[Phono-L] Role of the C-O-P ( Young collectors? - A SURVEY!)

[Douglas Houston]

That's not out of the question. Imagine that some person has a fascination
in a contraption (AKA Crapophone), and buys it. Initially, he/she will be
enthralled. Music, coming from a mechanism!! How neat. Before long,  that
person will find himself, looking at phonographs, and being in the presence
of the real thing; probably a Victor or Columbia, which sounds worlds
better than his doodlebug. That person will go out un search of a real
Vicor, or whatever, bring it home, go ballistic over it, and then, it's
onward, and upward for him/her. It might not be as severe as all that, but
they've taken the bait, and they're hooked. 

> [Original Message]
> From: Mario Frazzetto <marioaf at optusnet.com.au>
> To: Antique Phonograph List <phono-l at oldcrank.org>
> Date: 6/28/2009 7:49:27 PM
> Subject: [Phono-L] Role of the C-O-P ( Young collectors? - A SURVEY!)
>
> Thanks for the story Douglas great to read it!  Now here is a question 
> that I want to throw out there.
>
> Given that many collectors started because either they knew someone who 
> had a phonograph in the home or had one one in their own homes growing 
> up, and given that this is certainly NOT the case today, except for the 
> fact that there are obviously many crap-o-phones being sold. Is it 
> possible that these very crap-o-phones, that we know are out there, 
> could in some way spark an interests in the hearts of future 
> collectors??? I don't mean for those machines themselves but an interest 
> in phonograph and gramophone technology.
>
> Mario (totally against craophones by the way, but just wondering???)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Douglas Houston wrote:
> > It'spretty hard to expand on, or even amend to what George has said.
Many
> > of the previous posts have been my story, either partially, or wholly.
> > Parents often have ideas about what they want their kids to be and to
do.
> > When an infant is born, nobody will ever be able to guess how that
little
> > mind will develop. Take a look at George Gershwin's story! My mother was
> > totally detached from reality. When I was around 9 years, she was
> > incessently harping that I didn't have a big enough "circle of
friends". I
> > had my pals, and was content. I didn't seek more comradeship. She
thought I
> > should. So, she "enlisted" me in the cub scouts. I had no interest in
that
> > stuff, but there it was,: a big "circle of new friends. How splendid!! 
I
> > endured it until age 12, when she asked me, in front of one of the cub
> > scout counselors, if I wanted to go into the boy scouts. I answered
with a
> > loud NO! I knew I'd be having an option, and I exercised it. 
> >
> > Mother's sister had bought a Victor Victrola (XI) new, in 1919, and it
was
> > stored at our house.....in a dark, walk-in closet. The mechanism and the
> > music that came out of it fascinated me. I liked it immensely. Mother
and
> > my Aunt said many times that they couldn't understand what I saw in all
> > that OLD music, and that OLD Victrola.  What the H--l, my aunt was the
one
> > who bought it in the first place, and it was at our house for my mother
to
> > use before they had a radio! Now, it was an object of hostility (though
> > mildly)..I liked the records, because I was listening to history. They
> > never could figure that out, but they teach history in schools, don't
they? 
> >
> >  My desires and interests were always met with opposition, because I
should
> > have been interested in other things, and become something else. That
> > served only to toughen my ambition, and set my goals in concrete. Well,
my
> > pig headedness paid off, and even my parents had to acknowledge that I
came
> > out OK. Childhood can be a nightmare sometimes, but it doesn't need to
be,
> > and it shouldn't be. 
> >
> >
> >   
> >> [Original Message]
> >> From: <gpaul2000 at aol.com>
> >> To: <phono-l at oldcrank.org>
> >> Date: 6/27/2009 10:53:24 AM
> >> Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Young collectors? - A SURVEY!
> >>
> >>
> >>  There's truth in the fact that people collect things (including
> >>     
> > phonographs & records) for various reasons - - their personal insecurity
> > being only one of several possibilities.? As others have noted, some
> > collectors are focused primarily on market value; others are concerned
> > solely with the aesthetics of recorded performances, and/or the ability
of
> > an 80-100 year old mechanical device to faithfully recreate those
> > performances.? Still others are immersed in the history of the artifacts
