The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Just curious...

1) Have cylinder phonographs been dropping in value recently, as they seem to be cheaper now than only a few years ago?

2) And, what is your age? I am 44 years old. Is my perceived drop in prices due to more supply and less demand as this hobby is generally of interest to older folks and as they diminish in number, their collections come up for sale, available to an ever decreasing pool of buyers. Kind of like the Model A & T Fords. Great demand for them 20 or 30 years ago, but as that generation diminished in size, there is much less interest in them.

Thanks!

1) I couldn't tell you personally, but reading through the forum, it would seem that way.
2)19

Phono prices in general dipped when the economy turned down. The more common machines that comprise the bulk of most collections suffered the most while the really few machines that qualify as "rare" held their value much better.

I am 62 and have been a collector for the last 40 years.

My most active years in the hobby have been since I retired six years ago. In recent years I sold some of my machines at lower prices than I paid for them. I justify that by taking those dollars to buy something I like that is now currently priced at a lower value. Other collectors take a different route. For example, if they bought a Victor 1 for $1200 and the current value is $900, they choose to wait to sell until they can get $1200 or more for the machine. I'd rather be more active in our great hobby.

Jerry Blais

Prices have also dropped in general because of the Internet- many formerly "Rare" items turned out to be more easily found than you'd expect

When I was a teenager prices for cylinder machines were higher, at least in New England, than they are now. That was back in the late 1970's. I think in those days there were lots of living rooms and family rooms with an old phonograph for nostalgic or decoration purposes. And there were a lot more eclectic collectors that included phonographs in their collections. That created a demand and spot for these kinds of machines. Right now there are way too many Edison Standards and Victor's VV-XIs around that could ever be cared for. For some of these machines it is kinder to put them out of their misery. Back then if you wanted to look at a old phonograph you had to be a collector or know a collector. Now you can look at entire collections from around the world by clicking a mouse. You do not need to amass a collection, just be willing to enjoy them on line.

Now you can look at entire collections from around the world by clicking a mouse. You do not need to amass a collection, just be willing to enjoy them on line.

Ah, but Skihawx, lest you forget, there is something intrinsically intangible without the "bird in the hand"!!!

Zwebie wrote:

Now you can look at entire collections from around the world by clicking a mouse. You do not need to amass a collection, just be willing to enjoy them on line.

Ah, but Skihawx, lest you forget, there is something intrinsically intangible without the "bird in the hand"!!!

I certainly understand. I am the guy who has more machines than anyone needs but less than I want. I am not that guy satisfied with internet pictures. I want to hold the real thing.

I agree that the more common artifacts in our field have depreciated a bit over the past decade, and for the reasons stated: economic downturn, general aging of the collector community, and widened access through the Internet. I would also add that our society in general is not as crazy about antiques as it was in the 1960s-80s. I remember antique shows in shopping malls a couple of times a year, antique shops in every little town, and those shops being frequented by young people pushing strollers. What a difference a quarter-century makes... However, these things are cyclical, and I'd expect a resurgence of general interest in old things once a new generation emerges which is not engrossed in cell phones and gaming.

I'm 61 next month and have been collecting for 48 years. I thought when I retired six years ago that my collecting would slow considerably, but like Jerry I have added significantly during my decrepit old age.

George P.

phonogfp wrote: I would also add that our society in general is not as crazy about antiques as it was in the 1960s-80s. I remember antique shows in shopping malls a couple of times a year, antique shops in every little town, and those shops being frequented by young people pushing strollers. George P.

I forgot about shopping malls with antique shows! My wife and I were the ones with the strollers. I don't see it so dependent on the economy as much as a mindset. I see it more as a problem for my kids when they have to dispose of my collections.

I'm 13 years old (I'll be 14 in June) and I've been collecting for several years. I currently own 7 machines but I once had 10. Yes I have noticed that prices for cylinder machines have gone down over the past few years like other people are saying. It's because of all the online auctions like eBay.
-Nick