As the decluttering progresses, I keep asking myself just how much wargaming stuff do I own.
I have been working around my toy/wargame room doing a section at a time and packing away stuff in a variety of different crates and boxes ... almost all of which are from the range manufactured by Really Useful Boxes. However, I am discovering all sorts of stuff that I had forgotten that I had and that I don't think that I will need when I move home. I don't have the time or inclination to sell the excess on eBay, and I am trying to think of ways that I can pass on what I don't want to wargamers who might find a use for it and that will involve me in the minimum amount of time and effort.
Any sensible suggestions would be welcome.
Is there a local (?) wargame club that might sell them of for a percentage? I'd hesitate to offer them to any charity shop, as disposal depends on volunteer knowledge, which is not always the best. I'm slowly putting my 18th century figures on to ebay one batch at a time, but I have the advantage of having moved allready.
ReplyDeleteJoppy,
DeleteThanks for the suggestion. To be truthful, I have no idea if there is a local wargames group who might be interested in what I have to get rid of, but your suggestion has certainly given me food for thought. I'm not necessarily interested in selling my excess stuff if it can go to a wargamer or group who will find a use for it, but the eBay option might be the answer once we have moved and I am unpacking and sorting out what to keep and what to get rid of.
All the best,
Bob
Hello Bob,
ReplyDeleteIt is a tricky one for the reasons we briefly touched upon at Cavalier. When you are ready to ‘pull the trigger’ I will be happy to help if I can.
All the best,
DC
David Crook,
DeleteI'll gladly accept your offer of advice and assistance when the time comes ... which will hopefully be later this year.
All the best,
Bob
I was going to suggest a wargaming club, maybe a friend who is interested in the subject? If you have someone who can hold on to some bits for when you are settled?
ReplyDeleteDemitri Ioannou,
DeleteI would gladly pass stuff on to a local club or a friend who might be interested. In the meantime, it is all going into storage at a nearby facility.
All the best,
Bob
Bob, I'd be interested in any 20mm stuff that was going. Joppy's suggestion of a local club mightn't be the worst?
ReplyDeleteConrad Kinch,
DeleteCould you email me and we can discuss what I might be able to pass on to you.
All the best,
Bob
Bob, I've emailed you - though I'm not 100% that I have the right email address, so I tried all three of the ones that I had. Let me know if it came through.
DeleteConrad Kinch,
DeleteThanks for your email. I have sent you a reply.
All the best,
Bob
Listing them on your blog is probably the easiest way to sell them.
ReplyDeleteI'd give a home to any 25mm Minifigs Marlburians! (They seem rather rare second hand)
Mike Lewis,
DeleteThanks for the suggestion. That has distinct possibilities as regular blog readers would get a degree of priority in seeing what is being listed for disposal.
I’m afraid that I don’t have any 25mm Minifig Marlburians. If I did, they’d be yours!
All the best,
Bob
Goid luck with the project! I will be going through the same some and you have been an inspiration to me.
ReplyDeleteOld Nick,
DeleteCheers! I home that my blog continues to inspire you.
All the best,
Bob
Are there any local schools/colleges with wargaming groups who might benefit from a few donations?
ReplyDeleteJfidz,
DeleteThanks for your suggestion. It’s not something that I had considered, but I’ll put some feelers out to see if any local schools have wargaming groups that could use any of my stuff.
All the best,
Bob
A local club Or game shop may allow you some space for a display table. Perhaps allowing you to sell some of it to interested parties?
ReplyDeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteIt might surprise you to know that many parts of London are pretty well a desert when it comes to wargaming. In my part of London the only game shops are those owned by Games Workshop … and the nearest is six miles away. As to local clubs … well, the closest is about five miles away but it concentrates on Warhammer and similar games. The next nearest will only allow me to set up shop at one of their meetings if I join their club by paying an sizeable annual subscription.
All the best,
Bob
Perhaps set up an auction on your blog and/or The Portable Wargames Facebook page?
DeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteThat’s another interesting suggestion that I’ll have to look into. Thanks for making it.
All the best,
Bob
You might try something akin to what I did when culling my book collection. I had an "open house" where I invited in members of my gaming circle to my place during a certain timeframe and let them take what they would like from among the books I had slated for dispatching. This relieved me of five out the nine boxes of books that I had to carry out when all was done, and those books had been passed along to appreciative hands. I've seen this done for other hobbyists' collections (it's where I got the idea).
