Hi Once, and only once I tried to warn a prospective purchasser of a crapo, who was about to buy one off a flea market table for around $600.
The opposite effect was the result: the person became convinced that it was genuine and a bargain, and I was trying to steal them away from the deal of the century. They could not get their $$$$ out fast enough! Lets hope time has brought realization :-) And a general comment: where there is money there are crooks.....logically Rob On 3/12/08, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote: > > I agree with all of you. One must be careful in not only collecting > phonographs, but collecting anything in general. This is especially true > for the > first timer that wants to jump into 'collecting.' I read an email from > someone in > this thread not long ago that used the adjective 'sleazy' to describe > antique > dealers. I would just like to say that not all antique dealers, just like > car salesman and politicians, are dishonest. In fact, I have obtained > some of > my most prized antiques, including a phonograph or two from antique > dealers. > We must understand that there are many people that do not take the time to > research a subject before heading into it head over heals. This includes > both the > seller as well as the buyer. > > An example of this was last summer when I attended a large estate auction > in > my area. The auctioneer advertised in the newspaper ad a nice vintage > 'old' > Victrola with a real nice 'old' horn. I tried to contact the auctioneer > beforehand to ask some specifics so that I could find out if it was indeed > a nice > old phonograph. I could not reach him before the auction and was late > getting > to the sale the next day. By the time I got there, the phonograph was > only > moments from hitting the selling block. The nice vintage 'old' Victrola > with a > real nice 'old' horn turned out to be a nice old 'CRAPOLA'! As my six > year old > would say...YUCK! > > Before I could react, the auctioneer had already described it as the most > beautiful Victrola that he had ever had the pleasure of auctioning off and > that > whoever was fortunate enough to win the bid would really have a > prize! The > crowd oooed and aawwed as if he were auctioning off the Hope Diamond. As > soon as > he started the bidding at $100.00, several hands flung toward the > skies. I > told the man next to me, that had his fingers brushing his mustache in mad > anticipation of bidding, that this was a reproduction item and that is was > a > reproduction of the worst kind. I explained to him what a Crapola is and > he said > that I did not know what I was talking about as "this was just like his > great > grandmother's wonderful Victrola." Yea, I know, a Victrola with a horn!! > Anyway, I stood in total disbelief as the Crapola sold for over > $1000.00!!! > > After the auction, I shared some lessons of learning (Phonograph 101) with > the auctioneer. He did not want to hear it! He said that although he did > not > know that the item was not genuine, it was the buyers responsibility to > know > what he was bidding on. I could tell that the auctioneer really did not > care as > he only wanted the money. The buyer left with big smiles and could not > wait > to show off his new prized possession. He left in such a hurry that I > could > not get to him to share a little insight. Maybe it was a blessing as the > smile > and happiness that he showed of owning this 'prized' item was a true Kodak > moment. > > Junk is out there. It always has and always will be. Unless one knows > any > better, junk will still sell. Some folks, like the auctioneer may not > know any > better, but as in the example, they sure don't care about learning. It's > a > buy at your own risk market! > > My hats off to anyone that tries to keep one from getting burned. Thanks > to > the individual in this group for taking the time to write the ebay seller > as > an effort to get the facts straight. As true lovers of these things > called > phonographs, and the fantastic joy that this hobby of collecting brings, > it is > our responsibility keep the hobby as honest and wholesome as possible. It > begins with each individual. > > I continue to promote the hobby so that there will be collectors out there > when we are gone. I am grateful that my daughters love the hobby and have > already picked out which phonographs they want to put in their homes. In > fact, > they have names for each machine. My youngest daughter's favorite is the > Victor > 0 and she named it 'Sunny' when she was small. > > I have had the fortunes of meeting many nice people along the way that > have > not only sold me some nice pieces, but have educated me along the way. I > hope > to be a mentor as well. > > Don't get me wrong, I have also found those that are really in this hobby > strictly for the money and will do some 'minor' under the table things to > make a > profit. If one stays in the hobby long enough, they learn about these > individuals fast. News travels through the clubs! This is such a small > profit for > such a large price to pay. > > Hey, as we say here in South Carolina...Y'all are a great bunch! Thanks > for > all of the information ya'll bring to the hobby. Keep 'er running at > 78....rpms that is! > > Brantley </HTML> > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org > From [email protected] Wed Mar 12 12:04:32 2008 From: [email protected] (Ron L) Date: Wed Mar 12 12:40:49 2008 Subject: [Phono-L] Crapophones and The Buyers and The Dealers! In-Reply-To: <[email protected]> References: <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[email protected]> You are probably lucky that you did not get to talk to the fellow who had just blown $950 of that $1000. He would have thought that you were one of the loosing bidders trying to make him feel bad, at the very least. Ron L -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 2:17 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [Phono-L] Crapophones and The Buyers and The Dealers! I agree with all of you. One must be careful in not only collecting phonographs, but collecting anything in general. This is especially true for the first timer that wants to jump into 'collecting.' I read an email from someone in this thread not long ago that used the adjective 'sleazy' to describe antique dealers. I would just like to say that not all antique dealers, just like car salesman and politicians, are dishonest. In fact, I have obtained some of my most prized antiques, including a phonograph or two from antique dealers. We must understand that there are many people that do not take the time to research a subject before heading into it head over heals. This includes both the seller as well as the buyer. An example of this was last summer when I attended a large estate auction in my area. The auctioneer advertised in the newspaper ad a nice vintage 'old' Victrola with a real nice 'old' horn. I tried to contact the auctioneer beforehand to ask some specifics so that I could find out if it was indeed a nice old phonograph. I could not reach him before the auction and was late getting to the sale the next day. By the time I got there, the phonograph was only moments from hitting the selling block. The nice vintage 'old' Victrola with a real nice 'old' horn turned out to be a nice old 'CRAPOLA'! As my six year old would say...YUCK! Before I could react, the auctioneer had already described it as the most beautiful Victrola that he had ever had the pleasure of auctioning off and that whoever was fortunate enough to win the bid would really have a prize! The crowd oooed and aawwed as if he were auctioning off the Hope Diamond. As soon as he started the bidding at $100.00, several hands flung toward the skies. I told the man next to me, that had his fingers brushing his mustache in mad anticipation of bidding, that this was a reproduction item and that is was a reproduction of the worst kind. I explained to him what a Crapola is and he said that I did not know what I was talking about as "this was just like his great grandmother's wonderful Victrola." Yea, I know, a Victrola with a horn!! Anyway, I stood in total disbelief as the Crapola sold for over $1000.00!!! After the auction, I shared some lessons of learning (Phonograph 101) with the auctioneer. He did not want to hear it! He said that although he did not know that the item was not genuine, it was the buyers responsibility to know what he was bidding on. I could tell that the auctioneer really did not care as he only wanted the money. The buyer left with big smiles and could not wait to show off his new prized possession. He left in such a hurry that I could not get to him to share a little insight. Maybe it was a blessing as the smile and happiness that he showed of owning this 'prized' item was a true Kodak moment. Junk is out there. It always has and always will be. Unless one knows any better, junk will still sell. Some folks, like the auctioneer may not know any better, but as in the example, they sure don't care about learning. It's a buy at your own risk market! My hats off to anyone that tries to keep one from getting burned. Thanks to the individual in this group for taking the time to write the ebay seller as an effort to get the facts straight. As true lovers of these things called phonographs, and the fantastic joy that this hobby of collecting brings, it is our responsibility keep the hobby as honest and wholesome as possible. It begins with each individual. I continue to promote the hobby so that there will be collectors out there when we are gone. I am grateful that my daughters love the hobby and have already picked out which phonographs they want to put in their homes. In fact, they have names for each machine. My youngest daughter's favorite is the Victor 0 and she named it 'Sunny' when she was small. I have had the fortunes of meeting many nice people along the way that have not only sold me some nice pieces, but have educated me along the way. I hope to be a mentor as well. Don't get me wrong, I have also found those that are really in this hobby strictly for the money and will do some 'minor' under the table things to make a profit. If one stays in the hobby long enough, they learn about these individuals fast. News travels through the clubs! This is such a small profit for such a large price to pay. Hey, as we say here in South Carolina...Y'all are a great bunch! Thanks for all of the information ya'll bring to the hobby. Keep 'er running at 78....rpms that is! Brantley </HTML> _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
