View Single Post
Old 3rd May 2020, 10:42 pm   #1
kestrelmusic
Hexode
 
kestrelmusic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK.
Posts: 465
Default What to do with my collection?

I have quite a substantial collection of vintage radio sets, test gear, valves and components, gramophones and miscellaneous vintage electrical equipment. The lockdown has focused my mind upon my collection as I have brought down several interesting sets from the loft to restore.

However, this raises the question in my mind about what to do with them when they have been restored. It doesn't feel right to me to sell them (I did sell a handful of 1950s woodies a few years ago and found out too late that the purchaser wanted them to strip and put in modern electronics). However, I am not as young as I was and am now on my own - my partner died last year following a stroke.

What I would really like to do would be to start a small museum - there's nothing in my area (North Wales/Shropshire). Whether this would be practical I have no idea. Clearly I'd need premises and at least enough income to cover things like council tax, lighting and heating. Probably there would now be so many rules and regulations as to make it almost impossible to do.

So what happens to 100-odd sets, several thousand valves, a large chest of drawers full of vintage components and so forth if - or when - the grim reaper calls for me? I have no family and I suspect that my executors will just call in a house clearance firm in which case the sets will probably end up in charity shops and the rest of it in a skip.

If anyone has helpful thoughts I'd be grateful to hear them.
kestrelmusic is offline