What would you do if you were my age?

[HuubL]

In the past two decades I have collected quite a bit of classic film photography equipment: a number of Canon FD bodies and lenses, a few Olympus OM bodies and lenses, a couple of Robot Royals, a Contax IIa, Alpa 9d, Kodak IIIC, and many (last count is 32!) Leica SLR, LTM and M cameras and lenses. Most are in a nice condition, cosmetical and functional and many have been recently CLA’d or fixed by renown repairers.
Suppose I would live another decade or two, I could enjoy fondling them, but I would never get a chance to keep them all active. I’m absolutely in no hurry yet, but I’ve been contemplating to start reducing the collection. How would I do that?
1. Sell the lot in one sale.
2. Sell piece-by-piece on an internet auction site.
3. Have a dealer sell the stuff on consignment.
4. Or just leave it to the kids to decide?
Thanks for thinking

 

[______]

Sell piece-by-piece here or on an internet auction site.

 

[brennanphotoguy]

Piece by piece for sure.

 

[oltimer]

Hubbl, a very normal thought to be thinking about in our age group. I would go ahead as per the 1st reply here. Good Luck

 

[lawrence]

Since I am your age and recently sold quite a lot of gear on the big auction site I feel well qualified to answer 😉

In my experience you will do much better if you sell piecemeal rather than as a single lot, the reason being that people want specific things and will not want to pay extra for stuff they already own or don't want. So, for example, if you have any interchangeable lens camera you should sell the camera body and lenses separately.

Good luck with your mission!

Lawrence

 

[radi(c)al_cam]

[4.] Or would I just leave it to the kids to decide?

Number 4. Unless the kids, grandkids etc. are completely ignorant, of course.

 

[HuubL]

Thank you all. Piece-by-piece is what I had in mind. I'll retire next year and guess would then have enough time to spend on making advertisement photos and writing persuasive advertisement texts 🙂
@Alexander: I still have hopes for the kids though... 🙂

 

[narsuitus]

I would get a hearse with luggage racks so I can take it with me.

 

[BillBingham2]

HL,

I'd ask each kids if each has a favorite (body and glass) and give each one a gift this season.

Sell the rest individually.

B2 (;->

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Yes, perhaps, here is someone in family who is patiently waiting. Satisfy them first, sell the rest of unused gear. Each camera, lens better to be sold individually.

 

[rbsinto]

First I'd get a rough idea of the value of the pieces by checking completed auctions on ebay, as you might find that it simply isn't worth the trouble to sell the bits piecemeal if they're not worth much.
Then I'd check with family members to see if anyone wants this or that and give those pieces to them.
The balance I'd then sell either by the piece if they do have value, or in a lot if they don't. A lot could be swapped at KEH for something you do want or need.
Robert

 

[mpaniagua]

First I'd get a rough idea of the value of the pieces by checking completed auctions on ebay, as you might find that it simply isn't worth the trouble to sell the bits piecemeal if they're not worth much.
Then I'd check with family members to see if anyone wants this or that and give those pieces to them.
The balance I'd then sell either by the piece if they do have value, or in a lot if they don't. A lot could be swapped at KEH for something you do want or need.
Robert

+1 on trading. You could upgrade your most used kit with say, better lens.

 

[MISH]

if there is any question of whether Huubl as anything of value please click on "my cameras" in any of his posts. The fact that page has over twenty-six thousand views says that like me that there are a lot of people that have long admired his collection. Since you are getting ready to retire and will have more time for shooting my question would be what are a few of your favorites you would want to keep. My advice keep it all, you have many things that would not be easy to replace. (for a different point of view please contact my wife)

 

[Calzone]

Avoid remorse and cull out the cameras you want to keep for you and use the rest of your life.

Take the surplus and either use it for gearing up or to raise capitol. Perhaps just keep the few cameras that are not worth much.

If you build cash perhaps use it for some greater common good for your family: perhaps a family vacation or some other venture.

Recently I traded in some Leica boxed gear towards the purchase of a Leica SL. I didn't do too badly and it was seamless. BTW the Leica SL loves "R" glass.

I also sold some boxed Nikon gear by consignment that also was pretty seamless. In fact I was surprised by how fast it sold (within one week).

Sounds like since all your gear has been serviced you might be able to broker a premium and also be able to sell fast.

I'm almost 59 and right behind you. Good luck.

Cal

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

Shoot, I've just turned 65 and am just now trying to get one of everything shiny.
Oh look! There's a motorcycle!

