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NJ, USA: Large lot of vintage/retro computers, peripherals & etc.

S

summerdaysands

New Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2013
Messages
6
I posted this in another vintage computer form, and it was suggested that I try here, too--so here's what I posted to the other forum:

(Every time I read what I've written, it sounds like the vintage-computing equivalent of a Nigerian email scam, or something equally improbable. That said, I'm just going to give up and post it. Let the chips fall where they may.)

My husband died recently and I am now in charge of selling his huge collection of vintage and retro computers, peripherals, software and whatnot. There is more of it than I can begin to sell piece-by-piece online, not only because of the quantity of items, but because I do not know enough about these things to even write a vaguely accurate item description. What I do know is that the lot consumes about 1/3 of the floor space of 2 storage units, not including the items in the basement and the garage. There are old Apple computers (probably a couple Apple II's, or more) a couple of LISAs (they were not well kept, in my opinion) and what I think is software for them, a couple stacks of external HDs for the old Apples (I think they take those old, flat, floppy disks, for the most part) as well as a boatload of keyboards, what I think he said was a Texas Instruments mini computer of some kind, an old Spark(sp?) station, some IBM-y things, and probably even our old Commodore 64 and 128s. There's definitely more, but I don't know what all of it is, nor can I really inventory it all, as I can't even move half of the stuff.

I know it sounds ridiculous--widow who doesn't know what she's got in storage, and all that--but it's entirely true. As I said in the subject line, I live in NJ, and the items are in a storage facility nearby. If anyone wants look over everything and buy the lot, I'm willing to give out the address of the storage place and meet them there so they can see what there is and make an offer. I have been told everything by everyone, from "it's all junk, it will never sell" by auctioneers to "you'll end up paying to get rid of it because of the batteries and CRT monitors" to "ZOMG, sell it on eBay and get rich!"

The estate closing requirements insist that I show the value received for whatever I sell, so I would provide a receipt for everything. I'd really like it if someone just bought it all rather than cherry-picking through the lot, but there really is a lot of stuff and I am sure that it would fill the floor space in a mid-sized UHaul (because I don't think you can really stack some of these things, like monitors).

If anyone in the South Jersey/Philadelphia/Wilmington DE area is interested (or willing to travel!), please let me know. It would help me settle the estate and offset the substantial cost of storage, and allow me the space to sort through the personal items I can't really get to right now. (In the interest of everyone's comfort, it would be a bit silly not to have some company along. I'd probably bring a male family member, and any buyer should feel free to bring someone, too. The storage place has cameras everywhere, if that helps.)

I hope I followed the forum rules. Thanks for reading! :D
 
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The storage place is about five minutes from Exit 2 of the NJ Turnpike, or to put it another way, about 15 minutes from the Commodore Barry Bridge. (Southern Gloucester Co.) If I take 295, I can generally be in the city in about 30 minutes, but if it's getting towards rush hour, all bets are off.
 
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This is your stuff or you're reposting this for someone else? (Just curious, no rules broken and thanks for taking the time to seek out some collectors). Hopefully you can get some help, there are quite a few members who live .. well north east.. at least. It's hard to say what things are worth, the Lisa's are certainly a highly desirable and worth while computer to sell. Early Apple II if it doesn't say //e sell for a lot right now and even a IIplus sells for quite a bit.

It's not that uncommon though in your situation and my condolences as well. It's definitely not junk, but yes a large collection is a pain to manage and sell too so I understand the overwhelming feeling that most of our better halves would probably be experiencing.

Either way, best of luck and you'll definitely get a flood of folks wanting to check it out. If you have pictures that will help every one or if you find someone to help you organize things and assess things perhaps that'd be good too for the estate and family. If anything a few pictures and we can tell you if something is rare and worth saving or if it's a $100 system that's worth getting to a collector but not worrying too much about.

