A good and reasonable question. Let me try to briefly outline my interests. By way of preface, I should observe that my "magpie" instincts -- that everyone starts collecting with -- have never died and I continue to be attracted by shiney objects that have some history connected with them and some research potential. To paraphrase the old song: "When I'm not near the medals I collect, I collect the medals I'm near."
My core interest has been and remains the awards of South Asia (India, Pakistan, etc.), especially after independence and with a focus on medals to Indians; I have no interest in medals to natives (of the British Isles). I also have an interest in awards of the Indian "Princely" States. This grows out of my profession (history provessor, modern South Asian history). I also dabble in awards of the broadly defined "Arab World".
My interests in directly forum-related items have evolved:
1- labor awards of the "socialist world" (which, in part, is an ideologically based interest); then I added
2- an interest in documented and researchable Soviet groups, especially gallantry groups that included all of the various defense/capture/liberation/victory medals; and then I added
3- an interest in Soviet (and cross-over) groups for the 4th Afghan War and other post-GPW activities.
My "Soviet" interests end with the end of the Soviet Union.
More broadly, but still forum-related, I have developed interests and collections in Mongolia, PDRA (linking back to the core of my interests), DPRK, Romania, socialist Southeast Asia, awards related to the Spanish Civil War, PRC, and other things that may or may not be legal in the USA.
These days, I am not adding much, but working on research and writing instead.
My core interest has been and remains the awards of South Asia (India, Pakistan, etc.), especially after independence and with a focus on medals to Indians; I have no interest in medals to natives (of the British Isles). I also have an interest in awards of the Indian "Princely" States. This grows out of my profession (history provessor, modern South Asian history). I also dabble in awards of the broadly defined "Arab World".
My interests in directly forum-related items have evolved:
1- labor awards of the "socialist world" (which, in part, is an ideologically based interest); then I added
2- an interest in documented and researchable Soviet groups, especially gallantry groups that included all of the various defense/capture/liberation/victory medals; and then I added
3- an interest in Soviet (and cross-over) groups for the 4th Afghan War and other post-GPW activities.
My "Soviet" interests end with the end of the Soviet Union.
More broadly, but still forum-related, I have developed interests and collections in Mongolia, PDRA (linking back to the core of my interests), DPRK, Romania, socialist Southeast Asia, awards related to the Spanish Civil War, PRC, and other things that may or may not be legal in the USA.
These days, I am not adding much, but working on research and writing instead.
