The Value of our Nursing Heritage

[backman]

 Have just bid over £100 for a badge not because I really really wanted it but rather to frustrate another bidder and because I had earnt the money from sales of others of my badges! I'm not proud but the red mist did descend,excess testosterone perhaps! I would like to think that the badge collecting community has some regard for its members and whilst we will have times that we will compete against each other for badges(sorry sue) there should be a bit of give and take or it becomes a very predatory world.
On the other hand I recently won some typed and handwritten notes from a nurse from one of my local hospitals.It was for an article written in 1942 for the Nursing Mirror on dealing with the casualties of the bombing in Lowestoft,relating to Theatre work.I don't know if it ever was published but it is worth more to the history of our profession,particularly in the handwritten notes attached ,than any single lump of metal.Whilst badges are one aspect of our history there is so much more in the form of photos,diaries,oral histories,etc that should be preserved.I have been fortunate to acquire some really evocative photos of Nursing groups and individual nurses recently and will attempt to add these to Squirl if it ever works again!! I Look forward to a broad range of articles and contributions on different aspects of history as this site continues to develop....rant over!

[nursesue]

hi Pete - congratulations on your recent win with the  art deco Manchester badge. It looks really beautiful from the photo. There have been times when I've not bid because I've recognised the bidders name. However if I really want the badge then i confess I have made a bid. I have a finding that you and I will cross horns, over a certain badge for sale, from a hospital  that used to be located near B/ham airport!!!
Remind me never to cross you in a "testoserone moment" and may the best women or man win !!!!!!!
sue xx

[eric]

Peter, as you and others are aware I generally only collect Irish Hospital badges and for several years now when I recognise people from this group bidding on perhaps a badge I've put first bid on, I generally do NOT bid against them. However, recently it has become a little too cut-throat. This acknowledgement and (dare I say 'respect') for our fellow collector has recently been lacking as Sue says may the best woman or man win (meaning may the one with the bigger wallet wins).

Perhaps if people here would let others know they specifically want a particular badge in their area / region etc then others could allow that person to obtain it more reasonably priced. I'm not suggesting finding an auction, I'm suggesting we put together rather than against one another. Like you who sees 'red', I also get a little annoyed when someone gets badge I'm after and I know they just collecting all and any badge available rather than from that specific area/region.

What do others think?
Am I idealistic to believe people are generally good OR has greed and lust finally taken over?

Indeed, to take it further we could actually contact each other when and if we see anywhere (ebay, fair or other auction site) a badge that we know other person is seeking. I wonder if thats type of citizenship government thinking or talking about recently??

[nursesue]

hi - I have tried to set myself a limit on spending but will go the extra mile for that special badge. I originally started on Brummie/Midlands badges but there were few of these around. Then decided just to get reasonably priced ones then prices went up. Scottish badges were still fairly cheap and as I now reside in Scotland decided to collect them. Now all badges seem expensive and have reverted to just brummie, midlands and scottish badges - but will opt for elsewhere if tempted. Hence the recent Salisbury badge from Pete via ebay.  I meant the best man or women to win a badge that I know Pete & I both want. This is the one time that I will bid but on the whole avoid other memebers who have put on a bid. if I don't bid or am outbid I always hope the badge goes to  a fellow member.
sue :-*

[backman]

  I do tend to agree with you Eric that there ought to be room for some sort of concensus as to bidding against each other,if not on all items,but specifically those which are particularly sought after or relevant to an individual.It is well known that you specialise in Irish badges and as such I would not usually bid against you,(Good Luck with your current bidding on ebay!).
Whilst there will be occassions when we may disagree amongst ourselves,there is at least the satisfaction if we loose a bid to one of us that the item will have gone to a good home and not disappear into the "black hole" of collecting.If approached by others as to specific badges I hope that I would try to be of help and vice versa.A failure to respect other peoples considerations does not reflect well on the nurse in me and I can't help thinking that you reap what you sow in life? But perhaps I'm being naive?

[nursesue]

I was thinking about this debate. I think it would be a great idea  not to outbid another member. I would agree to this if I knew other members ebay names. I know Pete's but thats about it. Mine is susie1156. How would this work in practice?? What if 2 or more of us want the same badge? Its not difficult if you collect a specific area - eg irish badges or south england but occaisonaly areas overlap
Any how I'm willing to give it a go just let me know when you're after a badge. I mainly go after brummie/midland or scottish ones or rehoming Pete's much loved but finding others badges sales....
hope this helps
sue :)

[backman]

 Thanks Sue, glad you won your Birmingham Maternity! I was fortunate to win a badge from Little Plumstead Hospital,a learning disability hospital on the outskirts of Norwich so I am happy.Hope you get your Irish item Eric ?

[nursesue]

A HUGE BIG THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO DIDN'T BID AGAINST ME FOR THE MARSTON GREEN BADGE
This is just a sentimental badge as I was born there **years ago! Will post a photo on MSN site when it arrives. I did have a panic when a last minute bidder appeared and I got it for less than I was prepared to pay. Guess its smiles all round for those of getting our desired badges
THANKS AGAIN
luv sue :-*

[eric]

Sorry Peter, Was winning up until 3 seconds before end when 3 other bids came in and pipped me at post. I suppose thats life and it makes one initially a little red but on reflection causes one to question one's collecting habits. Not getting it makes one realise how sins of lust, greed, pride and envy can quickly take hold and makes one stand back and reflect and try not to allow that to happen. My Irish collection is fairly small by comparsions to many fellow collectors on this site (in 2007 I only added 4 badges). But I've added few more images to gallery onfile (even of those not won), so at least I have an image record of them.
I noted Barry outbid me for RVH badges so I did not bid against him to allow him to get them; as it happens he was also outbid by same person who won 4 out of 5 Irish badges available.

