Hanna of the WWII Connected channel on YouTube gets connected with vintage military radios.
Regardless of whether you're collecting model trains, baseball cards, fine art or antiques; knowing everything you can about the particular subject is crucial. More often than not many collectors show that they have far more dollars than sense, and make some less than informed acquisitions.
Most experts will recommend that for new collectors the first purchase should be books on the subject. In other words, learn about you're collecting before you start to seriously collect. Today there is no shortage of books – including price guides – on most collectibles, but when it comes to a certain category of antique it can be trickier.
For military antiques there are a few good price guides, but some subjects simply haven't been the subject of any good research, meaning it is all too easy for fakes to be passed off as real. Fortunately, when it comes to military collectibles, even if there isn't good research material available in book form or even via a website, there are now YouTube channels where advanced collectors share their knowledge.
Community of Collectors
One reason to collect anything is to be part of a community. When it comes to collecting historic objects there is the shared love of history.
YouTube Channels such as WeaponsandStuff93, World War Guy and Wolf of 1918 have videos that are as polished and detailed as anything seen on the History Channel in recent years. Much like Forgotten Weapons, which was spotlighted earlier this year, these channels don't try to retell the story of well known objects from military history but dig into those items that haven't been covered in books or other mediums.
"Many collectors, just like the how-to crowd, have learned to turn to YouTube for instruction. Right now, this is most prevalent in the areas of restoration and preservation," explained John Adams-Graf, editor of the collector-focused magazines Military Trader and Military Vehicles.
"A word of caution, however: While YouTube provides a voice, it is important to remember that voice is barely vetted," he noted. "YouTube videos about preservation, conservation, or collecting practices are not vetted by any particular governing body. As a result, any recommendations about preservation may not meet current museum practices. Like all sources, it is a good one to consult, but corroborate any advice before implementing it on your own collectibles and artifacts."
Reaching An Audience
YouTube has also allowed collectors to reach those with similar interests and address topics quickly in a way that books couldn't. For one thing, many research books tend to be the sort of thing only read when one was in fact conducting research – whereas videos could be enjoyed even by those who aren't rabid collectors.
"There have been many people, especially younger people, who have spoken out in the comments, or sent me messages, explaining how they now seek to get into the hobby simply because it's so interesting," said Mike B of Mike's Militaria.
"Most have said they never even thought about collecting helmets, or anything to do with military history, because they thought it was too expensive or hard to understand," Mike B added. "It would appear that my videos have allowed me to reach people who otherwise wouldn't have an interest in these pieces of history, and as a result, they will be preserving and researching these tangible items so as to preserve history. YouTube has made that possible, and I'm very grateful for that. It's also a great way for fellow collectors of any level to be able to debate me or correct me if I'm incorrect or misspoke. Those conversations in the comments section allow new collectors to observe the process of historical debate using facts, which keeps the historical aspect and tradition alive."
Mike B has produced dozens of YouTube videos on lesser known military history subjects. Here he is ... [+]
For others, YouTube is a way to showcase one's knowledge – especially as many older collectors have felt their years of simply "owning" something trump research and knowledge. This is especially true for Hanna of WWII Connected as she's one of the rare women in a hobby largely filled with old white guys.
Few would think a woman could have a detailed understanding of German military radios, and Hanna's admitted that YouTube has given her a platform to show that she's serious about this topic.
"I am working so hard to make a place for myself in this hobby and it's an uphill battle," Hanna explained.
"I don't have the capital to compete with the large dealers yet and while I know a lot about a little, I have my expertise, but I can't compare with the knowledge of the people that have been doing this for 20 years," she added.
Touchy Subjects
YouTube has been the right platform for serious collectors such as Mike B and Hanna – along with dozens of others – to share their specific knowledge in a way that wasn't possible even a decade ago. However, they both agreed that military history is a topic that some might find questionable – and whether it is Confederate swords, items from the Third Reich or even the British Empire there is the concern that someone might take offense.
"I do question the future of the platform, however, based on other social media platforms attempting to censor historical topics due to their 'sensitive' nature directly compared with today's political climate," warned Mike B, who has seen how other platforms – notably Facebook – have deemed the posting of items of a historic nature to be a violation of those dreaded community standards.
However, despite those concerns, Mike B said, it is crucial to share what he knows for future collectors.
"Anyone who knows and understands history knows this is not an effective manner of preserving history, as times and ideas change constantly, but history should remain as close to as it happened as accurately as possible for a multitude of reasons," he added. "I understand there are a small group of people who wish to spread hate and vitriol using (certain) symbols, but that number is vastly outnumbered by history enthusiasts like me who simply seek to preserve and teach history in a neutral and factual-based manner. Censoring this type of material based on the actions of a few ignorant people goes against everything I believe in as far as preserving and teaching history in an attempt to understand what happened."
Advice For The Next Expert
It is likely other experts will want to share their collector's knowledge on YouTube, and Adams-Graf – who also has dabbled in videos – offered some advice: "I have found that very short 'history info-bits' get clicks. That is, a one-minute or less showing off an interesting relic. Military vehicle videos are popular if the video shows more than just driving down the road. Vehicles crossing rough terrain are popular but nothing compares to crushing a car with a tank or firing a Civil War cannon at a barrel of water."
And when it comes to certain topics longer videos can also work.
"Weapon collectors and military vehicle restorers will watch 10 or 15 minutes of a how-to procedures," added Adams-Grat. "This provides the creator with a bit more of a platform for monetizing videos."
