The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I just returned from a very popular antique show in Kingston Ontario. Rarely do I see phonographs and I was looking for other items to decorate our house with when I came across one dealer trying to sell an Edison Home, for $3,700, and a maroon Gem, for $ 2,600.

The only exceptional thing on either machine was the "Home" horn which was in nice shape and did not appear to be tampered with. Both machines were poorly restored but were in decent shape.

The seller was busy so I was not able to determine why his machines were worth so much

The only explanation I could come up with was a comment another shopper made to her husband a little later in the morning "Just because they ask so much money does not mean they will get that much!"

Bruce

I have several of my machines at an antique shop and although I don't mark them up 500% the way this dealer has I am also guilty of slightly overcharging for them. I price them based on what I know I can eventually get for them, if I priced them low I'd be out searching for machines every week to replace my inventory and since this is a part time gig for me, I'm in no rush to sell. When I have too many in storage I might reduce the selling price of one and once it sells move a new one into the shop but so far I haven't had to do this, they all move eventually. I don't think my buyers are collectors and know that if they were they would be passing on the machines in my shop as the really collectable ones are part of my small personal collection. I might also price them high if my wife asks me to put one in the shop that I'd rather not sell, but this backfired on me once when someone bought a machine that I had more than 'slightly' over-priced.

I guess my point is the title of your post is correct, but you'd also be surprised what some good marketing, neat appearance, and emotionally charged knee jerk reactions from buyers can net you.

When I see outlandish prices at the antique mall or eBay, I figure it means one or two things: either the seller is ignorant or he/she hopes I am. Those people can almost never be reasoned with, so don't waste your time on them. The world is full of better deals.

VintageTechnologies wrote:When I see outlandish prices at the antique mall or eBay, I figure it means one or two things: either the seller is ignorant or he/she hopes I am. Those people can almost never be reasoned with, so don't waste your time on them. The world is full of better deals.

I agree. The same comments can also be made about sellers who do not state an asking price, but simply invite "Offers". I never deal with such people.

If it quacks like a duck and walks like a
duck, it may be a duck, or maybe some
amphibious sort of a critter.

Chuck

I'm glad there are other Duck fans on the Forum. Go Ducks! Jerry

At a local antique mall there is a Victrola VV-80 that has a non-original turntable lamp ("night lite") and the turntable/motor has been replaced with a Webster-Chicago 33/45/78 electric turntable assembly from a 130 series 'Fonograf' (as that's what it looks like) with the original soundbox (#2) and tonearm/horn assembly still attached - with a pricetag of $650 on it. THIS PERSON IS A COMPLETE MORONIC IDIOT! I inquired (as a joke) and the folks at the store have been instructed that "if someone makes an offer below the tagged price, refuse it, as they don't know what it is". Sad.

I saw a complete crapo-phone at an antique mall that had a tonearm / bracket/ horn assembly that looked like it had been put together by a 6 th grade shop student. The dealer wanted 400 bucks for it, so, go figure.

A source of much of the troubles in dealing with those who are selling machines and records is the large number of "Pickers and Dealers and Pawn Shop" television shows whose plot seems centred on discovering the treasures of anything old...These viewers have seen something similar on an episode , and now believe that anything with a crank is worth a fortune , and someone who tells them different is a cheat trying to steal their treasure....a good honest knowledgeable dealer is the true treasure...I've been lucky