The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

The best phonograph show and sale is held near Union, Illinois at Donley's Wild West Village on the first full weekend in June. This year Union is June 8th, 9th, & 10th 2018. Union is about 1,5 hours west and north from Chicago. I've been to some really good sales around the country including APS, formerly called CAPS in Southern California, Orlando in Florida, and Wayne in New Jersey, but Union is by far the best. Union is advertised as a two day show on Saturday and Sunday. It's actually a three day show with early admission on Friday and could be considered a four day show if you consider the Thursday "meet & greet" social time mid-day on Thursday before the load-in to the sales building. Here is your "MUST" list for new attendees:

1- Pay the early admission, $35 to $40, and be there when the doors open early on Friday morning. The early admission pass is good for the entire weekend and it's cheap to have first shot at the machine of your dreams.

2- Be there an hour before the doors open on Saturday morning. You can rest later. There will be no sales in the parking lot but it gives you a chance to visit with collectors and sellers to find out what they brought to the show.

3- Go to Jasper's on Saturday evening. Jasper's is beyond description. If all you did was buy one cylinder and go to Jasper's, it will have been a good Union trip for you.

4- Sunday is a bargain hunters day. Everyone loves a bargain and sellers don't want to take things home. The doors open late on Sunday and there is no reason to be there early so sleep in a bit.

Here are a few suggestions for new attendees at Union.

A- Be ready to pull the trigger on something you really want. Every year I see people agonizing and procrastinating on a purchase only to miss out because someone beat them to it. If you are new to the hobby ask a more experienced collector friend for a second opinion. There is nothing wrong with asking a seller to hold something for five minutes while you get a friend to take a quick look.

B- Enjoy Donley's Wild West. The museum is fantastic. The chocolate malts are terrific. If you bring your family to Union, the wild west town is a full day of entertainment. It might cost you a cowboy or cowgirl outfit but it's worth it. The Illinois Train Museum is a short drive away and is worth the visit. I generally wonder into the museum and other attractions when the sale is slow on Saturday afternoon. Last year the boys from Oregon defeated the Florida boys in the sling shot competition. The point is to take some time to enjoy the village.

C- There is usually an APS (Antique Phonograph Society) meeting on Friday after the end of the day. I highly recommend APS and it will give you a chance to meet some fine people. Everyone is welcome.

D- If you have the time, attend the Thursday "Meet & Greet" social event. It gives you a chance to visit face to face with friends you've traded email or spoken to on the phone. The show is really intense for sellers and buyers and the Thursday get together is much more relaxed. There is a modest cost.

E- Stay reasonably close to Union. There are many nice small towns near Union and most have good motels.

F- Bring the largest vehicle you own. One year I saw a Smart Car in the parking lot. By Saturday afternoon it has a "for sale" sign in the window.

G-Consider placing a "Wanted" ad in the Trader section of the Forum. I generally don't bring large uprights or even table model Victrolas to Union. If you go to Union expecting to pick from several clean Victrola XI's, you will be disappointed. You will probably see a few but you'd have better luck advertising first and taking delivery on a pre-purchsed machine

H- Ron Sitko, one of the largest suppliers of replacement parts sets up at Union. He sells a ton of parts. (If you think about it, where do you think all the ebay sellers get their reproduction parts to sell???) It's a great place to buy his needles, Exhibition flanges, 14" horns, etc.

I- Bring Cash. (Thanks Larry Crandell) Most sellers prefer cash because cash continues to circulate at a show and the money stops with a check. If you'd like a receipt for your cash, ask for one. Most sellers are also buyers and it makes it more difficult to buy without cash.

I'm sure others have Union suggestions so let's hear them. Jerry Blais

Ditto to all that Jerry mentioned. I have been attending the Union show for over 30 years and have been setting up in a booth for about 7 years. It is almost like a family re-"Union" show as we have all known each other for many years. I would add one thing to Jerry's suggestions. Even though there are no sales allowed in the parking lot, you can bring items to trade towards your purchasing another item. Bartering is half the fun of the deal.
You can also post your "Union Wish List" items here to see if a dealer might have what you are looking for and bring it to the show.

