So, what do we do when we are out of room?

[Granby]

Here is some "food for thought" and I figured it was worth discussing with fellow collectors. I have been collecting "off and on" for about 20 years and have a pretty large grouping of machines. However, many of my machines are uprights and consoles, some unique off brands in the mix, of course.

Although I am very passionate about my research on the Granby phonograph, my collection, and my quest for phonographs in general - I am just about out of room. So, what now? I have been following some other posts lately and I get the idea that some of you are in a similar situation. One obvious approach is to sell a common machine or two to make room for another new purchase. But, in my humble opinion, the "common antique victrola" market isn't so great right now. I even reached out to a local museum and they didn't seem to thrilled at displaying a few Victrolas.... that was disappointing.

And, for those who are as passionate as me, how do you pass up a Victrola where the seller states, "it's going to the curb this Friday if I don't get any buyers" or "just make me any offer"....? I am getting much better at saying "no" or simply not messaging the seller for every neat (and cheap) phonograph I see online. But, unique machines do seem to come out of the woodwork periodically. And, when you love this hobby and these machines, it is hard to say "no."

I apologize for rambling a little. But, this has been quite a dilemma for me. Anybody else?

[JerryVan]

"Anybody else?"


I'd say pretty much everybody else!

My solution was, "Just call Steve", (Stanton). This past Stanton's auction included about 250 lots from my collection. Not just phonographs, also music boxes & radios. Mostly common stuff, and yes, on a lot of it, I took a bath. Not Stanton's fault BTW. Just the market today. Actually, there were several items I thought I did pretty well on, given the market these days. I look at it this way, if I were to market these 250 lots on my own, it would be a full-time job. Advertising, selling, eBay fees, handling, shipping supplies, shipping, dealing with unreasonable people, lost/damaged shipments, etc. Going with the auction takes all that off my plate. Did I take a financial hit? I guess so. But the cost of that, I feel, is offset by the ease of Stantons coming to my house, loading up, and mailing me a check. Mind you, this is not meant to be an ad for Stantons, just an answer to the original question, "What do we do when..."

As I told my wife, when your things begin to own you, and you decide to sell them, it is liberating.

P.S. I still have a fairly nice collection, I think

[poodling around]

Here is some "food for thought" and I figured it was worth discussing with fellow collectors. I have been collecting "off and on" for about 20 years and have a pretty large grouping of machines. However, many of my machines are uprights and consoles, some unique off brands in the mix, of course.

Although I am very passionate about my research on the Granby phonograph, my collection, and my quest for phonographs in general - I am just about out of room. So, what now? I have been following some other posts lately and I get the idea that some of you are in a similar situation. One obvious approach is to sell a common machine or two to make room for another new purchase. But, in my humble opinion, the "common antique victrola" market isn't so great right now. I even reached out to a local museum and they didn't seem to thrilled at displaying a few Victrolas.... that was disappointing.

And, for those who are as passionate as me, how do you pass up a Victrola where the seller states, "it's going to the curb this Friday if I don't get any buyers" or "just make me any offer"....? I am getting much better at saying "no" or simply not messaging the seller for every neat (and cheap) phonograph I see online. But, unique machines do seem to come out of the woodwork periodically. And, when you love this hobby and these machines, it is hard to say "no."

I apologize for rambling a little. But, this has been quite a dilemma for me. Anybody else?

This reminds me of a few threads on here which discuss a similar dilemma but with record collections. I fully understand your situation with both my record collection and gramophone collection.

I solved my urge to buy more record collections by coming to terms with the thought that 'you can't collect all the records' - there are just too many. Also, I cannot possibly play all the records I have, even though I only seriously collect certain 'time period' records.

With gramophones, I am afraid that I just reached the point at which I have all of the gramophone models which particularly interest me.

What I say may (or may not be helpful) - but I do understand your predicament.

Ours is truely an interest which the vast majority of people do not share - unless of course the gramophones are seen as and 'hyped up as' an investment.

