That exactly what I was thinking.. If they had seen light of day 40 years ago, they might have been crushed and made into a washing machine or something.. But WOW!!! What a collection.. All of those A's lined up like that.. Amazing!!
Wow......I could spend days looking through all of this stuff. I hope I don't have money when the auction starts, because I would kill for some of this stuff....
Thank you. Free enterprise is what generates productivity. Some people are just not productive so they look over the fence with envy at the productive guy. Quit worrying about the other guy.
"The Lee R. Hartung Collection" Is truly a masterpiece and a mind blower! The videos posted are fantastic, but I guarantee DO NOT do this collection justice in the least. They most likely show just a small portion of what his massive collection includes. It really does make one sad, especially from a collector's point of view, that this collection is soon for the auction block.....much like a fantastic 150+ year old building facing the wrecking ball...it is sad to see it broken up. It reminds me, in a way, of the destruction of the Harrah Collection. At the same time, it is comforting to see all that he collected "re-circulated" back into the hobby (recycling at it's best ) and that he had saved it all from the crusher or just disappearing forever. I must agree with 49RatFink...one of the biggest parts (and the most interesting) of this hobby is The Search..."The trill of the Hunt" if you will. Chasing down leads, going to swap meets, garage/estate sales....it's all part of it.
Auctions America by RM Auctions is handling the sale. Here is a link to the site for more info on it: http://www.auctionsamerica.com/events/event.cfm?SaleCode=LH11
I'm a little sad because Mr Hartung was a most gracious host. He could tell you about everything he had, and was happy to do so. Folks in Porsches and Ranger Rovers drove by every single day without a clue what treasures were lurking through the heavily wooded driveway. I see that he passed in May, but this is the first I've heard about it. Locally, everyone knew the auction was inevitable. It kills me that it will take place during the SEMA show.
RAD!! I'm glad the stuff is still there. And even happier people will have a chance to buy some of that treasure. I hope his family makes out financially after the auction/s, then everyone will truly be happy!
This isn't a barn find or hoarding. This is definitely collecting. Although somewhat of a mess, it was still an experience of a lifetime to walk through and see it all. Too bad it will be dispersed but hey, what are you gonna do? Anyone with some dough and time better get their butt to that auction. I know I'll be there and will hopefully bring a few things home.
Farm for sale, shed full of old junk. Collector, hoarder, Foothills of Mount Olympus, this man was a minor God. After watching the videos I'm sure my mouth will close at some point. I would have loved to walk these aisles with this gent and heard his stories. Honey,,,,do you love me, Wanna go to Illinois for vacation this year?
This is so over the top....the entire collection and the buildings they are in needs to be in a place like greenfield village or some other place where this entire slice of americana that is so well preserved can be viewed as it is without being wrecked by a bunch of greedy collectors out for a buck!!!
What gets me in the videos is the dude who is talking the whole time....he never takes a breath. He's talking to a woman, who I'm assuming is Mr. Hartung's widow....maybe not. But regardless, the dude talks for the ENTIRE 20 minutes of the videos. Like my grandmother always said, "if your lips are moving, you aint learnin nothin"
I got chills watching the videos, I could almost feel that guy's spirit.....it was quite moving. The love, dedication and passion it took to assemble that and the time it took to set it up carefully. Just imagine the joy he felt inside and the huge smile on his face... The history behind it all.......it's pure Americana! Museum I say!!!!!
Lee, you're the man - what an outstanding collection you amassed! I stand in awe, and am more than a bit jealous. Rest in peace sir... and thank you! (photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/deadhorse/3928073346/) Good article on Hartung Collection: http://www.sportscardigest.com/lee-hartung-collection-offered-by-auctions-america/ The Hartung Collection was amassed over five decades by the late Mr. Lee Roy Hartung for display in his private museum. From motor cars to motorcycles, bicycles, license plates and other vintage memorabilia, the collection is comprised of items Hartung acquired locally, many from within a 15-mile radius of his Glenview location. .
