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Kathleen Collins Estate Sale offers items from private collection




Lee Rich from White House checks out the toy/novelty room at the sale.BONNIE FUSSELL /main street nashvilleLee Rich from White House checks out the toy/novelty room at the sale.

Lee Rich from White House checks out the toy/novelty room at the sale.BONNIE FUSSELL /main street nashvilleLee Rich from White House checks out the toy/novelty room at the sale.

Joey Collins and his late wife, Kathleen Collins, shared a love of collecting antiques, but their interests were quite different.

While Joey might buy a tractor because he was interested in mechanical things, Kathleen would be looking at glassware and antique furniture. Joey would laugh at her and say she was buying women’s stuff, and he was buying tractors and trucks. According to Joey, her collection of items span 30 to 40 years of picking stuff up here and there. She had plans to open an antique store at some point, but passed away in 2019.

Collins said he had been thinking about what to do with his wife’s collection for about three years. Finally, he made the decision to sell the items that she cherished and enjoyed buying with the idea of opening an antique shop someday.

Parker Estate Services was chosen to handle the sale. It was no surprise that Collins would choose that company because it is owned by Larry and Londa Parker, who had become close friends of Joey and Kathleen.

Shoppers check out the books available at the sale.BONNIE FUSSELL/The Portland Sun

Shoppers check out the books available at the sale.BONNIE FUSSELL/The Portland Sun

“My wife and I both met Joey and Kathleen years ago when we started our estate business here,” Londa Parker said. “We didn’t know who they were. We just knew they liked antiques and would buy items. We formed a fast friendship and the friendship blossomed. I felt Kathleen was my sister. We felt we had a special relationship with Kathleen and Joey. They were both such kind, caring and nice people.”

The on-site sale is advertised as one of the largest estate sales ever of its kind and is being done over multiple days and multiple phases. It is being held at 323 Victor Reiter Parkway in Portland. The building is referred to as the library, because the Larry Collins family allowed the Portland Library to move there during the renovation of its facility a few years ago.

The next sale dates are June 25-28 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. People came from many different cities to purchase items the first four days. There was lots of excitement as people went from room to room shopping at the estate sale.

 

 

The sale is named the Kathleen Collins Estate Sale and features her private collection, which has been seen only by immediate family and a few friends. Furniture, jewelry, books, quilts, antique paintings, lamps, dolls, antique radios and phonographs are just a few of the items that will be sold.

The smaller items were stored in tubs, boxes, and five gallon twist lock containers. The Parker Estate Services’ staff began working on the sale in February and the early part of March.

Parker describes his staff as miracle workers who get in and go to work and get it done.

“No matter what you collect, I can truthfully say, and I’ve been doing this since the early ‘70s, whatever you collect you will find it here,” Parker said.

Buyers can call to purchase items, but the first 10 to 15 minutes will be for those who go in first. Then if items aren’t sold, they can be purchased over the phone, if the buyer knows specifically what they want. However, he will not be able to search for a particular salt and pepper shaker.

Items, with the exception of furniture, can be shipped at the buyers expense. He has had inquiries from California, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Florida, Alabama and Texas, to name a few.

There will be another on site Kathleen Collins Estate Sale beginning July 15 at the Days Gone By location in addition to the sale this week at 323 Victor Reiter Parkway.

Collins has also decided to liquidate the items he has in the Days Gone By Museum. Aumann Auctions is the contact agency for the sale. More information is available on their website.

“Thank you for everybody who helped support us while we were there. I’m not going to name everybody; they know who they are,” Collins said. “They supported us for the 17 years we were there. Time moves on and I’ve got to move on. I’m building a shop by my house, and I will mess with a few things and enjoy life and get a big load off me.”

The Days Gone By Museum will continue to be open through the first week in September.

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