A question no doubt many of you have been asked or even asked yourself - when is it the right time to sell ? After suffering from multiple heart attacks a couple of years ago to which I'm eternally thankful to our fantastic NHS and ambulance service to have survived, my wife decided that we needed to go through the house and in her words 'get things in order '. I couldn't disagree with her and we went through the house and decades of old clothing and ornaments that had been put in boxes not having the heart to throw at the time were evicted from the property. Then it was the time of the garage and shed and I must admit I hit a stumbling block, fortunately it was also time for me to go back to work on reduced hours which gave me a reprieve for a while. The thought however was never far from her mind and often crops up with comments like "when are we (you) going to sort that out " or " if anything happens to you I've got to deal with it " . And in all honesty she's right. My wife would not have an idea as where to start and though she likes certain lamps most things are regarded as rubbish. I told my son one day that if anything happens to us it'll be up to him to sort out, and his answer was " don't worry I'll just get a skip in ". This alone was nearly enough to give me yet another coronary!! I don't want to get rid of everything as they are part of me but I've really got to offload some but everytime I pick one up and look at it I think "no I'll keep that one ". It's taken me years to collect them and I would like to keep them as 1 collection but I know that won't happen, eventually they'll get dispersed. So my question to you all is - does anyone else have these questions of themselves and what to do with their collections as it'd be a shame to think one day someone will come along with a house clearance lorry and throw the lot. In the meantime I'm still like a magpie and treat lamps like injured animals and have to take them home with me, however nowadays I tend to not tell the wife.
@Keith Warby I think its inevitable really, I have some antique and modern amateur radio kit, worth thousands and taken me the best part of a lifetime to collect, and worth more to an enthusiast. But to 99 percent of most people its just a load of metal boxes with knobs on, and I know, having no family and living alone it will all go in a skip or a house clearance (junk) shop, just like the lamps we as enthusiasts, find in, yep... junk shops! Perhaps there are lamp museums? That's where I would look to be donating my stuff. How about that place down in Sussex? Chalk pits museum?, they have engines, lamps mining stuff, radios tvs etc etc all donated from people. Better that a skip.
Hi Keith, sorry to hear that ; it will affect all of us sooner or later. You could look at some sort of insurance or valuation for the more valuable parts of your collection, in the same way antiques are listed as part of an estate? That way you could be sure that they wouldn't just be 'skipped'? What about a local scout group for the 'user' lamps? You might even get involved in lamp maintenance! Perhaps there is a heritage railway not too far away? They always love lighting things I'm sure that you can find some good homes where a lot of your lamps will be loved best wishes, pb
With all this health and safety malarkey are scouts still allowed to use such things? I'd imagine that all the cotton wool kids nowadays are wrapped in it would be a real fire hazard. Railway ??? Haven't seen one of those around here for many a year. K
@Keith Warby I’m doing this very task at the moment. The large family house is about to be sold so all the useful items I’ve collected (old crap according to my youngest son) must go. In addition, my folks came to live with me and brought a lifetime of their old crap and my sister died quite suddenly a couple of years ago, guess what? I inherited a load of her old crap. In reality it’s been a difficult and sometime heartbreaking time. Objects that have been part of the backdrop of all our lives suddenly reduced to being boxed up for charity. On the plus side, my parents stuff was donated to a children’s respite charity and made nearly three and a half thousand pounds. So, here I sit with a box full of old dinky toys ready for eBay. I put a few on before last Christmas and was delighted when they made over six hundred pounds, that’s a lot of lamps! Having had to deal with other people’s end of life possessions, I’m hopefully not going to leave anything for my kids to sort out. The lamps for me have been a handy replacement for classic cars. When the lamps are no longer something I can deal with, they’ll go. So, in answer to your question. Yes, I have the same questions. Try and focus on one collection, dispose of everything else. If you want to make sure your collection lives on, know when to start downsizing it. Sorry, not a lot of help!
@BigStevie When I asked I think I was looking for some sort of inspiration but really knowing that the answer would be nigh on impossible . Well done on the charity stuff mate, it's good to hear some things good come from sorrow. I was given a box of dinky toys a few years ago and having no interest in them I put them on Ebay and was astonished, especially dinky foden lorries for some reason. Like you the lamps were a more affordable replacement for my classic cars though I still wish I'd kept the VX/490 Oh for the good old days eh ?
