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General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc. |
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5th May 2020, 2:56 pm | #21 | |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: London, UK.
Posts: 2,508
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Re: What to do with my collection
I feel that:
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Items have different values to different people, and it is not always valid to convert everything into a monetary value. One of my sub-collections can never be complete because someone broke up the known final example of a particular model, claiming it was of no value as-is. I never revealed what I would have offered for it, had I known before it was scrapped. On the other hand, when you are spending 2/3 of your income on premises and bills to get the project going, the last thing you want is someone holding you to ransom for £200 for a service manual, knowing that the other known surviving copy was just binned deliberately by a fellow enthusiast (I say this from experience). Given that we now have the benefit of a wide and deep-reaching communication platform with which to match artefacts up with potential future owners, I do not think the future is as bleak as you paint it. |
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5th May 2020, 3:52 pm | #22 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 4,246
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Re: What to do with my collection
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Main thing with any accumulation of vintage electronics is to make sure as a minimum that it gets put into an auction, pretty much any auction. Buyers will find it, some money will be made, most of the items will get to rattle around the planet for a while longer and be treated however the denizens of the future care to treat them. I'll be puzzling over what provisions to make for a (non-technical) book collection here, where the need will be to call in a dealer capable of distinguishing titles that regularly sell for three-figure sums from those the local auction room tries and often fails to flog off several tea-chests full at a time, but radios and suchlike don't go unrecognised these days and I'm surprised how something like the going rate is raised for them even at the smallest of local auctions. Paul |
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5th May 2020, 4:21 pm | #23 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Aberdeen, UK.
Posts: 2,838
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Re: What to do with my collection?
As Josh Ward says, there are also a number of local heritage museums which may take in radio equipment which is significant to the local area.
A couple of years ago, I did just that. One radio, a 1950's Woodie Marconi I think, came from a deceased old retired local primary school teacher, and it had a wee brass plaque noting it as a retirement present. The other was the last Murphy radio worked on by "Bill Smith"( of "Bill Smith Chronicles") when he was a radio & TV engineer at a local shop. Regards, David |
5th May 2020, 4:55 pm | #24 |
Dekatron
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Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex.
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Re: What to do with my collection?
A common dilemma. The legendary Steve Harris had a Museum in Chester but now operates [just his business] from an Industrial Estate. He wrote an article about what a disillusioning experience the Museum Project was. By the time he'd met all the regulations, the amount he could display was greatly reduced! Forum members may have read about the failure of a citizens group to maintain control of Hastings Pier. They blamed all and sundry but I pointed out that [like Museums as said on here ] you need a forward plan, business structure and an income stream. When I asked who had been responsible for that, there was a ringing silence! I'd think twice before getting into that "solution" Kestrel, especially in your circumstances and the current economic climate It's akin to a retirement project that people have always intended to do. Many open a short lived business. The banks never lose out!
Related-When the Ally Pally Society asked for help from the BBC a Senior manager said somewhat dismissively-"We Don't Do Museums!" This was when the one they had [in Broadcasting House] shut down after a few years. I think they got their stock for that project from Steve. Dave W Last edited by dave walsh; 5th May 2020 at 5:02 pm. |
5th May 2020, 4:56 pm | #25 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,953
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Re: What to do with my collection?
Having been laid-low with the Coronavirus for the last week, I've had similar thoughts - largely of the "If this virus sees me off, I pity the people doing the house-clearance" kind.
I've got only a few items - a PRC320, this-century Yaesu HF/VHF transceivers, Diamond power-supplies, a Bird wattmeter - that would find an easy market, The rest is mainly "accumulated tat" of little future value [maybe the AR88 and the RA217D would be sellable-on but the world just doesn't want Barker-88s, Pye P75s or the like]. I've also got loads of components/bits-and-pieces which would undoubtedly cost more to identify/list/auction than they would ever raise. I don't want my inheritors to have much hassle, so I've already started a cull - the wheelie-bin to be collected tomorrow is stuffed full of old VGA/SCART leads, PS/2 keyboards/mice/KVM-switches, and about 20 jam-jars/margarine-tubs containing screws-with-chewed-up-heads, knobs-with-stripped-grubstrew-threads, short potentiometer-spindle offcuts, old pots, strange little brackets from who-knows-what, old X/Y capacitors (some new-old-stock, but I don't trust them!) and the like. I've also started on my tools, and have two bucket-fulls of blunt tin-snips, pliers/side-cutters with slack, wobbly pivots or visible notches on the cutting-surfaces, dozens of non-VDE-rated screwdrivers with damaged tips, and about half a kilogram of blunt twist-drills/old chuck-keys. Add in old soldering-iron bits, new bits for long-since-replaced soldering-irons and a big box containing a dozen 10,000-packs of rusty staples, and you can see I've made a good start. More will come - I may offer some of it to other forum members, but it'll be in 'big lots' like "1Kg of variable capacitors" beczuse I just want rid of the stuff. |
5th May 2020, 5:19 pm | #26 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
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Re: What to do with my collection?
