A dissapointment at estate sales.....
 

I had a major miss out this saterday. I went to an estate sale in Berwyn and as soon as I walked into the front door was a beautiful space command 600 console. I knew it was mine! Once I walked over to it there was a tag "SOLD". NO WAY!!! First time I was ever beat to a TV like this! The worst part is, the set was FREE. The guy that took it didnt even come back for it. The lady running the sale took my number and said she would call if it was still available. NO LUCK! I did find out the guy was going to gut the TV as he loved the french provincial cabinet. Go figure, another destroyed TV. The sad part is, I got to see it while it was still in one piece before destruction. It had to be a space command 600 too..... :dammit:

You should offer to buy it off him.

Something that is "free" can often be a problem as there are people who will take anything that is free instantly whether they can use it or not just for the thrill of getting it. Try and see if you can buy it off him or if not, offer to haul it and disassemble it for him...this may be some work but at least you will get the parts intact and he won't have to fool around with how to take it apart.

Something that is "free" can often be a problem as there are people who will take anything that is free instantly whether they can use it or not just for the thrill of getting it. Try and see if you can buy it off him or if not, offer to haul it and disassemble it for him...this may be some work but at least you will get the parts intact and he won't have to fool around with how to take it apart.

Most people have trouble hauling stuff like this so they may even just not bother coming to get it so maybe it will just stay at the sale site and you can show up and offer to haul it off if he never comes to get it.

Im not totally dead on this yet. Im waiting to get a call back from the lady who ran the sale. I just left a message asking if it was picked up yet. It was taken first thing friday morning (start of sale) as of 1pm yesterday when I got to the sale, it was still sitting there. Hopefully the guy will change his mind and I can have it!
If not, Im going to contact this guy and offer to buy it.

I'm surprised they would hold a free item like that for more than a few hours. If I was giving something big like that away it would go to the first person who could actually make it diappear.

andy, you hit the nail right on the head. Thats the way it should be!

I'd be out there tomorrow with our tommy lift truck and the dolly and tell them I can get this out of here real easily! I bet you the original person who "claimed" it was more bark than bite so to speak as far as actually picking it up.

Yes that doesn't make sense that they would hold a free item especially if you were ready to get that set out of there NOW.

if it has not been picked up and you show up with a truck i bet you will get it.
i got a zenith 19"sc portable color from an estate sale last week that way.
some kid wanted it but did not return to pick it up.i offered to leave my number in case but the person selling off the stuff said nevermind just get it out of here.
you actually want that old junk?we have more for you.i wound up with 2 boxes of tubes and a fisher 500.
they said they were glad they didnt have to carry that heavy junk to the curb!

Saw that new avatar so had to ask: do you know a good source for older Lawn Boy parts? I don't have the info on mine handy but its c.1960 & something broke in the recoil mechanism. (been so long I can't recall exactly what) I found a used one at a gas engine show but the vendor was nowhere to be found. I had it running, cut the grass with it a few times.

Good luck with the SC600!

bg

still no responce from the estate sale people. I left a message yesterday. You would think they would get back by now. The annoying thing is, they said they would get back to me no matter what! The sale ended at 3pm saterday and now its monday evening and no call! I think they are avoiding me. This is typical around here. All these chicago area idiots say they will call no matter what and they NEVER do!

Bryan, what model do you have? With the model, I can tell what engine you have. Its either a C or D series. Best way to desribe it without a model number, if the pull cord recoil is mounted ontop of the engine, its a C series. If its like the mower I have pictured with the gear reduction starter, then its D series. D series production began in 1963. I have many resources for parts and I have a bunch as well. Lawnboys are my other hobby as big as the TV collection....

That's too bad they haven't called.
There was one sale I went to where they had a 1954 RCA console w/metal CRT. Wanted $85 for it so I passed. Last day of the sale they said they wanted $30, too rich for me still, so I passed on it. They have our company's contact info so they called that Monday and said they'd sell it to us for $15. I took it then! CRT is good.

From what I've found, some of these estate sale companies are easier to deal with than others. Have you made sure you have built up a rapport and given your contact info to the better ones? There was one time an estate sale company called us early before the sale started and told us there was old TV's etc there.

I don't have the model # handy but sounds like the 'c'. The cord is on the top. I called Lawn Boy when I got it (several years ago) & customer service said the model was made from 59-61. Gold in color. One of the guys here at work found it somewhere & sold it to me for 20 bucks. I also have a Pennsylvania Exeter gas reel mower. I think thats enough for me!

The TV is gone! The lady called this afternoon to leave a message "sorry, the two boys came and picked it up yesterday. I will let you know if I see another one" YEAH RIGHT!! If I do get a call, it will probably be something like a 1982 rca color track......They have no idea what a 1960's color TV is, even the older people who where around to remember them dont have a clue.

Bryan I have a 1960 lawnboy Model 3050. its a little 18 incher. Is it like this:

MY parents had a mower that looked a lot like that one. It was a real PITA to use, had to mix gas and oil, and it took about 20 minutes of pulling the rip cord before it would start.... :-(