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A couple people I spoke with this year told me that the number of people attending the shows has remained steady but the number of people spending money has fallen off and sales are down the last few years. I would think that might have an effect on prices.Victrolacollector wrote:Is it me or is it true? It seems that antique phonographs are selling for less this year and even the records are selling for low prices. I am seeing less emphasis on 5000 series BA's and 52000 series DD's. In 2007-2010 I was paying as much as $50-60 U.S. dollars for a somewhat hot title. Today, be lucky to get $10.00.
)... so I'm not in the hobby to make money, but by the same token, I don't want to be terribly "over-invested" in any given machine...
, and I think one of the springs is broken. The cabinet & finish will clean-up decently, I don't anticipate refinishing. I bought a correct, nice arm on e-bay for $105 after S&H, the trip to fetch it took about a ½ tank of gas ($30), I'll probably spend another $150 on a soundbox, and who knows how much for grille cloth, then my time to fix the spring and make it look nice. I paid $350 for the machine, so I'm almost up to $600 invested... which is probably the max this machine would bring if I sold it, given that it would no longer have the original grille fabric and no folders.Golly, you should have gone to Union! There was a lovely walnut VV-100 complete with its original crate, packing, paperwork and accessories, which machine looked as if it had spent most of its life in said crate, offered for $300 for the lot with no takers and little interest. Then there was a Brooks Automatic in a mahogany (mahogany?!) cabinet with a reasonably good original finish, one open joint on the lid ( easily repairable) and a perfectly working mechanism which was also offered for $300, again with no takers and little interest. Then there was the Schoolhouse Victorola VV-XXV, a dusty original, with a decent original finish, nice smooth oak horn, and good cabinet, save for the missing bottom inch of each foot which could have been had for just over $2000, and the complete, untouched "attic condition" Victor VI which could be had for just over $4000. Actual selling prices for the real rarities seem to be quite as high as ever, but anything that can be easily found is running pretty darned soft.De Soto Frank wrote:I'm not sure what is "low", and what is "fair"...
That seems to be all over the map, depending on the commentator and how far back their experience goes...
If I found a Victrola XI in functional, presentable condition ( ready to put in your house, after some moderate cleaning / polishing ) for $300 or less, I'd think that was fairly reasonable...
I get the impression that some folks who've been at this for a while would think that "high" for such a common machine...
).Wow! $6,000.00? For an A?De Soto Frank wrote:
(Heck - a few years ago, I picked-up a running, driving, turn-key '28 Ford Coupe for $6,000 and that has actually almost paid for itself as transportation !