WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR PUTZ HOUSE COLLECTION WHEN WE"RE GONE?

[Pete R.Oehmen]

Hello to all my fellow putz house collectors. A good customer of mine asked me a question that we've all been entertaining.
"What happens to our collection after we're gone?" A few of us have been thinking about the options that this dilemma
poses. Here is my response and maybe this will open up a conversation of possibilities?

"Between our group serious collectors we have been asking ourselves what's going
to happen to our putz house collections when we're gone? Most all the time
the children aren't interested and none of us are getting any younger. I guess
after Ted died that left a handful of serious , like minded, collectors that would love
to see Papa Ted's work continued for further generations. Being one the most active in many
of the specialties of Putzing I have been contemplating how and where to establish
a museum. (Here she suggested the Christmas Center) I don't like the National Christmas Center because they are very
selfish with there information. To them it seems that everything is about the
money. Even there website is sterile about sharing anything.
Between my friend that lives across the lake from me and myself
there are very few houses that we don't have. If I start a museum or
if we donate our collections to an existing museum we want to know that it's
a permanent housed facility. I've seen many collection donated to museums over
the years only to see the museum fold due to a lack of interest and or money.
We have a wonderful museum in downtown
Lake Geneva that would gladly set up a permanent display but we have to
ask ourselves if this is the proper venue? Pennsylvania would be a great
location because of the amount of interested collectors out East. But I'd like
to start something before I die and there is no way that I could be traveling
back and forth to create a living display.

After my passing I'd hate to see my collection scattered to the 4 winds. I'm sure
many of our collector friends feel the same. At this moment all I can say is that
I'm working on it. We need a benevolent benefactor! LOL

Just sayn', Pete

[Lucy]

Pete,
I was thinking that there needs to be a museum for the old putz houses also . You are exactly right - they should be well-preserved, not ebayed (with their histories distorted) and remuddled.

Great idea.
Lucy

[paulrace]

Pete, I think Ted would have given me his houses and trains if he believed I could display them properly. But it would have taken a warehouse. I get e-mails all the time from folks who've become the unwilling curator of a collection. Trains, Christmas lights, you name it. I'll say this much, it's a hardship I would not wish on my family after I've gone. Thinking clearly about it ahead of time is a VERY good idea. Even if it comes down to selling them off a little bit at a time like I'm doing with some of my collections.

[maria]

Speaking personally I have made notes over the years from friends who admired this house or some vintage object and they get those....

[Clinton]

My collection (around 200 and counting) will be displayed here out in the mountain west for those who live in this region. I'm contemplating a venue now as a matter of fact for this 2016 Christmas season for an all out display. We'll see how it turns out!