- John
 
I'm posting on my own behalf--the collection was my husband's, and the thought of sending it all to one of those places that rips up old electronics for the copper or whatever feels kind of... wrong. :(

As soon as this ridiculous tropical deluge passes and we get some daylight, I will try to get some pics. it's pretty tough to get to most of the things as it's all packed into the unit in such a way that I can't even walk into it.

I do wish he'd kept an inventory of it or something, but it's all water under the bridge, now. I'm sure if this finds the right pair of eyes, someone will be thrilled to bits with it all. :)
 
There are quite a few of us here in NJ. It would be a daunting task to catalog a pile of stuff in a warehouse. Unfortunately that takes a TON of time that most people don't have but would provide the best return for the estate AND get the items in the hands of people who will use/preserve the equipment.

Just keep in mind that some folks here will just pick off the "good stuff" (like the Lisas) and leave the rest.
 
Summer: I run a non-for-profit organization called MARCH - Mid-Atlantic Retro Computing Hobbyists. We have dozens of members in NJ, DE, PA, MD, and NY who are serious collectors, many of whom are reading this forum. We also operate a computer museum located in Wall, NJ, and we are definitely up to the task of assessing your husband's collection -- unfortunately we have plenty of experience at that. However you did not post any contact information. Please email me: evan@infoage.org -- we will make sure you get fair treatment. Everyone here on the VC Forum will vouch for us.

- Evan Koblentz
 
Oh, wow! Hi, NJ folks. :wave: Thanks for taking the time--I certainly appreciate it. This is finally starting to look like it won't end with a UHaul at the computer recycling place in Philly! That would really suck. (I don't want to throw out his collection any more than I like the thought of someone tossing my 15 years of genealogy files.)
 
EvanK said:
Summer: I run a non-for-profit organization called MARCH - Mid-Atlantic Retro Computing Hobbyists. We have dozens of members in NJ, DE, PA, MD, and NY who are serious collectors, many of whom are reading this forum. We also operate a computer museum located in Wall, NJ, and we are definitely up to the task of assessing your husband's collection -- unfortunately we have plenty of experience at that. However you did not post any contact information. Please email me: evan@infoage.org -- we will make sure you get fair treatment. Everyone here on the VC Forum will vouch for us.

- Evan Koblentz
Click to expand...

I deliberately left out the contact info in favor of forum contact as first contact. I guess I'm a little cagey about these things since I've been living alone. It's really nothing personal, and everyone on the forums I've posted to has been quite nice. :) I'll pop you an email in a minute or so. If you don't get it in a reasonable amount of time, I've goofed, so do let me know.
 
Everyone: I spent 7 hours at the seller's storage unit. Out to dinner now; will post a report tonight or tomorrow night.
 
...And I finally got the bloody thing locked around 10:30. (And it wasn't for lack of trying.)

Y'all, Evan (and GF) was *epic.* I was expecting him to pop in and give things a cursory once-over (like the auctioneers, who poked around the visible stuff in the front and declared it all not even worth auctioning, or recommended I pay to take it to the dump) so the amount of time and effort he invested was really, truly shocking. :super: :knight:

I really can't remember most of the things that were in there, but one of the Lisas showed up, as did a bunch of Compaq(sp?) somewhat-portable-but-still-not-a-laptop things in many flavors, a Commodore... Vic 20, maybe...? Radio Shack stuff, Tandy stuff (which might be the same thing--I think the TRS 80 had Tandy and Radio Shack on it), more Apple things than I could shake a stick at (IIs, and many variations thereof) a Rainbow something-or-other, a British portable thingy in a bag (hey, I'm pretty sure it started with an A.... Or was it an E...? I am probably getting confused with the Emerson or Epson stuff, or whatever). So, there was KPro stuff, Franklin stuff (Ace 100...?), a couple somethings cutely dubbed "CoCo"s, and a whole lot more than I can recall right now.

