What will happen to your Supremes collection after you're gone?

The recent thread of Florence's solo album in stereo circulating among fans got me to thinking of all the guys I used to obtain bootlegs and video footage from. A lot of them have passed on. One guy I remember in particular, David, had tons and tons of good stuff. I was so sad to hear when he passed away and always wondered what happened to his collection. And then Marv had a lot of rare stuff as well.

Does anyone have any instruction on what's to happen with your memorabilia after you're gone? I don't have anything rare enough. Only the CD collections that been released over the years. Some cassette tapes. And a few VHS tapes. I would love to eventually get the Greatest Hits cover art blown up so I can frame it.

That's a good question. No one loves your collection more than you yourself do. I've seen people try to "curate" the end of their collections [[sometimes at end of life, other times not) and I've never seen anyone who WASN'T disappointed in some way. So for me... I don't know but I hope my kids get a pretty penny out of it. I do keep a database on everything I own so they can see what I paid and whether or not it is rare.

My rare or one of a kind items will be offered to the Motown Museum. The rest, especially the record collection, who knows. Obviously none of us have any idea how collectible or valuable these items will be in the future. Being on the younger end of Motown collectors I would assume the value will decrease over time as the collector pool dries up. Sometimes I've questioned why I've paid so much for something that will likely decrease in value, but I enjoy being the temporary custodian of the memorabilia and being surrounded by it, and that's all that matters!
Darin

As I get on up there in years, this is something I think about often. I have TONS of albums and CDs that if taken individually for their value would be worth [[I hope) thousands of dollars, maybe even tens of thousands. Fortunately I have liquidated all my old 8 tracks, cassettes and 45s, so those are out of the picture, but the albums and CDs remain.

I have told my partner that if and when I go first, don't you DARE call up some dealer who will say "If you give me 50 bucks, I will haul them all away for you." So someway somehow I will hope that my music can end up in the hands of people that appreciate it as much as I do.

Floy, I don't have anything rare enough to be of much value either, with regards to Supremes. Assuming I don't die relatively young, I have quite awhile before I really have to give serious consideration to this. I suspect if I were to go anytime soon, my collection might get dispersed among a couple of people out of nostalgia, but truth is that no one in my personal life is a big fan of the Supremes.

Down the road, I imagine I might leave my collection to someone younger who has a significant love of music as I do.

I do think people should beware of assuming that as time goes on some of this stuff won't increase in value. I understand why the assumption, but you just never know.

I have some of the LPs of the earlier albums like Where Did Our Love Go, More Hits, A Go Go, etc but they're not the original pressings so I doubt they're worth anything.

I had some of the later DRATS albums but I left those at my ex's house and I wouldn't be surprised if he destroyed. But I'm not much a fan of anything post-Flo anyway except the Love Child album so it wasn't too heartbreaking for me.

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Originally Posted by RanRan79

I do think people should beware of assuming that as time goes on some of this stuff won't increase in value. I understand why the assumption, but you just never know.

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Generally correct... some stuff will skyrocket. Early 45s, early LPs, rare and weird stuff will hold value and maybe even increase. People still pay hundreds of dollars for Louis Armstrong's Okeh 78s and obscure stuff from that era, now almost 100 years ago. However, the mass produced stuff [[the 100s of thousands of copies of WDOLG/A Go Go, etc LPs and 45s) will likely never hold any value whatsoever. It's the classic problem of the mass consumption age... by the time that there is a tiny supply that would drive up prices, the market has disappeared.

A farm family in Canada got $5 million dollars for a box of hockey cards that might contain Wayne Gretzky rookie cards

Anything is possible

It always pissed me off that I got rid of the Valerie Simpson album Exposed.

After I'm gone, I'm gone!

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Originally Posted by copley

After I'm gone, I'm gone!

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Yes, most definitely!!

For me it's more a question of where they're NOT going, whose NOT going to get them and so on. And if it can't be sorted upfront before I go, I'll have a bonfire. That'll be a pity, but I'll make it a lot of fun on the night LOL. But hopefully it won't come to that, and can be sorted to my complete satisfaction beforehand.

