Hello (finally!) and help?

[Citydweller]

Well hello...finally! Steve here, from (and in) Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I've lurked here for years, being a casual padlock collector with some passion, curiosity and questions... but also a member of enough collector forums that I only participate in semi-annually that I've avoided joining yet one more for some time. It makes me feel guilty that my collecting, buying and selling interests are so broad-spectrum that I can't commit to becoming a "fixture" on any one or two collector forums.

That said, padlocks, early wrought iron locks, smoke house locks, antique safes, shackles, and all things along those lines have really been a passion in my blood for years, and that's not going to cease while I'm still on the right side of the grass, so I may as well join the party, even if I don't make as many appearances as I'd like to.

And, that said, I do have a more pressing ulterior motive for joining just now. I am in dire need of selling a large majority of my padlock collection, right now, and being nothing more than a lurker in the lock collecting world has left me shy of outlets or connections.

My step-mother passed away somewhat unexpectedly last week, and I need to take a 700 mile road trip from Lancaster PA to Chattanooga TN... leaving this Sunday. As some of you might understand, I have no credit to speak of, no savings account, generally only enough cash on hand as will keep the bills at bay... but lots of stuff. Lots and lots of freaking stuff.

Stuff can be sold, but generally not quickly unless there's a specific collector or community seeking it, so most of the stuff I have could become cash through local auctions, Ebay, craigslist etc... but over a period of weeks or months.

I found out on Friday that I need to be in Tennessee on Monday, so even the briefest ordinary sales timeframe is right out the window.

I have put a few other things from other collecting areas out there, and a few bites have caught, but things haven't come together as they need to, and other attempts to get attention to some of my locks have been going nowhere... or more likely the offers to buy will come in just after I return home in 12 days, as is typical when the need is greatest.

So the other day I sorted through my padlock collection and culled the majority part of it, 235 locks, to sell ideally as one lot, asap.... which would be like today or tomorrow. And yes, I kept the best, for now, some 70-80 locks, because I'm not dead, just in need, damnit.

It's not a "killer" collection... there's $5-$10 locks, $20-$40 locks, a decent number of $50-$60 locks, and probably a small handful of $80+ locks. I love them all, and they've been great fun to play with and look at, but I need to get to Tennessee...and back again to my wife... and my bills.

In an ideal world I'd like to get $2,000 for all 235 locks, and I know that would be moderately profitable for most any dealer with a heart and room to win-here-lose-there. But time has become too short, and I'll take $1,500, plus shipping (74 lbs. shipping weight) from the first taker.

Sorry for the long and whiny introduction, but you'll see more of me, and my other locks and locking-things as time goes forward. Meanwhile, you can reference me on Ebay under "steve-n-kate" and message me through there if you need to verify who I am.

Photos and descriptions of the collection are at http://goo.gl/EQnbi3 There is a character limit on the description field in Picasa, so it's a bit terse, sorry.

Thanks for reading. Hope I hear from one of you on a positive level real soon.

[Citydweller]

Sigh... not even a PM with a counter-offer? Nothing?

I may not be a connoisseur, or have deep-pocket collecting habits, but I'm still giving up 15+ years of lock-lust so that I can make it to this celebration of life, and to honor my father:

http://www.lanefh.com/obituaries/Nor...23/#!/Obituary

Won't somebody consider it?

[Citydweller]

UPDATE: 65 of the locks have been sold, although not to anyone on this forum.

In any case, please DO NOT send any offers on locks until I return from Tennessee and place an updated list and photo links in the "for sale" area. Thanks.

[Arcade Al]

Hello. Not everyone checks in more than once a week. So you might need to wait a few days for a reply.