Breaking Toys Up

I have come from a hobby (screen used props) where if anyone did anything to alter the original prop you would be lambasted for the rest of your life and quite rightly IMO. The best example was people buying screenused costumes from auction, and then cutting them up to either share swatches to people so they could own a bit of something, or card companies for their collector cards (rittenhouse).

I have been spending some serious time on ebay lately looking at SW vintage toys. Some of you may have seen my initial loose collection in my other thread.

It would seem to me from a financial sense, if say i had a duplicate x wing toy, to break it up and sell its parts individually. I have a rough x wing for sale now and looking at past sales will be lucky to get say £30. I can get much more, at least double if i sell the items individually, like the blasters, wings etc.

I don't think I can bring myself to do this. its survived this long, surely someone will love it again.But a part of me says if its alreadsy rough, then my breaking it up you ar ehelping to restore more toys elsewhere. Loose 1, gain 3 etc.

Whats the general view on here on breaking stuff up. I'm guessing NO!

I'd say, it's yours and do what is best for you. I think it's likely to be a royal pain in the backside breaking it up, imagine all the post office trips to earn that bit more.

Personally, if there is no emotional attachment for you then breaking it up for others to get the parts they need for their own emotional attachments is no bad thing, but time consuming.

Either way, all the best with what you do

Personally speaking, I don't agree with the process. Being pragmatic, however, a single Falcon or AT-AT can complete 10 or more other incomplete vehicles. Also, there's nothing stopping that vehicle from completed again in the future if it isn't physically damaged as the removal of parts is reversible.

On the other hand, the cutting up of props and costumes sounds like a reprehensible thing to do. Lambasting sounds too good for those imbeciles :twisted:

I'm in a similar situation to you Craig. I have two reasons I collect vintage star wars, and one of those is rebuilding/repairing my childhood collection. I decided to repair my imperial attack base, but the most cost effective way to do it was to buy a complete one and transfer the required parts to my childhood one.

I now need to get rid of the remaining parts of the new one, later in the summer when I have more time. I'll probably initially try to sell it as a bargain one lot, but you are right with patience and lots of exercise to the post office I would get more money selling the parts individually.

My advice would be if it is whole, sell it whole, it will sell faster. But if it is missing bits anyway and you have the patience, sell the individual parts.

I would not be concerned over the moral aspect of breaking it up. If people buy your parts it is to repair their toys and making those whole again. In fact it may be better overall as you may be helping to repair 2-3 toys from your one.