Personal items acquired as part of a purchase

[gunboat82]

Feeling a twinge of anxiety over throwing out someone's keepsakes is normal... it means you're a fully-formed human being. But you've already run through the options and reasonably noted that (1) the original owners treated the album as a consignment rather than as a collection of memories, and (2) it would be difficult, if not impossible, to track them down. Having already gone through that thought process, you should feel free to dispose of the album without guilt (and kudos for being compassionate enough to pose the question in the first place).

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by gunboat82

Feeling a twinge of anxiety over throwing out someone's keepsakes is normal... it means you're a fully-formed human being. But you've already run through the options and reasonably noted that (1) the original owners treated the album as a consignment rather than as a collection of memories, and (2) it would be difficult, if not impossible, to track them down. Having already gone through that thought process, you should feel free to dispose of the album without guilt (and kudos for being compassionate enough to pose the question in the first place).

Yes, this is right. There are many things I have that are very special to me - pictures of childhood friends, favorite (non-valuable) toys, and so on. I wouldn't sell all that stuff for a thousand dollars. It's a bummer but the fact is, when I die, all that precious stuff is dumpster bound.

[Exhibitman]

I purchased a lot of several thousand items of paper ephemera and photos at an estate sale. About 10% were clearly family photos of the deceased with no commercial value. i contacted the estate sale manager and arranged to return the photos to the family. They were very appreciative. Now, had they been of commercial value, I'm selling them, but random snapshots and the like, i give those back if I can.

If it is a situation where I cannot give them back, I don't chuck them. There is very little that is truly worthless. I bundle leftovers like that with other ephemera that I accumulate from acquisitions and eventually wholesale or trade the whole bundle to another dealer. Some people will retail thousands of random old photos; I don't have the patience. I will retail interesting subjects like military, automotive, tourist sites, beaches, etc.

[Republicaninmass]

I've found 1952 topps with personal back stamps and people names and have contacted their relatives. They didn't even care. In fact some said they know, they're the ones who sold them. Good grief

[carlsonjok]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

If it is a situation where I cannot give them back, I don't chuck them. There is very little that is truly worthless. I bundle leftovers like that with other ephemera that I accumulate from acquisitions and eventually wholesale or trade the whole bundle to another dealer. Some people will retail thousands of random old photos; I don't have the patience. I will retail interesting subjects like military, automotive, tourist sites, beaches, etc.

Is there even a market for it? My wife collects mid-century barware, so we spend a fair amount of time in antique stores. It seems like every one has a basket somewhere near the front with stacks of old snapshots and postcards priced at $0.50 to $1.00 each. Like others, it makes me sad to see what was, at the time, a notable life moment for someone that is now stripped of all context and significance. Does anyone buy them, or are the store owners just loath to throw them out also?

[Jewish-collector]

Take it all to a large paper show like the one in Allentown, Pennsylvania (link below) and ask the dealers for ideas about what to do with it all.

https://www.allentownpapershow.com/

[Exhibitman]

There is a market. You just have to be at the right place.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by carlsonjok

Is there even a market for it? My wife collects mid-century barware, so we spend a fair amount of time in antique stores. It seems like every one has a basket somewhere near the front with stacks of old snapshots and postcards priced at $0.50 to $1.00 each. Like others, it makes me sad to see what was, at the time, a notable life moment for someone that is now stripped of all context and significance. Does anyone buy them, or are the store owners just loath to throw them out also?

After my mom died, my sisters and I went through the old picture album. We could identify an aunt or uncle here or there, but most people we couldn't. Sadly, these pictures that meant so much to our mom meant little to us, and would mean nothing to my sister's kids. So, we tossed them with some sadness, but no regret.

[philliesfan]

I bought a stamp collection off of Craigslist (and what a buy!). I paid the $200.00 asking price and ended up with over $4,300.00 in unused US postage. There was a lot of other stamps in the collection. Also in the collection were certificates and awards from the collector. Apparently he had no family as it was a neighbor that was in charge of the estate. I enjoyed going through the collection and enjoyed reading his notes he had with some of the stamps. I could not get myself to throw away any of the awards or certificates and they remain in one of my boxes.

A second purchase was a collection of paper items, mostly pictures, that ended up being from the estate of Helen Chiotes. She worked in television and there were a lot of picture of her at many different events. There was also items like proposed TV lineups, Radio and TV convention programs and other paper items. I cannot throw any of the pictures out and they also are in a box.

Bob

[jimtigers65]

I attended a monthly 300 table antique faire with my daughter. Out of the blue she said it was depressing because all these items belong to someone’s parents. I teased her and she will be doing this with my stuff someday.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by philliesfan

I bought a stamp collection off of Craigslist (and what a buy!). I paid the $200.00 asking price and ended up with over $4,300.00 in unused US postage. There was a lot of other stamps in the collection. Also in the collection were certificates and awards from the collector. Apparently he had no family as it was a neighbor that was in charge of the estate. I enjoyed going through the collection and enjoyed reading his notes he had with some of the stamps. I could not get myself to throw away any of the awards or certificates and they remain in one of my boxes.

A second purchase was a collection of paper items, mostly pictures, that ended up being from the estate of Helen Chiotes. She worked in television and there were a lot of picture of her at many different events. There was also items like proposed TV lineups, Radio and TV convention programs and other paper items. I cannot throw any of the pictures out and they also are in a box.

Bob

If the awards are from shows with stuff like Gold silver Bronze they're a sign that he had some much better items.

Certificates with a picture of the item are sort of like having a card slabbed, and are more reliable. For a lot of items they can make a huge difference in value.

[LEHR]

Originally Posted by Mark17

Yes, this is right. There are many things I have that are very special to me - pictures of childhood friends, favorite (non-valuable) toys, and so on. I wouldn't sell all that stuff for a thousand dollars. It's a bummer but the fact is, when I die, all that precious stuff is dumpster bound.

My mom saved my first baby shoes, spoon, fork, cup, a box full of kindergarten papers, and my K-5th grade report cards. It's all sitting in a box in my closet and I pull it out every 5-6 years when I'm typically looking for something else, flip through some of it, and think of my sweet mother. It's kind of sad to realize that within a generation after my passing it's highly likely that all that stuff will end up in the trash. But I get it. You can't keep everything and it really has no value to anyone now other than me.

[tlhss]

I collect military items as well as baseball. I like to do research on the items. If I can afford it, I always purchase everything related to the serviceman, even if it's not military. Especially paper items. I find that keeping everything as a group helps me piece the history together.

Not sure if the same thing is true about baseball collectables.

[Exhibitman]

My next column (publishing this Friday) is a reflection on this aspect of what we do.