Ideas for disposing of entire collection

[Tom Uban]

Hi Bob,

I'm sorry to see you bailing from your hobby, but can understand. I realize
that you are looking to find a home for the whole collection, but if you have
a Ferguson Big Board, I'm looking for a spare.

--tnx
--tom

Bob Stek wrote:
> I have been mostly a lurker on the classiccmp lists for the last 10 years or
> so, though I have had individual correspondence with Jim Battle, Dave
> Dunfield, Rich Cini, Allison, and a few others – I think they would vouch
> for me.  I’ve been mostly an S-100 and CP/M guy, and I have probably used
> more impulse than sense in collecting micro stuff.  My worst sin has been in
> putting off any systematic cataloging of my collection, and unfortunately I
> am not in a position to do it now.  What I describe later on is from memory
> – there are all sorts of miscellaneous things as well.
> 
>  
> 
> The time has come for me to liquidate 90% of my collection.  I won’t give it
> away – my kids can deal with it after I’m dead!  I started to sell it piece
> by piece last year and sold about $3,000-$4,000 worth on ebay  (I know,
> boo-hiss! But that’s where I got most of it from.)  I would rather not go
> this route again, except perhaps for my Altair or one of my IMSAI’s.  I am
> willing to take a loss if I can dispose of this stuff in bulk, but want this
> to be as painless (for me) as possible.  All of this stuff has been packed
> away in moving boxes for at least 4-5 years and I no longer want to have to
> take it out, photograph it, test, troubleshoot, write accurate descriptions,
> re-package for safe shipping, take it down to UPS or the P.O., deal with
> eBay, etc.  
> 
>  
> 
> So, questions for the group:
> 
>  
> 
> 1)      Does anyone here have an interest in acquiring my collection and is
> willing to come to Tucson (7 hour drive from San Diego) and pick it all up?
> 
> 2)      Does anyone here know of anyone – a computer museum, a collector not
> on this list, anyone else of unsound mind – who might be interested?
> 
> 3)      Any other ideas on eliminating hassles from individual sales and
> shipping?
> 
> 4)      Anyone want to take a guess at a value of the collection as a whole?
> a) if individually priced on ebay   or b) Entire lot value
> 
>  
> 
> It’s all packed well enough for storage or shipment in a van, but most would
> need to be re-packed for individual shipment.  Part of the problem is that
> while individual boxes are generically labeled (i.e., 8” disks, BYTE mags,
> Votrax, monitor, etc.) I have no simple or easy way to put the appropriate
> docs and disks together with the hardware (nor the room to even attempt it).
> I think I did a fairly good job of rounding up original docs and boot disks
> (or good copies thereof) for most of the equipment.  It would be a shame to
> let that effort go to waste if I eventually decide to go the ebay route
> after all; I would have to sell it all ala carte as I come across it.  
> 
>  
> 
> To give you an idea of some of the items (almost all with complete
> documentation, extra S-100 boards and boot software if appropriate, and most
> were known working when put in storage) here is a good part of the
> collection that I still have:
> 
>  
> 
> 2 or 3 Processor Tech Sols (have extra foam pads for 1 keyboard restore) –
> original docs
> 
> Ithaca InterSystem S-100 – original docs
> 
> 2 IMSAI’s – original docs
> 
> 1 Altair 8800 – some docs
> 
> 2 NorthStar Horizons, 1 with HD – original docs
> 
> 1 CompuPro 8/16 – original docs
> 
> 1 Morrow Decision 1 with HD – original docs (the big iron, not the
> MicroDecision)
> 
> Many, many S-100 cards – 8 and 16 bit CPUs, 4k thru 256k memory boards,
> Matrox video, disk controllers, almost all w/ original docs
> 
> 1 Lobo System with HD – original docs
> 
> 3-4-5? Circuit Cellar SB-180 systems, 1 with HD – original docs
> 
> 2 NOS Xerox Z-80 64k systems w/ 5 ¼” dual drives – original docs
> 
> 2-3 KayPro’s – original docs
> 
> Televideo 925 terminal
> 
> Older memory chip tester
> 
> Pro-Log M882 8080 analyzer
> 
> Z-80 MicroProfessor
> 
> Digital Group programs on cassette
> 
> Many original ProcTech programs on cassette w/ original docs
> 
> Multiple SS/DD and DS/DD 5.25” disk drives, some in cabinets w/ PS, most not
> 
> Several monochrome composite monitors
> 
> Collection of text-to-speech units, 3-4 Votrax and a large DEC-Talk plus a
> few others – original docs
> 
> BYTE magazine from, v1#1 through mid to late 80’s
> 
> Many issues of Creative Comp, complete Kilobaud, S-100 Microsystems, early
> Dr. Dobb’s, Interface Age, Computer Shopper, Lifeboat Lifelines, etc.
> 
> 2 dual 8” drive systems
> 
> 2-3 Apple II Plus
> 
> 2-3 Apple Z-80 cards
> 
> Ohio Scientific Challenger (C4P? – can’t remember, plus I may have sold this
> last year, not sure but I think it’s still here) w/ docs
> 
> Franklin Ace 100 (the original one with the Apple II ROMs that led to
> landmark court decision allowing copyrighting of software)
> 
> 1-2 early Macs
> 
> Mac LC w/ MS-DOS card
> 
> Cables – lots and lots, from RS-232, Centronics parallel, to power cables to
> ribbon cables to . . . .
> 
> Lots of original software and docs: boxed sets of Digital Research CP/M,
> CP/M-86, CP/M-Plus, CBASIC, Concurrent CP/M – all from DR in slip cases,
> WordStar, Magic Wand, Palantir, dBASE II, Microsoft BASIC-80, baZic,
> Lifeboat Associates CP/MUG disks, lots of NorthStar format software, NOS
> Dysan 10-hole hard-sector disks, complete International NorthStar User’s
> Association newsletters and disks, complete original SOL Users Society
> newsletters, etc.)
> 
> IBM XT
> 
> TrackStar 6502 card for IBM
> 
> Baby Blue Z-80 card for IBM
> 
> IBM AT
> 
> Central Point Match Point card, several Option boards
> 
>  
> 
> . . . and this is just the stuff I remember.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Bob Stek
> 
> Saver of Lost Sols
> 
>  
> 
> P.S.  If I can’t sell it all in one swell  foop, I MAY consider offers for
> individual pieces from list members, but I would REALLY like to sell
> everything at once.  Please don’t ask for any particular item right now –
> I’ll let everyone know if I do decide to do that later.
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