ABSTRACT
The process of collecting can take on the nature of a ritual. Many collectors refer to the thrill of the chase and finding either a wanted item or something 'interesting'. Hunting metaphors abound in the general literature on collecting, and collectors frequently refer to notions of pleasure and desire in the pursuit of items for their collection. Record clubs offer a mail order service, but their orientation to mainstream releases carries little appeal to collectors. Record auctions will range from those run by individuals and smaller dealers, often in conjunction with retail and mail order business, through to prestige international firms and internet sites such as eBay. Collection building can also involve selling, trading items for credit, or buying items to sell on. Collectors' approach to cataloguing provides a further index of their commitment to, and emotional engagement with, the collected artefact. The hunt for recordings, and the use and display of the collection, are key record collecting practices.