The Black Country Museum in Dudley have a 'Radio Shop' in their streets there. I would think they would like at least some stuff, it would lighten your load as and when you wanted or needed to part with some. The shop, 'Griptons' can be seen at the link below.
https://www.bclm.co.uk/locations/gri...m#.XrGRbBNKhs8
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A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever.. |
5th May 2020, 5:25 pm | #27 | |
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Re: What to do with my collection
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That's why I plan to sell or give away as much stuff as possible during my life time. I've made a very small list of what I plan to keep until my demise.
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Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron. |
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5th May 2020, 6:04 pm | #28 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 9,637
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Re: What to do with my collection
Or carry the guilt of not doing so, as they won't have a clue where to start. Little of mine has much value to anyone except me, it can continue on it's interrupted journey to recycling!
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5th May 2020, 8:15 pm | #29 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Leicester, Leics. UK.
Posts: 1,681
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Re: What to do with my collection?
I think one of the best resources for rehoming wireless collections and associated stuff is the community here. Offer anything free and it goes like a shot! I suppose a lot depends on who is left to do the sorting, and their time and inclination. Items of real value, identify and they are likely to get sold. BVWS auctions can take a lot, depending on their availability. Otherwise a garage sale advertised here. If things are not of great value, even a giveaway. That encourages fellow enthusiasts, shifts almost everything, and is quick and painless. When I look at my own stuff, I see a lot of things of little value, such as signal generators and old scopes, which I simply like. There will be others who feel the same way. The main thing is, nothing is wasted.
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5th May 2020, 9:53 pm | #30 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Oxfordshire, UK.
Posts: 4,924
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Re: What to do with my collection?
I am not greatly concerned about what happens to my very modest collection of radio equipment. However, I am not happy about my collection of tools. I have a sense that "tools are part of the man". I'm talking about a fair amount of radio and electrical stuff, a good deal of motoring stuff and the gardening stuff. The thought that much of this could end up at car boot sales appals me . I'd really like to take it with me, on a great big Viking long boat, sailing into the setting Sun.
B
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5th May 2020, 10:36 pm | #31 |
Hexode
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK.
Posts: 465
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Re: What to do with my collection?
Thank you again, friends, for these very helpful replies and suggestions. Clearly, the museum idea will be a non-starter; it would be impossible to make it pay its own way, even with volunteer staff. But there are plenty of leads to follow up which I will do over the next couple of weeks. I've started making an inventory - this may take a while, though I do try to store items at least in labelled boxes!
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6th May 2020, 12:27 pm | #32 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Edinburgh, UK.
Posts: 805
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Re: What to do with my collection?
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The thought that some future archeologist/paleontologist might be confused for a few seconds by finding prehistoric remains amongst 20th century human was slightly amusing. |
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6th May 2020, 1:50 pm | #33 | |
Octode
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Location: Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, UK.
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Re: What to do with my collection?
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6th May 2020, 4:54 pm | #34 |
Nonode
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Walsall Wood, Aldridge, Walsall, UK.
Posts: 2,853
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Re: What to do with my collection?
Hi!
