The World's Largest Record Collection


The Archive from Sean Dunne on Vimeo.


Paul Mawhinney, is the owner of the World's largest record collection with an astonishing 3 million records with some so rare they cannot be found anywhere else in the World. Appraised at an astounding $50 Million dollars worth of musical history he is only asking for a paltry $3 Million for the whole collection! However, after trying to sell the collection on eBay and getting takin' for a ride by fake bidders he has decided to sell them to only serious buyers through other means. With deteriorating health due to diabetes as a main factor forcing him to sell his collection no one has yet stepped up to take them off his hands.

A direct quote from his site listing one of the reason for selling his collection:

As the soundtrack of our lives, a unique audio history of the 20th century, the collection is too special–too important–to be sold to just anybody. It needs to be preserved. It needs a suitable and fitting home.


It's sad to see such a wealth of music being neglected by museums or even music artists after this man poured his heart and his passion into collecting all of it. If anything you'd think serious music aficionados who are millionaires (and there are a lot of those in the World) would buy this collection if not for the 20th century's complete musical history then the non-copyrighted material just sitting in those waiting to be sold/spliced/re-recorded again.

Another fascinating fact about his collection:

If you started listening to the music in this collection on the day you were born, and listened every minute of every day, by the time you finished, you'd be 57 years old. That's a lot of music. And it's a lot of history.


More info here - "The Greatest Music Collection"
Larger video can be found here - http://www.kittyguerrilla.com/Archive/

Comments (19)

Newest 5
Newest 5 Comments

I'd think maybe Ripley's would want it for the craziness of its size. If indeed the desireability of the majority of the recordings is low, then looking for a collector interested in the content is not the way to go. Most of the recordings probably are already in the Library of Congress. The impressiveness is simply the scale of the collection.

I'm finding with my art that people who want content, want content they want, not just a huge amount. Size perhaps doesn't matter here.

Peace.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
The problem with this collection is that about 5% of it might be rare, but the rest of it are things you'll pick up at flea markets and dollar bins all over the place.

The *only* thing he's got going for him is the fact that he conveniently has every crappy Anne Murray, Firestone Christmas, Carpenters, Saturday Night Fever (and at least 20-50 copies of each of those) all in one location.

I used to travel from NYC to Pittsburgh when he was still an operating store and he'd try to sell a five dollar Beatles record for 50 based upon its "cultural importance."

That Rolling Stones record is nowhere near as rare as he wants it to be -- if I can find the completed Ebay auctions, it actually sells for about 75% of that...

Okay, negative ninny-ing over.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
First Lucas marches with the Stormtroopers in the Rose Bowl parade, now he buys a "Darth Vader Car." Could it be possible that George Lucas is developing a sense of humor? Can a special edition DVD release of the Star Wars Holiday Special be far behind?
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
I can't tell... I don't like cars.

I just like them when they've got a lady on in the magazines and pinup portraits ^^ but not for the car itself but for the articles...
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
I would like to point out that Lucas was a car freak in his teens, and that a lot of the racing and chase scenes in the Star Wars and Indiana jones flicks were because he loved racing sports cars.
One of his early student films is shots of cars, and there are race scenes in both American Graffiti and THX 1138.
When he was in grade 12, he crashed a convertible sports car he was driving. The car itself was wrapped around a tree, and the impact was so violent that the racing seatbelt that Lucas had installed was ripped out of the car by the bolts. Lucas spent several weeks in hospital, felt lucky to be alive, and decided to make something of his life. He was failing Grade 12 at the time. He decided to go to film school...
And I think that fucker looks sweet.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Login to comment.
Email This Post to a Friend
"The World's Largest Record Collection"

Separate multiple emails with a comma. Limit 5.

 

Success! Your email has been sent!

close window
X

This website uses cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using this website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

I agree
 
Learn More