[Granby]

"Anybody else?"


I'd say pretty much everybody else!

My solution was, "Just call Steve", (Stanton). This past Stanton's auction included about 250 lots from my collection. Not just phonographs, also music boxes & radios. Mostly common stuff, and yes, on a lot of it, I took a bath. Not Stanton's fault BTW. Just the market today. Actually, there were several items I thought I did pretty well on, given the market these days. I look at it this way, if I were to market these 250 lots on my own, it would be a full-time job. Advertising, selling, eBay fees, handling, shipping supplies, shipping, dealing with unreasonable people, lost/damaged shipments, etc. Going with the auction takes all that off my plate. Did I take a financial hit? I guess so. But the cost of that, I feel, is offset by the ease of Stantons coming to my house, loading up, and mailing me a check. Mind you, this is not meant to be an ad for Stantons, just an answer to the original question, "What do we do when..."

As I told my wife, when your things begin to own you, and you decide to sell them, it is liberating.

P.S. I still have a fairly nice collection, I think

I really appreciate this comment and it was a route I was already considering. My wife and I are considering downsizing eventually. Even if I don't get the exact "dollar amount" that I want at Stanton's, at least the phonographs would get in front of the right audience. If I send them to a "local" auction house, they may be destined to be turned into liquor cabinets.... And, like you, I would only use this avenue as a way to thin out - I would be keeping a core group.

[VanEpsFan1914]

I'm short on room at present but think I am going to keep my best, play all my records, and hold off on collecting more. But then I say that and suddenly want more phonographs.

[colmike1]

As someone who is in the middle of the age spectrum here on the forum, I have to say my back made the decision for me. I no longer can, or should, move anything larger than an Edison Amberola. That stops me from seeing all these really great deals on uprights, huge record collections, etc. Mind you, I'm not recommending you get a bad back. But if you collect large uprights in your younger years, you will definitely inherit one
Mike Wohl

[Raphael]

I agree with the "just call Steve" approach for the collector who wants to downsize. Even though I am both a dealer and a collector, just like a lot of my colleagues, I have had my fair share of "boat anchors". For some reason certain items just don't sell. I got so fed up with storage unit fees (a 10' x 15' in my area now costs around $500/month) a few years back that I packed everything in my storage units into a trailer and hauled it to Steve Stanton. I took a major hit, based on my costs, but it was water under the bridge. And most of that hit has been recouped by subsequent storage unit savings.
Nobody in this business is going to treat you fairer and squarer than Steve, and he certainly has the target audience for this stuff. And, yes, this is an advertisement for Steve, because I really believe in him!

Raphael

[Garret]

Don't forget there is a younger generation of collectors in their 'teens that may not be able to afford a machine to get them started. So if you really have no room, that could be the occasion to warm the cold cockles of your collecting heart.

[Granby]

As someone who is in the middle of the age spectrum here on the forum, I have to say my back made the decision for me. I no longer can, or should, move anything larger than an Edison Amberola. That stops me from seeing all these really great deals on uprights, huge record collections, etc. Mind you, I'm not recommending you get a bad back. But if you collect large uprights in your younger years, you will definitely inherit one
Mike Wohl

I am in the "40 and under" crowd.... And, I can say the back issues are starting! I am trying to find a nice place for Christmas tree and there is a large Brunswick upright in an ideal spot. My wife asked me if we could move the Brunswick and put the tree there? I politely informed her, nope! I can think of a few other nice spots. 5 years ago, we would have had that phonograph moved across the house to another premier spot, easily...

[emerson]

Being a "collector", The Emerson Collection is stuffed away and cannot be displayed with the Victors and other machines stuffed away with them. Three living areas of the house are consumed by the collecting addiction. Now being in the early 70's age group, it is time to let the non Emerson machines go, so I can display what I have worked on to make -----just about all the Emerson models from the catalogs and related Emerson ventures. Thanks Chris for creating this post.