It's a good question. To be honest, I don't think anyone I know would care about them. One of my best friends died in the early 1990s and he had quite a record collection. Unfortunately I was in the hospital at the time and was in no shape to collect them and someone just gave them to a library. I wish that his records had gone to one of our L.A. local radio stations that plays more rare material. Something I will have to put more thought into now that you bring it up. Any suggestions people have are most welcome. Thank you.

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Originally Posted by DWSheffer

My rare or one of a kind items will be offered to the Motown Museum.

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And have them disappear forever, into corporate storage? Na.

Rather like the idea of distributing them to local radio stations. That way, they'd serve some useful purpose.

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Originally Posted by Starguard4

And have them disappear forever, into corporate storage? Na.

Rather like the idea of distributing them to local radio stations. That way, they'd serve some useful purpose.

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I'm not talking about common records, which by the way the Motown Museum doesn't accept anyways. I'm referring to memorabilia items, gold records, personally worn items. How many radio stations actually play records anymore? In my small town of 8,000 residents, our local radio station got rid of the turntables over a decade ago.......

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Originally Posted by DWSheffer

How many radio stations actually play records anymore?

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Who knows? But there's renewed interest in vinyl, with so many reissues on that format. Maybe your local radio station needs to get itself up-to-date, and get their turntables back LOL

I seriously doubt either the Motown Museum or a radio station or anyone except a collector would take any physical media. It's a storage issue. No one wants to deal with them. In the early 2000s, I personally knew a collector [[of 10s of thousands of pieces of ultra rare shellac and vinyl) who was incensed that neither the Library of Congress, nor any media company, nor any university library wanted his physical collection. And he had once-in-a-lifetime finds. He gave me a tremendously rare piece for my helping him search. No one would take it. The good stuff ended up at auction, much to his chagrin, but apparently to the sheer delight of his wife who didn't want a damn thing to do with any of it and got a nice pile of cash. [[BTW - he took some of that cash and... bought more records. LOL!!!).

I hope one of my nieces or nephews would want some of it...I have 13 of them...perhaps 2-3 would want some of it....I was much younger than my siblings...they were 16-24 yrs older than me, so I was raised with their kids....10 of the 13 are within 10 years of my age....I was the COOL uncle.

my entire life will probably wind up in a dumpster...I'm 65, single, childless...3 of my 4 older siblings are gone, my 3 closest friends were 15 years older than me and they are gone too..I live in a area of NYC that got very congested and changed for the worse...so gradually everyone left moved to more suburban area's...there aren't even that many people left to reminisce with....

Things that were important for us to own don't matter much to other people...I have older family members that died with collections of expensive dining room furniture, nic nacks and leaded crystal, Capo D' Monte', all that "crap" italian women liked to collect in the 50's/60's...even 2nd hand shop dealers offered pennies a piece...the younger generation is more practical and will spend their $ on maintenance and life experiences ...and many don't want to own any type of music...it's all electronically available....I have been a ebay seller for 30 years...my generations music has slowed way down selling...forget about most stuff from before Elvis....also, if a older LP is finally released on CD, the market floods with used vinyl copies...most people just want the music. they don't care if its vinyl, cd, or download.

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Originally Posted by gman

I hope one of my nieces or nephews would want some of it...I have 13 of them...perhaps 2-3 would want some of it....I was much younger than my siblings...they were 16-24 yrs older than me, so I was raised with their kids....10 of the 13 are within 10 years of my age....I was the COOL uncle.

my entire life will probably wind up in a dumpster...I'm 65, single, childless...3 of my 4 older siblings are gone, my 3 closest friends were 15 years older than me and they are gone too..I live in a area of NYC that got very congested and changed for the worse...so gradually everyone left moved to more suburban area's...there aren't even that many people left to reminisce with....

Things that were important for us to own don't matter much to other people...I have older family members that died with collections of expensive dining room furniture, nic nacks and leaded crystal, Capo D' Monte', all that "crap" italian women liked to collect in the 50's/60's...even 2nd hand shop dealers offered pennies a piece...the younger generation is more practical and will spend their $ on maintenance and life experiences ...and many don't want to own any type of music...it's all electronically available....I have been a ebay seller for 30 years...my generations music has slowed way down selling...forget about most stuff from before Elvis....also, if a older LP is finally released on CD, the market floods with used vinyl copies...most people just want the music. they don't care if its vinyl, cd, or download.

