About Me

First things first: I am not the guy who writes those fantasy and Star Wars novels. So don't e-mail me asking why I killed Chewbacca.

I was born in West Point, New York on May 23, 1975. I continue to reside in New York's Hudson Valley, which is approximately one hour north of New York City. I attended Tufts and Purchase colleges, and recently graduated with a BA in Art History. I am currently working at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

I began seriously collecting Star Wars toys in 1994 when illness and some time off from school caused me to go looking for a hobby. I had collected Kenner's action figures as a child (have a gander at my Nostalgia page), and I'd always loved the Star Wars films, so I took to the hobby naturally and earnestly began trying to complete my collection of loose figures. Almost immediately, I discovered the internet and its vast range of web sites and newsgroups. And through these forums came friendships and collecting contacts that are still thriving today.

I began co-editing the Archive in 1997. In addition, I've published a few articles on collecting, in publications such as Action Figure News, Action Figure Digest, The Star Wars Collector, Star Wars Galaxy Collector and Collectors Universe.

Of course, in the time since I began collecting, my interests and level of involvement in the hobby have grown exponentially. These days, I'm primarily interested in Kenner items that were not released commercially, such as store displays, retailer catalogs and Toy Fair promotional items.

I also have a major interest in pre-production or prototype items. In particular, I enjoy prototypes that exhibit a high level of craftsmanship, such as original art, sculptings and hand-made patterns. But I don't limit myself-- I'm always looking for new and interesting prototype items to add to my collection. Don't hesitate to email me if you have anything for sale that fits these descriptions.

Other interests of mine include music (I like all kinds, from Blues, to '60s pop, to punk rock), baseball (Yankees fan), art and movies. I'm really a movie junky. Not surprisingly, Star Wars is the first film I can remember seeing.

In general, I love discussing the hobby and I'm always interested in hearing from collectors. Feel free to email me, particularly if you have questions about the information included in this archive or something to add to it. You can also find me on Facebook.