1950's Aircraft sales brochures, airshow programmes and a wind tunnel.

Over the years I have donated items to museums and sold to enthusiasts. In moving to a much smaller property I find I have my own and my late father’s aviation memorabilia, original paintings and photographic kit none of which will be doing anything for anyone if it goes into boxes.

I’m caught between passing things on to a museum only for them to disappear forever into a dark archive or to sell them. If there is not much value in some items I’d rather they went to an enthusiast to be enjoyed rather than to the local recycling centre, which is where several thousand aviation magazines went last week.Perhaps evilBay is the answer for some items. How do I go about getting items to auction with an informed and interested audience? The acrylic paintings were a labour of love for my Father and as much as I’ve enjoyed having them on my walls, I have been able to store them and switch the ones on view. That option won’t exist shortly so they need to find new place to hang where they will be equally appreciated.

I also have an example of the 1946 brochure for the Concordia, along with others in my collection so whilst not all that common, brochures are certainly not unique. All those items mentioned have a value and I’m fairly sure you could realise some funds should you decide to offer them. I would recommend either a specialist auction or putting them on Ebay.

Please forgive the slight tangent. If I were to give my aviation related collection to a museum, I would first enquire on what terms it would be made available to the public. Would the museum allow the public free and unfettered access to it? Would it claim copyright over the documents comprising my collection? Would it charge researchers to make photographic copies of those documents? Would it insist on a reproduction fee being paid if the copy is to be put into the public domain? I would be disinclined to give my collection to an ostensibly ‘not for profit’ museum if it had the intention to use it for commercial gain. Setting aside the issue of a blanket denial of public access to the material comprising my collection, I know that some might argue that this commercial approach is a modern reality in the sphere of museum funding. But if I wanted to help a museum to fund its core activities, perhaps I’d consider a legacy – and then find another museum, with a more liberal policy to public access to its collection, to which to give my collection.

I would be inclined to approach the Solent Sky museum with that Cunliffe-Owen material.

You should sell them, that’s what you should do !!

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