Where do all my Models go when I'm gone?

[Lorne]

Does everyone have a plan for when the inevitable happens? I still consider myself a spring chicken but what happens to all "your stuff" when you have met the ALL MIGHTY? I was thinking of donating to local hobby stores for their display case? Or, maybe a fellow modeller? I know my family has no interest. It's a shame all those works of art you created could go to your local land fill. sorry, kind of a terrible thought but it is reality!

 

Edited January 19, 2022 by Lorne
spelling

[Jim B]

I can almost guarantee that all my models will end up in the land fill whether they are completed, in progress, or still in the box.

Edited January 17, 2022 by Jim B

[webestang]

My fam has no interest in anything I own. I'm single with no ex-wife or kids so my nephew gets all my stuff. So my model kits built and unbuilt will more than likely be sold in an estate sale by my nephew with all my other collections. 

Edited January 17, 2022 by webestang

[Lunajammer]

When a club member passed, other key members joined his wife in liquidating as much as they could at the annual toy and hobby show. Knowledgeable members set the prices, hustled and hawked while the wife greeted and thanked the buyers. They set and dickered the price of the valuable kits and tools, but wasted no time haggling over common kits and small stuff. At day's end, most was gone, she made a little money, was free of the burden, buyers got great bargains and it all ended up in the hands of people who wanted it. Win-win-win.

Edited January 17, 2022 by Lunajammer

[Smoke Wagon]

I’ll just have my collection of built and unbuilt kits passed on to my son but he’s not born yet so I really can’t say whether or not he’d be interested.

[iamsuperdan]

We're thinking about this now with my dad's kits. He passed almost three years ago now. I have all of his unbuilt kits, but as I'm not a plane or boat guy, I'm not sure what I'll do with them.

All of his built kits are still in their cabinets at my mum's place, but we're not sure what to do with them all. 

 

 

[vamach1]

3 hours ago, Lunajammer said:

When a club member passed, other key members joined his wife in liquidating as much as they could at the annual toy and hobby show. Knowledgeable members set the prices, hustled and hawked while the wife greeted and thanked the buyers. They set and dickered the price of the valuable kits and tools, but wasted no time haggling over common kits and small stuff. At day's end, most was gone, she made a little money, was free of the burden, buyers got great bargains and it all ended up in the hands of people who wanted it. Win-win-win.

We had a similar situation with a member that died suddenly (an accident) and club members reached out to his widow and all his unbuilt kits were “bought” and resold to club members and collectors for reasonable prices.  It was a lot of work as there were thousands of kits but as a 30 plus year member of the Maryland Automotive Modelers Association his fellow club members stepped up and avoided the chance the kits would be disposed or sold for peanuts.  RIP Gary S.

[Dave Ambrose]

I've asked my kids not to fight over my kit stash. They smile and say they won't. Not sure who's going to end up with the Disney Nautilus, but anything they don't want can go to our model car club. 

[Cool Hand]

My builds and kits are for my enjoyment in the moment of now, I dont care what happens to all my modelling stuff once im gone. I will be too dead to care LOL!

[ChrisR]

My son as he is an avid model builder!

[cobraman]

I have thought about this on and off for the last couple of years. My daughter will probably want a few for my grandson. I have been collecting Shelby Cobras and Daytona's for a number of years. Not just models but die cast as well as other materials. I now have north of 750. What to do ? Someone a while back suggested that perhaps my wife could donate them to Shelby America in Vegas if they would want them. That would be fine with me.

[DrKerry]

My son and daughter have interest in mine. Most will go there but I'm sure some or most will be sold off.. 

[vamach1]

4 hours ago, cobraman said:

I have thought about this on and off for the last couple of years. My daughter will probably want a few for my grandson. I have been collecting Shelby Cobras and Daytona's for a number of years. Not just models but die cast as well as other materials. I now have north of 750. What to do ? Someone a while back suggested that perhaps my wife could donate them to Shelby America in Vegas if they would want them. That would be fine with me.

The Boulder Shelby museum has just about every kit in the collection there but I did not see any models in Vegas besides diecast for sale.  There is also the Cobra Experience in California which I have not seen in person.  The issue I have with some “museums” is the donations may end up being sold off to pay for facility operating expenses.  I guess as long as they do not get thrown out or sold for next to nothing the only reasonable alternative is to find other “younger” collectors that will appreciate your obsession.

Edited January 18, 2022 by vamach1

[cobraman]

Thanks for the suggestions.

[BlackSheep214]

This has been thought of in my mind for some time off and on within the last few years. Built and partially kits will most likely will be tossed. I will put a word out to my son and my nieces and nephew if there is a favorite built model kit I've done they'd like to have, to take it. Unbuilt kits, I will direct my family to post in a couple forums I belong to the members there to sell or give it away, Most of them are aircrafts and car kits. Who knows, it may be at a time where I can no longer build models that will be given away or to sell.

