"Collecting" is a very bland word for the quirks and quandaries of fate that lead to accumulating horns...
I won my first trumpet in a raffle. Rather a bugle - just a tube, a bell, and something that today reminds me somewhat of a proper mouthpiece. Tried it out, got some noise out of it, and next morning went into the nearest music shop and bought myself what was advertised as a "complete trumpet kit". Chinese "Comet" TSO, mouthpiece, case, oil, white gloves.
Experimented for a week, and then took courage and money in my hands and got myself a Bach Strad 239 (C trumpet with Bb slides). And from that day onwards, I was hooked. Many horns came and went:
Bach Strad Rotary C
Bach Strad F
Stomvi - Elite C, D/Eb, Picc; Forte Pocket
Besson Kanstul Picc
Selmer K-Mod, 2 Bb/A piccs, G picc
Scherzer G picc
Ganter: G5 Bb rotary, G3 D rotary, G7A Bb rotary, Custom, G 15 rotary flugel, P50 (piston Bb)
Votruba Pro rotary flugel
Thomann Black Jazz flugel (only four weeks)
Courtois 154R flugel
Dowids Jazzline Custom
Weltklang Bb cornet
Besson International Bb cornet (2)
Besson Imperial Class A Bb cornet
Besson pre-Imperial Bb/A cornet
Buescher Aristocrat #9, #12, 264
Buescher Aristocrat 244 Bb cornet
Olds Ambassador, Special, Studio, Recording
Courtois Balanced Bb (2)
Courtois 1970s Bb cornet
King Tempo cornet
Anonymous French cornet, around 1910
Besson Sovereign Round Stamp soprano cornet
ACB doubler's picc
That's all I can remember; I've put those in bold that are still with me.
Currently, I am paying for a Kühnl & Hoyer Eb bass trumpet.