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Well, you still have the DRATS ghetto to reminisce with!

You're right about collections [of anything]. You have to find that needle in a haystack person who wants your collection, otherwise you'll be lucky if it ends up at a large secondhand music dealer who at least doesn't put it in the trash. They are still around, but the cost of everything is quickly pricing used media out of the market. And eBay seller fees and general headache have led to people to stop selling there. These odd dynamics mean that there is a surplus of CDs, vinyl, memorabilia, but no reasonably profitable way to sell it or connect with a shrinking number of buyers. I still marvel at the fact that every time the Andrews Sisters' Boogie Boogie Bugle Boy Decca single on shellac hits eBay people pay exorbitant prices for it. Its everywhere! Why pay so much? Can't find it. LOL!

It's a really good question, and unfortunately, a reality for many of us. Other than a few friends I've met through the Mary Wilson / Supremes circle, I can't think of anyone in my life that would be interested in anything I've collected over the years.

Which now begs the question: what do you consider "rare" in your collections? Or something that has a significant value?

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Originally Posted by marybrewster

It's a really good question, and unfortunately, a reality for many of us. Other than a few friends I've met through the Mary Wilson / Supremes circle, I can't think of anyone in my life that would be interested in anything I've collected over the years.

Which now begs the question: what do you consider "rare" in your collections? Or something that has a significant value?

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Like many, I think my small collection, for all the enjoyment it has given me, will end up in a recycling plant or a dumpster. I don't know anyone who is interested in it and I doubt my nephew would care to spend the time trying to sell it, if indeed the items were worth selling.

I don't believe I have anything truly rare. Maybe a Supremes bread wrapper? And there are probably plenty of those around. The rest is a lot of magazines, concert programs, and clippings done during the period I had time to do such things.

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Originally Posted by marybrewster

It's a really good question, and unfortunately, a reality for many of us. Other than a few friends I've met through the Mary Wilson / Supremes circle, I can't think of anyone in my life that would be interested in anything I've collected over the years.

Which now begs the question: what do you consider "rare" in your collections? Or something that has a significant value?

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Nothing really for my Supremes collection. My most prized pieces are the Touch CD Mary signed and two very early 45s [[I have some other early Miracles, Mary Wells). The signed Touch CD has my name, which kills the value of it.

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Originally Posted by marybrewster

Which now begs the question: what do you consider "rare" in your collections? Or something that has a significant value?

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I've shared items from my collection on the forum at different times. Supremes-wise I would say my highlights are the double gold record award for "Someday We'll Be Together", the large feathered hat Cindy wore on the "Tennessee Ernie Ford Special" in 1967, and I also have a couple items from Motown's art department used in the production of the LP covers for "Sing HDH" and "Copa". More common yet still valuable that some others on the forum might own would be earlier autographed items from Mary, Flo and Diana, and the lineup of M D and Cindy. IMO those will always hold decent value as they are a crossover item with music memorabilia and autograph collectors. I also have quite a few unpublished photos, going back to 1963.
Darin

Y'all are trying to depress me with this thread and it aint gonna work.:p

On a more positive note, don't be too surprised if a Supremes museum opens up in the future. Perhaps some of y'all's collection of things could find a home there.

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Originally Posted by RanRan79

Y'all are trying to depress me with this thread and it aint gonna work.:p

On a more positive note, don't be too surprised if a Supremes museum opens up in the future. Perhaps some of y'all's collection of things could find a home there.

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Ran, you're in charge of the "Andantes" display. [[LOL!!!!)

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Originally Posted by thanxal

Ran, you're in charge of the "Andantes" display. [[LOL!!!!)

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Cool! So...that means I have nothing to do, right?:cool:

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Originally Posted by RanRan79

Cool! So...that means I have nothing to do, right?:cool:

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or everything, depending on who you believe.

