Littlefield Collection & Auction

[Ian Pullen]

Seems the Littlefield Collection is packing up & moving to a Museum in Massachusetts so it can be more accessible to the public. To fund this though, 160 of the 240 vehicles will be auctioned off.
I can see the Bellfield auction all over again but ten times the frenzy & ten times the prices.
No guesses I think as to what WON"T be offered for sale.

http://seattletimes.com/html/nationw...hinesmove.html

[matilda IIA]

I think Mr Littlefield would be upset by this action....

[Phil Waterman]

Hi All

The Littlefield collection is going to the Collings Foundation in Stow, Massachusetts which already has a collection of Aircraft, as to being accessible to the public they will have to make major infrastructure changes make it possible for the public to get to the museum. Local grapevine is saying the power behind the foundation would like to make it more accessible but the location is basically land locked and would need new roads built.

Though the Foundation's aircraft have a very extensive airshow schedule the actual museum is only open to the public 3-4 days a month 5 months of the year, by invitation. Basically it is no more accessible to the public than the Littlefield Collection was in California.

Cheers Phil

[Andrew]

This makes me wonder what deals have been made to get them and why they are being moved.

On a side note, how did Littlefield get his millions?

Andy

Originally Posted by Phil Waterman

Hi All

the actual museum is only open to the public 3-4 days a month 5 months of the year, by invitation. Basically it is no more accessible to the public than the Littlefield Collection was in California.

Cheers Phil

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Andy

I've heard exactly how he got his start but can not remember the product, but it was in early days of electronics in the Boston area. Over the next couple of months I'll probably hear more, as some of the people involved in moving the collection are long time Military Vehicle people in the New England area.

Problem with the museums location is it on basically a narrow residential road.

Cheers Phil

[Rillette]

Mr. Littlefield was born into wealth. His great-grandfather having founded the Utah Construction Co., which helped build the Hoover and Grand Coulee dams. His father oversaw a 1976 merger with General Electric Co. that made him a member of the Forbes 400 Richest People in America.

From:

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/...95854437558427

Cheers,
FX Dutoy

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Andrew

This makes me wonder what deals have been made to get them and why they are being moved.

Isn't this the classic case of the family getting rid of the "junk that dad collected"? Not wanting to sound harsh, but often when an avid collector passes away the family gets rid of the collection because they have no interest in it or simply need money.....

H.

[Dianaa]

I guess the one good thing is that dad's stuff isn't going to the scrappers and some people with an interest may be able to buy one of the vehicles at auction.

It seems to me that very few vehicle museums keep the vehicles on the road, like many aircraft museums do, so our only hope is the few places like Bovington or private entusiasts who get them out to display.

[Chuck Anderson]

Originally Posted by Phil Waterman

Hi All

The Littlefield collection is going to the Collings Foundation in Stow, Massachusetts which already has a collection of Aircraft, as to being accessible to the public they will have to make major infrastructure changes make it possible for the public to get to the museum. Local grapevine is saying the power behind the foundation would like to make it more accessible but the location is basically land locked and would need new roads built.

Though the Foundation's aircraft have a very extensive airshow schedule the actual museum is only open to the public 3-4 days a month 5 months of the year, by invitation. Basically it is no more accessible to the public than the Littlefield Collection was in California.

Cheers Phil

It might be a little more accessible in one regard. The high-end neighborhood where Jaques had his home & collection wasn't designed for business traffic, let alone moving multi-ton armored vehicles up and down the narrow streets. They would have to close down the streets on moving day. I know the neighbors won't be sorry to see it all go (once its over, that is).

[Jim Burrill]

I was on the phone last night to a fellow from NJ who was out helping with the Littlefield collection.

I asked him about the status of the cannon in some of them.

He said that the BATF had been out there to take stock of what was live. And the word he left me with was that all the vehicles with live guns will have the weapons torch cut to de-mil them before the auction.

He said the auction house is not prepared to become involved int he BATF paperwork to have the guns transferable in any way.

