The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Garret wrote: Wed Jun 18, 2025 10:25 am Seems like prices are continuing to settle.

Garret

I think for common items or machines that are not particular interesting, the prices are definitely down on a few years ago but in general, the rarer and interesting stuff is still selling for high prices and holding up whenever it appears. The 202 was simply in the wrong geographical place (at the wrong time?) and being sold by a relatively unknown organisation (I'm not suggesting they were incapable of cataloguing the machine properly or ensuring a freight collection was dealt with satisfactorily - in fact, their description of the lot via Christies' old reference material was impeccable!)

The fact that there aren't many dealers holding stock for anytime anymore also reinforces the price issue. We only see items available for those few minutes it takes to sell them at auction. Most items aren't publicised well or for anywhere near long enough. There aren't as many opportunities to buy as there once were. In the UK we don't even have one dedicated event in the calender year anymore but there isn't time for collectors to go and peruse things like we could years ago and compare lots of stuff together in one place ie. a dealer's shop / fair etc. That's usually where asking prices were higher and most often met as there was more to view to attract more buyers.

And don't forget the problem with buying from abroad. Due to the additional taxes and problems at the customs I do know many collectors and traders won't buy gramophones and so on in the UK...
A well-known trader told me he got a lot of trouble with the customs when he wanted to ship some gramophones to the Netherlands: also most (if not all !) shipping companies stopped with it.
I had 2 very good shipping companies who sometimes brought me some gramophones - both stopped as they told me the customs are making a lot of problems since the Brexit

Calle wrote: Wed Jun 18, 2025 11:42 am And don't forget the problem with buying from abroad. Due to the additional taxes and problems at the customs I do know many collectors and traders won't buy gramophones and so on in the UK...
A well-known trader told me he got a lot of trouble with the customs when he wanted to ship some gramophones to the Netherlands: also most (if not all !) shipping companies stopped with it.
I had 2 very good shipping companies who sometimes brought me some gramophones - both stopped as they told me the customs are making a lot of problems since the Brexit

A lot of this post-Brexit nonsense is highly exaggerated in my opinion. I've bought quite a lot from France post-Brexit - yes, it costs a little more than beforehand but when you can't get the stuff over here.......

Mmmm... Last year I bought two big gramophone springs and steel needles from a cherished UK dealer and the transport plus the customs herein who stopped the package and charged extra taxes and handling costs, coated more than them goods!
I arrived to the sad conclusion that I cannot buy from uk except very small and light things. When Wright is keen than 2kg it can be sent as a letter, at much smaller costs and usually with no problems at the customs.

Inigo wrote: Wed Jun 18, 2025 12:00 pm Mmmm... Last year I bought two big gramophone springs and steel needles from a cherished UK dealer and the transport plus the customs herein who stopped the package and charged extra taxes and handling costs, coated more than them goods!
I arrived to the sad conclusion that I cannot buy from uk except very small and light things. When Wright is keen than 2kg it can be sent as a letter, at much smaller costs and usually with no problems at the customs.

I'm not really talking about new parts, but more antique collectible original items; you either buy them wherever they turn up or forfeit the chance if you don't, if they are rarities. Whether you elect to buy new parts and import them will depend entirely on the availability of the same items where you live. If you don't need to pay the additional costs to buy springs from the UK, then I presume you can buy them just as easily where you live?