[CPProt.net] Fire Destroys Major Collection of Bakelite in Vermont

[MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)]

Fire Destroys Major Collection of Bakelite in Vermont
October 15, 2005
by David Hewett

It takes just a few minutes to lose cherished items that took a lifetime to
collect.

That's what Vermont collector Gregory Reynolds discovered on August 24, when
his house in rural Peacham, Vermont, burned to the ground.

"I lost a major collection of Bakelite, worth between three hundred and five
hundred thousand dollars," Reynolds said. "It was maybe the premier
collection of its kind in the world. All the rarities were there, including
four 'Philadelphia' bracelets, material I'd spent thirty years collecting."
("Philadelphia" bracelets can bring up to $10,000.)

Reynolds, whose major folk art collection was sold by Skinner in October
1989 (see M.A.D., December 1989, pp. 26-27-A), said he'd carried homeowners'
insurance but had no fine arts rider on the Bakelite pieces. "They say it's
never enough, and it really is never enough."

"I started collecting Bakelite back while Barbara [his late wife] was still
alive. After the folk art was gone, it was too expensive to get back into
it, so I concentrated on the Bakelite."

Reynolds said he and partner Thomas Belville had just returned from an
auction when they noticed strange noises coming from outside. They went out
and found sparks flying from the chimney and several places on the roof.

"We're OK physically," Reynolds said, "but it's a huge loss. Tom Belville
lost his comic book collection too, including Spiderman numbers one, two,
and three, but the Bakelite collection was the big loss. It may have been
the world's largest private collection."