One thing I feel that should be preserved, even if not necessarily in paper form, is equipment service manuals! The Original Manufacturer still had to employ specialist staff to write and design diagrams and layouts, and when digitised into Electronic form, should always be done to the very best quality when an original paper item is available, and most Members on here do this – Member "Pinorkel's" (Denis) efforts in reclaiming a tatty unreadable TQ D755 manual is a case in point – he deserves the highest praise for his hard work! I can draw "Newnes Quality" circuit diagrams from almost anything I can identify, which is another way of preserving poor quality original data! As to the comment about "being held to ransom for the only copy of a manual", the best insurance to that nonsense is to upload it to k04BB, BAMA and Elektrotanya! If I can afford to buy a rare manual, then I would scan/upload it for free as a service to others, seller's watermarks or not! Chris Williams
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It's an enigma, that's what it is! This thing's not fixed because it doesn't want to be fixed! Last edited by Chris55000; 6th May 2020 at 5:00 pm. |
8th May 2020, 1:58 am | #35 | |
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Nijmegen, Netherlands
Posts: 142
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Re: What to do with my collection?
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A running theme is the idea of something being either viewed as worthless or impossible to shift, getting scrapped or chucked out, meanwhile the one person on earth looking for one is unaware, skint or too far away to get it. I think there's only one cure for that, better documentation of what we own and better communication between all us geeks. There should be some national matchmaking service for situations like these, with perhaps also a black ops team for rescuing stuff from "recycling centres" as tips like to call themselves now. |
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8th May 2020, 9:40 am | #36 |
Octode
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Grantham, Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 1,172
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Re: What to do with my collection?
Less criticism for my comments than expected, thanks.
Yes, this forum and similar for other hobbies works well. But that still raises the problem of packing and postage costs. I have packed and posted all sorts of stuff all around the world, it is not easy. Need a room full of cardboard boxes, double wall, and bubble wrap plus a large table to do the work on. Then there is the weight. Never throw metal away, take it to the scrappy even if you get nothing for it. Cables with the connectors cut off is copper, £1 kg, clean aluminium is £450 tonne etc. Gold is now $1700 toz to AWA in Harlow. But what to do with components? Toroidal transformers? ICs? Transistors? At least valves seem to have a current value, impressed with the wanted thread for a transmitting valve. My criticism of museums is personal experience. |
8th May 2020, 11:19 am | #37 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
Posts: 5,316
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Re: What to do with my collection?
A museum does need diligent trustees. The Marconi Museum at Baddow was only saved from being sold at auction because one of the trustees delved into the records and showed that the bulk of the most valuable items (including the "Titanic" memorabila) had been the personal property of Marconi himself, not the Marconi company, and so were not the company's to sell.
An engineer who had worked at the old GEC Osram factory at Hammersmith told me that after manufacture of lamps ended, its large collection of historical lamps was simply dumped. |
8th May 2020, 1:13 pm | #38 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
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Re: What to do with my collection?
I must admit, I'm vaguely perturbed at a 'not bothered' attitude regarding what happens to a collection once the owner has passed. The collection, no matter how small or large represents the love and care bestowed upon it by the late collector and deserves to be 'dispersed' in an appropriate manner, not a skip, the tip, whatever. Furthermore, they're not building vintage radios, TVs, & hifis anymore so on that score alone they need to be responsibly re-homed. Whether or not the late collector leaves more detailed instructions in that respect or simply places the onus on one caring, responsible person to do so properly is only right and correct in my book. No collection should be dispersed in a manner that is likely to result in sets going to places where they're not wanted, not cared for or even junked. Just my opinion.
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A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever.. |
8th May 2020, 1:33 pm | #39 |
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Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK.
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Re: What to do with my collection?
Unfortunately I've seen "a caring and responsible person" steal everything of value from a deceased's estate, telling the widow it was junk.
I lost count of the number of fellow model engineers whom my father "promised" valuable stuff to, including models worth thousands of pounds.. If it wasn't in his will they didn't get it The best person to dispose of your collection is you and that means doing it during your lifetime if possible.
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Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron. |
8th May 2020, 9:53 pm | #40 |
Rest in Peace
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Location: Ripley, Derbyshire, UK.
Posts: 785
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Re: What to do with my collection?
I am in the fortunate position in that the executor of my estate is a long-standing and trustworthy friend, who is a licensed amateur of many years. He is also an ex bank employee who knows what is the realiatic worth of that which is worth saving.
We agree that not many people outside of the vintage radio fraternity know or care much for old radios or T.V.s Therefore the majority will end up being "disposed" of, but the worthwhile stuff will be given a second chance, being offered for sale. (Proceeds to charity along with the rest of the estate). Re Baz4CQJ (post# 30) : Heavier tools and some garden equipment will be welcome here. https://www.twam.uk/donatetools A worthwhile cause in my opinion. Tony. |