[Milsurplus] Belton Swapfest...Mike's collection...

[WE0H]

Dang, you got quite the collection there Mike...lol
Never seen so much stuff in one place.

Mike
WE0H

Mike Feher wrote:
> I have also purchased my share of complete estates. One took me almost two
> years to totally empty, and, that one was the one that really broke the
> camel's back. I have purchased at least 20 estates ranging from $3K to $75K
> during the past 20 or so years. While I did sell a lot of it, and, was able
> to keep some for my own collection, the result is I have accumulated way too
> much stuff. So much in fact, that I am unable to enjoy what I have left. I
> divorced, after 30 years of marriage about 2 1/2 years ago. I had to buy my
> wife's share of the house because there was no way it could be sold.
> Besides, the antique radio stuff in my museum room was probably worth close
> to as much as half of the house. I have a big house with a total of about
> 6000 sq. feet of storage capacity. While there used to be no radio related
> stuff in the majority of the rooms, the 2000 sq. feet basement is totally
> full as well as the 500 sq. feet dual car garage. There was no way that we
> could sell the house as it would take many years to empty. Since then, since
> now only my youngest son (25) lives with me, I have also made the family
> room into a storage area, by filling it from a rented storage facility. I
> figured I had the room, it was not being used, so why pay for storage. The
> living room is now my laboratory and the dining room is my new office. I
> started selling heavily over the last two years, and am now taking a little
> break from it. I realized the only way to maximize the return is for me to
> sell the stuff myself. Still, everyone who comes here gets good deals as
> they do most of the work and made the effort to get here, so, they are
> helping me out and I take that into consideration. At the same time I do not
> give stuff away, I often give additional price breaks depending on the size
> of the pile the buyer is taking. Some people have been back as many as 6
> times. Some, not so often, but purchased a lot while here. In two years I
> sold about $200K of stuff, and the sad thing is, it is not even noticeable.
> I still have about 200K tubes, but they too have been pretty much picked
> over, although there are still thousands of good audio tubes. Half are brand
> new in boxes. I am going to start inviting collectors/hams/dealers over
> again, soon, as I have a long way to go. While it is hard to dispose of all
> of this "good stuff", emotionally and physically, I have no choice, as I am
> still just overwhelmed with the quantity. I have posted this before, when I
> was selling during the summer, but, here is a URL that shows about 10% of
> what is here and most of what you see in the pictures is still here. Have I
> quit buying? Well, of course not. I think this accumulation thing is a
> sickness and I feel I need to always add something. Have I purchased any
> more estates, NO - the last time was about 4 years ago, and that was a lot
> of stuff as well. That I did promise myself, no more estates. I even quit
> going to hamfests, and maybe go to a local one once every other year. I can
> discipline myself from going, but, once there I cannot discipline myself so
> I will not buy, as I usually bring home more than I brought to sell. BTW, I
> thought Don explained it real well. The other thing I do not like is when
> possibly well intentioned people get to a widow and tell them that all of
> this stuff is worth a fortune. Of course they are not willing to buy it, and
> then the poor widow thinks she can get all that much for it, turning down
> reasonable offers, and winds up getting stuck with it. Possibly making a
> career of trying to dispose of the stuff, so much so, that she has no time
> to have a life and enjoy herself. Those well meaning helpers have big egos
> and mouths, but, they have hurt the seller as well as any potential buyers.
> Here is the URL again that shows about 10% of the stuff at my QTH. 73 - Mike
> 
> http://w2dtc.com/2007-0625-n4fs-page.htm
>   
> 
>  
>  
> Mike B. Feher, N4FS
> 89 Arnold Blvd.
> Howell, NJ, 07731
> 732-886-5960