Life is all about perspectives. In this issue of Farm Collector, we look at two perspectives of the old iron hobby: that of a new, young collector and that of the collector who, for whatever reason, considers disposal of his collection.
Idaho freelance writer Cecil Hicks brings us the story of Bryce Frazier (Addicted to Old Iron), who at 16 has a firm grip on his hobby. He’s bought and restored tractors, worked on old engines and built a shed to house his collection. Part-time jobs finance his hobby with an occasional assist from a pair of doting grandmas.
Teenagers don’t typically choose to spend much time with people outside their age group. But Bryce is an exception to the rule. He’s become an active member of a local tractor club where he is by far the youngest member. It’s hard to know who learns more from whom in that scenario!
As you read about this young man, you may begin to give some thought to what your collection might look like had you started at age 12. That’s coulda, shoulda, woulda territory. Instead, consider what you might do at the other end of the collecting spectrum: the day when you decide enough is enough.
Whether the allure fades or your situation changes, sooner or later you’ll probably face the need to dispose of a collection. (That rumbling you hear is the collective chorus of groans from one coast to the other from people who’d rather take a beating than put a collection in reverse.) And unlike the day you hauled each treasure home, there’s not much fun about sending it the other way.
George Wanamaker knows: He’s been a diligent student of collection disposal through his involvement in the Mid-West Tool Collectors Assn., and speaks knowledgeably about the responsibilities of being a collector — including the day when you decide to leave those ranks. In Sell Your Collection the Right Way, George touches on the most important points of the disposal process, presents options and shares common pitfalls to avoid. Good stuff, and never too early to think about it. FC
Leslie C. McManus is the editor of Farm Collector magazine. Contact her at LMcManus@ogdenpubs.com or find her on Google+.