Orlando Show 2023

[Raphael]

Usually there is a phonograph show in Orlando in January or early February. For various reasons, attendance was fading as the years went by and then COVID struck. It's been over three years since the last event. I had nothing to do with the earlier shows, but know the organizers well enough to know that it was a labor of love for the hobby.

Unfortunately, as time passes, we are all getting older and health issues have set upon many of us, there is no show planned for 2023. I don't think the dismal turnout for the NC show a few months ago gave anybody any optimism about the future of these regional shows. It seems the MidWest Show in June and the APS show in August are pretty much it for the genre.

I've talked to several people in Florida about working towards a new show, but none of us are young and enthusiastic enough to organize one. I give Greg and Shawn a lot of credit for the work they've done for the upcoming June event. I hope everybody who can possibly attend will do so.

Raphael

[phonogfp]

As an interested party looking at the Midwest EXPO preparations from the outside, I can attest that these shows are a labor of love and a tremendous amount of work. I don't think anyone will mind if I confide that the APS California EXPO is almost always a money-losing proposition for the organization. But that's not the purpose - these shows are a service to the hobby, and the APS is a not-for-profit.

Mention should be made of Mike Davecka's semi-annual Mechanical Music Extravaganza in Wayne New Jersey (every April and October). His show has been going since 1998, and is well-attended by dealers and public alike. I was there last month and it was great.

I'm very much looking forward to the first Midwest Music EXPO this weekend. I'm sure there will be a few teething problems, but practice makes perfect. My hat's off to the MME Committee and all the work they've done to bring back a major Midwest phonograph/record show.

George P.

[Raphael]

My error of omission, not mentioning the Wayne show, let's hope that continues strongly as well. Folks come from all over the country to attend the Wayne show.

Raphael

[NEFaurora]

Wow... That's just crazy...No Orlando Phonograph show...! That's just sad.. Someone has to pick up the torch for Central Florida...!!!

I live here in Melbourne, Florida... I'm more of a Collector and Repairer/Restorer and not a Dealer......but I guess that it really doesn't take a Dealer to organize a show...

I hope that someone steps up to do it..... Also, Maybe the key is to also have it more than once a year.... At least twice a year would be good enough IMHO... Having it once a year is too few..

How many tables are usually had per show... Anyone know?!?? 40? 50? more??

)

Tony K.

[Raphael]

Always easy to suggest somebody else to do the hard work and lose money at at to boot. These shows, as far as I can tell, are a labor of love. One must find and book a decent venue, rent tables and booths, promote the show, run the show, deal with the vendors, and hope for enough revenue to at least break even. I've run the numbers and nothing adds up. Remember, the Donley's had their own venue and still gave up the business. The recent North Carolina event had a grand total of five dealers and a handful of admissions. The way things are going, this past week's MidWest show may be a one-and-done.

Raphael

[phonogfp]

Raphael is right - - if there was money in it, more promoters would be doing them. That's the huge advantage of the APS shows - - they don't need to make money on them. Membership dues, donations, and admission cover most of the show costs. It's part of the organization's mission, and another good reason to join the APS:

https://www.antiquephono.org/join-us-home/

George P.

[NEFaurora]

I'm curious to know the percentage of buyers at the shows that are not APS members (at non-APS shows).... You'd think the majority that would attend would be members...and assuming that all of the dealers already are...

)

Tony K.
Melbourne, Florida
(Formerly from Long Island, NY!)

[phonogfp]

I'm curious to know the percentage of buyers at the shows that are not APS members (at non-APS shows).... You'd think the majority that would attend would be members...and assuming that all of the dealers already are...

)

Tony K.
Melbourne, Florida
(Formerly from Long Island, NY!)

Not at all - - most attendees are not APS members from what I can discern. And that's the idea - to get new people involved. As for dealers, I don't know but I'd guess the majority are APS members.

I can tell you that the APS Facebook Group has around 7,900 members, and the Antique Phonograph Enthusiasts Facebook Group has around 9,100 members. The APS itself has around 1000 members. You can do the math.

George P.

[Granby]

From the perspective of a historian and a younger collector [I am in my 30's], like many of my generation, we do tend to work all of the time to pay these bills and it doesn't look like it is going to get any better with a recession on the way.

That said, I would like to ask a question that is perhaps the "elephant in the room" for many of us that have not been able to attend a show. Here goes:

How much business is truthfully transacted as these shows? Honestly. I started collecting in the late 90's and early 2000's. So, as you can imagine, my collection consists of off brands, Grafonolas, Victrolas, the odd Silvertone or two, etc. I have this great fear of loading these "common" machines up to take to a show and then bringing every machine right back home... LOL.

Or, are these shows more geared towards fellowship, education, seminars, etc.? For the record, that is totally awesome, too! Don't get me started on my research into the Granby Phonograph, I won't stop.....

[phonogfp]

How much business is truthfully transacted as these shows? Honestly.

A lot. Tens of thousands of dollars - - sometimes at just one table. Of course, those selling records in the $1-$100 range won't be selling in those totals; it all depends on what's on the table. There were a couple of $5000-$6000 machines at the Schaumburg show, and it doesn't take many of those to comprise some significant transactions.

When my co-author and I were selling books at shows (at fifty bucks a pop), there were days when we ended up with several thousand dollars by closing time. Again, it all depends on what's on the table.

Dealers would not be paying $80-$100 for a table, driving their vehicles at today's absurd prices, paying food and lodging, and taking several days out of their schedules if the shows consisted primarily of "fellowship, education, and seminars." An attendee can benefit from all that with a $15 admission.

I started collecting in the late 90's and early 2000's. So, as you can imagine, my collection consists of off brands, Grafonolas, Victrolas, the odd Silvertone or two, etc. I have this great fear of loading these "common" machines up to take to a show and then bringing every machine right back home... LOL.

This is the tricky part. If the show is not well advertised in a targeted way (a science unto itself, I've observed), a show can wind up being solely a bunch of dealers and collectors buying and selling to each other. In that environment, common uprights, VV-IVs and VV-VIs, Edison Standards, Q and Eagle Graphophones, and other high-production machines will not easily sell. Those of us who've been attending shows for many years have seen this happen.

But, attract newcomers to a show and suddenly those same machines are a relatively low-cost way to enter a new (or old) world. Seeing people in their teens, 20s, and 30s carrying such machines out to their cars is a sign of a healthy show.

I started collecting in 1967, but didn't attend my for show until 1980. It was like night and day, not only for the buying opportunities, but also for the networking and ultimately the learning.

George P.