Before letting stuff go: make pictures for family members later on. I know, now they are not interested but when kids get old they start wondering about the "old days and family stuff". Maybe You don't have the dinkey's any more but you still have the pictures.
Relating this to classic stoves, which comprise the greater part of my collection, the ‘saving for posterity’ urge has been satisfied by my prolific posting of stoves and the restoration of them on CCS. I feel that that’s where my collection resides rather than in some corner of my shed or garage. I may well dig out a stove or lantern I featured on CCS or CPL and often do, but realise that the original attraction of exploring the item, resolving its ailments, learning of its features and quirks, has passed and my CCS or CPL feature captured that to my continuing satisfaction - even if I no longer own the item. If I were to have a concern therefore, it would be the issue of the permanence of CCS and CPL. The death of site moderator Trevor (‘Shagratork’) brought home to me - as if I needed reminding - the fact that the sites don’t run themselves and rely on the site founder and moderators and on their willingness to maintain a resource I value greatly. I’m therefore more focused on contributing if I can to supporting them rather than on the ultimate fate of this or that stove or lantern I own. Absolutely, I would like to see items in my collection ‘go to a good home’ but nine times out of ten the likely recipients would be older people like myself, so how much longer would they be cared for? A new generation of stove and lamp collectors? I’ve not seen hordes. I’m really not sure how to go about recruiting either, but I’m hugely encouraged when CCS and CPL members talk of their children and grandchildren showing an interest. If that progresses to an enthusiasm, that would be brilliant. John
Over on CCS, much-loved collector, stove guru and gentleman Bryan Miller (‘kaw550red’) had his daughter post this message on his death I met Bryan a couple of times at Newark and delighted in his company. A marque specialist on Primus 96’s (though expert in all aspects of the hobby and camping) he kindly posed for a photo with one of my 96’s. John
I have the bulk of my lanterns, lamps, stoves, and irons tagged for identification and also a letter system (A-F) to indicate value. No dollar values assigned, just a way to give my sons an idea about which lanterns can be pretty much given away, and which ones are valuable and will need proper sale. As we've all seen, there are some pretty homely lanterns that have real value and some pretty, bright red ones that are super common. And everybody involved understands that if they want to keep some that's fine, but feel free to sell the others and use the money for their interests. Mike.
A knotty question and one I have had some experience in albeit not in the lamp/stove world. One way of ensuring that they go to a good home is to find a fellow trusted lamp/stovie who may be prepared to arrange for sympathetic disposal. This can be remunerated or costs covered in some way of course or it can be a reciprocal arrangement. It can be put in your will or in a supplement/codicil to it. This way you can ensure that the disposal benefits the relevant community and the beneficiaries of your will (and preserves historically imortant items). As to downsizing only you can decide, but as mentioned above streamlining into a category can help. Cataloging will make anyone's job easier especially if you put a realistic a "auction" value alongside. Sympathetic disposal could include an auction at a collectors gathering and can be billed as the "yourname" collection. It could even be a sealed bid auction with a percentage to a charity. Much to ponder, and may be helpful. Chris
I think we all need to have a conversation with a trusted 'lantern mate' who is either the same age or younger and arrange for them to be your lantern 'buddy' should the worst happen. Your wife/partner would need to be fully in on the discussion so everyone knows the plan. I would suggest offering X lamps from your collection - of your buddy's choice - as a thank an the understanding that they would help with the sale/disposal/gifting/museum loan etc of the extant collection. The wife or partner may want to keep one or more of they may not, but that is the sort of thing that can be discussed over a meal and a few beers/bottle of wine. I plan to do this with my wife and family before I get too doddery to remember my own name, as it's the only way I can think of to sort it out properly and equitably. Hope my suggestion helps.
