Sell my late husband's 40 Mosaic Box Sets on Ebay, Amazon or Disco

[ejp626]

In short:

Remembe the age-old principle in any such transaction:

"AVOID THE MIDDLEMAN!"

We all will have to face up to that problem of how to prepare the field for those who will still be around to clear out all our hoarding mess (aka "collections" of this'n that) when we have bowed out. And I've already taken some ribbing form my better half about that too. But I know for sure that when the time approaches I will stipulate that the "records/music" part of my collections will under ABSOLUTELY NO circumstances be sold to the local second hand platter shop! I've bought quite a bit from them through the years but they certainly won't give you top money when they purchase collections and I don't see why I should grease their palms by providing them with the opportunity of selling the same goods over and over again. After all, that would be too easy for them ...

I've been thinking about this lately, and I would COMPLETELY go the other direction. My wife is going to be in no condition to deal with grief and then posting a list of 1000s of CDs onto a listserv or even worse eBay and then haggling with folks. It's a huge effort and not worth the stress.

It's generally not even worth posting CDs here because there is so little I have that is intriguing enough for others to bother bidding on. It was generally not worth it 4 or 5 years ago, and with the rise of postage costs, forget about it.

It's all going to the consignment shop, if I don't start getting rid of it myself first.

[mjazzg]

Couldn't agree more.

Whatever our collections mean to us whilst alive they'll be little more than an encumbrance to those we leave grieving (if indeed we do). It strikes me that the most effective offload for anyone in the midst of sorting out another's life whilst dealing with their loss would be to go direct to a dealer/shop. Maybe not the most economically productive but I doubt that will be a major consideration at the time.

I'm pleased that the board has been able to help Laurie in what must have been a difficult decision. The empathy displayed by most posters to the thread has been a testament to this community

[Big Beat Steve]

I see your points mjazzg and ejp626 - totally so.

And yet it is something where you cannot generalize.

I too am glad to hear Laurie found a solution that suits her well. I just wanted to point out this is not something for everybody, least of all for those at the buyers' end who might have been quite interested in taking specific items off her hands. At prices no doubt higher than what any dealer would pay. I for one am glad I was able to buy select items from such Excel lists (at prices which were very decent to the sellers too) when collections came up for sale here in collectors's circles, either due to death or due to massive downsizing. Not likely I would have been able to get these items at the same prices once they had ended in the stocks of professional dealers.

I hope I still have some mileage left until I have to give all this serious and final thoughts and in the end (after I've left the building) I cannot definitely steer things in the direction I prefer anyway, that's for sure. But this matter has been given some thought here and it seems like I would be able to nominate one or several trustworthy persons (friends or very good acquaintances, in fact) for EACH part of my collections (which do go beyond records) who know their way around in these fields (not least of all because they are collectors themselves) and either would be honest enough (so I firmly believe ) to offer fair prices for items THEY want or would be able to advise on what pitfalls to avoid in order not to be shortchanged when selling part of the collection elsewhere before hauling off the remainder (or should I say remnants?) to some dealer. Am I such an isolated case?

[ejp626]

I really think most of us overvalue our collections. I just see a complete collapse in resale value aside from a handful of things like the Mosaic box sets (and even there most of those don't have the same value they had 5 years ago). Unless you have an extremely unique collection, you are putting a huge burden on your friends and family in expecting them to extract a great value from the collection.

I've already come to terms with the fact that all the books in my collection are going to be donated to interested family members and then to a library. It was bad enough when I went around with boxes of books only to have 3 or 4 taken by a bookseller; I don't want friends or family to face up to the same. It's too depressing and too much work.

I'm giving myself another 15 years, and then I need to start paring down for good.

[mjazzg]

I see your points mjazzg and ejp626 - totally so.

And yet it is something where you cannot generalize.

Except I think you can generalise. Grief and loss will be strong emotions. They will probably be stronger than any once-removed attachment that the bereaved will feel for our collections.

I'm not suggesting we shouldn't do what we can to avoid rip-offs but I'm realistic enough to accept that I won't be there to influence decisions and that whoever is making the decisions will do what they will do - I don't want to complicate their decisions with my attachment to my collection whatever that may be whilst I'm alive.

