In those sorts of hobbies, you see a great number of eBay listings containing a caveat along the lines of "estate sale lot, sold as seen". It's great (if somewhat ghoulish) for younger enthusiasts, because you can build a collection quite inexpensively.
I do worry about the loss of provenance. Knowing where an object came from is often more valuable than the object itself; that knowledge is often lost when a child or grandchild just wants to clear out the old man's junk.
I do worry about the loss of provenance. Knowing where an object came from is often more valuable than the object itself; that knowledge is often lost when a child or grandchild just wants to clear out the old man's junk.