The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

A gentleman wants to sell me a collection of 500 78's, mostly Victor batwings and Red Seals. What are some questions I should ask, and realistically, what might a fair price be?

Red Seals are classical, and are typically found in great condition but also are usually not in high demand. The batwings can be all over the map.

Condition is paramount to value, although a lousy record is a lousy record, no matter how good it sounds.

This is the way I would handle it:

Sample the piles, and see whether there is enough in there to make it worth the time and effort to haul off and store all that heavy bulk. Then count out 25 discs and use that sizing to estimate how many total discs are there (or run with his estimate of 500).

Check your budget. A dollar a disc is too much, in bulk, unless your sampling turned up a high proportion of great records in great shape. Try 20-25 cents per disc, and negotiate upward until you reach your budget.

Keep in mind that the preferred way would be to spend a couple of hours going through them all, and giving him $75 for the 50 great records that you actually want from the pile. But then he has to dispose of the rest of them, which nobody wants. So you’re solving his problem plus putting more cash in his pocket. You can use that fact to negotiate!

Let us know how you make out.

I would do a little browsing to see if you even want the records:
What kind of music is there, and is it stuff you like? Are there many cracked or broken? Are they dusty/dirty/moldy/rodent damaged (stored in the barn or in the house)? Are they in albums and sleeves or just bare records?

If no big red flags, I would offer $100. If he just wants to get rid of them, you probably have a deal. You each take some risk - he may lose out on some big money if there are a lot of very desirable records, and you may just end up with a couple hundred pounds of crappy records you don't want.

I always sorta enjoy getting a large lot of records just to see what is in there!

I agree with Beagle... Buying a large amount of records is a pain logistically and your chances of getting anything unusual or valuable is slim. $100 is a reasonable price. Your risk is greater than the seller's...

Doubtful, being in New England, that any in the set is "rare", or "valuable". Assuming they are in, what the vast majority of collectors here have, "commons", I was thinking in the neighborhood of 20-25 cents per record. But yes, maybe it's worth driving out to look at them. I am usually very wary of anyone that puts large collections up for sale, yet cant tell me what songs/artists/genres there are. Really makes me want to give them a reality check, that they are not likely sitting on the next holy grail. A

Now he is telling me, in typical New England Yankee fashion, "the price is firm". As is my commitment not to buy. Another guy thinking he's selling The Lost Ark of The Covenant.

Well, go look anyway. Go into it not planning to buy. These days we can all use an outing, in any case. It’s spring!

Spend the time going through a good sampling of them, and if you see enough that make you want to take the plunge, be extremely noncommittal and thank him for his time. When you are getting ready to go, he will likely ask if you’re interested. Tell him maybe, you saw a few things that might be fun.

But then if he presses, be real clear that you’re not interested at the price. And thank him for his time.

He might come after you as you walk out, and ask what a good price would be for you. Tell him how sorry you are but maybe $75…

And then negotiate upward to your max, if he deigns to play any further.

As an aside, in my early days I would frequently find folks with 10 records I wanted, amongst 150 I didn’t. I’d cherry-pick them, and pay.

Casually I’d ask what they planned to do with the remainder. Answer was always landfill. So I’d take them too, and thus filled the dang garage. That’s a bad habit to get into, so keep an eye on yourself.

smitharthur wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 2:43 pm Now he is telling me, in typical New England Yankee fashion, "the price is firm". As is my commitment not to buy. Another guy thinking he's selling The Lost Ark of The Covenant.

"The price is firm" What is the price????

Whatever the price, if you're lucky, you'll get 25 records you kind of like. What are going to do with 475 records you don't want??? I would recommend saving your money, and space, by buying records you really want, on a one-at-a-time basis. Better to spend $125 on 25 records you really want, than to spend $125 on 500 records you really weren't seeking in the first place.

Is this what you bought?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELmSHm63o9Y

James.

Please DO NOT play those Phonocut sapphire records on your Victrola or you'll destroy them.
They are vertical cut records like early Pathé and require a sapphire ball stylus and vertical cut reproducer to be played.
Far more interesting records than common old Caruso's.