Hope this one isn't a stupid question...Have to find out

[need4art]

Wow!
What a firestorm over something that was really not meant to be hurtful. I have found in life that there is usually 2 sides to every story and I think that is what is going on here.

In a past life I used to collect and shoot single shot rifles-old ones Sharps, Ballards, Remington Rolling Blocks etc. About 5 years ago I had a detached retina in my right eye-my shooting eye and 6 surgeries later I have about 85% of my vision back. But guess what Doc says no more shooting. They look great on the wall and I like that- but I LOVED to shoot them. After looking at them for a really long time I find that I began to hate them because I never thought about them just hanging on the wall and now I am into this antique phonograph record thing...
Anyway I have not bought a gun in 10 years- I collected the vintage guns and then I got to the point that I just wanted to shoot. I had 2 made-copies of orginals but made to fit ME with the sights, etc that I wanted and I shot those...a lot.

O.k. the club I belonged too was history so how was I going to sell them. Newspapers are no good and Ebay and Craigslist in their wisdom will not let you list guns. Were there boards like ours? YES!

When I went to the board I simply told them my story-Yep needed a few parts to fix some of the guns and I asked for some help. I told them up front that I was not a dealer and was not getting back in the hobby but I had some rifles to sell and that I was not dumb. I had done some research on and off line and had an idea of what people were asking but did not know what they were actually getting for pricing . I asked anyone who was interested to contact with info or an offer and I asked dealers to i.d. themselves so that I did not think they had a screw loose with a low offer-I understand I have a business too.

Bottom line by honestly telling the members what I wanted to do I got no flake and sold about half of the guns. Maybe that is the problem here it seems that I thought we had a member who just needed some help. there is no need to tell anyone what you pay for something and if someone wants to know they can PM you. As far as selling -we have dealers on the board and they buy and sell but they also help -like when Walt posted the spring direction diagram. If you want to sell to them or buy from them -great! that is your choice. We are all grown ups and I just thought a bit of fun was being poked at the guy and he did get some help.

I have found that most-no all of the folks are this board are kind and helpful and perhaps he just got in front of himself.
Abe

[phonogfp]

I would like to put in a word here... When i agreed with George on his comment about "his next find being a "BS" " i don't think either of us meant to hurt ANYONE... We just added a little "phono-joke" to this whole matter. I don't really think that Whittington made any "false acquisitions" but some of us just found it unlikely that a newcomer would run into machines that even the oldest collectors have been looking for all of their collecting lives... This indeed could be beginners luck. In the past month i have received 5 calls all about different phonographs, even though i am only 15 and i have only been collecting for 2 year. I really didn't mean any disrespect, and i'm sure George didn't either. I hate the thought of hurting anyone in general.

Kind Regards,
Aaron

Well put, Aaron.

I have no interest/concern about what people choose to do with their property. (Some of my best friends are phonograph dealers! ) Whittington lives in a free country. I was, however, rather amazed that a newbie should be finding - and at such low prices - rarities of the first water. I too "live in the sticks," and indulge in a good deal of research. I've also collected for 42 years, and Whittington's experience of having lightning strike three times in rapid succession is simply inconsistent with the reality of 2009. Still, funny things happen...so I posted (in a lighthearted and good-natured fashion I thought) my incredulity, and floated the possibility that perhaps a collection was the source of these prizes. How else could machines of this caliber find their way into the hands of a newcomer?

Whittington's response was rather cloak and dagger ("Let's just say..."),with allusions to "in-depth research" (where does one research the location of undiscovered rare phonographs at bargain prices?), and the seemingly peripheral influence of "random luck." This served only to heighten my skepticism.

I posted (in lighthearted and good-natured fashion I thought) that some of this might possibly be known by the same name as another coin-operated talking machine.

Whittington's second response expressed his hurt feelings and his intent to pick up his marbles and go home. As Aaron wrote, nobody here wants to hurt anyone's feelings - - at least that's what I believe to be true (am I really in a gang? ). But here's how to make all of us cynical meanies eat crow: post a photo or two of all those phonos together on the picnic table. Rub our faces in it. Dish it out like a man. I for one will admit my suspicions were wrong and take my lumps like a man. Why all this fuss?

So, in closing, this posting is to reiterate that I meant no ill will toward anyone, and I will continue to help whenever I can as I have done (I hope) for many years past. I still don't buy Whittington's story as written, but he doesn't have to prove anything to me. Unless he wants me to eat crow... (That's humor again, folks...)

George P. (Not hiding behind a keyboard either: my real name!)

[phonogfp]

Wow!
What a firestorm over something that was really not meant to be hurtful...

We are all grown ups and I just thought a bit of fun was being poked at the guy and he did get some help.

I have found that most-no all of the folks are this board are kind and helpful and perhaps he just got in front of himself.
Abe

Bless you, Abe!

George P.

[bostonmike1]

I realize that we don't want the forum to become an Antique Road Show appraisal site, but i don't see the harm in giving someone an idea of what his machine might be worth. Phonograph collectors often buy a machine only to sell it at a profit to help decrease the cost of something else they really want.
Pete

Pete--- That was my point exactly. There never existed a "true collector" of phonographs----every man has his/her price depending on his/her needs. (........edited by management) Michael