What do relatives do with scale models?
Discussion
Whenever anyone dies, get someone in who looks trust worthy and ask them to keep ONLY really sentimental things and photos and bin everything else.
When I walked back into my mums house, it was a relief there was only a small box to take home with me!
Just isn't worth the emotional heartache in keeping piles!
When I walked back into my mums house, it was a relief there was only a small box to take home with me!
Just isn't worth the emotional heartache in keeping piles!
Every now and then our club secretary turns up with the tools and stash of a recently deceased ex member. The widow reaches out donates it to the club.
In loving memory of the deceased (who most of us never knew) we pick through their carefully curated collection like vultures on a discarded carcass. The remnants are discarded and offered to a charity shop or binned.
Romantic isn’t it?
Life lesson. Buy to build not to collect.
In loving memory of the deceased (who most of us never knew) we pick through their carefully curated collection like vultures on a discarded carcass. The remnants are discarded and offered to a charity shop or binned.
Romantic isn’t it?
Life lesson. Buy to build not to collect.
Interesting thing is that built construction kits, over which the recently departed lavished hours of time, are casually discarded, whereas model railway rolling stock, bought off the shelf and produced in tens or hundreds of thousands, with no personal input, is seen as valuable.
I'm just as guilty, I've still got all my Triang-Hornby locos etc, unused since about 1980, in the loft (Mum's loft specifically) but I casually tossed all my model aircraft into a wheelie bin.
I do have the Airfix 1/24 P51 my Dad built in about 1974 on my study wall. It's looking pretty tired – decals falling off etc – and I'm pondering whether to restore or leave as is. To the extent I checked out the price of getting another kit off eBay to pillage for spare rear-view mirrors (the only missing parts). Also the London Bus, which he built before I was born. I can't bring myself to bin it.
I'm just as guilty, I've still got all my Triang-Hornby locos etc, unused since about 1980, in the loft (Mum's loft specifically) but I casually tossed all my model aircraft into a wheelie bin.
I do have the Airfix 1/24 P51 my Dad built in about 1974 on my study wall. It's looking pretty tired – decals falling off etc – and I'm pondering whether to restore or leave as is. To the extent I checked out the price of getting another kit off eBay to pillage for spare rear-view mirrors (the only missing parts). Also the London Bus, which he built before I was born. I can't bring myself to bin it.
I hope they keep the one cabinet with all my once owned cars, incl trade in cars which I also drove in till the next car and the in between cars, looking for another sporty car.
now 122 cars all in 1/43 in the best models and in 1 new aluminium cabinet, its me in cars :-) and ow, you can buy a nice car from what it cost in total and all the years hunting for the right make and type (model) and color.
Those are also easy to maintain, they are all in their own little plastic see through box, so you can see them good, but protected against dust and those boxes also protected against dust because of the aluminium/glass collector cabinet.
Sadly I only have 4 sisters haha, but... one of those would keep it I think...(hope) or I come back as a Ghost
the other wooden cabinet with cars that are say on a bucketlist and so on, also all in 1/43 those they can sell, most very interesting/nice cars (for me that is) which can also bring up some good money.
now 122 cars all in 1/43 in the best models and in 1 new aluminium cabinet, its me in cars :-) and ow, you can buy a nice car from what it cost in total and all the years hunting for the right make and type (model) and color.
Those are also easy to maintain, they are all in their own little plastic see through box, so you can see them good, but protected against dust and those boxes also protected against dust because of the aluminium/glass collector cabinet.
Sadly I only have 4 sisters haha, but... one of those would keep it I think...(hope) or I come back as a Ghost
the other wooden cabinet with cars that are say on a bucketlist and so on, also all in 1/43 those they can sell, most very interesting/nice cars (for me that is) which can also bring up some good money.
My dad collected Minox miniature cameras. He died 6 years ago, and they have sat in 3 large tote boxes, moving between houses several times as we tried to work out what to do with them.
Everything was catalogued, price paid, etc. Problem is, to us, they all look the same to us.
They are now back with mum, and she is trying to put them into a specialist auction.
I collect model cars, and also have loads of plastic kits, some unbuilt.
To save relatives the hassle, I've put a bequest in my will that all the built kits and die-cast goes to a friend who also collects. At least he'll know what they are worth. The unbuilt stuff should be easier to sell on eBay, so will be part of my estate.
I also have a big collection of watches. Unit value of those is a lot higher, so worth my relatives going through them and selling individually.
Everything was catalogued, price paid, etc. Problem is, to us, they all look the same to us.
They are now back with mum, and she is trying to put them into a specialist auction.
I collect model cars, and also have loads of plastic kits, some unbuilt.
To save relatives the hassle, I've put a bequest in my will that all the built kits and die-cast goes to a friend who also collects. At least he'll know what they are worth. The unbuilt stuff should be easier to sell on eBay, so will be part of my estate.
I also have a big collection of watches. Unit value of those is a lot higher, so worth my relatives going through them and selling individually.
