musical treasures of miami

[phonogfp]

I'm not familiar with that horn on the Vic.6. What make is it?.

That's a General Phonograph Company "Truetone" horn.

George P.

[OrthoSean]

My IV came with one of those horns, in fact, it was the reason I bought the machine. Before I picked mine up, I had never seen one before that wasn't a complete mess. They're so much thinner than the usual Victor horns, it's really a wonder how any survived at all!

Sean

[gramophone78]

I'm not familiar with that horn on the Vic.6. What make is it?.

That's a General Phonograph Company "Truetone" horn.

George P.

Thanks George (Sean). It sure is a beauty.

[Steve]

The Pathéphone No. 12 Raphael is selling, is a French made machine, not a US Pathé. The motors in these might only have ONE spring barrel, but like all the bigger early Pathé machines, they have huge springs and are very powerful. My Modele(s) D and E have no trouble coping with 14" records at speeds up to 100rpm.

That No. 12 with pedestal is very very nice and it's great to see such an original machine that has not been messed with as is typically the case with all UK and French items! However, call me old fashioned but for over £6000 I'd want the original and correct winding handle for it!

[Raphael]

Yes, indeed. In fact, it seems I inadvertently mixed up the cranks on the several French Pathé machines I recently acquired and will go to my warehouse today to fetch the correct, original crank. Thank you very much for pointing this out to me. Raphael

[Starkton]

Each time when I think I paid too much for an item I look at the "treasures" website. I feel better immediately, and am convinced to have made a bargain.


PS: I meant the "treasures" ebay website.

[Raphael]

That's an interesting comment, as there are no prices posted on my website. Raphael

[HisMastersVoice]

The way I see it, Raphael sells to those who aren't interested in hunting for a nice example of a particular machine or restoring anything. The premium price pays for the work the buyer doesn't have to do.

"I want a ________. "

*click...click...click...*

"Oh, here's a beautiful one I don't have to do a thing to but enjoy"

*click...click...click...*

2 weeks later, it's on their front porch. The same thing exists with antique cars and virtually any collectable. If his machines sell at a premium price, that's a good thing.

For the rest of us, back to work bench, there's a greasy mainspring waiting to be cleaned

[welshfield]

If his machines sell at a premium price, that's a good thing.

I do not agree with this. Unless you are in the business of "buying low/selling high" these extravagant prices ruin the hobby. They falsely encourage every greedy ebay seller (like neelam) to hope for similar prices, not understanding that "miami" somehow manages to attract a rare, high-end buyer.

I am only back in this hobby after a 20-year hiatus thanks to the lower prices. I (and I hope most of us on this forum) are not in this for the money, but rather the enjoyment of the machines and records. Lower prices = more machines and records = more enjoyment.

John

[Raphael]

I don't see why you need to insult any hard-working seller (i.e. Neelam) by calling him "greedy". I can only speak for myself, but I work at this 24/7 - it is a world-wide business through all time zones. I often find myself answering emails to Australia, China, etc. at 3AM. And without your knowledge of all the real costs a full-time seller incurs (inventory, advertising, warehousing, insurance, travel, etc.) combined with a factual knowledge of actual realized prices, how can you say "extravagant prices"?

And "ruin the hobby"? Have you any idea how many newcomers to the music box and phonograph collecting fields I have welcomed with their first purchase? This and any other hobby should thrive on growth and diversity. It should not be left to a select few who feel entitled, otherwise it will shrink and whither away.

My own development as a dealer came about in a back-door way, starting with an impulsive purchase of an expensive (overpriced?) clock about 20 years ago. I developed a close relationship with the clock dealer, and over the years bought about 50 clocks from him, not a bargain in the lot. But he taught me a lot, I enjoyed the clocks, and his mentoring of me, a good customer, led me to music boxes, and from there to phonographs. My first phonograph was actually a crapophone, but that soon led me to the Real Thing. Actually I consider it to have been $200 very well spent. When I "retired" from my main real estate business about 8 years ago, I was able to combine my love of these antiques with my continued enjoyment of deal-making, and it has blossomed.

Lastly, I think it is important that every antique seller must keep in mind that absolutely nobody in the world actually NEEDS anything that we sell. "Need" is in the perception of the buyer, who wishes to satisfy his urges and desires. With that in mind, I steer away from complainers and curmudgeons, and nasty folk, who have long lost the ability to derive pleasure from their chosen hobby, and look for people who will smile and thank me for their acquisition, as I have always done when buying nice antiques. These are treasures should be appreciated, never demeaned....there is a smile waiting for each and every one of them, somewhere.....

Raphael