ReplyDeleteEd M,
DeleteThat’s another excellent suggestion. However, most of my wargaming circle don’t live that close to me, which might be a bit of a drawback. Perhaps I could do it virtually? It’s certainly something for me to think about.
All the best,
Bob
I think your blog may be the best way to find people who will use your collection. I took over an ECW collection from another blogger for a nominal payment (less than the postage for him to send it to me), and can say that it has seen plenty of action on the gaming table.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know that these things that have brought us pleasure will find a home with someone else who enjoys them and not end up in a landfill site.
Good luck with your de-cluttering
Pompey Dave,
DeleteI’m beginning to think that what you’ve suggested is the easiest way for me to move forward.
I have already passed some Napoleonic figures on to a group of wargamers in exchange for a donation to a cancer charity and I’d like to do the same with anything that I do decide to get rid of. As you write in your comment, it’s nice to think that something that has given us pleasure over the years will be enjoyed by others when we no longer need it.
All the best,
Bob
Bob, there are companies that will buy it in bulk off you and sell it on themselves. Two that spring to mind are:-
ReplyDeleteColonel Bills https://www.colonelbills-store.co.uk/
and Hinds Figures https://www.hindsfiguresltd.com/
There maybe others. If you can pick up one of the wargaming mags a traul through the small ads maybe worth a try for potential contacts.
Selling stuff on Ebay can be quite lucrative, but is time consuming.
Of course if all else fails there is always Tim Gow who will take any old tat going! :-)
Fred,
DeleteI knew about Hinds Figures but not Colonel Bills. I will file those two snippets away as possible avenues I can pursue.
I have sold stuff on eBay in the past, but at present trying to declutter the house and get stuff into storage seems to be taking up a lot of my time, and selling on eBay is - as you have pointed out - somewhat time consuming.
As for Tim Gow ... well, I have actually sent him a couple of bits and pieces already, but nowadays he is very heavily into 54mm figures and my collection of Britains is staying firmly in my hands for the foreseeable future!
All the best,
Bob
I would suggest the same as Dave has. I have seen others use posts on their blog to advertise items for sale or to a good home. In the past I have picked up figures myself that way, but am now at the stage that 'I must resist temptation and limit further accumulation'!
ReplyDeleteAll the best, James
James Fisher,
DeleteI must admit that using my blog to pass stuff on to other wargamers does seem to be the least worst solution.
I must admit that although I really ought to be trying to resist temptation and not acquire further stuff, it is sometimes difficult not to!
All the best,
Bob
Found another one for you Bob. Rob Palmer, wargamesbuyer@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteFred,
DeleteThanks for the additional information. Again, that has been filed away as a potential purchaser of any of my surplus figures.
All the best,
Bob
BOB,
ReplyDeleteI'd suggest that you could list all the items with photos on your Blog- as long as those interested pay Postage via PayPal it would be a good way to see your collection find new homes. Regards. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteThanks for the suggestion. It is certainly high on my list of options as I am enough of a realist to know that what I want to sell will not command the huge sums that some wargamers think that their various collections are worth. I'd rather that they went to someone who will use them rather than resell them at a profit.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob, I'd agree that hopefully your blog would be a great way of showing stuff you want to dispose of, you have 400+ followers and probably even more casual viewers, so quite a good number of possible takers. It would 'cut out the middleman' of ebay and suchlike, and some takers close to London might be happy to collect in person - and have a nice chat! I'd be interested to see what sort of things you are wanting to shift.. btw is another option to simply 'lend' some stuff to gaming friends to look after ( and maybe use ) on a temporary basis while yo go through your move?
ReplyDeleteGood luck with it all, anyway!
Create a page listing what you have and offer the stuff there - update it as you add stuff, and as stuff goes.. put a comment in your posts when there are significant changes...
ReplyDeleteSteve-the-Wargamer,
DeleteThat suggestion makes a lot of sense and should be fairly easy to administer.
All the best,
Bob
There have been many good suggestions so far so here's my pitch:
ReplyDeleteIs there a "gear swap" at COW? Maybe there could be one?
We used to hold a gear swap at the last scout meeting before summer started. People would bring any outdoor clothing or equipment and hand it off to anyone who needed it. It worked well to make sure parents could save money and the scouts had what they needed.
COW attendees could bring their gaming material to trade or pass off to members who could give it a good home.
Mr. Pavone,
DeleteThat is a great suggestion! We have a sort of ‘bring-and-buy’ at COW and there’s no reason why I couldn’t take along some stuff to it and either give it away or ask for a nominal donation to a cancer charity.
All the best,
Bob