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Model Forum / General / Models / August 2007Looking to sell extensive collection of vintage models
Hello there, My father has been collecting model airplanes and related items since he was a child, and has an extensive collection that includes unopened model kits, kits that have been opened but not built, some built items, rolled plans, odds & ends, etc. that span the timeframe from the late 1920's to around the year 2000. The collection includes pristine editions of many model airplane magazines that also cover the same timeframe. He gave it to me some time ago, and it fills (and overflows) a two-car garage. I just don't have room, and would very much like to sell it. (Dad's fine with that.) Anyone interested, or know of other avenues I might try? He has kept a fairly accurate inventory of what he has, so I can provide that information to interested parties if desired. Any reasonable and helpful response will be appreciated. Thank you!  SignatureRemove dotty rant to reply. Have you ever felt like your patron saint is a man named Murphy? -=-=- ... Of course, organizing writers is like herding cats. * TagZilla 0.066 * http://tagzilla.mozdev.org On Aug 2, 3:15 pm, Summer Storms <summerbythelakes...@gRANTmailDOT.com> wrote: > Hello there, > My father has been collecting model airplanes and related items since he was [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > what he has, so I can provide that information to interested parties if desired. > Any reasonable and helpful response will be appreciated. Thank you! Have you considered or already drawn up a list of what you will have available for sale? I would be interested in expanding my magazine collection (Air Trails and associated magazines), and looking into any models of space-related stuff (real space or sci-fi). But I'd like to know what you have and about how much you'd like for it. Thanks, -- John > Have you ever felt like your patron saint is a man named Murphy? So you've met him then...... > On Aug 2, 3:15 pm, Summer Storms > <summerbythelakes...@gRANTmailDOT.com> wrote: [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > So you've met him then...... Thanks for the quick response. I'll be happy to go through the magazines and the space items and provide you with a list. This may take a little while, because the magazine lists aren't quite as well organized as the lists of other items (though the magazines themselves are, and I will simply look through the files they are in). And I know there are both historic and fictional space models in the collection as well. I will get back to you just as soon as I can put a listing together of the items you have expressed an interest in. SignatureRemove dotty rant to reply. Have you ever felt like your patron saint is a man named Murphy? > Hello there, > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > saint is a man named Murphy? > -=-=- Do you want to sell piece at a time or as group(s)? Post lists by type, ie., ships, planes, etc. Or some other way you choose. Check Ebay to see what similar stuff is selling for to give you an idea of value - sometimes what you think it is worth is not what someone else will pay<g> I would be interested in what some of the ships are. > Check Ebay to see what > similar stuff is selling for to give you an idea of value - sometimes what > you think it is worth is not what someone else will pay<g> I'm not an ebayer (I don't have the time!), but I was warned by a friend who does ebay that to check values I should pay no attention to what the bids are, but to what the item finally sold for. Instead of flogging your Dad's collection off, why not charge the members of Rec.Models.Scale an entrance fee just to come and look at it? Sounds like a great collection .. we could all cathartically enthuse, then go away happy in the knowledge that our _own_ heaps have grown no larger! Best of luck -- big job! John >> Check Ebay to see what >> similar stuff is selling for to give you an idea of value - sometimes what [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > who does ebay that to check values I should pay no attention to what the > bids are, but to what the item finally sold for. I've looked on eBay that way... of course, a lot of Dad's stuff I haven't even found listed there to get a comparison. :-/ But yes, the final selling price is definitely a better indicator of value than just looking at bids, considering that there are plenty of people out there whose standard bid for everything is around a dollar. > Instead of flogging your Dad's collection off, why not charge the > members of Rec.Models.Scale an entrance fee just to come and look at it? > Sounds like a great collection .. we could all cathartically enthuse, > then go away happy in the knowledge that our _own_ heaps have grown no > larger! Hmmm... Dad _has_ been complaining of boredom and wishing he still had a job to go to... "Hey, Dad, howsabout we open a museum and you can take tickets?" *chuckle* > Best of luck -- big job! > John Thanks, John. SignatureRemove dotty rant to reply. My Discussion Board: http://talkfreedom.netfreehost.com My Blog: http://summerbythelakeside.wordpress.com "I think we're in a culture of "Bread and Circuses", and the neocons have found they don't even have to provide bread to the masses if the circuses are distracting enough." - Christianlib, April 6, 2007 on TalkFreedom "Disbelief in magic can force