I shudder to think about someone carelessly tossing around the "milk boxes" full of shellac, which
is how I envisioned Barr's collection.

Agree that it should have been examined by an expert. Probably 90% of it was OK in the dumpster, but
that 10% may be very rare and worth having in a professional archive.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Seubert" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 03, 2013 10:58 AM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] steven barr


> I'll be candid here as what prompted my post is that Steve and I had talked about his collection
> coming to UCSB a few years ago and I realized I hadn't seen him post anything in a couple of
> years. I'd never seen his collection and while I suspect that it was more "catalog" than rarities,
> the sheer amount of stuff he'd seen and amassed in order to figure out all the various catalog
> series for his book said to me that a lot of records passed through his hands. He also was
> interested in the Grey Gull family, and in order to make sense of that mess you have to have a lot
> of records to examine.
>
> I hope the collection didn't end up in a dumpster and somebody recognized whatever unusual content
> was in Steve's "half vast horde" as he called it. I've seen other collectors put off the hard
> decision on the disposition of their collections with sad consequences. All collectors should have
> a written plan in place of what they want to happen to their collection, whatever that may be.
>
> If anybody talks to Steve, give him my best.
>
> David Seubert
>
>
> On Dec 3, 2013, at 7:07 AM, John Haley wrote:
>
>> It's a real issue, and we should all mark Tom's words. I have bought
>> collections and particpated in clean-outs for relatives and others, and
>> believe me, the real enemy of the great collection is the dumpster. That
>> is where a lot of them go. My goal is to skinny down what I have while I
>> am alive, and then leave some kind of list or markings of what is really
>> valuable. To the non-collectors in our families who have tolerated our
>> collections for years, it is usually all junk to be got rid of.
>>
>> Best,
>> John Haley
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Dec 3, 2013 at 9:07 AM, eugene hayhoe <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>>> I, when I walk into my basement, feel like 'what a lucky guy.' My wife,
>>> OTOH, goes 'OMG!' and mostly won't even come down here.
>>>
>>> The concern I have is finding the spot where 'she gets the most value' and
>>> 'the recordings, etc. end up in the right places' meet - most dealers have
>>> personal financial interests, and the moving 'would not be a quick, casual
>>> job.' I've suggested more than once that she 'hire someone to open a
>>> temporary store' as the best way to liquidate, but she doesn't display much
>>> enthusiasm, despite the quite profitable nature of that idea. One friend
>>> could be interested in some, but has his own space issues of the same
>>> nature. As a retired college faculty member, I wouldn't trust much of any
>>> school to 'use them appropriately.'
>>>
>>> I've also told her that 'if Koester is still around when that time comes,
>>> he'd probably be interested.'
>>>
>>> And in NO way is that a dis; only spoke to him once, but 'have been
>>> appreciating his efforts in preserving American music for over 45 years.'
>>>
>>> Gene
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------
>>> On Tue, 12/3/13, Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>>
>>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] steven barr
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2013, 8:03 AM
>>>
>>> One lesson that can be learned is
>>> that we who collect should explore, while we are healthy,
>>> vital and with full faculties, who might want to inherit our
>>> collections. Is there an institution or archive we trust,
>>> and is interested? Another collector? Would we like to
>>> pre-arrange an auction with an expert in the topic areas
>>> where we focus our collection? Don't assume spouses or
>>> children or friends know or care about your collection,
>>> unless you have included them in it and they have expressed
>>> interest.
>>>
>>> Having inherited a few collections of records and vintage
>>> audio gear, I will say that it is never an easy process
>>> because of the bulk, logistics, storage and other issues.
>>> There is always expense and time-burden put on the person
>>> taking over the collection, so make sure that person wants
>>> the collection enough to put in the time and put up the
>>> money. In my case, it helped very much in the cases where
>>> the collection was well-documented. It also helped that two
>>> of the collections had been introduced to me gradually, with
>>> detailed explaination from the original owners. In fact I
>>> treasure those times, with people I respected and cared for
>>> explaining something they loved and about which they knew a
>>> great deal, more than I treasure the actual items.
>>>
>>> In the other cases, it was "hey I know you like this kind of
>>> stuff and we need to clean out XX's house so we can sell it,
>>> if you'll come and take it away you can have it." In those
>>> cases, I was much more likely to sell off pieces in order to
>>> cover my logistics and storage expenses, very soon after
>>> taking possession. I do not regret any of those sales,
>>> because some very nice items passed into hands that
>>> appreciate and use them today. In these cases, I have passed
>>> back all other sales proceeds to the people generous enough
>>> to call me rather than put stuff in the dumpster or turn it
>>> over to an estate-sale hack to get pennies on the dollar of
>>> the true values. Net-net, I ended up keeping fewer items
>>> from these collections, but it's nice to have those things.
>>>
>>> The final case I've been involved in was my friend, 10 years
>>> my junior, who died suddenly earlier this year. His father
>>> needed help assessing his house-full of audio gear, tapes
>>> and records, and finding buyers for what had monetary value
>>> and takers for the rest. We managed to get 90% of it sold
>>> and given away, and the rest really was dumpster junk. I
>>> bought some equipment items, which I am happy to have, and
>>> his father gave me his records and tapes, which I am very
>>> pleased to have and will remind me of my good friend gone
>>> too soon.
>>>
>>> The point of this is, if you care about what happens to your
>>> collection when you're gone, you need to be proactive. The
>>> best time to be proactive is when you have the energy and
>>> the presence of mind to do it, ie not at the very end. You
>>> can't take it with you, and you must assume that no one else
>>> values it and nothing good will happen to it unless you make
>>> preparations and enlist allies who will outlive you.
>>>
>>> -- Tom Fine
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "eugene hayhoe" <[log in to unmask]
>>>>
>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, December 03, 2013 7:26 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] steven barr
>>>
>>>
>>>> All that work collecting and organizing for naught? A
>>> shame. Hope they ended up with 'someone who appreciates what
>>> they have.'
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --------------------------------------------
>>>> On Mon, 12/2/13, Dave Burnham <[log in to unmask]>
>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] steven barr
>>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>>> Date: Monday, December 2, 2013, 9:00 PM
>>>>
>>>> David Lennick is your best bet,
>>>> however I'm not sure he has the info either. I don't
>>> think
>>>> there is an e-mail address because the reason he
>>> stopped
>>>> posting on 78L was because he didn't have a computer.
>>> He may
>>>> well be out of reach. I understand his records have
>>> been
>>>> liquidated to cover debts owing.
>>>>
>>>> db
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>
>>>>> On Dec 2, 2013, at 8:43 PM, David Seubert <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Anybody heard from Steve Barr lately and have a
>>> current
>>>> contact email? The
>>>>> email I have for him bounces.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>
>>>>> David
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>