I can say without reservation that Sun does not make anything that weighs less than a soaking wet king-size comforter, and it's all just as awkward to move. Sun monitor? Huge and heavy. Sparc stations? Huge and even heavier. Even the little external drive looking things were like shifting cinder blocks. Evan moved a LOT of incredibly heavy stuff--a good bit of which was personal stuff, too, which he kindly sorted out to clear the way for the good stuff.

I'll try to load some pics tomorrow--it's way late and I don't know how to do that here, so it'll have to wait.

Big, huge public Thank You to EvanK for going above and beyond the call of duty. Cheers! :toast:
 
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summerdaysands said:
...And I finally got the bloody thing locked around 10:30. (And it wasn't for lack of trying.)

Y'all, Evan (and GF) was *epic.* I was expecting him to pop in and give things a cursory once-over (like the auctioneers, who poked around the visible stuff in the front and declared it all not even worth auctioning, or recommended I pay to take it to the dump) so the amount of time and effort he invested was really, truly shocking. :super: :knight:

I really can't remember most of the things that were in there, but one of the Lisas showed up, as did a bunch of Compaq(sp?) somewhat-portable-but-still-not-a-laptop things in many flavors, a Commodore... Vic 20, maybe...? Radio Shack stuff, Tandy stuff (which might be the same thing--I think the TRS 80 had Tandy and Radio Shack on it), more Apple things than I could shake a stick at (IIs, and many variations thereof) a Rainbow something-or-other, a British portable thingy in a bag (hey, I'm pretty sure it started with an A.... Or was it an E...? I am probably getting confused with the Emerson or Epson stuff, or whatever). So, there was KPro stuff, Franklin stuff (Ace 100...?), a couple somethings cutely dubbed "CoCo"s, and a whole lot more tharight an recall right now. I can say without reservation that Sun does not make anything that does not weight more than a wet king-size comforter, and it's all just as awkward to move. Sun monitor? Huge and heavy. Sparc stations? Huge and even heavier. Even the little external drive looking things were like shifting cinder blocks. Evan moved a LOT of incredibly heavy stuff--a good bit of which was personal stuff, too, which he kindly sorted out to clear the way for the good stuff.

I'll try to load some pics tomorrow--it's way late and I don't know how to do that here, so it'll have to wait.

Big, huge public Thank You to EvanK for going above and beyond the call of duty. Cheers! :toast:
Click to expand...

I live right by you, I would be willing to buy it all at once and pay cash.
 
I spent 7 hours helping the seller today. About 50% of the storage locker contents were junk. Of the other 50%, certain items will go to the MARCH museum, and the rest we'll sell on behalf of the original poster.

The items will be sold at MARCH's next repair workshop, which is (tentatively) scheduled for sometime in August. Details TBD and will be posted in the "events" section of this forum.

There's going to be quite a lot for sale. There is way, way, way too much to list. Wide variety from Apple and Tandy. Also some Commodore, Compaq (many!), IBM, Kaypro, Osborne, Sun, and Toshiba, among others.

As usual, you'll have to be there, nothing gets shipped, and no, we can't post an inventory.
 
ASSEMblergames said:
I live right by you, I would be willing to buy it all at once and pay cash.
Click to expand...

Go back and read the seller's post above your reply. Do you think I spent all day there so someone else can swoop in and buy it all? Things will be sold fairly at the next MARCH event, which is open to everyone.
 
PS- Vast majority of the stuff that'll be for sale is in desperate need of Retr0brite.

Signing off now, I am beat!
 
EvanK said:
PS- Vast majority of the stuff that'll be for sale is in desperate need of Retr0brite.

Signing off now, I am beat!
Click to expand...


Thanks Evan - besides the time you put in I like the way you guys are handing the problem. Except for the inventory and shipping parts. ;-0

(Minnesota ... ggrrrrr!)


I like this approach a lot better than the resellers swooping in for an easy score and trashing a lot of it.
 
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