Pencil 2 former pc museum items?

[starlord]

Hello to all,

 

i was wondering if out of curiosity anyone was following the software items held by the pc museum in Canada following the sad events that resulted in the museum closing down. I think there were a few mentions in the boards at some point.

 

I would particularly be interested in looking at a rare hanimex pencil 2 cart called big foot chase which I haven’t seen before (it even looks curious, almost pre-release, for a commercial cart). As such should the cart have a potential new owner, i’d Like to propose a non destructive way to dump the cart in order to add to the MESS lists. The method has been previously used on another game called treasure diver and has worked flawlessly (that game being the first pencil 2 exclusive supported by MESS).

 

Should anyone care to contribute additional hardware like the coleco converter or the other cart game « secret garden » we would also be interested.

 

Pcmuseum big foot chase cart:

 

https://pcmuseum.ca/collections.asp?type=Software&group=Pencil II

 

MESS pencil 2 thread with diver game in action:

 

https://forums.bannister.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=114969&page=1

 

 

 

Best

Edited July 29, 2019 by starlord

[awhite2600]

I was a volunteer at the PC Museum for a number of years.  

 

The current status of the museum and it's collection seems to be unknown - even to many of us that volunteered and were longtime friends of the curator, Syd Bolton.  Two museums and a university looked at the collection shortly after Syd's death.  I believe that one offer was made, but was deemed to be unacceptable.  

 

Information is very incomplete.  Most of us that were volunteers are no longer involved.  The last I heard was that Syd's widow was placing the collection in storage as the museum building needed to be sold.  There does not seem to be any other news.

 

All that said, I don't think that there are plans to break up the collection or sell off individual items.  There are many, many one of a kind and extremely rare items.  My hope is that they eventually find an appropriate and caring home.

[starlord]

Thank you awhite, i will respond to you by PM.

[jhd]

Was there a separate, independent corporate body created to legally own the items donated to the museum, or was everything considered Syd's personal property? 

 

If his widow now has custody and control over the collection, I would assume that it was the latter situation, and that she now has sole legal title to the property. 

 

On 7/29/2019 at 10:51 AM, awhite2600 said:

All that said, I don't think that there are plans to break up the collection or sell off individual items.

 

With all due respect to Syd's widow, she too will eventually die. Whomever inherits legal title to the "museum" from her may not feel the same obligation to store and preserve this collection indefinitely -- especially if there is an associated cost for a storage facility.  

 

My Grandfather had a massive collection of "treasures" that he would never consider parting with; after he died, his estate was (eventually) liquidated and otherwise disposed of as it became infeasible to store this collection, especially once his house was listed for sale. I still have a few small pieces of personal significance, but these would be meaningless to my heirs (as they had would never have met/known my Grandfather). 

 

This is a tragic and unfortunate situation, but it is also a lesson for future donors. Be aware if it is going to a public repository or just a private collection. 

[starlord]

Agreed. Hopefully something will unlock the situation. Here’s hoping it will be possible to reach that person at some point.

 

also, beyond that we are still on the lookout for the pen-701 game cart (secret garden I believe?) and the coleco converter. Should anyone care to step up with those it would be much appreciated.

[awhite2600]

On 7/31/2019 at 12:37 PM, jhd said:

Was there a separate, independent corporate body created to legally own the items donated to the museum, or was everything considered Syd's personal property? 

 

If his widow now has custody and control over the collection, I would assume that it was the latter situation, and that she now has sole legal title to the property. 

 

With all due respect to Syd's widow, she too will eventually die. Whomever inherits legal title to the "museum" from her may not feel the same obligation to store and preserve this collection indefinitely -- especially if there is an associated cost for a storage facility.  

 

This is a tragic and unfortunate situation, but it is also a lesson for future donors. Be aware if it is going to a public repository or just a private collection. 

 

The museum was supposed to be a non-profit corporation.  I don't believe that it was.  While I am guessing based on information from others involved with the museum, I think that Syd did not have his affairs in order prior to his death.  I have not been part of any discussion about the legal ownership of the museum assets.  It sounds like either the collection is now owned by Syd's widow or that she has legal authority to control it.  The museum was supposed to have a board of directors.  If the appropriate legal status of the museum was not up to date then that board may be meaningless.  

 

I am told that the items are in storage. I have no further details - where they are stored, how items were packaged, what costs may be needed to pay for ongoing storage.  

 

The museum volunteers are completely in the dark at this time.  We have all accepted the fact that we do not have any further involvement or control of what happens to the items.  All we can wish is that the items eventually find a good home at another museum or perhaps a university. Hopefully then the items of historical value can be made available for archiving, study and even enjoyment.

 

 

[jhd]

This is a bit of a necrobump, but entirely relevant.

 

According to CBC Radio, the Museum collection has recently been acquired by the University of Toronto Mississauga.

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2057854531950

 

Someone has received a very substantial tax credit. ?

 

If anyone has more information, please share.