Prices machines

[Edisonfan]

Well, I know maybe one or two people fairly well, but most of the people I met when I joined nine years ago, have dropped off the forum and off Facebook. I have been offered machines before, however, I did not know this person too well, and how much they wanted for their machine.

I would at least like too know, more about a seller, or someone who fixes machines a bit more. That's why I have felt with George Valomma the Victrola Doctor.

Paul

[tomb]

I have brought many common Edison standards, homes, square boxes, and suitcases. I really enjoyed buying them when they were parts machines and putting in the time to restore them. They were fairly cheap but I also had to order parts for them. Now I use them in bartering or trading them to other collectors for machines I do not have. It took many years to build up the stock. I recently traded a Edison square box and a Edison home B for a Gem A and a Amberola 30. There are a lot of ways to get machines but some appear that cost more than I have and I have to pass. That is the way it is. Enjoy the hobby . A lot of us started out with one machine and took years to build up a collection. I do not have a big check book either. Tom

[Edisonfan]

At least I am not alone in this.

Although, I will admit. People want a bargain. That's why it took me 4 years too sell my Victrola, table top. That I had for sale in an antique booth my parents and I have. Of course I am always doing the same thing. Problem, though is dealers and sellers, are not always good at negotiating at a fair Price. I met a dear who was selling a Victrola floor model for $500.00. I laughed and walked away.

[zonophpones7]

Going back to the original question of why the price is high. It is simple economics... the price reflects the rarity and the desirability of the machine, Supply and Demand. The Class M referenced was sold at an Auction... Meaning there was another person willing to pay nearly this amount. Dealers will use this data and other sales data to determine what they should ask for a similar machine if they have one available. You can not fault a seller for trying to get what the market will demand for the machine. Some call it greed but it is Human Nature. If you walked into a mall and found a Class M for $1000 and bought it, It is likely you would try to get the $20K for it if you were to sell it. Some would say he only paid $1000..that is too much profit. I say congrats for knowing to buy it. In setting the resale price it doesn't matter what was paid but what the market will bear for it. As a buyer, know the market, Knowledge is power. Then when you walk into the local antique mall and a Top Wind AJ is in the glass case for $600, as I did, you will snap it up immediately knowing what a bargain it is.

I too started collecting with a very limited budget and a young family. Over the years I bought what I liked and what I found locally that i could afford. I found some bargains, I kept some and sold others to help fund the habit. What I have learned is to heed the advice of a friend and to Buy the best you can afford. You cant go wrong with quality. Some things you will likely keep forever while others will loose interest. Then when you go to sell it is much easier to sell the quality items. I often have sold 4-5 machines to fund buying one major investment. Over the years continuing to improve the overall quality of my collection. I now have an understanding with my wife that all new purchases are funded through the sale of other parts of the collection. However, it has taken me over 20 years to get to this point. When I started collecting, I never dreamed I would have the opportunity to own and care for many of the pieces I now have in my collection. It has been a long term endeavor.

Good Luck building your collection! I hope you have as much fun doing it as I have.
Gregg

[Edisonfan]

Thank You Greg!

As of right now I own a Victrola VV-X an Edison Amberola 30 and Edison Home Phonograph, a Columbia Eagle and a Columbia Q.

[dutchman]

I learned many moons ago there are way more machines than I have money.. Bill K

[Edisonfan]

It's amazing how many machines surveyed the onslought destruction of the 1930's.

[Mlund2020]

My phonograph collecting started 25 years ago after my wife and I (we were newlyweds at the time) stumbled across a Edison Standard phonograph at an antique fair and fell in love with it. We had a very modest means at that time, but spent our free time hunting local antique shops and antique fairs for treasures that we could afford. We bought our first outside horn Victor (a Victor Monarch) which was a big stretch for our budget at that time. Fast forward 25 years and I am still an avid collector, but my wife has lost much of her interest in collecting. I have been fortunate in that my occupation has allowed me the ability to purchase some very rare and desirable machines, which I certainly have enjoyed being caretaker of. No matter what your means though, everyone has a budget that they have to live within. I have had to turn down many great machines and buying opportunities due to budget constraints. With work and raising our 3 girls (2 are still in high school) we no longer have the extra time to search all of the antique shops to find those hidden treasures and diamonds in the rough as when we first started collecting. I recently asked my wife why she was no longer interested in collecting, she gave an interesting response. For her it was all about the hunt. Searching for these treasures at a price we could afford was exciting for her. She said that buying a rare machine at a well publicized auction was not that exciting for her. Maybe when we reach our empty nest phase of life, we can get back to our collecting roots and start hunting for those bargains in the wild and diamonds in the rough again.

[Edisonfan]

I would love to own a Path`e sapphire machine. As I have a Path`e sapphire record. Also, it would be cool to find a Concert Cylinder machine, but those are a bit more rare. Although, finding an oddball machine would be neat too.

[Victrolacollector]

Keep your eyes open, you will find what your looking for. External horn machines are neat, but my preference is a internal horn disc machine. I like cylinder machines and some of them have external horns. Life is too short to get caught up in it. I am now 45 and started in the hobby at 13. I had a Talk-O-Phone that I sold back in 2012, I spent 800.00 for it and sold it for 700.00. The seller told me it’s the best condition horn on one he had ever seen. The fact is you live and learn, I probably only played 10 records on it, and realized I like machines to play and not sit on a shelf or in a closet.

Don’t get discouraged you sound like you have some nice machines and you will eventually find what your looking for.