.... and there is tension. Conversation in the Facebook group for antique typewriter collectors --- which actually these days is dominated mostly by what we call "typewriter enthusiasts," who do not consider themselves serious collectors but rather seek a perfect machine or small set of great machines to write, journal and typecast with --- has proven that there have been some conflicts.
We couldn't respond to everything posted, but we've been down every single one of the roads mentioned in that string before over many years. So we shot a video talking about the various parties concerned, the mentioning of auctions that are ongoing, valuation, bidding against friends and lots of other stuff.
Click here to see this latest video called Auctions, Collectors and Bids: Our Advice January 2015.
2 PM 1/21/2015
I have no trouble with collectors bidding up auctions. My only beef (and I know it's not really valid) is with "pickers" who pounce on machines with no concern other than "meat on the bone." This is more of an issue at sales and thrifts. I know it's the way of the world but I still say it's icky.
ReplyDeleteYes... there are some unpleasant darker areas in the antique selling world. What I try to remind myself is that it gets more feet on the ground, and more eyes out there to find more machines before they get turned in for scrap.
DeleteInteresting. I admit I gave up on auctions quite awhile ago. As a "typist", I can find all the machines I really care about locally, although I expect eventually to run up against ephemera collectors when I go after some sources that are vanishingly rare.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's a choice which I certainly recommend to some folks who wish to avoid the entire eBay experience, which includes both the bidding process AND the packing and shipping and rebate/refund process.
DeleteThe thrill of the hunt on foot cannot be compared in any way to eBay. It's supremely superior to eBay in every way.
The thing with anything posted any place on line is that if it is online and I see it then I know there are others, many others, who have also noticed it. With that in mind I know that if it is an auction and I bid I may not win the auction. Plain and simple. No different than going to a local estate auction. I've never really gotten real bargains on line. Bargains come locally. Machines that I probably would never find locally come from on line purchases,
ReplyDeleteYou hit many good points in your video, I hope those new to the hobby and on line buying see it.