a poor soul into believing in government and business." - Tom Robbins "Education is not the taming or domestication of the soul's raw passions -- not suppressing them or excising them, which would deprive the soul of its energy -- but forming and informing them as art." - Allen Bloom Have you ever felt like your patron saint is a man named Murphy? -=-=- ... * TagZilla 0.066 * http://tagzilla.mozdev.org >>> Check Ebay to see what similar stuff is selling for to give you an idea >>> of value - sometimes what you think it is worth is not what someone else [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > at bids, considering that there are plenty of people out there whose > standard bid for everything is around a dollar. You'll get a much higher price for the collection by selling the items individually on eBay but it's also a lot more work. Don't make the mistake of multiplying the prices paid for individual items on eBay and assuming someone would pay anything like that for the entire collection. Most likely they would offer you a derisory sum which bears no relation to the collection's true worth then break up the collection and sell the items individually themselves. (kim) >>>> Check Ebay to see what similar stuff is selling for to give you an idea >>>> of value - sometimes what you think it is worth is not what someone else [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > (kim) I'd kind of like to avoid going the eBay route much at all, to be honest. It's hard to find that kind of time. SignatureRemove dotty rant to reply. Have you ever felt like your patron saint is a man named Murphy? -=-=- ... * TagZilla 0.066 * http://tagzilla.mozdev.org > I'd kind of like to avoid going the eBay route much at all, to be > honest. It's hard to find that kind of time. There are folks that will buy entire collections from people. I've seen their advertisements in the backs of various modeling magazines (Fine Scale Modeler for example). I'm guessing you will get pennies on the dollar in terms of actual value (compared to selling them yourself on ebay for example). One ebay route that can cut the time down is to sell lots of models instead of individual modesl. Signatureratfood@food.skaterat.net All foods should be removed to reply >> I'd kind of like to avoid going the eBay route much at all, to be >> honest. It's hard to find that kind of time. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > One ebay route that can cut the time down is to sell lots of models > instead of individual modesl. Selling in lots. Yes, I've thought of that, too. If I can figure out the values, I could probably group things such that I make a lot with one or two high-value items combined with several lower-valued ones that might otherwise be tougher to sell, and then offer that lot at a price level that reflects the overall value of the items... I've thought of this. Man... only 24 hours in a day. I need to find some jumbo days with more hours in them. SignatureRemove dotty rant to reply. Have you ever felt like your patron saint is a man named Murphy? -=-=- ... Are you sure? (Y)es (N)o (W)hat was the question? * TagZilla 0.066 * http://tagzilla.mozdev.org >>> I'd kind of like to avoid going the eBay route much at all, to be >>> honest. It's hard to find that kind of time. [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > otherwise be tougher to sell, and then offer that lot at a price level > that reflects the overall value of the items... I've thought of this. Personally I wouldn't do that, the less desirable items would bring down the value of the more desirable one. To save time and for no other reason I'd group similar items together for sale. (kim) > Personally I wouldn't do that, the less desirable items would bring down the > value of the more desirable one. To save time and for no other reason I'd > group similar items together for sale. > Items sold as groups will probably be bought by a dealer who intends to re-sell them at a profit. By selling the really good ones as individual pieces they will go to individuals who will be willing to pay top dollar for them, as that is what they'd pay for them if they bought them from the sort of dealer mentioned above. Pat > Selling in lots. Yes, I've thought of that, too. If I can figure out > the values, I could probably group things such that I make a lot with > one or two high-value items combined with several lower-valued ones > that might otherwise be tougher to sell, and then offer that lot at a > price level that reflects the overall value of the items... I've > thought of this. If it were me, I'd put the list of models (particularly the ones unbuilt in their boxes) up here, and let everybody give estimates of their value. Searching through ebay or vintage model aircraft sales companies to find out what similar ones sold for would be time consuming for you, But I at least enjoy doing stuff like that, particularly if it's a kit I had as a kid (or always wanted to have). Some of the really rare ones could be worth considerable sums, and it would probably be best to list those one separately on ebay along with photos and descriptions of their condition. Mid-value ones could be sold either separately, or in small groups, and the common ones as a large collection or in groups by subject (jet aircraft, civil aircraft, airliners, etc.). A collection that goes back as far as the one you described is almost certain to have some real gems in it as