Here are my thoughts....with this disclaimer....I helped put on this
show along with a lot a really great people!
There were indeed many high-end machines that went home in the same
vehicle they arrived in. The selection of machines was the best I've
seen in many years. While buyers and dealers "simply did not pull the
trigger..." there were more than a few machines that found a new
home, not to mention hundreds 78's and cylinders. The show reached
several new records (no pun intended) in a down economy. Putting on
my dealer hat, the show was above average. Putting on my buyers hat I
found a grouping of brown wax cylinders that had been together for
over 115 years and in superb condition (with original boxes and
record slips).
As others have noted for some it was a down year for some and for
others it was a banner year. Nonethless, it was a memorable show and
banquet. Charlie Hummel was our very first banquet speaker and so it
was that he was again for our 25th show. His revelation that the
Columbia Multiplex Grand was not a myth simply left me awestruck.
There was the top works front and center for everyone to see! And
then for Mike Khanchalian to resurrect a Multiplex Grand cylinder was
far too much to expect, but he took it out of its storage can,
slipped it on the mandrel and voila!, history right in front of your
eyes. The cherry on top of all this was the 30 seconds worth of sound
they were able to get off the first of three distinct selections.
Look for an article coming to The Soundbox in the future.
The biggest takeaway (for me at least) was seeing all the wonderful
people in our hobby come together in one place. There are people I
only get to see at the show. I am gratified by the long list of
people who come from so far away to attend the show.
I can't wait for next year!
Dan
On Aug 17, 2010, at 4:57 PM, DeeDee Blais wrote:
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
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