[Milsurplus] [BoatAnchors] Estates and Interesting, 4-23

Wed Apr 29 09:48:15 EDT 2015

All of the commercial "estate sale managers" have kickback deals with real estate sales people (who usually find out that an "estate" situation exists before the rest of us) on the "supply" end and buyers of certain classes of items on the "demand" end. On the demand end, with regard to buyers with privileged access to the goods, these arrangements are called "pre-sales". This is why you see estate listings with a tag line "NO PRE-SALES". They are advertising the idea that they are not letting in privileged buyers to cherry pick the estate. (Most likely the estate didn't include anything their privileged buyers would want!)
Most of this has nothing to do with ham radio since so few estates involve radio gear. But it is very common for all kinds of collectibles, dolls, toys, Tiffany glass wares and all the high-end stuff. And it makes sense from the seller's point of view because what are the chances of getting the right price for your Tiffany lamp shade from the people that randomly happen to show up at your sale? Probably zero.
A lot of the buyers own consignment stores and also do both Craigslist and eBay sales. Just like at a hamfest, the other sellers are among the very few who show up with wads of money in their pockets.
FWIW, that is the way the estate market works in this region--and has for over a decade. 73 de N3RHT

      From: Joe Connor via Milsurplus <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>
 To: "Mccarty, John J (John)" <jmccarty at alcatel-lucent.com>; "milsurplus at mailman.qth.net" <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net> 
 Sent: Monday, April 27, 2015 8:28 PM
 Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] [BoatAnchors] Estates and Interesting, 4-23

Yeah, John, you nailed it in terms of the trials and tribulations of estate sales. 
With a lot of the ones I've been to, it's pretty clear that someone has been in there cherry-picking before the sale even began. From the peripheral stuff laying around, you can tell that the owner/decedent had to have had some cool vintage stuff, but only the peripheral stuff is still there. I suspect ebay flippers find a way to worm themselves in early. This is really nothing new. In the old days, some of the big-time buyers would bribe someone at the local newspaper to get the classified ads a few days before they appeared in print so they could get to the sale a few days early and buy up all the good stuff. 
Some of the professional services who conduct these sales are decent about bargaining, but others won't budge until the final day of the sale. Sometimes, it's weird. I was at one sale last year where the guy in the basement would entertain any offer while the lady on the first floor wouldn't budge at all. Thankfully, the National HRO-50T was in the basement so I was able to get it at a good price. 
I was at one sale last year where all the good stuff appeared to be gone. However, I saw in early TV lying in a corner of the basement. I called a buddy who is into TVs and he came over and bought it for $75. It was an ultra-rare pre-war Fada that will be worth a lot once it's restored. 
The nice thing about some craiglist and estatesales.net ads is that they have pictures, so you have an idea of what's for sale. With the newspaper classified ads, I made a few wasted trips when the "antique radios" in the ad turned out to be 1980s boom boxes. 
                Joe Connor

    On Monday, April 27, 2015 3:04 PM, "Mccarty, John J (John)" <jmccarty at alcatel-lucent.com> wrote:

Dave and All;

  I for one like to look the CL listing you report, if only to see 
what's available and supply a data point.

Having said that, here's a report from the first listing on 4/23

Craigslist sale in Villa Park Ill:

Got there about 5 minutes before the door was opened on Friday. About a 
twenty people in line. Rommie AC9KV was just in front of me.
Went right down to the basement where there was a table with a mix of 
"newer" and vintage ham gear. Under the table there were boxes of parts and
junk. Over in the closet was vintage gear. The some of the vintage gear 
was Heathkit (40 meter single band ssb xcvr with mobile and a/c supply,
older AM mobile transmitter) , Knight kit (two T-150s, two TR-106 6 
meter AM rigs with one vfo) , Simpson 260 and other accessories. Except 
for the junk, all the radios and
accessories were plainly tagged. All of it was way, way over priced. The 
nice ladies from the estate sale operation were apologizing for the prices.
They said that the owner (I assumed a widow of an SK) brought in a "ham 
radio expert" to price the equipment and she wanted it priced that way.
I was unfamiliar with the new gear but some of the guys standing next to 
me were saying "At this price I could go to AES and buy this years model"
The estate sales ladies said that they were authorized to take bids the 
next day (Saturday) for any unsold stuff. The junk was reasonable so I 
got away
with a little box of terminal strips, hardware, and two unknown state 
6146's for 5 bucks.

It was a rainy day in Chicago on Saturday so I wandered back about noon. 
Most of the equipment was gone and now the prices were more reasonable.
Saw a newer HF transceiver that was marked $400 dollars go for $75. Most 
of the vintage gear was gone. I got a Heathkit Mohican squalid state 
portable
project radio for $40 bucks which was less that one fourth of the Friday 
asking price.

73

John n9hrt

On 4/23/2015 8:54 AM, David Stinson via BoatAnchors wrote:
> Haven't been able to do this for a few days.  Probably missed some 
> good ones but there are always more
> deals so.....
> Not mine, FYI, etc. etc.
>
> TODAY and Tomorrow, West Chicago Estate.
> http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/gms/4987315663.html
>
> NOW in Niles, MI.
> Vague but who knows?
> http://southbend.craigslist.org/gms/4990298568.html
>
> Ocala, FL
> Buncha Drakes for little money
> http://ocala.craigslist.org/ele/4987299631.html
>
> Riggs. and ValVista, AZ
> Another vague ad with "stuff" and a tower
> http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/gms/4991549040.html
>
> Billings, MT
> Vague again.  "Ham" receivers
> http://billings.craigslist.org/gms/4990727726.html
>
> Williamsburg, VA
> Hallicrafters S-108
> http://norfolk.craigslist.org/ele/4991943424.html
>
> Glen Head, NY
> Hallicrafters SX-62
> http://norfolk.craigslist.org/ele/4991943424.html
>
> Fair Oaks, CA
> LONG list of goodies.
> http://sacramento.craigslist.org/sys/4991910342.html
>
> San Leandro, CA
> Couple of interesting keys.
> http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ele/4991710059.html
>
> Santa Cruz, CA
> Drake SW-4
> http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/ele/4989900935.html
>
>
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