Farnsworth Museum closing:

[Tim L]

Just received an email from someone representing a Mr. Stephen Hofer, a Philo Farnsworth enthusiast:

"I wanted to just drop you a quick note and invite you to this historic auction event.



Dr. Stephen Hofer, noted Philo T. Farnsworth scholar and enthusiast, has decided to liquidate his entire museum collection! This entire collection (currently housed in the National Military History Center, Auburn, Indiana) is selling at absolutely NO RESERVE!



Bidding has already begun on line and will culminate during the live auction event on Saturday, June 19th. I've attached an easy print flyer for your convenience or to share with any fellow enthusiasts.



Here is a direct link to the Philo T. Farnsworth Museum Liquidation auction:
https://www.proxibid.com/asp/Catalog.asp?aid=27984


Have a great day,


Jama Smith, Auctioneer"

I have no way of buying any of this, but included in the auction are loads of Game Show Home Games, A Lot of vintage TV's, radios, etc..And a Complete TV Guide Collection.. Thought some might want to look into it..

[Matt Ottinger]

I vividly remember seeing an earlier version of the Farnsworth Museum, probably about fifteen years ago, when it was housed in an antique mall in Fort Wayne.  What's more, I'm helping to direct a community theatre production of The Farnsworth Invention, a play by Aaron Sorkin about the development of television, later this fall.  Wouldn't it be cool to have some authentic props?

I'm a little surprised, seeing how some of the lots have been broken up, that the TV Guide collection is being sold as one piece.  Even accounting for post-Ebay deflation of collectible prices, a collection like that is probably worth thousands of dollars, whereas some of the board game lots they've compiled are practically worthless.  They probably could earn more money by selling the TV Guides in lots of a hundred or so, maybe in sets by year or something, in order to open the auction up to the vast majority of collectiors without pockets deep enough to bid on the whole thing.

[chad1m]

For those interested in the game lots, here's a listing of those with indications of what game show home games are in each set:

Includes Password, Match Game, Trivial Pursuit, Jeopardy, Survivor, Body Language
Includes Twenty Questions, Name That Tune, New Newlywed Game, Family Feud, Dollar a Second, Video Village
Includes Match Game
Includes Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, $10,000 Pyramid
Includes The Who What or Where Game, What's My Line (Endless), Win Lose or Draw, Jeopardy, Family Feud
Includes Figure it Out, Number Please, Wheel of Fortune (and a Where's the Beef game? Wow.)
Includes $10,000 Pyramid, Concentration
Includes Beat the Clock, Say When, Masquerade Party
Includes Electronic Let's Make a Deal, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, The Price is Right
Includes Newlywed Game, Wheel of Fortune, Stump the Stars, Hollywood Squares, Eye Guess
Includes Scrabble, Charge Account, Double Dare
Includes Pyramid
Includes Truth or Consequences, Weakest Link
Includes $ale of the Century, American Idol, Hollywood Squares

[mcsittel]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'241163\' date=\'May 20 2010, 03:06 PM\']I'm a little surprised, seeing how some of the lots have been broken up, that the TV Guide collection is being sold as one piece.  Even accounting for post-Ebay deflation of collectible prices, a collection like that is probably worth thousands of dollars, whereas some of the board game lots they've compiled are practically worthless.  They probably could earn more money by selling the TV Guides in lots of a hundred or so, maybe in sets by year or something, in order to open the auction up to the vast majority of collectiors without pockets deep enough to bid on the whole thing.[/quote]

I'd argue there's an exponential curve to the price of the discretized TV Guide collection.  He could sell off the 1950s and 1960s for about as much as the other years put together.  Of course this may simply be due to the scarcity of the oldest magazines and their subsequent condition.  But like you, Matt, I wouldn't even consider the whole thing.  Whoever does get it might happily turn around and sell it off in smaller pieces and make a healthy profit.

So Matt, shall we go halfsies on it then?

[WarioBarker]

The rules are a bit confusing (I don't have a credit card, and I don't drive), and so I'm unsure whether I want to go through with this. I can't seem to find any game show tapes/discs going out the door, so boo that. Also, the TV show board game lots are mixed.

Includes $10,000 Pyramid, Concentration

The $10,000 Pyramid game seen in this lot is the 3rd Edition that was later reissued under the $20,000 title. Just want to note that for collectors.

