My late sort-of father-in-law was an avid collector of model aircraft kits.
So far we've counted 560 different boxes. All as new. All stored in a nice dry loft.
Is it just a matter of listing these on Ebay, or is there anything else we should be considering?
Here's a small selection of things.
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😯
How about airfix roulette - I paypal you £5. Post me a random box?
You could end up on channel 4/Dave/quest with that lot!
[quote=matt_outandabout ]
How about airfix roulette - I paypal you £5. Post me a random box?
£5? that's not going to cover postage is it...
ebay going to be a pain 560 listings or various job lots. Have you searched for collectors.
or how about an airfix trouser edition?
Chuffin' Nora!
I'll bet there's stuff in there that collectors would be very keen to get their hands on!
I'm not sure, but I'll bet there are web sites specific to model kits, I know there are sites specific to military vehicles, especially tanks, so probably aircraft as well, so those might be a good place to start, but eBay collectibles might also be a good place to maximise the value.
Just did a very quick google, and even a cheap small kit would be around eight quid, some are a [i]lot[/i] more!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/airfix-model-aircraft-kits?clk_rvr_id=1164862816586&rmvSB=true&ul_ref=http%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%252Frover%252F1%252F710-53481-19255-0%252F1%253Ficep_ff3%253D2%2526pub%253D5574933636%2526toolid%253D10001%2526campid%253D5337487963%2526customid%253D%2526mpre%253Dhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww%25252Eebay%25252Eco%25252Euk%25252Fbhp%25252Fairfix-model-aircraft-kits%2526srcrot%253D710-53481-19255-0%2526rvr_id%253D1164862816586
Say an average of £10...
I'd love to have a nose about! Any chance you'd post that list up?
Any Canadair CL-415's in there?
Kingkits and kit-kits; both have websites with contact details.
I bet you could find a home for a good quantity of it here, if you put up a list and bundle the orders?
Pop-up shop in Hebden Bridge? Trews and Glues? Kits and Keks?
Sort kits and sell individually = more time and more money.
Sell as one lot = less time and less money.
Work out what's worth good money and eBay it with individual listings and then bulk list the rest?
Can someone warn Harry The Spider by text or something, before he opens this thread and inevitably collapses?
Can someone warn Harry The Spider by text or something, before he opens this thread and inevitably collapses
Too late. I emailed him at work already earlier this afternoon 🙂
ZAmofahger, I had that exact Lightning kit as a kid.
<backs away from thread>
Get all the kit you need for posting, jiffy bags etc. Then slowly but regularly eBay them, takes time, but you get a steady stream of income
ZAmofahger, I had that exact Lightning kit as a kid.
Lightning kits not for sale as he started his aircraft engineering career on shop floor as a fitter and worked on all the Lightnings that flew.
Top bloke.
Blimey! I bet a few in there I've been looking for... ? I'd love to see a list or let us know where they go to.
I know a man who buys such things Brant.
Whatever you do, don't just take the easy road and sell them as a lot, unless it's to a collector who really, truly loves them.
I made that mistake in the immediate pre-Ebay years with a few collections of good stuff, and thought I was doing the right thing by taking what I now realise was only a few token dollars from an antiques dealer.
I bet, looking back, he made thousands. But the thing that really disappoints me is that he couldn't have cared less about the actual stuff. I would rather have given it all to someone who would have cherished it.
Anyway, you could have a goldmine there - either financial, or sentimental, or both.
Ebay. Not such a massive ball-ache. Easy to photograph, photograph has the description in it. You could crank out the listings.
Once you've sold some you'll have a good idea of what its worth and could entertain job lot offers etc.
There's an Airfix modeller's page on Faceache, if that helps.
Individual ebay auction is a good way to find their collectable value - some will go for peanuts but you'll likely find a few that go for big bucks. Don't do buy it now price unless you are sure of value.
Some sort of automated system for cataloging them. Can't google do it if you photograph each box against a white background and then do an image search for that image - hey presto - most details filled-in [via copy/paste].
If you're selling them do they come with a touch-up kit for when the paint flakes? 😉
"photograph has the description in it" - not going to be searchable with the search function in eBay.
The chap who runs the model shop in Halifax would likely give you some advice on value and rarity.
Also, and this is a maybe, I was in the modal shop on Saturday and I thought I saw a flyer for a model show this weekend in North Bridge Leisure Centre.
