This was the 25th annual CAPS show & Sale and even in a very tough economy, they sold more tables, had more early-bird buyers and more overall attendance than the last two years. Jerry is correct that there was a wide selection and some very good prices. It was a buyer's market! It was one of the BEST selections I have seen in recent memory. Machines did not seem to be moving as much as the small items were, which makes sense in this economy in an election year. I saw items for sale that I had never seen in 35 years of collecting. A friend bought a shaving device for Edison cylinder machines that fits where the reproducer goes! In the original box to boot! While some dealers were hurting for sales, others had a better-than-average year. Things go in cycles. Sometimes the biggest benefit from the show is not the sales or buys. We had a team that was filming the show for a future documentary on mechanical music. This would have worldwide distribution and could really give our hobby some great exposure and bring more (and hopefully younger) people into the hobby.
The banquet was great. There were over 100 items in the silent auction and Charley Hummel is hard to beat as a speaker. It was great to see (The thought-to-be-lost Columbia multiplex machine) and hear (a 9" long cylinder with a larger diameter than a concert record) something that no one had seen or heard in 100 years! But one of the best things about the show was getting to see people like Jerry who travel from afar. We get tired of seeing all those local collectors :) I hope to see more people at our next show. Come & snap up the bargains! -Scott & Denise Corbett -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of DeeDee Blais Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 4:58 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [Phono-L] What Did You Think Of CAPS? I attended CAPS last weekend and wondered what others thought of the show and banquet. Here's my thoughts... I thought the sale was well attended by sellers which provided a very nice selection of machines ranging from entry level to something for the advanced collector. I saw Berliners, Vic VI, Vic C, Rigid Arm MS, lesser Victors, Victor School Models, Edison Opera, Edison Concert, Edison Triumphs, several Homes, Standards, Firesides & Gems, Columbia BII, Grand Piano Graphonola (incomplete), and many other brands and models. There was a large rear mount mahogany Zonophone with a matching mahogany Music Master horn priced at $2200 and I don't think anyone seriously considered it. Buyers, including the dealers, simply did not pull the trigger on many purchases. I saw a Victor School machine with a "sold" sign and believe a Vic III with oak horn sold but very few high end machines sold. I wasn't everywhere at once and I'm sure I missed things but very little left the building. In my immediate area, I know of a Standard and an Amberola 50 which were sold by dealers around me. I sold a 2-min Standard B with a reproduction 14" horn for $280 (1970's prices!) and a very clean oak Victrola IX (with new springs and rebuild reproducer) for $300. I had an all original Vic 1 priced at $725 for the last half of the sale with no serious lookers. On the plus side, the banquet was great. Charlie Hummel, assisted by Mike Khanchalian, talked about the discovery of the only known Multiplex Grand cylinder and partial mechanism. The cylinder was inside its metal tube but broken into several hundred pieces and mixed with broken pieces of other concert cylinders. Mike, the "Record Doctor", has been working on the cylinder for months. We were able to listen to a recording of the first few inches of the giant cylinder and it was nothing less than thrilling. Charlie talked about collecting in general and he is always full of... well, Charlie is simply full of it and the great stories of a long time collector. He even wore a tie! Also on the plus side are the friendly people at CAPS. The club has made a great effort to welcome visiting dealers and buyers. What did you think?????? Jerry Blais _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
