I nearly cried when that auction was snatched up that quickly.  Oi.

~throwi

TheHistorian wrote in Fun Finds in the Past:Criminal... worse, I believe that's a reseller.

I don't think he is a reseller unless he uses another account for that.  I've had good dealings with him in the past.  Its a nice pickup!

I think it was ebay member 2now4 on ebay who bought that. I thought he might have bought some of the other lots too, but those went to other folks.

Fate deck is one of the harder items to get.

Mars wrote in Fun Finds in the Past:Those sound like they came from Brampton.

Not much gets by you

Thunderdave wrote in Fun Finds in the Past:Ah yes, one more for the want-list I think...

Technically, four more for the want-list  

(There are four different Fate Decks to collect, or rather each Fate Deck contains one of four random mini-adventures: "Death on the Deep", "Duntollik Run", "Dwarven Crown" or "Haunted Amulet")

Well I didn't really know where this should go, it's a sort of fun and cool story I considered giving it it's own topic line.....but it probably fits best here.

About 18 years ago I used to pal around with another Dallas collector named Ed.  He was a old school gamer and collector and what I call a "turbo collector"....wanted everything  for D&D as quick as possible.  After about a year of collection he had everything except for the rares, which he went about acquiring slowly afterwards.  He is a great guy and at one time was very focused in on collecting (he would have made an excellent Acaeum member is he had stuck around and contributed more often).

He moved to Japan about 15 years ago and we kept in sporadic contact.  With Facebook, we were able to talk infrequently but still kept up with each other.

Last year Ed told me he was tired of paying rent to store his enormous collection, and having remarried and fathered a young girl (now six months old) his priorities had changed..  This year, he asked me if I could attempt to sell it for him, it was located in California and just gathering dust for the most part...and of course being the curious dude I am I said yes.  It would mean a lot of work but as fellow collector's know it's a blast going through someone else's goodies!

The rares I ended up displaying and selling at NTRPG Con this year (ST1, 3rd print woodie, Black Opal Eye, Quest for the Golden Orb, Lost Caverns of Tsojcontch) were from Ed's collection, shipped early so I could shop them around at the con and hopefully sell them there.  I did sell everything except for the Tsojconth so it worked out ok (I do get a commission on sales so it's not entirely an altruistic venture).

The bulk of Ed's collection arrived from California last weekend, and I rented a small storage unit to store it in as I go through it. It is nearly overwhelming, over 100 boxes of all shapes and sizes containing magazines, modules, box sets, minis, terrain, books, and much more.  Looking at the stuff this project will take a long time (estimate about a year) to finally catalog, go through and sell it (both on and off ebay).  

So far looking through the boxes there was been some amazing finds, and a lot of "filler".  The trick will be digging through the more common items to find the rares, and then eventually dealing with the less rare and inexpensive stuff (which I will probably eventually sell in lots).  For right now I am trying to concentrate on pulling the better items out of boxes. Due to the way it was packed, every box is a surprise and there is no easy way to locate any one item.

Anyway just a fun story I thought I'd share, and of course if you are looking for anything unusual or interesting let me know, I have already started want lists for some people. Some items are definitely slated for auction because I don't have a clue to their value on the open market...Ed has an entire magazine box filled with Japanese D&D modules in mint shape in the original shrink....I see these sell (when they are available) for about $100 each, no telling what a bunch of them would go for at once, I look forward to auctioning them....!  

The condition of most of the collection is way above average....so prices will be at premium or above for items I don't auction (unless it's more common, of course).

When I finish shipping the Acaeum art prints, this will be my project for the next year or so. Check the classifieds often as I will list many of Ed's items that I know the price of and is perhaps not in NM condition, just to move them out of the way.  If you live in the area you are welcome to come by and look at any items you think you might be interested in...just give me time to find them in the crush of boxes.  I am especially interested in quickly selling large items like the Dwarven Forge boxes or Terrain pieces locally to make room!  

Foul if you want to move this thread to a more appropriate area go ahead

Mike B.

Mike clearly loves what he does and is not only a reseller but is also an active collector himself, and a very active member of this website and in the hobby as well.
A few years ago, I found myself in a situation where I decided to let my own collection go and I never even considered selling to any other.

After moving, dug thru over 200 old cassettes to be sold/tossed/whatever.
Found 4 of gamer interest...

* "The Mountain of Time" D&D audio adventure prototype (IJE/Kidstuff Records);
* "D&D Radio Pilot", from when I spent the day in Chicago rewriting the script in the studio (only aired a couple of times iirc);
* a radio interview (about RPGA and cons) with me, Penny Petticord, and Rembert Parker from June 1985; and
* a tape poorly marked "RPGA Interviews", which I can't play at the moment, but which might have the original audio of my 1981 interview with Gary, published in "RPGA News" #1+2 (prior to it becoming The Polyhedron).

Looking forward to transferring all to digital.

F