> > they find.? It's important to realize that any or all of these
motivations
> > - as well as others - may exist in a single collector to greater or
lesser
> > degrees.? Categorizing a group of people (broadly) may sometimes be
> > possible, but categorizing an individual is usually a trickier
> > proposition.? The larger the group, the easier they (we) are to
pigeonhole. 
> >   
> >> That said, my take on this topic will be pretty safe: the worldwide
> >>     
> > interest in generalized antiques has declined since the early 1990s.?
> > People in general are imitative.? When society once again decides that
> > antiques are desirable, trendy, cool...whatever..., we will see a
renewed
> > interest in antique phonographs from newcomers.? Until then, those who
> > pursue our hobby might be thought of as the "true believers" - despite
> > their individual motivations.? These days, few of us are collecting to
be
> > hip.? But there are those other reasons...!
> >   
> >> I must admit that I don't really care what happens to market values -
- I
> >>     
> > didn't/don't collect with that in mind, and I can't take it with me.?
Sure,
> > I'd like to leave my kids a nice meatball, but if it doesn't happen,
that's
> > out of my control.? When I started collecting at age 13, I honestly
thought
> > I was the only one in the world interested in this stuff.? I know better
> > now, but that shouldn't really concern me.? Collecting for me is a
personal
> > thing, to be shared where appropriate with like-minded individuals.? I
do
> > love the hobby, but like religion, I approach it on my own terms.? If it
> > doesn't make a positive contribution, what's the point?? And I'm not
> > looking to convert anybody - - either they get it or they don't.
> >   
> >> I encourage each of us to enjoy what collecting brings to our lives,
and
> >>     
> > to simply be thankful.? Not everyone is so fortunate.
> >   
> >> George Paul
> >>
> >>
> >>  
> >>
> >>
> >>  
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: ronbrink at aol.com
> >> To: phono-l at oldcrank.org
> >> Sent: Sat, Jun 27, 2009 9:06 am
> >> Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Young collectors? - A SURVEY!
> >> ?
> >>
> >>
> >> Within the collecting ranks I note that there are those who love the 
> >> hobby.  There are others who everytime they speak, they need to
impress 
> >> others by the machines they have or the number they have.  e.g. " I am 
> >> now playing such and such a cylinder on my Triumph with wood horn." 
Ot 
> >> they tell you the rarity or that it was expensive.  The point of one 
> >> message was to state how the young (baby) liked the cylinder music,
but 
> >> that turns into what type of mchine used down to the horn (wood). I 
> >> think there are those in the hobby who enjoy it.  I also think there 
> >> are those in the hobby that utilize their treasures as a measuring 
> >> stick against others almost like "I've got a bigger house....bigger 
> >> car...etc."?
> >> ?
> >>
> >> What I'm poorly expressing is that I believe the primary demographic 
> >> within the hobby (50-60 yrs) comes from the generation of bigger is 
> >> better, more is better, I need to have one (or more) of everything, I 
> >> need to beat the next guy, have the best, be the best, the "I'm 
> >> enjoying this and impressing everyone at the same time.?
> >> ?
> >>
> >> I used to have upwards of 100 machines.  I too at one time got caught 
> >> up in the hype of "enjoyment".  I saw from myself and others that the 
> >> enjoyment came from beating others to a great or rare machine.  Having 
> >> one of only 50 known machines was invigorating.  Now I have just 10 
> >> machines.  I won't tell you what they are.  It doesn't matter.  I love 
> >> them and enjoy them.  The irony is that the more I don't push them on 
> >> people like I used to or ignore their presence in the house when folks 
> >> come to visit, the more questions I get.  I recently spent 3 hours 
> >> talking about my simple collection with my new son in law.   I wonder 
> >> if some aren't worried about the hobby because they see the market for 
> >> their machines potentially dwindeling or the values going down. Is is 
> >> always a true altruistic desire for young people to love what we have 
> >> loved for so long or the diminishing desire for what we have??
> >> ?
> >>
> >> Like everything in life, its all perspective an attitude?
> >> ?
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>  
> >>
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> >>     
> >
> >
> >
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