It was great to read Nancy Fratti's take on the dispersal of a
collection -- absolutely spot on!  As we age and the finishing line
gets ever closer, often we find we need less, and so perhaps a certain
train of thought could be, that we should put our house in order and
perhaps thin out our collections while we are still able.

Auctions are not really the answer, because there is only one winner.

However, there is an old, tried and tested alternative that actually
works on several levels, despite seemingly haven fallen out of favour:
_classified advertising_ in your society journal.

Many years ago, the first page many of us would turn to when our
journal popped through the door were the classifieds.  Some of my
oldest friends and acquaintances were made as a direct response to
an advert.  With this in mind, I have actively been promoting the
members' classifieds in the M.B.S.G.B journal.

Is it working?  Yes.  Are sensible prices being achieved?  Yes.

So I suggest, whichever side of the Atlantic, whatever part of Europe,
stay close to home and disperse through your journals classifieds.
If there is something you want, place an ad and ask; someone out there
will have it.

If there is something you wish to sell, or anything you wish to buy,
I am happy to place it in an advert, free of charge, in the MBSGB
journal, "The Music Box".  Email me before the end of the month for
inclusion in the next issue.

Mark Singleton, UK