Some of these games are pretty good (and relatively hard-to-find), but...well, I don't know.

[Dbacksfan12]

[quote name=\'chad1m\' post=\'241164\' date=\'May 20 2010, 03:24 PM\']Includes Password, Match Game, Trivial Pursuit, Jeopardy, Survivor, Body Language[/quote]I should note that IIRC, the Body Language game was not released at the same time as the show; but rather c. 10 years earlier.

I want to say Goodson or one of his usual celebrities had something to do with this, but I wouldn't swear to it.

Also, the TV-show board game lots are mixed. If somebody is looking for just game shows (like myself), they might be upset when they discover a lot includes such gems as The People's Court.

You can't make do with the gameshow games included in a lot and do something else with the ones you don't?  Even Matt gives the People's Court game a mention on his page.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'241171\' date=\'May 20 2010, 04:06 PM\']I should note that IIRC, the Body Language game was not released at the same time as the show; but rather c. 10 years earlier.[/quote]
And has not one thing to do with the game show.

[chad1m]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'241172\' date=\'May 20 2010, 07:11 PM\']And has not one thing to do with the game show.[/quote]Well, I didn't go through and fact check all of these.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'chad1m\' post=\'241173\' date=\'May 20 2010, 04:16 PM\']Well, I didn't go through and fact check all of these.[/quote]
Was just saying, man. Wasn't calling you out or anything.

[snowpeck]

But it does have Lucille Ball on the box... can't go wrong with Lucy right?

[Otm Shank]

FYI, there are a pair of CBS Password Tickets for Studio 50 in NYC in a lot with other TV memorabilia. Date looks like Aug. 16, 1967 without completely straining my eyes.

https://www.proxibid.com/asp/LotDetail.asp?...939177#topoflot

[WarioBarker]

[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'241171\' date=\'May 20 2010, 07:06 PM\']

Also, the TV-show board game lots are mixed. If somebody is looking for just game shows (like myself), they might be upset when they discover a lot includes such gems as The People's Court.

You can't make do with the gameshow games included in a lot and do something else with the ones you don't? Even Matt gives the People's Court game a mention on his page.[/quote]
#1, I forgot The People's Court had a section on Matt's site (which is strange, as it really isn't a game show).

#2, you're right. I'm strongly considering setting up an account, although my brother says I won't win anything.

[J.R.]

[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'241179\' date=\'May 20 2010, 07:49 PM\']although my brother says I won't win anything.[/quote]
That's the spirit.

[davemackey]

[quote name=\'Otm Shank\' post=\'241178\' date=\'May 20 2010, 08:39 PM\']FYI, there are a pair of CBS Password Tickets for Studio 50 in NYC in a lot with other TV memorabilia. Date looks like Aug. 16, 1967 without completely straining my eyes.

https://www.proxibid.com/asp/LotDetail.asp?...939177#topoflot[/quote]
That's probably from one of the last tapings in NYC. I think those last shows with Betty and Frank Gifford were done in NY.

[Matt Ottinger]

Just an update about the recently-concluded Farnsworth Museum auction that took place earlier today.  Sure enough, most of the 'lots' of TV related board games were not big-ticket items, most going for anywhere from five to fifty bucks.  The lots that went for more typically had one particularly rare game in the set that the bidder was going after.  A couple of the game lots got no bids at all.

The enormous collection of TV Guides went for $3,200.00.  Hard to say whether that was a good deal or not since it's not clear to me that 'complete' meant 'no issues missing in the set' or whether it meant 'the complete total of TV Guides in the museum, whatever they happen to be'.  It's certainly a massive haul, but I don't see much of a resale market anymore so I'd be curious about the buyer's plans.

The big-ticket item turned out to be an original (or close to it) 'image dissector' from Philo Farnsworth's early efforts to develop a working system for television itself.  It sold for $17,500.  Several other image dissectors that weren't as old or weren't in as good a condition sold for much less.  Many old and rare televisions sold for hundreds of dollars.

I wish I could have been there to see it, and maybe bid on a few things.  I stumbled across the Farnsworth Museum years ago and was just fascinated with all the goodies.  Later this year, I'm helping to direct a production of The Farnsworth Invention, an Aaron Sorkin play about the development of television.  At the very least, I got to snag some nice big pictures of some of the older items from the auction website, so I'll have something to work with as I design props.