I agree, The antique phonograph market is down across the board, not just
wood horn machines. I think this is partially caused by the economy and
partially by eBay. eBay has leveled the market. When eBay was new
phonographs sold very high. I know because I sold quite a few at extremely
high prices. I think this was because suddenly collectors saw a machine
they had wanted for years and a chance to buy it. After a while, serious
collectors realized that the power eBay had tapped a vast number of antiques
sitting undisturbed in basements and attics and that the owners had no idea
they had value so they decided to put them on eBay for some quick cash. The
increased supply with the same level of demand caused the prices to drop.
This fact, along with the ability to snipe items at the last minute has
tended to lower the prices seen on eBay. It has also eliminated the dealers
who tended to control supply and has caused prices to level out across the
country. Before eBay, prices on the west coast and in the south were
always higher. In general, for true collectors, I think the trend is good
because it will allow more people to enter the phono collecting hobby and
eventually the prices will increase again. Also, the truly rare machines
such as Edison operas and Idelias, tinfoil machines and Victors with Vernous
Martin finishes still bring goof prices on eBay
A good outside horn machine with an original wooden horn in good shape
will always be worth more than one with a repro horn. However, sometimes it
isn't possible to get the same machine with a good wooden horn. I think
when these machines were still being used the horn was more vulnerable to
damage because it was sitting unprotected above the machine, a perfect thing
for small kids to turn and pull on. As the outside horn machines lost favor
in the 1920's the owners were less concerned about protecting them from
their kids and a lot were damaged, destroyed or lost. The modern collector
will have to spend a long time and pay an unrealistic price to find a good
original wood horn. I would prefer a nice machine with a good reproduction
wood horn to one with metal horn or a seriously damaged wood horn
RMV.
To: "Antique Phonograph List" <phono-l at oldcrank.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 6:39 AM
Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Wood Horns - Loss of Value?
> But isn't the lower valves associated with a flat economy? I also collect
> in other areas and prices peaked prior to 9-11 and have been slow to
> recover. At the end of the 90's everything was bringing top prices
> (probably over heated). As housing prices falls so will our
> collectibles......My .02........
>
> KEEPERH2O at aol.com wrote:
>> In a message dated 1/20/2008 1:22:03 AM Pacific Standard Time,
>> john9ten at pacbell.net writes:
>>
>> I have noticed this too. I sold a Vic IV with mahogany horn a few years
>> back for something like $4200, and recently I have seen them for like
>> $3000-$3500 or so.
>>
>>
>> Never thought that would happen with machines of that standing. And,
>> they don't require gasoline, either!
>> : )
>> Edward, in Zigzag
>>
>>
>> **************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape.
>> http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489
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