When to sell a collection

[brett361975]

Thank you all for the sound advice and your opinions, they are much appreciated.

I will not be selling my collection but will however be making inventories etc as advised.

I have a lot of work to do !

Regards

Brett

[59165]

Sell nothing for now,just wait.

[Paul Hederer]

If one is going to sell it, you should always do if before you die, to get the best price.

One is reminded of the often quoted tale in book collecting circles, around the turn of the 20th century about a book collector was staying in a widows boarding house in Blackpool, and found the loo paper was recycled First Edition Caxtons.

The dead husband had been a serious book collector of very early books, and wife had thought those smelly old books where worth nothing.

The broader bought what was left for a small sum, but even then Caxtons where worth a small fortune.

I know an even worse tale. Out of respect for the man I'll include no particulars. Great War scholar, collector of books, facts, documents. He had a treasure-trove of information he had gathered over decades. When he died the family through all the "trash" in the garbage. Only a few pages of his work were saved--so much that could have been passed on...one of a kind, and all gone.

Paul

[MartH]

Paul

You are spot on on this, its the additional knowledge that we have all worked /created up through our interest that really needs preserving for others. The collections of books or bits are monetary regardless of how much, where the real value is, is passing on the knowledge to others. Which has prompted me to start a project to digitally photograph my Trafalgar bit, and write up all my years of research, its unique, but the value is in the additional understanding it brings to Trafalgar. When that's completed its the books....

Many thanks for the post,

Mart

[Moonraker]

... When he died the family through all the "trash" in the garbage ...

Paul

A couple of years ago I had to clear my parents' house and a couple of years before that had helped a friend clear out her aunt's. In both cases there was plenty of time, but even so some very pragmatic decisions had to be made, some of which would have disturbed my parents. It can be difficult to find a home for a lot of useful stuff, and the only alternative is to chuck it out; this problem can be exacerbated if one doesn't have much time. Which makes it all the more important to leave instructions and advice on the disposal of one's belongings.

Moonraker

[Paul Hederer]

I can truly understand both sides of this. A few years ago we were (after a family death) faced with a house full of furniture and only a few days of holiday time to arrange everything. We did rescue the important family heirlooms, but the rest of the furniture, some of it beautiful, was simply carted off by a removal company, and probably sold for a pretty penny later.

I agree about the last wishes. I would hope my collection would go to a library, or something. I need to give that some thought.

Paul

[ianw]

A periodic thinning out of a collection to focus it and improve the overall quality is usually a good thing.

I have sold some WW1 books recently when offered a good price and realising that I hadn't opened them for a long time. It will give others some pleasure as well.