. Like most households, toys were a disposable commodity, where the kids would get something on holidays or birthdays or when they did something good, play with them for awhile, and then either lose interest or break the item, sending it to the trash or off to another child. Back in the day, toys really weren’t seen for their investment potential.
Now a grownup, Frederick is reliving those glory days of his childhood by amassing quite a collection of those favorite Star Wars toys of his youth. Although his collection now only includes a single action figure saved from his original childhood collection, he has since spent much time -- as well as considerable funds -- in cre- ating a collection of movie memorabilia to be envied by his peers.
They go all the way back to the beginning in 1977, including regular action figures, a few that were only available overseas, some with variations in colors and materials, and even some custom creations made by fans themselves. He also has accessories like ships and light sabers, and even has an x-ray on his wall of several of the bounty hunter figures from“The Empire Strikes Back,” made by a pal with access to x-ray equipment.
The jewel of his collection is an original double-telescoping Luke Skywalker action figure, the first one put out by Kenner when the inaugural film debuted. His light saber was quickly changed by the manufacturers to increase kids’ playability, and now that original, easily damaged and hard to find, was one he “saved forever” to acquire.
His collection is as much an investment as it is a fun hobby, Frederick said.
“The prices are only going up on these,” he said. “There
is no sign that they will be going down any time soon. The Star Wars movies keep coming out and new generations are constantly being introduced to it.”
Much of the value of his collection is due to the fragility of original plastic, coupled with kids playing with the toys and moms sucking the parts up in the vacuum cleaners, Frederick explained. Finding these items in good condition now, since nobody really expected them to be worth what they are now 40 years later, is often a tough yet enjoyable quest for the collector. Frederick recently had the chance to share some of his collection -- and celebrate his favorite series of movies at the same time -when the Hamilton Movie Theater hosted a special Star Wars event with a free showing of the latest movie on May 2. The gala was a fundraiser for BRiDGES of Madison County, and made evenmore special by the raffle of several pieces donated from Frederick’s personal collection..
“I feel very fortunate to have this stuff. When I heard what they were doing at the theater I knew it would be a great thing and I wanted to be involved,” he said, complimenting the work of theater manager Sean Nevison and event sponsor Joe Eakin. His vast collection, also including such fun fare as Godzilla and Ghostbusters items as well, will soon expand with what Frederick hopes to be every single figure, in original packaging, from the “Return of the Jedi” movie.
That one is special to him, he intimated, because it was the first one he saw in the theater. He even occasionally sells a figure or two, mostly online, but usually to help finance a future purchase of something he needs, Frederick admitted.
Frederick married his wife Hannah last August, and they have a cat named Obi-Wan. His toy collecting hobby is something she not only accepts, but encourages, he said.
“She understands, and doesn’t roll her eyes when I’m in the store looking through the toys,” Frederick said. “She builds the Star Wars Legos with me. She’ll walk in here and say, ’This is great,’ not, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ She’s the best.”