How should I have told the yard sale owner about his relitive?

[cyberdan]

When I hit yardsales I also look at anything photographic. Last week someone had a lot of B&W stuff. I could tell the owner of the stuff did his own developing and printing by what I saw. Turns out the seller was selling for a deceased male relative.

Well back to the topic.

I opened a small check box and it was full of B&W negs. So I pull out a strip and held it up to the light and use my magnifying glass. I pull out another strip and

I put all back. The seller was standing next to me and I said I don't think you should be selling these in the open. He goes "why?" and his little girl who was behind me (that I didn't see before) says yea whyyyy?

All I could say was they are not very good. He took a look and agreed. I wonder if his relative ever came out of the closet or did I just open the closet door for all to see?

It was very amateur X rated (not XXX) guys and only guys.

=====================================
Now another sale last year I spotted some slides and I kick myself for not buying. I am sure I could have made some $$ on them. Looked like early 20 something lady doing Playboy poses at the beach. I could tell they were probably shot in the 1950's.

 

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[diggummup]

That's funny. You know there is a market for that kinda stuff too, a bucks a buck. Sorry had to say it. I found a whole bunch of late 1800's early 1900's XXX original photos several months back at a yard sale. I made a grand or so off of them selling small lots on Ebay. The funny thing is 95% of them were won by the same guy and they weren't cheap because they were getting bids from multiple people.

 

[clovis97]

Dan,

I think you did the right thing. Stuff like that should not be laid out at a garage sale for anyone in the world to see.

I don't want my 9 year old picking up a box like that, and seeing that junk. When I was a kid, I was at a garage sale with my mom, and someone was selling playing cards with porn pics printed on them. The woman having the garage sale was scornful with me for picking them up...how was an 8 year old to know what they were?

FWIW, the seller probably already knew about the male friend. He should have paid closer attention to what he was selling.

 

[KOOTNEY KID]

Very interesting americana,whatever people want to collect is their
buisness,but yes be discreet

 

[allen]

it takes a little bit of everyone to make the world go around.

 

[Eric Wilson]

You did fine. It's not like you can refer to past experience or anything. You brought it to their attention without being rude or overly dramatic. That's all anyone can reasonably expect.

 

[Lafitte Deux]

Nice understated move. You probably saved what could have been an embarrassing situation.

 

[mick56]

So, did you buy 'em?

 

[capt-zero]

At least the guy didn't raise holy heck with you. I used to try to be the good samaritan at sales, but have had some real negative responses from the people for it.

 

[cyberdan]

So, did you buy 'em?

NOPE, NOT MY THING.

 

[cyberdan]

I did buy some 35MM slides last year of Les Folies Bergère at the Moulin Rouge. It was a packaged slide set probably sold in the souviner shop. I think about half the slides were of the female dancers in skimpy costumes. Probably from the 1960's. Some day I will sell

 

[dejapooh]

I found a crack vial (not empty) in a jacket. It would not have been so bad, but they lived 4 houses down from me.

 

[SilverForBrains]

I found a crack vial (not empty) in a jacket. It would not have been so bad, but they lived 4 houses down from me.

LOL oh lord