Author Topic: Home for a classical record collection  (Read 1424 times)

arabella

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Home for a classical record collection
« on: 15 December, 2023, 07:41:30 pm »
I have ended up with the task of rehoming all my dad's classical record collection. A few boxed sets but mainly not. Some 78s but mainly 33s. Some stereo but many predate.
Ideally I would like to find them a home other than landfill.
All suggestions welcome - ££ a bonus but not essential (& want to avoid paying for carriage/disposal)
Thanks
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Cudzoziemiec

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Re: Home for a classical record collection
« Reply #1 on: 16 December, 2023, 09:32:44 am »
If you can't find a buyer, a charity such as an Oxfam bookshop would love them.
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Re: Home for a classical record collection
« Reply #2 on: 16 December, 2023, 09:38:53 am »
You could try posting on one of the hifi forums and see if someone could recommend a local dealer.   The chap who runs https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/  buys & sells records but he's based oop north & probably wouldn't be able to help personally.
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fruitcake

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Re: Home for a classical record collection
« Reply #3 on: 16 December, 2023, 11:53:07 am »
Refusal to mail by courier will reduce your pool of potential buyers - your market is car owners in your locality with the time to collect and with an interest in Classical music on vintage vinyl. Just saying.

hellymedic

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Re: Home for a classical record collection
« Reply #4 on: 16 December, 2023, 12:26:48 pm »
Bottom of the box suggestions are freegle, Gumtree & Facebook Marketplace...

arabella

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Re: Home for a classical record collection
« Reply #5 on: 16 December, 2023, 04:57:04 pm »
Refusal to mail by courier will reduce your pool of potential buyers - your market is car owners in your locality with the time to collect and with an interest in Classical music on vintage vinyl. Just saying.
not refusing to mail by courier, refusing to organise/pay for mailing by courier, slightly different  ;D.

I think I will follow up andewc's suggestion, thanks
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TheLurker

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Re: Home for a classical record collection
« Reply #6 on: 16 December, 2023, 09:17:11 pm »
Quote from: Cudzoziemiec
...a charity such as an Oxfam bookshop would love them.
I second this suggestion.
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Re: Home for a classical record collection
« Reply #7 on: 16 December, 2023, 09:55:23 pm »
I have noticed in recent years that a lot of towns have spawned a vinyl record shop.  In Rugby we actually have 2.

If you can find one near you they might just be interested 8n doing a deal.

Re: Home for a classical record collection
« Reply #8 on: 16 December, 2023, 09:59:48 pm »
If they don't find new homes, a local art class/college may want them, that's where those that don't sell in a local charity shop go.

Re: Home for a classical record collection
« Reply #9 on: 16 December, 2023, 10:47:06 pm »
You say you have 78s and pre-stereo recordings - those could be the valuable ones:
https://revolutions33.co.uk/classical_records_wanted-html/

Pingu

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Re: Home for a classical record collection
« Reply #10 on: 16 December, 2023, 10:54:59 pm »
Yeah, my thought was that there should be some curation.

Re: Home for a classical record collection
« Reply #11 on: 17 December, 2023, 12:55:09 am »
Some vinyl recordings will be quite valuable, but unless Arabella wants to catalogue them herself & trawl through https://www.discogs.com/ to price them and then try to sell any gems individually she's unlikely to see much money.     A charity such as Oxfam or similar will pick a collection up & sell them on , but they won't pay for it.


A record dealer will probably give a fixed amount & I doubt it will be very much.  They've then got to sort through all the stuff, work out what might be valuable & sell it on.  The margins are pretty low for most stuff. 



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TheLurker

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Re: Home for a classical record collection
« Reply #12 on: 17 December, 2023, 08:34:49 am »
Quote from: Pingu
Yeah, my thought was that there should be some curation.
AIUI Oxfam (and other charities) do this so that they don't end up selling gems as paste.  Of course the OP wouldn't get anything but a warm glow from this but ...
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Gattopardo

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Re: Home for a classical record collection
« Reply #14 on: 17 December, 2023, 10:57:08 pm »
Disccogs or something like that for record sales.

Afasoas

Re: Home for a classical record collection
« Reply #15 on: 18 December, 2023, 10:02:21 pm »
Sorry this is not necessarily helpful - I understand you may just want to off-load the records and given the circumstances, whatever you choose to do is absolutely fine.

I have a funny (not good) feeling about (usually) larger charities cashing in on things such as this

I would support my local record shop and offer them first refusal. They are often trading on very tight margins, if maintaining an actual shop front and mainly trading in second hand records. Most at least are very welcoming and will allow patrons to chat, drink coffee and most importantly listen and enjoy much of their stock.

Anything of any rarity/value donated to the larger established charities seldom winds up in their shops (they mostly sell clothing) but instead gets auctioned online via eBay. They tend to no longer stock much in the way of physical formats and what they do stock is often well overpriced1. With Buy-it-now/Best Offer auctions they will often top prices and refuse reasonable offers. Traditionally, charity shops were the only chance that people had of experiencing classic2 music. People used to be able to enjoy music at home that they wouldn't otherwise get to experience. Now instead, the art either ends up in landfill (less well known/accomplished artists) or the preserve of the well off.

I feel music on records and other media is much better enjoyed by enthusiastic people rather than getting left unplayed in a welathy collectors private museum.


1: At least speaking for the charity shops around here, including Oxfam whom are amongst the worst culprits
2: Inclusive of classical music as well as greats from other genres