I have read this thread, reading along as it progresses, and I'll have to admit it changed my whole thought process with regards to the subject matter.
Initially, had I posted immediately to the OP, or at least had been one of the first responders, I would have agreed: Tragic indeed! But as the thread progressed, I realized that there is another side to the coin, and it's something I, and many of us, have used to our best advantage. Also, society/values change, lifestyle decisions often come into play, life, in general, is unpredictable, etc.
Before I progress, I am always willing to provide a good home to that antique or vintage Smith & Wesson revolver your kids detest, LOL!
First, it is probable that If you collect antique or vintage firearms, as I do, one or more pieces came from an heir who decided they didn't want their father's or grandfather's old gun. They had to have, and this is an OPPORTUNITY, to collect quality firearms. I know that two Smith & Wesson revolvers I have purchased recently were nice inherited revolvers, one being a 3rd Model Perfected Single Shot pistol that two sisters inherited upon their father's passing. They had no use for it and sold it. The second is a .44 DA Frontier which was once owned by a Connecticut U S Senator who passed away over 70 years ago now. His heirs just did not lead the same lifestyle he did, and thus had little interest in firearms. Attached are two photographs of that firearm. Also pictured is a photograph of a Colt Camp Perry pistol from the same collection. Both purchased at auction, as consigned by the heirs. The reality is, where would one find nice stuff such as these unless an heir somewhere decided they no longer wanted them? You would be limited to the same old recycled firearms, passed only from dealer to dealer, collector to collector, all originally obtained from the estate of someone with no heirs.. It would be the same stale inventory with no surprises! Even the good Senator obtained both of these firearms second hand as the ship location of the Smith & Wesson revolver was to a destination that suggests, but is by no means conclusive, that the senator was not the original owner. The Colt was shipped to a Colt employee. Perhaps purchased by the Senator, but not shipped directly to the Senator nor to, what I was hoping, a prominent individual who might have presented this to the Senator upon election to the Senate, as this revolver was brand new when the Senator was elected. This Senator and President Hoover were good friends and he even rented Hoover's private residence from him as Hoover had vacated it to move to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. No such luck...
Next, lifestyles change, life is unpredictable. The last two photographs depict a farm I wanted to buy earlier this year and a vintage butcher's wagon featured at the massive estate sale there. To me, the property was perfect, and full of neat items I appreciate, although no firearms. The owners were major collectors and the father even wrote the book on Pennsylvania fraktur, their history and design. They passed away, and the daughter sold everything. Well, there was so much there, she might have kept a few items, but not much. But, lifestyles change. When she showed me the house, I think she cherished the memories, but little else. Also, she had married and her job was not within commuting distance of the property. The butcher's wagon is neat, but I don't own it. That is illustrated to prove a point. I don't own it as I had nowhere to put it. Firearms are smaller, but your heirs might just lack anywhere to put them. I should also mention that property was perfect for me, based on where I work, etc., and what I value. The heir may not have valued this, or, if she did, where she worked made this prohibitive. My wife certainly didn't appreciate this property.
Folks go to university, just as I did, or go into the service, etc. Unless one lives near a major employer that is willing to hire at decent wages, one has to move, sometimes frequently, maybe renting from apartment complexes that aren't gun friendly. Even if they don't care, I'm sure the neighboring apartment dwellers will question why one keeps carrying into the apartment many long objects in cases repeatedly...
Personally, I thought I would never leave where I grew up. I went to the local university, got a fairly useless undergraduate degree that provided little else than the ability to think critically, and somehow expected to waltz into the door of some major corporation and earn the big bucks. This, despite there being no major, and few minor, employers in the area. I still haven't figured out how to telecommute now, so that wasn't an option then. Commuting 37 miles one way to a job with no benefits that paid 50 cents more than minimum wage forced me to make a lifestyle change really quickly!
In addition to that, colleges these days are so liberal, unless one sticks to their beliefs, after 4 years of that, one would come to the conclusion that all firearms are evil and should be banned. With such rhetoric, no wonder kids wouldn't appreciate dad's or granddad's old guns.
Lastly, folks just don't appreciate the past. That property sold with multiple offers for nearly 20% over the asking price, but that's because of the real estate market now. Even so, 75% if those who looked at it turned away really quickly because it was old, said it needed too much work. It was completely habitable inside, one bathroom was nearly new! But folks don't appreciate such things in a normal real estate market. They want new, New, NEW. Put up new houses in a development, watch them sell like hotcakes, even if there's little land and all components are cheaply produced in China. Meanwhile, that solid post and beam historic house with land sits on the market, often later razed to make way for several new homes.
So, in this lengthy post, a few take home messages. Folks may simply not appreciate what you do. It might be their values are different than yours, maybe society has caused this shift. Their lifestyles may be different, and maybe not by choice. And most individuals like new stuff, period!
But, like I said, this thread caused me to think differently about this whole concept. A tragedy for some, an opportunity for others!
