Fellow Uniblogger and collector Glen Robert Huff has a fantastic collection of darts memorabilia which has taken him 23 years to a mass to what he has now and what a collection it is, just read his Blog! So Glen, it seems that the gauntlet has been waved in my face so to speak and I am going to try and have as much if not more than yourself about this great game we know. Although somehow I don’t think I can collect what you have in 23 years!
I have a few bits and pieces that I have had for quite some time but didn’t really think much of collecting darts/flights etc until mid 2006. As the saying goes “some hobbies are costlier than a game” This I found to be oh so true. Especially when you pay for postage for some remotely obscure set of darts that may have no real significance or you make a bid on EBay and it costs more than the item is worth (or the bother for that matter) still it is a pleasure to see the item when I get it and know that it somehow has been part of darts history in some small way.
So with the costs involved I am sneaking on my collection from now on and picking my time to pounce! The dart collecting has taken a back seat for the moment, the dart pins and patch badges are still flowing in from all over the world BUT…. I had an idea when seeing a set of Jim Pike flights on EBay that have to be gummed (glued for those who don’t know) together. Why not start a flight collection? NOOOOOOO I hear you say! NOT the flights we use now?
Yes and no I say! I am devising a collection of current and past flights that will actually bring out some history of the game. So I have started to collect players (past and present) with ALL Unicorns players the first on the list, also flights from various countries and Associations around the world, they will make a good talking point and of course I can say for instance with one set I have: “this set Russell Stewart played with to beat John Lowe in the World Cup V in Australia”
Now, back to my collection of all. Unlike Glen I have not had the pleasure of meeting all players and getting darts from them *A LA Phil Taylor* and many other legends Glen was lucky to meet like the late great Barry Tromlow & the Crafty Cockney Eric Bristow! However I will give a run down of what I have so far
Pins:
128 from all over the World
Books:
Darts by Dave Whitcombe
Getting to the point by Barry Atkinson
All about darts by I.L.Brackin & W. Fitzgerald
Darts by Ken Kesler
John Lowe on Darts by John Lowe
The Best of Datoids World by Paul Seigel
How to master The Sport of Darts by George Silberzahn
Old Stoneface by John Lowe
Patch Badges:
Unicorn sleeve Patch (circa 1980’s)
Unicorn Shirt Pocket Patch (circa 1980’s)
Current Unicorn Patch badge
Unicorn 180 Club Patch Badge
Unicorn World championship (1976)
Harrows Shirt Patch
Puma Shirt Patch
American Darts Organisation Shirt Patch
Houston Darts Association Shirt Patch
National Darts Federation of Canadian Shirt Patch
SEWA Darts Forum Shirt Patch
USA Chalker Pocket Patch
Darts:
Unicorn Darts:
Cliff Lazarenko Darts, 25Grams, approx 27 years old.
Barry Tromlow "Legend Series" Darts 21Grams.
Unicorn's popular "Golden Match" Mini Darts.
Unicorn Trident Brass Darts
23Grams Paul Lim, Golden Series.
23Gram Barry Jouannet Team Global Darts
John Part 23Grams World Champion Darts.
Unicorn Brass1/4" With Feathers. (Age unknown)
Other Darts:
2 sets of Dorwin Darts (1 set Aluminium, the other Nylon)
2 sets of Widdies (wooden Darts)
I set of Sonya Ralphs, Nickel Tungsten 24grams (circa 1984)
1 set of Simon “The Wizard” Whitlock 23gram Darts
Durro Brass Darts, Kwiz Brass Darts x 2 sets,
1 set Chrome Plated brass darts (age/weight unknown)
1 Set of Copper/Tungsten 15Gram Darts (belonged to Wayne Weening)
1 set of American GT's by Bottleson. 20Grams, Hammerhead Conversion
1 set of Harrows Boxer Darts, converted to 15Gram Soft Tip
1 set of Experimental Darts (tried to make soft tip darts from them but failed)
2 sets of Dennis Priestley Darts 23 & 24Grams (Harrows)
2 sets of plastic "play darts" that come with the cardboard Dartboards
2BA Chrome/Brass Bombs. 22Grams
1/4" Unknown Brand Brass darts 26Grams.
1/4" Chrome Coated Brass. 24Grams
2ba long Brass, 19Grams.
TEX Copy of Cliff Lazarenko Darts 25Grams.
Miscellaneous:
Unicorn 180 Tie
Misc Unicorn 180 certificates (old and current)
Unicorn Eclipse Pro Board signed by: Richie Burnett, Keith Deller, Jamie Harvey & Bob Anderson
Wooden darts Case from USA for Softip Darts (Walnut)
ADO Certificate of Dead Eye in the game of Cricket
ADO Certificate of a 9-Count in a round of Cricket
ADO 180 Certificate