 

[Calzone]

if there is any question of whether Huubl as anything of value please click on "my cameras" in any of his posts. The fact that page has over twenty-six thousand views says that like me that there are a lot of people that have long admired his collection. Since you are getting ready to retire and will have more time for shooting my question would be what are a few of your favorites you would want to keep. My advice keep it all, you have many things that would not be easy to replace. (for a different point of view please contact my wife)

WOW!

You will have a lot to obsess about.

For me I remained Leicacentric, even though I got rid of some Leica gear.

Know that the Leica SL does well with my Noct-Nikkor, "R" glass, "M" glass, LTM glass...

I also kept film bodies to dual purpose all my small format glass.

Cal

 

[willie_901]

If you have an emotional link with some of those... mount them for display.

o Find an appropriately sized, 90 degree angle iron.
o Drill out one of the horizontal holes to accommodate a bolt that will screw into the tripod mount
o Paint the bracket and bolt black, or any color you prefer
o Mount the vertical side of the bracket to a wall using a dry-wall anchor or mount it directly to a wall stud. Brick or concrete wall require more elaborate mounts
o Screw the camera to the horizontal side and enjoy.

You can buy these already made too. They are silly expensive.

Sell everything else via KEH. KEH visits many cities and buys in person. I sold tho them twice this way. I also sent some gear in. To my surprise they paid more than their initial on-line estimate for one of my camera bodies. So I trusty them. You may get less money from KEH, but there will be no hassles. I prefer no hassles.

 

[Godfrey]

In the past two decades I have collected quite a bit of classic film photography equipment: a number of Canon FD bodies and lenses, a few Olympus OM bodies and lenses, a couple of Robot Royals, a Contax IIa, Alpa 9d, Kodak IIIC, and many (last count is 32!) Leica SLR, LTM and M cameras and lenses. Most are in a nice condition, cosmetical and functional and many have been recently CLA’d or fixed by renown repairers.
Suppose I would live another decade or two, I could enjoy fondling them, but I would never get a chance to keep them all active. I’m absolutely in no hurry yet, but I’ve been contemplating to start reducing the collection. How would I do that?
1. Sell the lot in one sale.
2. Sell piece-by-piece on an internet auction site.
3. Have a dealer sell the stuff on consignment.
4. Or just leave it to the kids to decide?
Thanks for thinking

I am your age. I just retired too. Given family history, I think I'll be lucky to get another twenty years. Be that as it may...

Few will value the lovely collection you've put together the same way you do. Even collectors are specific in their desires, and curate their collections to satisfy their own inner urgings.

So ... enjoy what you've amassed for itself. And when you tire of looking at them, using them, etc, offer them out to the open world one at a time or in sensible chunks, however you want to do it, so that others who might enjoy them get a chance. If some amongst your children or other relatives, friends, etc, also are tickled by them, give (or sell!) them to those people as something special from you.

I'm not a collector. I enjoy seeing what you've put together but I'd never want to own it all, nor would I want the burden of doing something with the collection after you've passed on. I look at my own accretion of equipment and know that its value is how I put it to use, to me, and know there's too much. So I'm putting the ones I'm not using up for sale, a little at a time, so that whomever has the job of finalizing my estate after I've died isn't annoyed with the mess. I've also given away a number of the entertaining cameras to people who enjoy them.

G

"The only things truly worth having can only be given away. Not bought, nor sold, nor grasped and held. Only given, with open hand and quiet heart. And in that giving, the universe fills you with joy."

 

[David Hughes]

Honestly, you youngsters!

Start by looking at it all and then sell it off a little at a time. It's easy to start but gets difficult as you get down to the hardcore stuff that you love.

BTW, you'll find a lot might best go to a charity shop or two but beware that you can take one in and then spot something and walk out with another camera. I reckon people saw my old cameras and remembered all theirs that they were planning to unload and so I got more at first (but better condition and more interesting).

Some will be worth a lot and so you'll find a lot of time taken up checking them with a film and then finding the rest of the kit to sell as an attractive bundle.

Finally you'll end up with a few you can't bear to sell and then you'll live another 30 years and regret selling some of the stuff.

Regards, David

PS If you do sort it all out and catalogue it, then expect surprises. How could I possibly have acquired 12 Olympus XA2's, f'instance?

 

[faris]

You youngsters really need to do what your heart says. Not your mind.
You all have time for that.

I stopped thinking when I got older than you lot. Let them throw it away after me..for all I care.