Sell it and make something good out of it for themselves from the proceedings, even donate it but please don't worry too much about it

[Homefromtheforest]

CDs have gone the way of the dodo bird. The audience for CDs is shrinking and dying.

I still buy them, but recognize I'm part of a small minority that do. Selling 7000 CDs privately/individually is a curse I would not want to wish on anyone!!

[Big Beat Steve]

I really think most of us overvalue our collections. I just see a complete collapse in resale value aside from a handful of things like the Mosaic box sets (and even there most of those don't have the same value they had 5 years ago). Unless you have an extremely unique collection, you are putting a huge burden on your friends and family in expecting them to extract a great value from the collection.

I've already come to terms with the fact that all the books in my collection are going to be donated to interested family members and then to a library. It was bad enough when I went around with boxes of books only to have 3 or 4 taken by a bookseller; I don't want friends or family to face up to the same. It's too depressing and too much work.

In a way I agree with you, and in a way I don't.

I agree in that I have been through this "getting rid of" thing too after my father died (and even before that when he scaled down). He had huge masses of books, not only fiction (all the classics) but also architecture, art, history, etc. Hard, very hard to shift for many items because those who value that kind of coffee table art and history books either have them all themselves or are approaching an age where they'd better start downsizing fast too. Though the receipts often were less than anticipated I was able to make quite a few buyers happy at fleamarkets, etc. (and had no regrets unloading others at charity insittutions). And YET - there were some ((older) architecture books (that he himself had inherited from an older colleague) that went for BIG money (though I did not auction them). And when I sold off the final ones of those better ones (at a quite OK price ) they went to a professional dealer who evidently was totally dumbfounded finding items like this at a FLEAMARKET, and on sale by somebody who knew what he had! Her recurrent question while we negotiated was "What estate did those books come from?" - as if she was dead set that private libraries coming from estates of professionals like this were AUTOMATICALLY meant to go to professional antiquarians and not onto the free market for DIRECT sale to the next generation of FINAL customers who'd value them for the years to come. ("Avoid the middleman" - remember? ) One more experience that spurred me into cautioning my loved ones (against being too blue-eyed when dealing with professionals after I've bowed out).

I don't agree, though, when I look at my own collections. Should I really let my collections of 40s/50s jazz magazines or that relatively full run of all the major pocket-size U.S. hot rod and custom car magazines from the 50s (I must have some 300 or 400 of them - anybody out there among you from the US who remembers them first hand?) go to dealers who'd pay just peanuts (pretending they are too "obscure" over here to create much demand) or shouldn't I rather make an effort making lists of the more interesting items and of potentially interested parties beforehand who are into these fields of collecting themselves and are able to VALUE them at a fair price to both sides?

It's not just a matter of antique items, BTW. I'd try the same with part of my LPS and CDs which at first sight might be just LPs and CDs but cover a variety of "niche segments" of collectible music (jazz and non-jazz) so I'd know where others who are into that but don't necessarily have them all can be found and who might be candidates for "first pick" if interested. Many of these are from genres and labels that you hardly ever find in secondhand record shops (at least over here) ... there msut be a cause for this ...

Not least of all to make sure my heirs at least make some decent money out if it all, even if it is going to be less than what I once paid. That's what I was getting at - but of course that is a field that is for us collectors to prepare and we cannot leave all that work to our heirs.

And if the "mass items" remaining at the end then go to garage sales or to charity, then so be it ...

Edited November 25, 2014 by Big Beat Steve

[paul secor]

The lady made a good choice. Getting rid of everything for a decent price and ridding yourself of the weight of what to do with it all is smart. Life is too short to worry about other people's stuff - even if the other person is your spouse.

[felser]

The lady made a good choice. Getting rid of everything for a decent price and ridding yourself of the weight of what to do with it all is smart. Life is too short to worry about other people's stuff - even if the other person is your spouse.

[Jazzkats]

Dear Board Folk, I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed this last bit of the conversation. With laughter and damp eyes. You have all spoken all of my own thoughts on this. Thank you!