Thanks all for your replies, I know it's a bit of a morbid subject but something we've all got to address it at some point. Though I have no plans of shuffling off anytime soon, illnesses certainly put things into perspective. I'd like to think there's a new breed of collectors coming through the ranks and indeed I do see them on this site and also Facebook. Personally I'd like to see my grandson take an interest (he's only 3) so I'll have to wait a little longer yet, in the meantime I still can't help myself and bought another PL53 last night, I'm currently trying to think of a way to tell the wife that a lamp will be turning up in the post , or should I just let it surprise her? 30 odd years ago when I started all this, I was told that id get addicted but said 'don't be daft, it's only a couple of lamps ' boy was i in for a surprise. Again, thanks for your responses, I still haven't got my answer but some thoughts are definitely swimming around the grey matter. Stay safe everyone K
Hi fellas, im in tears, reading all the thread, ive only been collecting for a sjort time, im in awre, when i read about what others have, have done, the generosity of fellow lanterneers, I dont know whats going to happen to my collection, i have been giving them to friends and family of all ages as gifts for birthdays,xmas, gratitude, etc, they are a gift for generations this way. As a few have mention your collection is part of you, i f i may share with you all, my colleting/ collection, fettling, has been a big part of my mental state, i am a good god bearing person, but over the past ive had some depressing moment, companies, people, gone banckrupt, we lost our life savings, no fault of my own, but it upset me big time, i had bad thought about the companies peple etc, i m on the verge of mental breakdown, im not a bad person but i couldnt get it out of my head and still live with my beautiful partner and kids, i saw a shrink and with a bit of guidance, i replaced bad thought by buying a lantern, and bringing it back to life, i turned the bad thought into a good positive though and turned my self around. I dont want to drag on, but this post has prompted me to do someting with them now rather than later. I thank everyone on this group, i see for alot of us there is going to be some deep soul searching as to what is going to happen to our beloved lanterns, stoves, lamps and other curiosities
Quite the opposite.... East Sussex has a "Tilley Team" where myself and a couple of other leaders offer lamp servicing, demonstration and training to both leaders and the young members -- Beavers (6-8yo) - demonstration of lamps and safe lighting of a match to light a candle, Cubs (8-10yo) how to light and use hurricane lamps (Chalwyn & Feuerhand types) Scouts 10yo and older are taught the safe use of Tilley lamps. If Groups have their own lamps we help bring them back to use and when we can we donate working lamps to groups to get them started if they don't have their own. Sales pitch - happy to travel - happy to accept lamps to pass on ps we sometimes do stoves
@Darryl Durdin Mate, it sounds like you've been through the ringer and not just once either! You have my sympathies. We had a death in the family and it knocked us all for six, big time. Two years later we're just starting to get back on track, but when I was going through it, dissapearing into the garage/workshop to tinker with my latest lantern was a great help and kept me sane.
Hi @Darryl Durdin I’m glad that you found a way out of your dark place through the restoration of lanterns and through the friendly lampies on this site. I too have been helped immeasurably by the lampie disease, and not forgetting all my lampie mates. Nearly 2 years ago, I lost my darling wife, Wendy. She fell and hit her head and the resulting progressive brain injury killed her 20 months later. We had been married only 4 years and 10 days. Today, the sun shines on my life once again. I’ve met a wonderful lady, Kaye, and life is once again looking good. The lamps and my lampie mates carried me through. So Darryl, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, I hope you find yours. Cheers Pete
Fascinating and profound reflections and it is a wonderful helpful group of people. Collecting for me is probably a disease (OCD) as a few in the family over three generations have had this compulsion to create order and catalog things. Great Uncle had thousands of old 78s. cigarette cards and a complete library of everything ever published on Gilbert and Sullivan. I have collected coins, done the family tree (before the Internet), collected information on all sorts of obscure measurements and bolt threads, the periodic table elements, both raw elements, products with them in and the ore. I also collected virtually all approx 160 John Wayne films (several are unprocurable), plus ads, books and trivia. Stoves and lanterns is just another collection but one which I enjoy for the repair aspect but I do worry, like many it seems, as to what will become of it. I must admit I liked the idea of retiring and then selling pieces off over time. Like many have mentioned, my wife thinks it's all junk and will go to the tip. My son-in-law knows better but would not be interested in much other than a piece or two. My solution was to build a computer database that has a photo of every item and one of the fields is 'rarity' which includes: junk, worth little, common, less common, hard to get, rare, very rare, extremely rare and lastly, family keepsake. Thus, if anything happens someone knows what to look out for and hopefully offer to other collectors. I think a key issue for me is I am now trying to finish fixing what I have and I am finding things which worked a couple of decades ago now don't so I have slowed markedly at getting new things. I must say that this thread, started by @Keith Warby, is very thought provoking and interesting and some other previous threads and posts to others who have been down on their luck or had misfortune have been amazingly poignant, perhaps the most thoughtful, inspiring and genuine comments I have been privileged to read. We are indeed fortunate.
