Yes reality is a bummer sometimes. We had a great laugh discussing the (Score) thread of my buddies collection if left up to his family to liquidate. It would go something like this.
(Major score today, filling up the biggest U-Haul I could rent with vintage tube/SS gear, Mac, Fisher, Heathkit, Altec Astro, to much to list all 9 out of 10 condition. Loads of speakers, early JBL, Klipsch Heritage, dozens of pairs, most are custom veneered, grills, etc, like 50 pair the list goes on, all clean and organized. Loads of Marantz, Sansui, HK, Pioneer vintage receivers, all completely restored, some with custom cabinets. I offered her $3500 and she took it, the K-horns will bring that alone, easy. It was some sort of low key vintage audio shop with listening rooms, work shop etc.
So I’m clearing out this shop and the wife says (I have some gear at home you maybe interested in). We get to the house, nice upper middle class home in a pretty neighborhood. She takes me into a room that has a cool system and a few pairs of very nice speakers, JBL L96’s, Spica’s, HPM’s, some Acurus gear, cool TT. I offer her $1500, she takes it, the cart on the TT will cover that alone. What’s crazy is she says ( I want everything out of here). On top of the gear I’m getting framed tour posters, gold records, a killer record collection, a lot of MoFi pressings, all kinds of cool swag. She said this guy was in the music business for decades. As I’m loading up the room, after getting another truck, the wife says (there’s stuff in the garage if you want to have a look).
We go into the garage and as soon as the door comes up, two pairs of complete VOTT’s, a couple really cool early consoles, all in great condition, she even threw in a neat little stack of Toshiba separates and JBL monitors that were in the work shop behind the garage. I got everything, the shop, house, garage, for $6000, I can get that back from what’s sitting on the front seat).
This is a likely scenario, unless someone with the knowledge and heart to properly liquidate this collection is present. The proceeds could pay for a college education or be a hell of a nice start on life for his daughter. Hopefully mine would at least be a couple of nice European vacations at the least a new Honda CRV or something for my niece, haha.