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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 > > > > > > > > > > >