far as value goes, since it would predate plastic models, and might have some of the earliest plastic model aircraft in it, which would be worth considerable sums nowadays. Even empty boxes from early or rare model kits can be sold for surprising sums. Pat >> Selling in lots. Yes, I've thought of that, too. If I can figure out >> the values, I could probably group things such that I make a lot with [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > Pat Pat, those high-value items in good condition are what I'm hoping for to find. I'm just beginning to work my way through the inventory, but Dad claims he's got some valuable stuff there, so I hope he's right. As for posting a list here and letting the regulars help me figure out values, that's certainly a worthy idea, as well as hopefully making some sales in the process. I'm also going to be looking (as has been suggested here and also by Dad) through some sources from magazines and such as well, for pricing info, etc. Having multiple sources should be helpful! SignatureRemove dotty rant to reply. Have you ever felt like your patron saint is a man named Murphy? -=-=- ... * TagZilla 0.066 * http://tagzilla.mozdev.org > Pat, those high-value items in good condition are what I'm hoping for > to find. I'm just beginning to work my way through the inventory, but [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > and such as well, for pricing info, etc. Having multiple sources > should be helpful! Here's one to look for; it's very unlikely one is in there, but this is considered one of the rarest, and possibly the rarest, plastic model aircraft kit of them all: http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/ITCF-108RAPIERPAGE.htm Considering the age of the collection, some of the most interesting things in it are probably going to be the pre-plastic-era models in it, and the magazines from several decades ago. The magazines from the pre-1960 era would certainly be fascinating to see, particularly the ones from the 1930's and WW II. BTW, if you come across any black plastic model aircraft, those are military aircraft identification models, and there are collectors that will pay good money for them, as they are a whole collectible subgroup of aircraft models in their own right: http://www.ualberta.ca/~khorne/solid/solid.html There were also odd looking cardboard "silhouette" ID models: http://www.doxaerie.com/histIDNelliiiweb.jpg Historically they are very important, as the military wanted an easy way for pilots and gunners to be able to tell the size of the enemy aircraft without having the ID modes being too large to easily manufacture and transport, so they came up with the idea of having a six foot tall person be one inch high in comparison to the identification model. That works out as 1/72nd scale, and it's been the most common size for model aircraft ever since. Early ones were made of wood by school kids: http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/museum/artifacts/archives/002525.asp There were also tiny 1/432 scale ID models for practicing recognition of aircraft at a great distance or while flying over them while they were on the ground: http://totellyouthetruth.chumpmonkey.com/archives/000196.php http://www.doxaerie.com/historical_models.htm Pat On Aug 3, 11:11 am, Summer Storms <summerbythelakes...@gRANTmailDOT.com> wrote: > I'd kind of like to avoid going the eBay route much at all, to be > honest. It's hard to find that kind of time. I haven't been around ebay much lately (getting to be too complicated to be worth the trouble!), but I believe there are "services" (IIRC, one is called "Auction Genie", or something like that) who will, for a cut of the profits (on top of the cut ebay takes), handle the whole thing for you. I'd have to assume that you still have to do the shipping yourself, though. JT On Aug 3, 1:54 pm, jthmp...@arvotek.net wrote: > On Aug 3, 11:11 am, Summer Storms > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > JT Selling in lots of like items is the best way to go. You might post them here as this is one of the best forums around to get the items into the hands of people who will appreciate them the most. You'll find more modelers here than collectors as well as many who fall into both catagories. I've sold quite a few items here and never had a problem. Tom > On Aug 3, 11:11 am, Summer Storms > <summerbythelakes...@gRANTmailDOT.com> wrote: [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > JT There are consignment dealers who handle everything for you - for a price. I sold off my collection the hard way. I've been dispersing it since 2002 a couple pieces at a time. I've been at it long enough to see some of my train stuff getting resold by another guy. What hurts is that he got more for my stuff than I did. Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr. > >> Check Ebay to see what > >> similar stuff is selling for to give you an idea of value - sometimes what [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > Thanks, John. Shucks, get him to be the guide. We can all talk each other's ears off. Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr. I would be interested in 1/48, 1/144 aircraft and maybe a ship model or two!If you do a list please send me it! Hub > Hello there, > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Any reasonable and helpful response will be appreciated. Thank you! |
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