Might be worth seeing if you can get a a table and invite offers?
happy childhood memories
do you have an air gun ?
do you have any bangers ? (as in fireworks)
do you have some spare fishing reel line ?
simply create a slide between two trees, set the plane going downhill(with a lit banger attached) then pop away at it with your ack ack facilities - thoroughly enjoyable
*edit - have a look for specialist toy auctions, or related mags with adverts sections
Job lots of anything are never a good idea on eBay . One weekend of listing and it's all done.
I would say it might be worth grouping them.
A fair few of the modellers I've encountered like an era.
So for example find all the WWII stuff then subdivide maybe by Allied, Germany, Japan, Russia. Then do bulk packs on eBay. Or do WWII or Cold War lucky dip packs.
I probably would get a list together first and then work the groupings out from there.
Anything that looks particularly unusual I might set aside and do a bit more research.
A basic Airfix 1:72 is about £10 at high street retail (Jet Provost bought a couple of weeks back as my measure) so you could do 10 kits for £70 or something like that, which ought to be more post and time efficient.
Edit of course I should have said there's probably a few rare ones lurking in there but it's really a question of added value vs. time of researching 550 kits to find them. Only you can make that choice based on your own commitments and inclination to get best value over freeing up space.
That's one hell of a collection!
Do you know anyone not working? Offer them a % to do the listings/postage etc for you?
That's one [s]hell[/s] half of a collection!
FTFY
Thanks all. Confirms what I thought.
Will crack on.
Cheers
Wonderland Models in Edinburgh took on a deceased customer's stash after they died and have been selling them alongside their regular merchandise. You'd probably get more cash if you sell each kit separately, but obviously that'd be a lot more hassle for you.
I too would be interested in seeing the list of kits you have there.
do you have an air gun ?
do you have any bangers ? (as in fireworks)
do you have some spare fishing reel line ?simply create a slide between two trees, set the plane going downhill(with a lit banger attached) then pop away at it with your ack ack facilities - thoroughly enjoyable
Brother and I used to do similar with Airfix Flightdeck, land the plane before it blew up!! 
Have you a son/daughter, nephew/niece who is time rich but money poor?
Do a deal with them to ebay the lot, percentage of the sale price after costs.
I live in Cranfield and look over at a lightning every day, never flies although they do run up the engines from time to time, it shakes all the windows in the house!
Holy Cow! What wouldn't I give to have a relative who left that stash in the loft!
I have a collection of airfix 1:144 scale airliner kits, as yet unmade, that I will use to build a scale model airport one day. N gauge train accessories are close enough in size to use with the planes.
Was supposed to be for my son, now will be for a grand child. Time flies 🙁
"I would say it might be worth grouping them." +1
6 at a time. Any real enthusiast would take a hit on buying 5 mundane ones just to get at the gem in the group
I've only done one collection of stuff on ebay, but a batch of listings every month got through most of it quick enough.
Listing separately will surely get the most value out of it (if that's what you want) but maybe as importantly, the people who are genuinely interested get a chance on exactly what they want.
As mentioned I did a collection, and the gems often got a few follow up email exchanges which was nice as you know the buyer is happy to have found their particular thing.
The cheaper ones didn't but then they went cheaper for a reason, less collectable, less people interested in finding them. etc.
Definatley contact a specialist toys auction house. I can suggest Brightwells (google them) I used to work there, and they have regular specialist auctions for collectable toys.
edit - heres a link
I know a man who buys such things Brant.
Me too. A mate at work has about 300 in the loft but he does actually build them (& does a very good job too) He's a member of a model club as well (Huddersfield).
I can get you in touch if you like Brant.
If there's a 1/48 scale Mig 15 there then I'll happily take it off your hands for a reasonable sum.
I know a man who buys such things Brant.
Brant knows this. The man is a sales wizard.
b r - MemberHave you a son/daughter, nephew/niece who is time rich but money poor?
Do a deal with them to ebay the lot, percentage of the sale price after costs.
Hi Uncle Brant <waves> 😛
I live in Cranfield and look over at a lightning every day, never flies although they do run up the engines from time
There's three at Bruntingthorpe, one at least is 'live', the other two close to, but none will ever fly, and neither will the Cranfield jet: CAA absolutely will not allow any civilian fast jet to have a licence to fly, just look at the repercussions from the Hunter that crashed at the air display a couple of years back, a transonic jet is a no-no.
Sadly.
I have an interest in modelling - though not aircraft.
Some of those kits may be worth a few quid (when I say a few quid, could be £40, £50 for a few of them).
To realise the full value your best bet is to find an aircraft modelling forum and post there. Ask what people are looking for and (if you have the time) prepare an inventory you could send.
(oldmodelkits.com may be worth a look, US based but might give you some values)
