Yeah, personally I've only ever bought one case of a certain lamp type at a time.

As for SOX I don't even bother with eBay prices. I picked up most of mine at places like Restore and thrift shops with Amazon filling in the gaps before the prices for them in there went insane. Still I really only have a small stock of 18w lamps. The higher wattages I really only have one of each. I did have to get a replacement 90w though as the one I got a few years ago seemed to not work on anything I tried it one.

What I probably should stock up on...at least get a couple spares are 35/39w CMH-T and CMH-TC lamps. I have a couple running for hours on a daily basis right now so I should probably get some on hand while they're still affordable and still made.

Used fluorescent and incandescent lamps I usually just end up running to EOL before getting rid of them if they're common. I have a bunch of used fluorescent lamps that I rescued from the curb so I ended up keeping them. No sense in letting them go to waste IMO. Used MV I usually don't bother using with if they're dimmed significantly, although I might still keep them. Used MV lamps that are still bright, I'll use or keep. As for other types I'll used them up as I see fit. I currently have a used 18w Osram SOX in my Goldeye.

Expensive rare lamps I ususally don't bother stocking much unless I find them for cheap. I have 3 F48PG17 lamps from Restore and I don't plan to get anymore especially at the eBay prices. I run one once in a blue moon so 3 will last quite a while. 

were you replying to me or someone else? If not i also believe i have a valid reason, as i am using lamps pretty much every night during the summer, albeit on a single fixture.

No, not you, you have a very valid reason to have a good stock of lamps 

How about buying clearance ones in bulk? More specifically in person,

Been there done that .. but with Christmas lights.
There have been more than one times in the past where I've walked out of a store with 100+ sets of lights, all bought at 90% off clearance.
Would I reccommend doing that (or do it myself) anymore? .. Nope (unless you really plan to use allot of).
Do I still have all that stuff sitting un-used? .. All - no. Some does get used, some got sold on eBay(before that site went to crap), and yep some is indeed still sitting around gathering dust.

Hey, didn't you know that one of the golden rules of housework is that dust should never be disturbed in any way..? 

Personally I have been stocking up on SON, SOX, MBF and various different kinds of fluorescent tubes such as T8, T12 and a few PL-S lamps.

Originally between 2018 and 2020, I was focussing almost all of my stocking up on SOX lamps owing to the end of the line production for Philip's range, as I knew that the prices for them on eBay would skyrocket dramatically from then onwards (which it definitely did, when I was originally buying them, I was able to get my hands on a new 35-55W SOX lamp for around £25-£30, but this is a lot more like £35-£40 now!) I've already got my hands on a wide variety of different brands also, so I will eventually get around to showing them at some point.

I just don't see the need to buy stuff you're not going to make use of.

But the fact remains that if someone buys a large number of certain types of lamp, it does have the knock on effect of reducing supply for everyone else, especially if lots of people do it. Then the prices go up. We've all been victims of that on eBay, I bet you have, I know I have.

But I'm not targeting anybody, nor am I angry at anyone 

I'm not too bothered at buying stuff that's still available in stores or locally from Restore/Thrift/FB/Kijiji and stocking up that way or stocking up on stuff that's still in production. I personally don't buy a large stock as I lack the room and I rather not park too much money into lamps but I don't see too much of a problem stocking up that way. Ironically your Great Wall of Philips was what pushed me to pick up one case from Home Depot at the end of December to keep around for future use. I didn't really see myself needing more so I kept it at one, although I did consider getting two.

Especially with FB and Kijiji stuff which will probably just end up getting trashed if no one buys it. Even with Restore I sometimes see the same case of lamps sit on the shelf for months, eventually they'll get tired of it and get up throwing it out.

However what I take issue is, are the people that see a rare lamp on eBay, buy up their entire stock, and then a few months later proceed to resell the same thing on eBay but with the price inflated 2-3x.

Sure it's one thing buy up a lot on eBay or locally to break it up to share with others and charge your cost + shipping + a little something for your time but when you buy up a lot for cheap and resell a month later with the price inflated 2-3x it just seems like you're preying on the fact that there will be collectors that will drop an obscene amount of money on a lamp.