[Lorne]

Hey thanks guys on the replies, keep them coming!

I do have a goal before I am finished this wonderful hobby. I have always been a Hot Rodder or Big Rig guy. Love chrome, paint and a cool ride! So I changed things up and I purchase the 1/200 scale Battle Ship Bismarck by Trumpeter. I have never built a ship before so I thought "Go Big or Go Home" !!!  Build something way out of my element and try my so called skills on that monster!! Then once its done,.... good luck to anyone finding a place to display it!! HA!!!

[Lunajammer]

13 hours ago, vamach1 said:

The issue I have with some “museums” is the donations may end up being sold off to pay for facility operating expenses.

Or the opposite... One of our museums displays under glass a fair sized collection of common, poorly built, unpainted, busted, glue splotched airplanes. Probably belonged to a member or big financial supporter, but it bothers me that this is what's supposed to represent museum worthy scale replicas. If they want to honor the donor, hang a picture of the person. They probably didn't want to tell the widow they wouldn't display them.

Meanwhile one of the best aircraft/military modelers in our area for decades passed away. I found his airbrushed and accurately detailed aircraft piled up and broken in a rummage box on the floor at the thrift store. Broke my heart.

Edited January 19, 2022 by Lunajammer

[slusher]

My granddaughters will get a few my oldest son has no interest and my 17 year old now and my wife will leave the rest be that’s built. My wif will offer what few unbuilt to men here that I’ve mentioned their names..

[Ace-Garageguy]

If you're still above ground, it's not too late to make arrangements for the dispersal of your modeling assets to whoever you want to have them.

Nor is it particularly difficult...though, like most things worthwhile, it takes some effort and thought.

For instance, let's assume your family doesn't want the stuff. Well, you're here on this board. Surely it wouldn't be hard to make a list of folks you like, who you think would benefit from all or part of your collection, and contact them with info as to what you've got, asking if they'd want it, and making arrangements for shipping or pickup after the inevitable happens. Put the stuff in your will, problem solved.

Lots or other solutions too. 

[Xingu]

I am fairly certain my wife will find a way to make me sell everything before I die. ?

I have been downsizing a bit already, but will still have several hundred kits when I retire and move out west.

 

[DEL]

I have many cartons of brand new unbuilt kits going back 40 years. Some hundreds.  Then there are my scratchbuilds.  In my youth I was also a radio AM/FM DJ and in those days we played 45's and albums. It inspired me to start my own music library. To this day I have like 20,000+ 45's,spanning the 50's to today. Many of them are Not For Sale Promo only radio station copies and that includes around 10,000 albums and 12" singles.  I was also a Deputy Sheriff for over 40 years and have a large LE collection of memorabilia. Not to mention my weapons and police gear, uniforms, badges etc.  I have only one son but he is developmentally handicapped.  All this will mean nothing to him. I have two nieces and one nephew I doubt there will be much interest on their parts.

So, I have no doubt once I am gone a large dumpster will appear and it all will be disposed of despite my admonishment to my sisters that many of these things are worth a lot all by themselves.  That's the think I've longed marveled about the human experience. As long as you live you have rights, own property and your stuff is yours to do as you wish and is protected by you as best you can. The moment you are gone, it's so much a personal lifelong garbage collection to everyone else around you.

[absmiami]

model heaven  ??

[absmiami]

if its a Palmer kit:

does it go to Model Hell  ???  ??

[Ace-Garageguy]

41 minutes ago, DEL said:

So, I have no doubt once I am gone a large dumpster will appear and it all will be disposed of despite my admonishment to my sisters that many of these things are worth a lot all by themselves.  That's the think I've longed marveled about the human experience. As long as you live you have rights, own property and your stuff is yours to do as you wish and is protected by you as best you can. The moment you are gone, it's so much a personal lifelong garbage collection to everyone else around you.

It's a sad situation when there's no one close who appreciates the value, both sentimental and monetary, of meaningful things people collect during their brief time here.

I'm lucky to have a very old friend who will probably outlive me, and who understands how much a part of me all my much-loved "stuff" really is.

I probably need to face the unpleasant thought about what will become of my "junk" if she departs first.

There ARE viable solutions to our respective dilemmas.

[Lunajammer]

When I hear talk of dumpsters I get chills. Hopefully, people liquidating your estate will consider estate auctions or sales, if they appreciate money. Anytime I've attended an auction with models listed, they go in lots for nearly market value. Once an auctioneer posts a list, buyers come out of the woodwork.