Barry has started to photograph his massive collection and I know others on this site would value seeing them, so would encourage Barry to start picture folder on nursingbadges site (perhaps Peter could email Barry on how to do this).

Trust you all have a great Easter and THANK you all for sharing your stories, I for one enjoy reading them

[whittington85]

Hi
I am new to this site, and have only recently started to buy badges thru the net.I thought I was the only person interested in collecting!! I have been picking them up for a number of years at car boot sales and in junk shops-being a nurse I appreciated their value (not financial). Due to migration I mainly have Australian, however there are quite a few UK badges which have obviously been brought over in the nursing diaspora. I had noticed that prices have risen recently, as even the most wretched junk shop owner in the most isolated country town seems to have cottoned on they are worth something. Would I be correct in thinking that this is being driven by investors rather than nurses with an interest in our history? Due to prices I will concentrate on hospitals I have some connection with or have worked at, anything else would prove too expensive. I too am after a Whittington Hospital badge, I have my own, but a colleague was burgled some years ago and I would love to replace hers.
Thanks for a great site, it's nice to know I'm not alone in being a bit of an "anorac".

[wilfb]

Hi,

Welcome. I think that you will find that you are by no means alone being a bit of an 'anorac'... And also that often means, knowing some of our contributors, having a quite vast knowledge base (and not infrequently, large personal collections) about nursing badges. You do know about the nursing badge website?

http://groups.msn.com/nursingbadges/_homepage.msnw

Your interpretation of the price situation seems pretty accurate to me, and (being strictly prejudiced towards collecting the history of nursing by whatever means possible) I think personally that there has been more than a little 'carpet-bagging' over the past year or so.... But it is difficult - tarring all with the same brush would be a mistake.

I also know (from emails sent to schoolsofnursing.co.uk) that there are many people out there who just don't know that some of us are madly interested in contributing to nursing history.  One very admirable lady told me that she had thrown away a lot of St Bartholemews papers which had belonged to a nursing relative simply because she could no longer keep them and that she did'nt know that anyone would be interested in them! She is now helping our website construct her relatives history and contributed several artifacts.....

Prices on ebay at least seem to be stabilising a little - which is very good news to those collectors who know that the true value of many items lies not in what the actual items are worth as cash value, but in thier cost to the original recipient - often the price of sheer dedication to reaching the goal. Priceless - lets hope that the carpet-baggers don't understand that or none of us will stand a chance.

Enjoy the site, hopefully you will get many more replies to this one....

W.B.

[backman]

 I would have to agree that the increased prices and subsequent interest in Nursing badges is a two edged sword.On the one hand it does bring out the carpetbaggers who are out for a quick buck and high prices may lead to some badges dissappearing from the public arena into the depths of private collections never to be seen again,slowly growing in value until they are sold on in the future.I really feel that this does no favours at all the the serious students of the topic and agree with many other collectors that these badges were meant to be appreciated in the broader public domain,both as symbols of the profession and as works of art in their own right.I still believe that there should be a national focus for the preservation of nursing badges rather than being left to individual colectors,but now appreciate that in the absence of a massive lottery win,it probably won't happen,especially as prices spiral.
Having benefitted from some very high prices myself for items sold recently I might be accused of double standards but this has been necessary to fund future acquisitions as times are hard! The reduced number of additions to my squirl pages over recent months testifies to the lack of succesful purchases,although I was pleased to win a Southampton Borough hospital badge which was the first badge I ever bought over 20 years ago before I donated it to a nurse who had trained at the hospital in the 1930s.My generosity then has taken this long to come across a replacement badge but if you wait around long enough patience is usually rewarded ,albeit at a much greater cost!!
Higher prices may have the positive effect of finding more badges out from the back of drawers where they may lie forgotten and if enough are found prices do eventually fall?

Anyway good luck with the collecting and Happy Nurses Day to all members.I believe the annual Nightingale commemorative service is also held today(all those badges!!! and hats too!!!)

[backman]

 Re;Nightingale service is actually taking place on Wednesday in Westminster Abbey;  http://www.florence-nightingale-foundation.org.uk/commemoration_service_2008.htm

[nursesue]

I guess its due to supply and demand and your own personal bank balance. Its not just nurse badges that command high prices - just look at the red cross or ambulance items. I've also steadily seen there prices rise. Backman I understand your mixed sentiments about selling badges inorder to fund future purchases . I did this to raise funds for a Sister Dora badge. Was it worth it?? Well i got the badge I wanted, its rare but i miss the others. Over the years I've watched the prices - London area always got good prices whereas Scotland  and North England didn't quite get to those heady heights. Welsh badges were a rare site but got reasonable prices. I always find when new collectors arrive on the scene prices rise to fuel there "anorak obsession". Backmans Liverool badges reached some great prices - I was pleased for  fellow collector to do well but couldn't quite stretch to some of those prices. Now any badge will command high prices -maybe it wil settle again as mor flood onto the market
But saying that I have successfully rehomed some of Backmans badges via ebay and some personal swapping. Got a great Dudley Road - had wanted one of these for ages. Maybe swapping is the way forward. I'm not an anorak obsessive I've got the full blown addition.
In some cases collecting any kind of memoribilia will save nursing history but also remember those long disappeared hospitals. Severalls SoN badge was sold recently - take a look at the photos on the derilict places website to see what I mean...... :-\