The former Genesis drummer announced on Thursday that he would give his private collection of Alamo artifacts back to the place of origin.
- Jun 27, 2014
AceShowbiz - Phil Collins has announced his plan to donate his private collection of priceless artifacts back to their origin in Alamo. His promise to give 200 pieces of his collection was declared at the 1836 Battle of the Alamo and Texas Revolutionary shrine in San Antonio on June 26.
The British singer-songwriter said that more than 200 pieces he had were related to the battle where the Mexican armed forces invaded Texas. He joked that "all the money that" he "made from music" was spent on those priceless pieces.
Phil thought that his hobby of collecting artifacts was unique, saying, "Some people would buy Ferraris, some people would buy houses, I bought old bits of metal and old bits of paper. It's at my home, in my basement in Switzerland. I look at it every day, but no one else was enjoying it." The collection includes Jim Bowie's knife, a rifle owned by Davy Crockett and letters from William B. Travis.
The former Genesis drummer has fallen in love with Alamo since watching Fess Parker's character Davy Crockett in 1950s Disney miniseries. "I've had a love affair with this place since I was about 5 years old," he claimed, "It was something that I used to go and play in the garden with my soldiers."
Phil came to Alamo for the first time when Genesis had their first U.S. tour in 1973. He stated, "It was here, San Antonio, The Alamo, the shape of that church. There was just something. Why I didn't get as fascinated by something in English history, I will never know."
He recalled, "I was just spellbound when I first saw it in person. Having lived all my life, to see it in books and movies and the pictures in magazines, it was really quite extraordinary."
Jerry Patterson, Texas Land Commisioner, stated that the shipment of the artifacts from Phil's house in Switzerland to Texas would be paid by Phil while the state would fund the renovation of the Alamo site, including erecting a collection house. Some artifacts are planned to be displayed on site in October.