The second are the people that would be willing to pay those inflated prices which gives the people in the first scenario continued justification for their practice.   

I'm not intending to target anyone anyway but more so just to say what practices bother me.

I have enough of everything that I want now, plus a bit too much of a few things. I don't have children to leave it all to when I die anyway, whether that day be tomorrow or in 40 years time. My partner isn't remotely interested in my 'junk' so if I die, some things may go to other local collectors that we both know (put it in your will, people!) and the rest to the dump.

I would like to think that my collection may end up in some kind of electrical museum, but who knows? Hopefully when I'm in my dotage and I can see the end isn't far away that I still have the means to pass the bulk of the collection to other collectors or museums, rather than having to dump it myself, I don't wish to put my partner through that. I'm in the process of setting up my own museum anyway; albeit on a small scale and in my private residence. This will mean that everything is tidy, presentable and not just piles of boxes with random things packed inside.

I have no intention of stocking up on boxes of lamps that end up surrounding me, never to be used, just for the hell of it, plus the point has already been raised here that this also contributes to prices going up for other collectors. SOX lamps are a prime example of this now that sellers have jacked up the prices for the 'collectors and enthusiasts' market. I've even started using some of my more rare T12 tubes on a daily basis because as mentioned above, they will likely just go to the dump anyway so I might as well enjoy them as the manufacturer intended. The lighting collector community is much smaller than we like to think it is, therefore the likelyhood of passing lamps and lanterns down to the next generation of collectors isn't great.

That's one thing I am incredibly grateful for and also amazed by; my other half Sammi is (almost) as enthusiastic about lamps as I am, we also have made some good friends on here, so our collection will hopefully be divided amongst them when we do eventually pop our clogs, although we will be leaving some of the truly rare lamps like Barnaby to a museum. We know that the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh has a lamp collection, so we hope that they will be interested.

I’ve been reading this whole thread and personally I understand what everyone is trying to say. All I’ll say is, I’d rather have a whole bunch of (let’s say SOX) lamps or any type of lamp go to a well-informed collector who really cares about lighting, rather then having them go to some clueless influencer on social media who probably will run them base down for whatever is popular. Just mine two cents.
 

 @ subway5411 : What you're doing isn't what I was referring to . I was more referring to large quantities of vintage/antique or rare/obsolete lamps just for the sake of having them . Now , if you do have an actual use for them or intend to share them with fellow collectors than no problem . Example , a couple of years ago , I found an almost complete case of 100w Westy A-23 clear lamps being individually auctioned on eBay . After the 1st one sold, I went and made the seller an offer for the remaining case contents.  I ended up getting all 22 lamps for $5 per lamp , whereas the single that sold sold for 7 times that amount. I kept one and sold the remainder for exactly what I paid for them + shipping.  As for your "leaning tower of Altos"  , they're not rare by any means right now. 

Hey, didn't you know that one of the golden rules of housework is that dust should never be disturbed in any way..? 

Oh so true.
Dust is a (deadly) living, growing, thing .. ever hear the term 'dust bunnies'? Well what is the one thing bunnies do best? they multiply! just like dust does .LOL.

I only stock up on lamps that I can find for free / a good price, and either ones I have a need for, or ones I think may be useful. After all I am only 19, so I have my whole life ahead of me.

with this: "have a need for, or think may be useful" seems a perfectly justifiable reason to me to buy something! 8 cases seems like allot to me .lol. but I also have no idea how many lights you have or how much you use them (stuff like those makes a big difference in how many you need). Who knows how many dozens of lamps I've ran through EOL in my time, but when you look at all sizes combined it'd have to be a decent sized pile.

Oh and you are also just a young'n .lol. .. but be aware the years burn by quickly (so go out & enjoy life you're young!), someday when you're old, you might look back knowing a good part of your lifespan has been stripped away by the ravages of time.

 @ xmaslightguy : "Oh and you are also just a young'n .lol. .. but be aware the years burn by quickly (so go out & enjoy life you're young!), someday when you're old, you might look back knowing a good part of your lifespan has been stripped away by the ravages of time." 

 TELL ME ABOUT IT !!

Ditto