I suppose I am lucky as my son has an interest in lamps, and has about 40+ so far, he is just 27 year old. So i guess its his problem not mine, hopefully. My wife also knows which are the rare ones as well, I have also put photos on the computer and listed them all. I wont go into detail but I know about depression and suicide , and other bad things that have happened to me, way too many to mention and disgusting to talk about, try to keep your chins up boys, it does get better over time.
To be able to share one's passion, irrespective what that might be, is bliss. To me, that confirms my own sentiments (on lamps in this case) as real. To a great extent I can do this on this forum; I have no relatives to share this hobby with. I have never looked away from an ending life; to me death defines life, that I (66) still want to live to its fullest. I do look back fondly on activities I no longer can - or mostly did not want - to continue. Some of these memories are my most valued posessions that will never lose that value. There is little or no regret having to let go of things, as everything to me has its time and place. With an intended move to the countryside of France - for me an exciting new page in my book - I am aware I need, and want to let go of many ingredients that still are part of my present life. I feel the need to empty my house - a practical consideration - but most importantly, clearing my head space. So I started selling off my collections of stoves, lamps, motorcycles, camera's and optics, classic target rifles and even chainsaws. Most of these were bought, and enjoyed, with my heart. Most are sold already, confirming this is the right thing for me to do. I also am convinced that the new owners will appreciate these goods for what they are, and unlikely to 'junk' it. And in some special cases, gifting is yielding so much more than money alone can bring. On the other hand, I do not hesitate to auction off stoves and lamps worldwide, with an optimal revenue in mind. I can sell an Optimus 253 lyre lamp only one time, and it might as well make good money. The new owner in Thailand expressed his great pleasure having it won on t'Bay, which is an added bonus. The image of a 'skip' does not enter my mind at all. At the same time, I conciously think about what I want to keep, with a 'random' target of ten pieces (defined as 'boxable') as a maximum. Hence 10 stoves, and 10 lamps - and I am even reducing that number even more. I already feel I am much more into these selected items than I have been before: indeed, less is more. The answer to the initial question - a very valid one imo - I think can only be answered by the same person who poses the question; there are no outside guidelines, but there could be points to reflect upon, hence my two cents her. I know of some collectors who had plans to build up a 'museum-like' collection, only to realise there will be little to no visitors. Indeed, I found I could share most of my enthousiasm only with buyers who came to collect. And I wholeheartedly agree with John's observation that sharing one's experiences with a lamp or stove on the respective sites is the most endurable - and likely most appreciated - way of 'posessing' a good. I value my correspondence with Bryan Miller, a lovely gentleman in my book I still think of with fondness. As we shared a certain interest in motorcycles as well, he mentioned he needed to repair and sell some Honda's while he could, as no-one in his family would have a clue. Perhaps this is the most clear consideration within this topic: do not leave a burden for your loved ones. They, at the same time, could very well be aware of how valuable the collecting activity is for you. A good communication about this, in the light of a future passing, might bring an optimal, future proof, situation for all concerned. Mike
A "boxable" collection--"I like that concept!", says Mike in Canada to Mike in the Netherlands. Mike.
Well philosophical the time is now. We don't know when it is our call and time to go. Can be years, can be minutes..... So a boxable collection sounds good.
This is an extremely insightful thread. Naturally, I do have a similar heavy-hearted feel as most if not all of you guys here. Not just for lanterns and other beloved stuffs that formed a great part of our lives. Bearing this in mind, I have come to realize that the more we love our possessions, the harder it is for us to part off with them. Getting 'infected' when we first started to the eventual day we're left with heavy sentiments as we let go the collections. I have since developed an attitude of not falling in love too much with just about any material possession that happens to come along in life. So for me, the time is now or never. As for others who had already fallen in love with their collections, I'd say, keep them so long as they still bring joy. Do not worry too much about the future of the items. Most of them would still be around when we're long gone. Just as the way these moved on from their previous owners to us. And lastly, in my opinion, its never ever too late to sell or part with them. Cheer up .
