Jerry Donnell's collection

[Bruce]

Safe to assume that I will not be attending from the west coast but it sure looks like it would be quite the afternoon. I'm sure that there are a lot of hidden treasures which will be pulled out of the house at the last minute which are not shown in the photos.

Even if they have to be cleaned and fumigated before going on display in their new homes.

good luck to those who are attending and please take lots of photos.

Bruce

[edisonplayer]

I've been to Jerry's several times.He was'nt the neatest house keeper,but,boy,did he have a lot of treasures!I really cherish the machines and records he gave me.edisonplayer

[celticguitar666]

Not to speak poorly of the dead or those living but after seeing the pictures that is some serious hoarding but maybe he knew where everything was but wow alot of stuff reminds me of my Dads house he and my mother when they were older use to yard sale They just bought stuff to buy stuff and it jsut sat and was never used. It will be a feeding frenzy for sure a mans life divided up. Makes me want to tone down my collecting and keep to one thing and not get all over the place This could be us when we go except for me my wife is 20 years younger and will enjoy the money from the sale from my stuff
good luck to those who go and you find what you want for a good price
Dwight

[Kirkwood]

For those members that want to see the collection in a more item-by-item setting, best to check the new updated photos via the earlier auction link. I knew he had a LOT of stuff, but this is way more than I realized he had. I would swear that some of the items depicted weren't his, although maybe this auction has a few odds and ends from other estates thrown in. It was a large house, and I won't swear I ever was in the whole place anyway. Strange to see a few things I had given him over the years in the sale, but this is just further testimony that Jerry was a real collector. He'd get annoyed with me, when starting my collection, when I'd sell something to make room (or get funds) for something else. He'd sneer at me, "you're not a collector, you're a dealer!" Add a bit of extra venom in that "dealer" part and you'd get the idea. I still miss the guy.

For those that knew him, you'll spot a photo of the late Jerry in amongst the lots. Guess the heirs felt that the proceeds from the sale of the frame were more appealing than keeping his picture.

[Garret]

SO MUCH STUFF!

[edisonplayer]

I had Tim Fabrizio do a little Yale Bluebird machine.I remember when Jerry gave it to my mom in 2002.He brought it out to her and he said,"Now you have a victrola!"That was a one day trip for us.My sister Grace drove us down in her Ford truck.We went down that day(September 10th)to pick up a C-250 Diamond Disc phonograph and a Credenza.The little Bluebird makes me think of Jerry and my mom.We miss both of them!edisonplayer

[Victrolacollector]

Not to speak poorly of the dead or those living but after seeing the pictures that is some serious hoarding but maybe he knew where everything was but wow alot of stuff reminds me of my Dads house he and my mother when they were older use to yard sale They just bought stuff to buy stuff and it jsut sat and was never used. It will be a feeding frenzy for sure a mans life divided up. Makes me want to tone down my collecting and keep to one thing and not get all over the place This could be us when we go except for me my wife is 20 years younger and will enjoy the money from the sale from my stuff
good luck to those who go and you find what you want for a good price
Dwight

I have wondered the same, I originally had about 20 phonographs, but about 2 years ago, I began selling off some of the machines. I sold a VV-50 front wind, Talk-O-Phone, VV-VI, 2 Columbia B Eagles, Columbia Q, Victrola VV 2-55 and a Edison P-1; I really regret the P-1 as it was rare and minty. I also liked the B Eagle. But now I focus on more of what I really will play. I have about 10 machines, enough for me. I have sold many of the wax cylinders and some disc records. I only keep what I really like to play and maybe a few for the labels. I have taken myself down to about 100 cylinders, 100 Edison Discs, and I think 250 78 records.

I personally believe that it is up to the individuals, if you want 1 machine or 1,000 its up to the collector. If you want 1 record or a million. But on a personal note, I do not want to sit on too much money tied up, and have to have the room to store them, and money to keep them running. I was thinking at one point, I had 25 mainsprings to keep running. LOL. I rather just have the machines and records that I really like and will play. Maybe I would trade here and there, but that's the fun in collecting.

[Steve]

WOW, he's got a very rare OAK HMV "Junior Grand" (1910) !

Never seen one before, only in an original 1910 photograph! I'm not sure if that has the triple-spring motor or just a double? It's a slim-line version of the HMV equivalent to the Pooley Victrola. If anyone's interested in getting help identifying it amongst all the photos I'll gladly help. PM if you wish!

[Kirkwood]

Steve, I used to own that HMV and sold it Jerry, who later told me "Son, you don't know what you had there." At the time I sure didn't, there wasn't as much free exchange of info as we have now, this was in 1984 or so. I had just restarted collecting and was learning the hard way as I went along. I had bought the HMV from a local shop that imported containers of antique and vintage furniture from England. I never had the crank for it, as far as I know Jerry never found one either. As happens so often over here, cabinets that are sound and solid over in the UK loosen up at the seams (and elsewhere) when placed in our bone-dry-heated US houses. Sadly, I won't be able to attend this auction, so I'll miss my (admittedly slim) chance to own this again, but I saved the photos of the HMV on my computer. We can't own them all, but I can say that I enjoyed this once.

[Garret]

For what it's worth.

http://www.gramophones.uk.com/informati ... le_oa.html