And they won't hold the vehicles after the auction to wait for the DD or class III papers to clear.

Cut them so BATF won't hold up the sale, then hold the auction, collect the money, and go to the next auction.

I could sort of see the issues with Class III, but the breeches and barrels on all the AFVs could be legally registered given the chance.

Damn sad thing.

[lssah2025]

Typical waste of good products, they will also see a major decrease in value!!! Also if you read the fine print, payment is to be made within 24 hours after the auction, how in the blank is someone suppose to do that, come back with a suitcase full of cash, most overseas transactions can take days, now they are going to demil per BATF, well that is great, so barrels cut, for no reasons, breeches cut and god knows what else, maybe they will decide to put holes in the armor knowing the fffnnn idiots that are in office now. Ohhh and how stupid it keeps getting, I don't know the last time someone took their 57mm down to the bank and opened it up, or drove their tank and fired live rounds into a crowd.

[rob love]

But if it saves just one life, it will all be worth it. Thank God somebody is thinking of the children.

[jdmcm]

Well it sure wont do much for the value of the vehicles to have them hacked up like that

[lssah2025]

Well they will probably torch the barrels, and high pressure areas, destroy the breech blocks and might cut the breech rings. When barrels are 5-10K, breeches 5-10K and breech rings depending on price, this is a pretty good chunk of money if someone wants to make them live again or try and source the correct bits and bobs. We will see.

[jdmcm]

Looks like they have added an addendum to the vehicles that are registered destructive devices saying that bidders on those lots must meet special conditions so perhaps these live vehicles will stay intact after all. There is hope!

[lssah2025]

Yes, read that today, so there is still hope, you have to call to find out if your qualify or not.

[jdmcm]

Sure would be nice to see Jaques Centurion Mk13 repatriated back to Canada. Hopefully there will be more than a few Canadians there bidding for the home team. Anyone feel like getting a syndicate together to bring her home?

[Jim Burrill]

Tried to call the auction support number and just got a busy signal.... not even voice-mail. Several times.... Doesn't bode well...

[45jim]

The centurion is a standard Mk 3/5 not a MK 13. Many parts were added to this tank when it was only display at Crown Surplus in Calgary to make it resemble a MK 13. Only one Mk 13 remained in Canada at LETE and was later transferred to the CDN War Museum. The others were sold from Europe.

[Robin Craig]

There are more than just that vehicle purporting to be something they are not.

There is a CVR(T) Samson which is NOT the vehicle it is marked up to be.

For those who don't know the subtle nuances of what is on display many look good. For those whose area of interest is a particular vehicle there are many faults.

From the scuttlebutt on the MV rumour mill many vehicles have sat for years without attention and are taking a lot to get them running.

Quite understandable for a collection of that size as to how much work there was keeping this going with the few staff that they had. It is always the same problem, people buy more than they can keep running, we are all at times guilty of that. I know I am.

Will it make for good deals and sensible prices? Who knows, I think there will be a fence a mile long with vultures sitting on it waiting with cash to snap up the unpopular vehicles or maybe the scrap man.

Time will tell, but it would be jolly good fun to start a book on what money we think things will make.

Anyone care to suggest what the Centurion will make? My guess is $25,000 plus auction house fees.

Throwing it open

R

[jdmcm]

So that is the Cent from Crown Surplus, boy now that takes me back to my misspent youth! That place was near and dear to my heart and I remember that tank well. I'm heading to the MVTF for one of the last tours next month, hopefully we will get a chance to see the vehicles that are being put on the block. My guess is a 108 vehicles being sold in two days, there will be bargains to be had, but that is simply my opinion. I'm guessing the smaller more manageable vehicles will be in higher demand, just a couple years ago a Conqueror was for sale on Dave Uhrigs site for 100k, it was also ex-littlefield and it took over a year to sell, finally ending up in the Midwest. Just moving some of these tanks to your location may cost as much as the selling price. But if they hit the estimates then I'm selling everything and retiring!