My dilemma too! I have doubles of anything Hip-o-select put out on the Supremes...expanded editions etc. Nothing "collectable", but I always told my partner when I sell these we"ll use the money to go on an extended vacation. It looks like it might be to Duluth MN. I live in Canada and that' the closest US neighbour, a 3 hour drive. LOL.

I call dibbs on Miss Baker's display.

I still have a fish bowl filled with some gravel from a parking lot she performed in back in 2001.

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Originally Posted by floyjoy678

I call dibbs on Miss Baker's display.

I still have a fish bowl filled with some gravel from a parking lot she performed in back in 2001.

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Oh my Gawd!!!! How could I forget about Shantal??? Well, you called it, you get it. I can't wait to see what you do with her gowns.

it depends, which one of us goes first. But eventually, we’ll have to put it out of its misery, probably like they’ll have to do to me. I have things that friends want, and they are listed, everything else goes to family with instructions of how to make a few nickels off of it. I would donate it someplace but, how many copies of it my turn do they need?

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Originally Posted by thanxal

Oh my Gawd!!!! How could I forget about Shantal??? Well, you called it, you get it. I can't wait to see what you do with her gowns.

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I have a 1999 Sam's Choice spaghetti strap red dress she wore for her debut at Vince's Pizza in Vorhees NJ. Unless you can provide tight security, I will not be donating it.

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Originally Posted by floyjoy678

I have a 1999 Sam's Choice spaghetti strap red dress she wore for her debut at Vince's Pizza in Vorhees NJ. Unless you can provide tight security, I will not be donating it.

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The one with the Dr. Pepper stain? How could you withhold that from the Supremes' loving public?

I have a large three ring binder filled with several Supremes Fan Club Newsletters [[from the 70's), all of Mary Wilson's FCNs, some Flo Ballard FCNs, and even some Scherrie and Freda Payne FCNs that a friend from SDF generously sent me. I of course have all of the Expanded Editions, including THIS IS THE STORY which goes for a ridiculous price, and a Supremes bread wrapper.

But my crown jewel is a pink and lime green striped Gene Shelly dress that I bought online several years ago. It's the same dress that Mary Wilson wears in the insert of A GO GO Expanded. Now, I can't say for certain it's Mary's, but I do know this particular dress is not in her collection. It came in the original box from a boutique upstate. Whether it was hers or not, it's my favorite piece.

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Originally Posted by marybrewster

I have a large three ring binder filled with several Supremes Fan Club Newsletters [[from the 70's), all of Mary Wilson's FCNs, some Flo Ballard FCNs, and even some Scherrie and Freda Payne FCNs that a friend from SDF generously sent me. I of course have all of the Expanded Editions, including THIS IS THE STORY which goes for a ridiculous price, and a Supremes bread wrapper.

But my crown jewel is a pink and lime green striped Gene Shelly dress that I bought online several years ago. It's the same dress that Mary Wilson wears in the insert of A GO GO Expanded. Now, I can't say for certain it's Mary's, but I do know this particular dress is not in her collection. It came in the original box from a boutique upstate. Whether it was hers or not, it's my favorite piece.

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Over Christmas, I saw a sealed copy of TITS sell for $300 in a shop so to support Ran's claim, there is still some stuff that holds/increases in value. Its one of the few Hip-OSelect sets I didn't but a sealed second copy of. I wish I had. I kept watching it and then one day the owner said a guy came in and paid cash for it.

Have you ever considered scanning the newsletters? I'm sure many of us would love to read them. You can easily scan these days with an iPhone. No paid app needed.

very interesting question.

we're also approaching a point where many of the fans that were actually around in the late 60s and early 70s are retiring and getting along there in age. many of them have concerts on old cassette tapes, maybe some have old early versions of VCR tapes with tv shows or other rarities.

unfortunately, much of this might be lost if these fans don't work on converting them to digital formats and sharing. Some of the fans have massive amounts of things and so this will take some work and energy.

and what unknown treasures might be out there? perhaps someone with a relatively clean and complete version of Touch and/or Lean On Me from Flip Wilson? supposedly a few of the gowns were stolen from cleaners/design studios while being repaired - i thought i heard it was the white pantsuits from Andy Williams. but could be wrong - Brad probably knows. so are those hidden away in some fan's closet?

They will be creamated with me.