I find this a curiously emotive subject - but can't rationalise quite why. But it does seem incredibly sacrilegious to take a completed model kit, which one man lavished hour-upon-hour of love, care, passion and attention upon, and relegate it to the dustbin.
I think one should think of these built kits in 'recycling' terms - if it doesn't possess any significant cash value, it should still be offered a suitable home - someone, somewhere, is certain to appreciate the effort and craft 'invested' in the subject - regardless of its monetary value (or lack thereof).
On a completely separate matter, anyone have any white metal car models / kits surplus to requirements!?
I think one should think of these built kits in 'recycling' terms - if it doesn't possess any significant cash value, it should still be offered a suitable home - someone, somewhere, is certain to appreciate the effort and craft 'invested' in the subject - regardless of its monetary value (or lack thereof).
On a completely separate matter, anyone have any white metal car models / kits surplus to requirements!?
I’m of the opinion it doesn’t really matter what happens to the models. A lot of modellers derive the pleasure from building rather than looking at the finished thing anyway.
I understand it’s a shame to throw away someone’s hard work, but…end of the day, they’re not going to know!
A few years ago there was someone on here about to throw away a few built Tamiya 1:12 F1 cars in various states of repair. I was very, very tempted to have them, but to what end? Just more things to store.
I do have a couple of models built by someone who went through a divorce, and no longer had room/desire to keep them. I don’t know them, and have never met them - it was a relative of theirs who asked if anyone wanted them, and they were so carefully finished I couldn’t say no. Then again, I was hoping that the person in question might one day regret throwing them out, and they can - somehow - have them back.
Someone mentioned museums - although it’s common to see terrible models in museums, once they’ve got a collection they don’t seem to change, at least not in terms of increasing numbers or quality. In fact I’ve heard that the brilliant models at Cosford have been removed as part of a refurbishment. No doubt replaced by some bland ‘interactive’ stuff that seems like a good idea at the time. May be wrong about tvat, but seems typical of the way museums have gone.
I understand it’s a shame to throw away someone’s hard work, but…end of the day, they’re not going to know!
A few years ago there was someone on here about to throw away a few built Tamiya 1:12 F1 cars in various states of repair. I was very, very tempted to have them, but to what end? Just more things to store.
I do have a couple of models built by someone who went through a divorce, and no longer had room/desire to keep them. I don’t know them, and have never met them - it was a relative of theirs who asked if anyone wanted them, and they were so carefully finished I couldn’t say no. Then again, I was hoping that the person in question might one day regret throwing them out, and they can - somehow - have them back.
Someone mentioned museums - although it’s common to see terrible models in museums, once they’ve got a collection they don’t seem to change, at least not in terms of increasing numbers or quality. In fact I’ve heard that the brilliant models at Cosford have been removed as part of a refurbishment. No doubt replaced by some bland ‘interactive’ stuff that seems like a good idea at the time. May be wrong about tvat, but seems typical of the way museums have gone.
My dad passed at xmas and my mum asked me if I wanted the models he had built. I have no space for the ones I have and still build so they were binned. I took his unmade kits and i am working my way through them now. I do not need models to remember him buy but then I am not a hoarder
The fun is definitely in the building I get nothing from the finished thing
The fun is definitely in the building I get nothing from the finished thing
The club running a model show I visited last year offered the built-ups of a departed modeller in exchange for donations to a charity chosen by the bereaved family. Thought that was nice and suggested it when our club was contacted about moving-on the built stash of a prolific builder.
I abhor the thought of models being simply binned, regardless of standard. Must be from the value I place on mine; I do enjoy my builds after the event, displayed only for myself, in my model space...snapshots of my taste and ability over the years. They'll be binned no doubt in the end though...
My daughter's old wendy house is full of saved architectural models...wtf will I do with them? No idea, but they're not in a skip yet...
I know some fellow car modellers on here will wince at the thought of all those engines, wheels and tyres, seats, anything of use that'll be lost to the chance of being incorporated in to a custom thingamajig..
I buy incomplete part builds off ebay for bobs and bits ffs! There's huge comfort to be had with an over burdened parts stash...
Yes, I'm quite the saddo because if my numbers come up, I'll have a barn full of rescued builds, not tractors.
I abhor the thought of models being simply binned, regardless of standard. Must be from the value I place on mine; I do enjoy my builds after the event, displayed only for myself, in my model space...snapshots of my taste and ability over the years. They'll be binned no doubt in the end though...
My daughter's old wendy house is full of saved architectural models...wtf will I do with them? No idea, but they're not in a skip yet...
I know some fellow car modellers on here will wince at the thought of all those engines, wheels and tyres, seats, anything of use that'll be lost to the chance of being incorporated in to a custom thingamajig..
I buy incomplete part builds off ebay for bobs and bits ffs! There's huge comfort to be had with an over burdened parts stash...
Yes, I'm quite the saddo because if my numbers come up, I'll have a barn full of rescued builds, not tractors.
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