What happens to your collection when you die?

Saarlooswolfhound wrote:

But my collection is also enormous and diverse... I have also considered creating my own kind of museum for tourists someday, as a pet project.

this is a wonderful idea Paige! and how super to be a guiding influence on your many nieces and nephews! You must be a SuperAunty!

I bet everyone here has a noteworthy collection that would be wonderful to 'conserve' in small individual museums around the world ?

I mentioned this on another thread - but here is a place that is a Toy Museum in Scotland Toy Museum

there is also another one in the Edinburgh, the capital city, it has lots of various old toys, and a small selection of metal Britains animals. Though the animals are just one part of the focus of the museum.

Dear Dutch Bear,

Boy am I glad you opened this topic! Because I've been wondering about the very same thingy as you have. I'm wondering who will inherit my collection when I'm gone. Not that I'm going anytime soon, but still it's an event we should all be prepared for, don't you think? That's the only drawback about dying, the companies we all know will continue on making figures, and us collectors won't be there to collect them. Man oh man! Oh well, at least things will be better later on, when we're all in Heaven anyway. In the meantime, I was thinking, what if a collector, like myself, started making the plan, namely a huge outdoor diorama of my collection? It would be like a museum, or zoo, but for people to come and look at my figures, and learn about the animals displayed there. What do you think? Should I even do this idea? Is it a good idea? If it isn't, then I would personally will my collection to you all, considering that you guys would be the best caretakers I could even think of for my collection. Anyway, if you and the others think this is a good idea, then please let me know.

Aschuck

P.S. If anyone else wants, I could volunteer as a caretaker, or guard rather, of their collections. Keep in mind, though, that this whole diorama business doesn't only apply to my collection. What I'm saying is: You can create an outdoor diorama if you want to, just don't copy my designs for the whole buildings and such.

Again thank you all for your interesting comments.

Many many years ago i started taking pictures of early parts of my collection, mostly as reference when i was out on flea markets and such.
Some were just single pictures, some were complete detailed walkarounds. I put little yellow stickers on the bottom of the paw of every figure I had pictures of.
But computers crashed, pictures were lost, stickers came loose. #fail
Even the inventory/catalogue I started back then ended up with vague non-distinct descriptions like:
polarbear, walking, plastic, brand unknown, 2,5cm. I even tried to come up with a codeing system: 1 for polarbear, 1.1 polarbear walking, 1.2 polarbear standing, 2 for brown bear, etc etc

As wonderful as the extended museum idea sounds, I don’t see it happen. Either because of location, logistics, money and all various points of view regarding collecting and collections.
But it is nice to dream about it.

Talking to my mother again, she tried to be quite political about the fact the no one would treasure my collection the way I do.
Like maybe keep 1 or 2 figures as a memento to me personaly, but not to the collection itself. So in the end it is most likely to be boxed up, thrown-out, given away.
I think I wouldn’t mind if my collection is split-up into parts or allotments. Given the fact I have various categories,
the cheap plastic, the real toys, the statues, the masse, the other materials, like metal, silver, glass, gems.
Don’t forget the stamps, postcards, Magic-cards, glass wear, mugs, beverages, and all the bear collectibles. I mean it is a lot.
Selling or giving it away in parts would give each part a better change to end up in the right place.

I have started writing a document to give the people that have to deal with my collection some insights and suggestions on what to do.
Just like my art collection. And in case they do decide to sell or give stuff away, I might even enclose some money in the envelop to cover part of the shipping.

Dear Sts Friends:

Okay, just saying, I'm not going to be dying anytime soon, but still, if we're talking about making a museum for the collections of members who have passed on, I'd just like to say, yes, that's a great idea, but what if the collectors themselves are really creative people, like me? In other words, how will my "collection" of fictional creatures be preserved? Should I print out a copy of the document, or share it with you guys, just so you can see what a genius I am? Or what? What should I do about my fictional creatures document? One of the things I've always wanted to do is make my fictional creatures into a reality, at least for me. Just think, if you could take an idea that you came up with, and make it into an actual figure? That would be so cool. Anyway, I think if we're going to have a collection museum, count me in. Also, we should probably reserve a section of the building for collectors' works of art, in other words, buildings and accessories that the collectors themselves made from scratch. For me, that would mean showcasing my document, among other things. Anyway, if anyone else has any other thoughts on this, then let me know.

Aschuck

Dutch Bear wrote:

I have started writing a document to give the people that have to deal with my collection some insights and suggestions on what to do.
Just like my art collection. And in case they do decide to sell or give stuff away, I might even enclose some money in the envelop to cover part of the shipping.

I think it's prudent for every serious collector to have a comprehensive file of the items in their collection. If only to help family sell the items off at the end - if there is no other option for them.
And if there are other options available to family/executor then it will be a guide on recommended pricing. Though from what I've noticed, auctions only realise a small value for a collection, and not it's actual value (worth), and not the price it cost to accumulate it.
And depending on the auction, and the buyers present - no-one there may place any value on toy animals that day
So selling and auctions are not a preferred route.

In your Will if you wish to relocate your collection then I think the funds will come out of your estate before anyone money is divided up.


My collection is nearly all 1/32nd and very specific, so it would only appeal to a few rare people in the world - because I collect herds
And only a couple of sts members would be interested in some of it, maybe not all of it.
(I can't even begin to think of breaking up my family herds and animal inter species friends)

Finding a relative who cherishes it as much as me would be ideal but I haven't found anyone yet who is into these toys!

Like my first post on this thread here, having my cherished collection displayed in a permanent place would be the goal.

What happens to all those serious collectors of trains and toy soldiers?? Have their community come up with any solutions on how they handle this issue?
They are in the same boat as us, only it's trains and soldiers
Does anyone have collector friends in those genres??

Hello Sunny,
the problem you describe is wellkown and a I think there is not only one solution.
But one solution for collectors of modeltrains was realized by Bruno Baumgartner in Swiss.
Look here:
Galeria Baumgartner
What do you think?
Benno.

Babdo wrote:

Hello Sunny,
the problem you describe is wellkown and a I think there is not only one solution.
But one solution for collectors of modeltrains was realized by Bruno Baumgartner in Swiss.
Look here:
Galeria Baumgartner
What do you think?
Benno.

thank you Benno that is amazing to know! so glad that someone has done this already for their collection