The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I am thinking about organizing a phonograph show in the Dallas-Ft.Worth area and have a few questions. Ive never attended one so, bare with me. First, is there usually a charge to get into these shows? Also, what is the normal charge for table space? If you have organized one of these shows in the past, did you obtain any type of liability insurance policy? Lastly, how long does the typical show last? Half day? Full day? Thanks, Cliff

PM sent.
Bob

This would be glorious. You're only 5.5-6 hours away...and I could buy stuff!

This sounds like a great idea. Good luck, you should be able to find plenty of dealers and collectors to attend.

Cliff,

I am most familiar with the Orlando show. Here is a link that addresses your questions as to that show.

http://www.orlandophonographshow.com/

Clay

Cliff,

From my experience with the Carolina Show, the biggest problem is finding a venue that is large enough and that doesn't cost a fortune. We were lucky to find a venue that let us use a whole building for a minimal price and they furnished tables & chairs. The drawback was that it was only available on the first weekend of each month in conjunction with a flea market... The access was great, you could drive into the building to unload, dealers had plenty of space for a number of floor models, etc. Just as we were getting established the owners of the property got an offer they couldn't refuse to build a business park, so that venue disappeared.

Cost is a big factor in regards to rental of the space, advertising, providing adequate parking, etc. Getting dealer commitments was another thing, since there cannot be any conflicts with other major events or auctions and the time of year is important for weather and travel. The biggest complaint that we had from dealers who attended was that there were not enough buying customers from the general public.

I have no idea whether Wayne, NJ or Orlando attract many local customers, but they seem to attract collectors/buyers from across the country because they have been established a long time. If I were to guess, I believe it would take 3-5 years of successful shows to keep dealers coming and it would have to be the same general time each year, so that it becomes a tradition. It would also take that long to get the word spread out to collectors and other interested local buyers to establish the interest.

One thing to remember is that there are not a lot of new collectors coming into the hobby and most people would not drive out of their way to see a bunch of wind up phonographs... Maybe if we were into comic books or Star Wars memorabilia we would have a broader market... just my 2 cents...

I appreciate the feedback from everyone. There is a great venue that is affordable close to my house but, it might be out of the way for others. Its about 10 miles West of Ft.Worth. Id like to find a place in Dallas or Ft.Worth. Im on the board of the Bluegrass Heritage Foundation and we use a lot of different venues around the area so, finding one shouldn't be an issue. Ive got a meeting with my lawyer next week to discuss permits, taxes, insurance, and other legalities involved. I would like to make this more about the area collectors and not the general public. Thats how I handled some past vintage bicycle shows that I put on. More of just a way of meeting and sharing with other collectors as well as a swap meet. If I can break even on the thing, I'd be happy. I have had several PM's from people that are interested. If I decide to do this, I'll start another thread with details, etc. Thanks

Cliff, I was told there was a radio show somewhere in your area. I really don't remember where I heard about it ,but they said sometimes there were phonographs there. You might want to check that out as well. Sure hope this works out.

phonogal wrote:Cliff, I was told there was a radio show somewhere in your area. I really don't remember where I heard about it ,but they said sometimes there were phonographs there. You might want to check that out as well. Sure hope this works out.

It's the VRPS. Their focus is radios.