Hello,
The Union Show can be overwhelming for a seasoned collector never mind a newbie. Seeing perhaps 200 machines for sale in one place can be a little hard to take in. Be disciplined. Make a list of what machines and parts etc you want to buy. Pay the early entrance fee to get in on Friday when the dealers are setting up. This is the best time to see machines as they are being put out for sale. You can compare price and condition without the hinder of the large rush of the crowd that piles in on Saturday morning.
Pete

I agree with everything that's said above, but my estimate is you'll will see far more than 200 machines for sale, so yes it can be overwhelming.
another thing I will add for first timers,
CASH IS KING most dealers don't take credit cards and checks can be iffy and the ATM machine runs out of money very quickly. It's easier to negotiate on a price if you have cash in hand for quick easy sale. Plus its more instant spending money for the dealer which can be an incentive to sell.

Larry Crandell

This is my first year attending Union and I'm very excited. I'm bringing my wife who will put the brakes on impulse buying. Thank you Jerry for posting this thread.

CASH IS KING most dealers don't take credit cards and checks can be iffy and the ATM machine runs out of money very quickly. It's easier to negotiate on a price if you have cash in hand for quick easy sale. Plus its more instant spending money for the dealer which can be an incentive to sell.

Larry Crandell

I agree 100%! Always bring cash to a show. A $100 bill trades hands numerous times. If a seller accepts a check, the money stops. I don't want a check from a friend for that reason.

Larry, would you mind if I edited my initial post and added yours so the good ideas are in one place?

Jerry Blais

Jerry B. wrote:

CASH IS KING most dealers don't take credit cards and checks can be iffy and the ATM machine runs out of money very quickly. It's easier to negotiate on a price if you have cash in hand for quick easy sale. Plus its more instant spending money for the dealer which can be an incentive to sell.

Larry Crandell

I agree 100%! Always bring cash to a show. A $100 bill trades hands numerous times. If a seller accepts a check, the money stops. I don't want a check from a friend for that reason.

Larry, would you mind if I edited my initial post and added yours so the good ideas are in one place?

Jerry Blais

No problem Jerry that's fine with me.

Larry Crandell

Hate to be a contrarian, but checks are always welcome, and usually preferred, in my booth. I cannot recall a single time when I've been burned by a check.

Although I never bring cash to Union, I don't think I've ever lost out on a purchase because I only pay with a check. My only problem is sometimes not bringing enough checks along, I always have to remember to bring a second pad.

The "Cash is King" mantra doesn't sit well with tax auditors, insurance appraisers, etc. If you lose your precious Victor VI in a house fire, you can't just tell the adjuster "I paid cash for it" and expect that to prove your claim. Sound far-fetched? I can tell you numerous tales of woe from people who come to me asking for receipts for stuff they have lost in fires, had stolen, etc.

These days, with PayPal, one can send a seller money right there at the show. I've sold stuff many times and handed my iPad to the buyer to complete the transaction. Easy and painless. And, I'm not alone in this, I know many dealers who either accept credit cards, PayPal, or checks.

Raphael

Raphael wrote:Hate to be a contrarian, but checks are always welcome, and usually preferred, in my booth. I cannot recall a single time when I've been burned by a check.

Although I never bring cash to Union, I don't think I've ever lost out on a purchase because I only pay with a check. My only problem is sometimes not bringing enough checks along, I always have to remember to bring a second pad.

The "Cash is King" mantra doesn't sit well with tax auditors, insurance appraisers, etc. If you lose your precious Victor VI in a house fire, you can't just tell the adjuster "I paid cash for it" and expect that to prove your claim. Sound far-fetched? I can tell you numerous tales of woe from people who come to me asking for receipts for stuff they have lost in fires, had stolen, etc.

These days, with PayPal, one can send a seller money right there at the show. I've sold stuff many times and handed my iPad to the buyer to complete the transaction. Easy and painless. And, I'm not alone in this, I know many dealers who either accept credit cards, PayPal, or checks.

Raphael

I appreciate seeing this post! I never attend an event with the ambition to be a spectator. If I attend, I am there for a purpose. If you are not willing to take my business check, you have potentially just restricted yourself from a sale. A sale that could have amounted to a rediculous amount of money.

"Bring the largest vehicle you own" may not be enough. In years past I would rent a vehicle to drive up from FL. I was usually OK with bringing home my stuff but it was always requests from friends that needed something hauled home that created space restrictions. One year I had 2 Victrola XVII's, a couple of record cabinets and countless boxes of stuff I didn't sell. That year I had rented a "giant" Ford Excursion. I started out with a huge foam cooler for drinks, knowing that I might not have room for it on the return, and I ended up donating it. That big Ford wasn't big enough. I rented vans after that.
Another item to not forget is bring plenty of moving blankets and other packing material. If you buy a couple of real nice horns you will need something to protect them while stacking. And also might need some rope/bungies to tie things down. Enjoy Union, it's a blast! Joe