[Milsurplus] More on WW2 military radio estate

[Mark]

There's really only one way to ensure you get reasonable return for 
the family on an estate liquidation that involves specialty items like 
military radios and gear.  I've observed one sale through the complete process and handled one myself, so I feel I have a pretty good idea what's up. 

You need two types of help:

1) Someone who knows the technical side of the equipment, and what a reasonable firm price will be.  I say "firm price" because handling a lot of negotiation and dickering simply isn't practical in a large sale.  And believe me, some SKs can leave a LOT of equipment behind!

2) Someone who has experience selling on ePay, EHamNet, QRZ, or any of the many electronic outlets that can reach a wide audience, to handle the actual sales.

The two types above may or may not be the same person.  For the sale I observed, two of my friends went to our SK friend's home, did a complete inventory of all his equipment, and created an Excel spreadsheet with descriptions and prices.

Then they enlisted a local electronic auction expert who created the ePay sales and sold the items for a commission.  The widow made what we all thought was a very fair return, and yes, MUCH more than she would've made at any hamfest.  The combination of being able to reach a very large buyer audience and NOT having the hassle of hauling all that tonnage around more than made up for the ePay expert's commission.  BTW, that expert had never sold a mil radio before, yet she did a great job with the sales with my friends' supplied descriptions and initial prices.

There's a lot of work involved here to do it right, under any circumstances.  My two friends spent about four weekends, eight hours a day on their feet, just cataloging all the items.

~*~

I handled both functions myself on a sale some of you will remember because this was a forum I used to post notices.  There were maybe 50 pieces of gear which I thought justified direct sales.  It still took a lot of work, maybe 200 hours on my part creating descriptions, posting in various forums, handling the inquiries, sales, and working with the family.  The family member had previous ePay experience, and she was able to handle the packing and shipping.  My job was to supply her with a firm buyer.

In both instances, we thought it was necessary to get the equipment good homes.  We wanted the families to get at least close to what the stuff was worth on the open market AND we didn't want it to end up at the bottom of a landfill -- which sadly is where a lot of tech items end up after an SK.

--Mark Francis
  KI0PF

Author of "Mil Spec Radio Gear Volume 2"
available direct from the author,
$29 cash/check/MO including postage, 
$30.17 via Paypal, both within U.S. 
(foreign buyers please contact me).
Signed by request.

Excerpt here:
http://www.mmfrancis.com/MSRG2/MSRG2.pdf

Also available from:
Universal Radio
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/books/3495.html
Fair Radio Sales
https://www.fairradio.com/catalog.php?mode=viewitem&item=6569
Electric Radio
http://www.ermag.com/index.cfm?v_link=product_detail&v_key=415

****

Volume 1 is still available direct from
CQ Magazine (currently on sale),
http://store.cq-amateur-radio.com/Detail.bok?no=113
Universal Radio,
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/books/0415.html
and 
Amazon.com     


There was a young lady named Bright
Whose speed was far faster than light;
She set out one day
In a relative way
And returned on the previous night.