No doubt that this collection is unlike anything I personally have ever seen before. There are several things about it that make it unique. He seemed to be strictly a collector and not a tinkerer at all. The obvious lack of tools in this vast variety of all other things collectible seems to be intentional. It's very unusual to see a very aggressive collector put this much effort into organizing. If I went through the place a few times and someone asked where they could find something, I believe that there is a good chance I could find it. He didn't concentrate on any particular era and had an extremely good eye for all things collectible. Not a thing in there that wouldn't raise an eye from a collector somewhere, even things like 80's cabbage patch dolls and other not so old stuff. So many folks are going to be thrilled to get a chance to own something from this collection. RIP Lee.
I know where a smaller scale of this is, but he's not Hoarding it, he will sell any of it..but he aint cheap some of us have the hobby of building, some of us have the hobby of collecting..its just a different hobby, its not wrong..its preserving history in their own way, thats how i see it
When a Hoarder passes away it gives a chance for the real aficionados to make something out of the mess. Unfortunately it becomes a race between the thieves and aficionados to get to the good stuff before the scrappers and other hoarders get it!
It's not hoarding if the stuff is valuable and in order like that.If you just have to save garbage and its not orderly YOU are a horder.
Yep....I get it. Wish it was me. I am only 55 seconds into the video and already see more cool stuff in one place than I have ever seen.
That's the best post I've seen on this subject. Anyone that says the guy wasn't a collector doesn't understand collecting at all. Many collectors will display items "as found". That sure looks like a well organized collection to me. Since he wasn't a hot rodder he's being labeled a hoarder. Apparently when he collected much of this stuff there wasn't much of a market for it. He could have scrapped a bunch of it to fund restoring or building rods out of the rest of it. He was a real aficionado that obviously enjoyed preserving the past. If he had the same collection spread out in twice as much space everyone would be talking about what a great collection he had!
Newbe here, but not new to old cars or collecting. Being a packrat is a psychological quirk, similar to being a neatness-freak. It's the way we are! As a packrat, I have discovered over 30 some odd years that you can't please everyone. Usually when I have to explain why I have so many cars, the other person just doesn't get it anyway. My mission has been to get as many inside and dry as possible, so that I will get to enjoy them, or my son, or maybe Grandkids someday.......it doesn't matter. I think of them as family assets. Do you think Jay Leno feels gulity for having his collection? I wouldn't! I found a way, while others whined and said it couldn't/shouldn't be done. And if you haven't noticed, the prices of real musclecars and even plain jane antique cars is climbing every year. I could never have amassed what I have in a few years time. I sold over 100 to get the 20 collectibles I have now. Final point as mentioned above, it was my money, I enjoy how I spent it, and do enjoy being a packrat. If you don't like it, TOO BAD, it's a free country since I last checked.
Okay, I'm gonna vote five stars on this thread, 'cause so many guys have stated their individual perspectives EXCEPTIONALLY well, considering how this theme USUALLY goes! By that I mean usually over half the posts are cheap shots and advocating taking things away from unfit people. ChrisNTx takes the cake for brevity WITH wit AND a point! LOL. And RSCamaro is a good example of what a conservator/rodder should be. He's worked hard and steadliy to acquire 20 cars, WHILE being willing to let things go to improve his collection. (Some cat JEALOUS of what he grabbed before it was GONE will still say RSCamaro is a "hoarder," too!) If he and the fella in Post #1 are HOARDERS, I say, "GOD BLESS HOARDERS!" I only wish that, all my life, I'd had a PLACE to keep things dry AND at least a little dough to devote to acquiring cars when they were available (quickly gone, of course). The list of cars from the early '30s to early '70s that I wanted to cry at having to pass over is as long as what RSCamaro has seen, I do believe. There's a pretty fair HAMB thread called something like," What's the Coolest Thing You Ever Let Slip Through Your Fingers." The title doesn't quite fit the reality, as many, many of us would gladly invest some dough in car opportunities, IF we had a PLACE to put them so we didn't, then, have to watch them rust while guys called us hoarders. Kind of a conundrum, eh?