Yes, "It's Complicated". In the interest of your spouses/heirs, I will share a bit more. What you don't know is how long it has been that I have held on to this collection, intending to find the time to sell on ebay or some other way that eliminated the middle man. I did want to realize more from it than I was offered by dealers because it has so much value to me. I have been very attached to the music because Jim was so devoted to collecting and got so much pleasure from it. And when he was ill off and on over a period of a few years, the collecting and listening meant even more to him, and therefore, to me. Recently my new husband Nick (who knew Jim) reminded me that Jim would want the music to be in other's hands where it could be heard and enjoyed. Really hearing that, along with awareness of the declining value, finally got me to let go enough to sell. And the fact that the bucks will come in handy at this point. And knowing that sometimes holding onto things can block new things from opening up in one's life.

It's been 7 and a half years. I have a new beloved (also a jazz man, and he's a jazz drummer and afrocuban and salsa bandleader, a different world). But I still did not want to let the music go. And selling it for money seemed so crass because the love of the music has little or nothing to do with money. Yet I did not want to donate it either, and I did want some return for the money that had gone into it.

I did post a few on ebay and found it time consuming (though I had some success with a few sets a few years back). I hired a friend to post about 50 on ebay a year ago but things didn't sell.

In 2010 about 3 years after Jim passed I did have a sale and averaged about $5 apiece which was great. Plus a few sets sold. We sold about 1200 items that day and the people who bought were so happy to have the music and to have something of Jim's. It was a public sale here in Portland, with a live band in a wonderful space. It was a celebration, and a lot of Jim's friends and my friends were among the couple of hundred people who came. And dear friends and family stepped up and helped with the event, taking money and helping to transport the collection, etc. If I remember right, we did it as a silent auction. Of course there were promo and event expenses, but it was worth it. It was challenging but the social nature of it was also supportive.

So...I talked with our great local music store folks last week, and after posting here talked with Stereo Jack (not interested), and Dusty made the fairest offer. There are quite a few items in the collection that are low end, as well as some special items, and it is great that he is taking all of it. I may continue to second guess myself until it walks out the door. Did I mention he is going to come out here and pack it in boxes and ship it? It feels like a real blessing that we don't have to do that and I don't have to ask someone else to do it for me. And I don't have to pack and ship them individually! It's still a challenge to let it go but I am determined that it has to happen. I still have the jazz books, and some of the others (and the zen books) and may post those on the book forum and see if there are takers, but not right away since they are stored where not easy to get to.

Well, I hope this isn't too much info...I share in hopes it will benefit you and your families (way in the long distant future), and in gratitude for the place to have had this great conversation with people who have so much in common with Jim.

[Big Beat Steve]

In 2010 about 3 years after Jim passed I did have a sale and averaged about $5 apiece which was great. Plus a few sets sold. We sold about 1200 items that day and the people who bought were so happy to have the music and to have something of Jim's. It was a public sale here in Portland, with a live band in a wonderful space. It was a celebration, and a lot of Jim's friends and my friends were among the couple of hundred people who came.

An excellent way of making sure things go directly to the next generation of owners/collectors. And a variation of what I have been wondering about when it comes to how to make sure that at least part of the items go directly where they will be enjoyed. $5 on average certainly isn't bad, BTW.

All in all, you did the right thing all the way through IMHO.

[Clunky]

The lady made a good choice. Getting rid of everything for a decent price and ridding yourself of the weight of what to do with it all is smart. Life is too short to worry about other people's stuff - even if the other person is your spouse.

I'd agree too . No way I'd want my wife to have all that hassle. Everything to a dealer.

[Big Beat Steve]

I'd agree too . No way I'd want my wife to have all that hassle. Everything to a dealer.

I'd agree if it wasn't so that most the dealers (that could be approached) are just so greedy.

And if it wasn't so that I have quite a huge circle of friends/acquaintances/contacts who share my interests (none share all of my interests but I'd know some trustworthy ones for each of these areas) and, provided I don't outlive them all (unlikely) would be more than willing to acquire this or that of my items at a price that is more than what a dealer would pay but significantly less than what a dealer would charge them (classical win-win situation without the middleman) and/or could provide contacts to others who'd be interested. I am fairly sure I could even get some to act as executors/tristees for specific parts of my "estate" (hey, am I getting ahead of things?? ) that coincide with their specific areas of knowledge (and what remains after those targeted sales could still be unloaded wholesale ). Should it really be so that I am one of only very few who are in such a situation? Not all collectors do their collecting in ivory towers, do they?

Laurie certainly did an excellent thing with that public sale she held. Exemplary!

