To keep or to sell?

[snegron]

I'm curious to know everyone's thoughts on the following concerning keeping or selling equipment handed down by a deceased family member.

For years I have read many posts and advertisements on Craigslist and ebay where the seller lists items indicating that they belonged to his/her father or other family member who passed away. While I am aware that photography equipment can be viewed by some as mere material objects, I also know that others might associate a sentimental value to equipment used to capture extremely important life moments.

Do people hold other tools used to create art in higher esteem than photography equipment? Is there any difference between selling dad's old paintbrushs, easle's, and other materials he used to paint amateur (although very nicely executed) portraits of us as opposed to selling dad's old cameras/lenses he used to capture the most memorable moments of our lives?

I wonder if my children will hold any sentimental value for the Nikon F3HP with 35mm 2.0 AIS I used to capture images of them on the day they were born as well as images captured throughout their childhood? I wonder if they will see the F3HP as just another expensive-looking metal object that might get them a few extra dollars for movie tickets someday, or will they hold on to it to show their children the camera that documented their lives?

What are your thoughts? Do you keep photography equipment handed down to you by family members, or do you sell them first chance you get?

[jnanian]

hi snegron

i am kind a skeptical about the ads i read when they say that stuff ..
to be honest, i think a lot of it is a marketing ploy so the potential buyer
thinks differently about the seller or about the stuff being sold.
often times that marketing tactic is used when the seller doesn't want to
accept any responsibility for the things being sold ...

i use equipment that was handed down to me.
i am kid of a packrat, but at the same time i feel
a kid of connection with the equipment ( if that makes sense ) ...

john

[Vaughn]

Depends if anyone in the family would ever use the equipment...I bet some of the dead, if asked before they died, would rather see the equipment used by somebody (not just family) rather than stored in a box.

Personally, I would keep equipment passed on down, hoping to be able to use them someday.

Vaughn

[bsdunek]

I do have some of my Dad's things just to keep his memory close. His Olympus XK is a common carried camera. Not in the same vein, I use his Schaffer pen and pencil set every day, and carry his pocket knife.

I've got a few of his things in the darkroom too. I gave my son his OM-1 and OM-2 set of equipment, and he likes using it also.

I could go on, but I won't.

[snegron]

hi snegron

i am kind a skeptical about the ads i read when they say that stuff ..
to be honest, i think a lot of it is a marketing ploy so the potential buyer
thinks differently about the seller or about the stuff being sold.
often times that marketing tactic is used when the seller doesn't want to
accept any responsibility for the things being sold ...

i use equipment that was handed down to me.
i am kid of a packrat, but at the same time i feel
a kid of connection with the equipment ( if that makes sense ) ...

john

Makes perfect sense to me! There has always been a unique relationship between an artist and his tools. I view equipment handed down to me as tools that have chosen me instead of tools that I have chosen to buy!

[MattKing]

I recently purchased a number of darkroom and slide projection related items from a gentleman who posted on Craigslist. As it turned out, they were from his father-in-law, who sadly was suffering from dementia, and would never again be able to enjoy using them. The gentleman who sold them to me made it clear, however, that he was most interested in making sure that he sold them to someone who would make sure that they would be used, rather than just re-sold.

I passed a couple of items to someone else on APUG who wants to try something new, and the rest I'm either using now, or will use soon.

Matt

[mark]

I know I will cherish my dad's cameras when he goes, unless the booger sells them to buy more digital stuff. I have my father-in-law's camera set up and, while I don't shoot it it is a nice thing to have. His camera was with him whenever we went out bouncing through the southwest. He always complained about how slow my big cameras took to damn long to set up and shoot.

I don't use the camera and I feel guilty not using it. Sentimental value or not, an instrument needs to be played and a camera needs to be used. It will be really hard for me to sell though.

[winger]

I have a few of my great-grandfather's cameras. One is a revolving back auto graflex (with a non-working shutter) and two others are Leicas. I had one of the Leicas repaired and it currently has a roll of film in it. If I could fix the graflex, I would - maybe someday.
I would LOVE to have some of grandaddy's negatives, but I have no idea where they are.
Anyway, I'm of the "use it" group. These have enough sentimental value to me that I wouldn't sell them. Other cameras that have been given to me by non-family are fair game, though. I'm not using any of those either (most aren't worth it).

[BetterSense]

To me, sentimentality is an indulgence.

One of the reasons Iove film is film cameras. They are made of metal and wood and leather. Like firearms. They are good machines. Beautiful ones. I love my cameras like my OM2 and my Speed graphic, but I shouldn't. They are just tools. But I allow myself to maintain the sentimental appreciation of them. This is art afterall, I'm allowed that.

[Q.G.]

Indulgences are what make life worth living. We do not need excuses for wanting to live lives worth living. We all are allowed that. Noone or nothing is allowed to say we shouldn't.