Another multiphone for sale?

[brianu]

I knew I'd heard that song before...! Note that the following 2009 thread comprises five pages:

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... aph#p16008

George P.

there it is, I was scrolling through earlier threads and couldn't find that one. thanks george. that's what I was curious about in starting this thread anyway, not insulting anyone or making ad hominem attacks. and I don't think such attacks - personal ones irrelevant to and beyond the scope of a given discussion - are at all involved in opinions on the specific price of a given machine (as cheap or, as I thought here, excessive) or the general prices asked by a given dealer (which I think most would agree tend to run at the high end in this instance). and opinions are opinions, you're free to disagree, but isn't that what a forum like this is for - opinions and discussion? and obviously some opinions might be perceived as positive or negative, and even though I don't see anything negative per se in this thread, isn't it worse than "insulting" one seller's price to instead, say, ridicule another's poor restoration job or phonograph-adapting project (turning machine into stereo cabinet or bar), which occurs freely without criticism on almost a daily basis here.

when I saw that multiphone, I immediately wondered whether it was the same one that I saw (and spent several minutes marveling at, mind you) at the last wayne show in april, a machine that itself I believe had been offered at a couple of shows prior to that, for about 135k. so naturally, seeing it on ebay just a few months later for about 30k more, I was curious about (1) the sudden jump in the price and (2) the relative value of such high end machines and which ones recently may have sold for such big prices and what those prices were. then the seller himself responded to my post and basically confirmed what I suspected about the price change, that it was - perhaps gouging was the wrong or too strong a term - creative manipulation or playing of the market with a common sales tactic, asking far more for something than the seller expects to get before ultimately settling with a buyer on a lesser price, but the one that the seller expected to get in the first place, if not more. beyond that, whatever, this seller's prices are high, but if he can achieve them, good for him, I'm not paying them so it doesn't affect me (even if it does represent part of a market, for antique phonographs, in which I'm always interested and thus prompted to discuss).

I'm still asking, though, about other recent super high end sales and whether others might know of any... regarding the very rare, very expensive machines... because the thread referenced above is more than three years old at this point.

[estott]

I am pretty certain this is the machine I saw at Wayne - several of the music selections are the same

[Raphael]

This is indeed the machine that was at Wayne, and in my booth at Union. It was restored by Paul Baker and we are working together to find a buyer.

[Andersun]

Why does anyone care what the price is? This machine, like everything else, will fall under the rules of economics. If nobody is interested, the price will drop to the point where either it will sell or the seller won't think it is worth selling it. Nothing wrong with starting out high on a rare and unique machine like this especially when the market is being aimed over-seas. Market conditions can change by the minute if someone with the cash decides they have a burning desire for a machine like this.

I'm sure the seller would entertain offers too.

[brianu]

Why does anyone care what the price is? This machine, like everything else, will fall under the rules of economics. If nobody is interested, the price will drop to the point where either it will sell or the seller won't think it is worth selling it. Nothing wrong with starting out high on a rare and unique machine like this especially when the market is being aimed over-seas. Market conditions can change by the minute if someone with the cash decides they have a burning desire for a machine like this.

I'm sure the seller would entertain offers too.

Most people aren't so extravagantly affluent that they can afford the luxury of ignoring what things cost. It's wonderful if you can. But if you really have no interest in the price of this machine or the subject of this thread, then why follow it at all let alone comment? Otherwise, why care about the price? Because most collectors with any interest in a hobby based on material goods tend to follow the market to keep track of and gauge the relative value of their collections and possible future acquisitions. Regardless, if the "rules of economics" applied here, one should think that when this machine didn't sell after being offered for months through multiple venues at a certain price - 135k - then if the price were to change, it would drop rather than increase by more than 25 percent. But again, a seller can ask whatever he or she wants to ask in terms of a price, maybe a sale will result, maybe it won't. But I don't understand why any of this should preclude discussing such matters in a forum that exists in part to facilitate just such discussions.

[Raphael]

Perhaps you might wish to re-read my first post with regard to setting a world-wide asking price and thoughtfully consider what I said without resorting to accusations of gouging. The eBay listing allows for offers, and eBay does not disclose the actual selling price of items that are sold via this avenue. Thus, you have no way of knowing what actual sale prices are realized on past listings, unless you are either the direct buyer or seller. So, how you could comment on my sales prices are uninformed and speculative.

[rgordon939]

I seem to remember seeing a Victor Beethoven phonograph on Craigslist in Philadelphia for $1000.00. That price was considerably far above the going market price. I guess the seller was trying to get more than it was worth also

[JerryVan]

When I buy something there are two main factors involved.
1. How much I want it versus what it costs.
2. The disposition and attitude of the seller.

Number 2 can greatly influence number 1.

Given the seller's presentation here, I am not interested in this machine at this time.

(Not referring to Paul Baker, who I understand is also trying to sell this item.)

[brianu]

I seem to remember seeing a Victor Beethoven phonograph on Craigslist in Philadelphia for $1000.00. That price was considerably far above the going market price. I guess the seller was trying to get more than it was worth also

I'm not really sure of the point you're looking to make. I've never heard of a victor Beethoven, but if you're referring to my edison Schubert, the one that I bought a few years ago from lyn bylton for about a thousand, the one we couldn't reach a deal on when you offered me a fireside for it, that machine actually ended up selling last year for 950. How that relates to this thread though, I have no idea.

[Andersun]

Most people aren't so extravagantly affluent that they can afford the luxury of ignoring what things cost. It's wonderful if you can. But if you really have no interest in the price of this machine or the subject of this thread, then why follow it at all let alone comment?

Most phonograph collectors that I know who own these extravagant machines were once like me. They started out early in life with little money and could only afford the most common machines like off-brand consoles. They built their collections by buying, restoring, and selling machines at a profit so that later in life they could buy machines that they could once only dream about. I could never afford a Multiphone even if it was 30K but that's ok with me.

I can also add that the more your out looking for machines, the more likely you will find a high end machine that you can afford. I have seen many collectors in this forum find dream machines at prices they never thought they could find and I congratulate every one of them! I admit, I am still have that feeling of jealousy!