[AllenLowe]

I do repeat my question, whether this was the same Jim Andrews who supplied a few of the Xanadu records tapes - Fuerst and 2nd Set, and a few more.

also, just an aside, wait about 10 years and the cds you own - as permanent storage, not downloads - will become very valuable.

Edited November 25, 2014 by AllenLowe

[Homefromtheforest]

This thread could easily turn into a "what are you going to do with your record/cd collection as you get older" discussion. Nobody can predict the future or when their time is up...it's an interesting topic for sure.

[Leeway]

Although I'm a physical object guy (LPs, CDs), I have to admit that I think the download crowd has it over us in this case. All the music on an iPad/iPod or music server, all the books on a Kindle or Nook, easy to dispose of, or to keep, as the case may be. Nice to think of a son or daughter, or grandson or daughter, picking up the music storage device and finding out they like this music called jazz, or the book device and getting an interest in that author you've always favored. Something to be said for that.

Edited November 25, 2014 by Leeway

[JSngry]

Dusty Groove will come to your house and pack it all up?

Note to Brenda - when I die, call Dusty Groove...or call Laurie.

Seriously, always glad to see happy endings in situations like this. Many of us here shop at DG often enough that the odds of the collection being "kept in the family" (so to speak, in the extended sense), are pretty good.

Laurie, you're not disposing of the collection, you're merely making it available for wider circulation. It's a good thing.

[Homefromtheforest]

Many years ago a big time local record collector once told a friend of mine he'd like to put his entire record collection on a barge, set it on fire, and set it adrift into the ocean. He told him this after a few beers, but it still makes me laugh my ass off when I recall it...

Just saying there's other options you know...

[paul secor]

Many years ago a big time local record collector once told a friend of mine he'd like to put his entire record collection on a barge, set it on fire, and set it adrift into the ocean. He told him this after a few beers, but it still makes me laugh my ass off when I recall it...

Just saying there's other options you know...

There are times when I can identify with that notion.

[Jazzkats]

Thanks All, just be sure your heirs know the value of vinyl today. Most people do not.

DG said "we live to circulate the music." I love that. and please see below.

Dusty Groove will come to your house and pack it all up?

Note to Brenda - when I die, call Dusty Groove...or call Laurie.

Seriously, always glad to see happy endings in situations like this. Many of us here shop at DG often enough that the odds of the collection being "kept in the family" (so to speak, in the extended sense), are pretty good.

Laurie, you're not disposing of the collection, you're merely making it available for wider circulation. It's a good thing.

Yes that's right and thanks for the encouragement. And yes, he's coming to Portland Oregon from Chicago to pack it up! He's bringing boxes. Perhaps Jim pulled a few heavenly strings.

I do repeat my question, whether this was the same Jim Andrews who supplied a few of the Xanadu records tapes - Fuerst and 2nd Set, and a few more.

also, just an aside, wait about 10 years and the cds you own - as permanent storage, not downloads - will become very valuable.

Allen, I don't know. Jim had music friends here and all over the world whom he traded and bought and sold with. To whom did he supply them? Were they lost items that were provided to a company that then distributed them? I know one of his local friends, Don Manning had a lot of unreleased material and did provide some of it to companies that distributed it.

[Chuck Nessa]

Not the same person as I understand it.

Best wishes for the rest of your life.

[johnblitweiler]

Many years ago a big time local record collector once told a friend of mine he'd like to put his entire record collection on a barge, set it on fire, and set it adrift into the ocean. He told him this after a few beers, but it still makes me laugh my ass off when I recall it...

Just saying there's other options you know...

After my apartment burned down last winter, the building manager threw all my LPs, CDs, books into a landfill someplace without giving me the opportunity to try to rescue them. I did manage to save about 300 CDs and a neighbor found boxes of taped interviews with musicians, along with 2 unsold cartons of Mojo Snake Minuet. So by now I have mixed emotions about that big time record collector's options; less responsiblity but also less choice of music. (Thanks to some kind jazz people, including Organissimo friends, and the public library, I'm replacing some CDs.)

[soulpope]

This thread could easily turn into a "what are you going to do with your record/cd collection as you get older" discussion. Nobody can predict the future or when their time is up...it's an interesting topic for sure.

Indeed......a good read and a lot of interesting input assembled....