canisterman
Active member
Ive been seeing things happen the last few years that I really have not liked in the collecting community, But let me briefly go back to when I got involved with the vacuum cleaner collector community, it was the spring of 1994, I was working part time in a sewing and vac shop for some extra money, The owner got the VDTA news , in it a man named Craig Long from Brooklyn New York, ran a ad wanting vintage vacuums, I called him and talked 3 hours, He put me onto the VCCC, which then was a small group of guys, I then began running up terrible phone bills talking to everyone, remember, pre internet days, I went to many conventions and made some good friends, Back then it was fun, not competetive, it was affordable, We were not allowed to charge but 15 dollars per machine if we sold one at convention, We looked out for others and tried to help each other, ive traded some really rare machines for other machines i wanted and vice versa.But as time has gone by, Its got more about show and getting more than the other guy, Ive decided recently to downsize greatly my collection due to health reasons, Im to the point now i can barely get down the basement stairs some days, so we are streamlining things,While im able I have decided rather than sell things on ebay, or as some have done, tell people who really love something id sell it to him, then when some filthy rich mogul comes along who gets stuff just because he can pay more for it,sell it to him,No im not doing that, Many years ago the late Mike Hays gave me, free of charge, his entire collection , Im passing that collection on to a young man who is the most unselfish person ive ever met, Do I need money , of course, ive not worked in 6 years, Do I need to wheel and deal and try to get the most out of something when I know someone wants that item more than anything, never .I will be able to lie down at night and sleep, I remember the old unselfish ungreedy days of just a bunch of quirky guys getting together having fun, I really dont need the drama and problems anymore, to my friends, and you know who you are, I love yall, for the rest of you,,BYE!