Antiques and Setting Sensible Valuations

THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH OVER-PRICING

GENERAL ANTIQUE DEALERS FACE MANY PIT-FALLS, AND SO DO THEIR BUYERS

AN ELDERLY LADY CAME INTO MY SHOP, IN BRACEBRIDGE, ONE BITTERLY COLD WINTER AFTERNOON, SAID HELLO, SMILED, AND SOFTLY WHISPERED "I HAVE A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU." OF ALL THE STATEMENTS, IN ALL THE CULTURES OF ALL THE WORLD, I HATE THIS ONE THE MOST. IT'S WHAT I USED TO GET AS EDITOR OF THE LOCAL WEEKLY, USUALLY AFTER THE FIRST HOUR THE PAPER HAD HIT THE NEWSTANDS. THERE'S ALWAYS TROUBLE ATTACHED TO THAT LINE. THIS WAS NO EXCEPTION.

FROM A PLASTIC BAG OVER HER ARM, SHE DUG DEEP IN A RUSTLE OF WRAPPING PAPER, TO PRODUCE A SMALL PICTURE I HAD SOLD HER A FEW DAYS EARLIER. "THE TAG ON THIS PICTURE SAID THAT IT WAS A WATERCOLOR, AND NOW I KNOW IT ISN'T," SHE SUGGESTED, GIVING ME A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE ART PIECE MYSELF. "I REALLY LIKE THE PICTURE, BUT I GOT IT BECAUSE IT SAID IT WAS A WATERCOLOR, AND THEN I FOUND IT WAS A PRINT, NOT AN ORIGINAL." SO HERE IS A STANDARD RESPONSE YOU WOULD RECEIVE FROM MANY COLLECTIBLE DEALERS, WITH EVEN JUST A FEW YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. "IT IS A WATERCOLOR, MAM. IT NEVER SAID IT WAS AN ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR, DID IT?" THE POINT BEING, THE PRINT WAS OF AN ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR, SO THE ACCOMPANYING DESCRIPTION WASN'T ENTIRELY WRONG. IT WAS "LACKING CLARITY" YOU MIGHT SAY. BUT IT STILL WAS MISLEADING IN MY OPINION, OF THE WAY VINTAGE MERCHANDISE SHOULD BE CAPTIONED. THE PICTURE BELONGED TO AN ASSOCIATE DEALER, I WAS WORKING WITH, ON A CONSIGNMENT BASIS. SHE HAD DONE-UP THE TAG, AND I WAS GUILTY, AS THE SHOP OWNER, OF NOT REVIEWING EVERYTHING, AND EVERY TAG, WHEN SHE'D BRING NEW INVENTORY TO BIRCH HOLLOW. I ALWAYS MAKE A STRICT POINT, ON MY OWN ART WORK, TO INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT WHETHER THE SUBJECT PIECE IS A PRINT, IN GENERAL OR LIMITED EDITIONS, AND IF IT IS AN ORIGINAL, SIGNED OR NOT. SO I DIDN'T SHOOT BACK WITH ANY ONE-LINER THAT WOULD ONLY EMPHASIZE THE TRUE TEST OF "BUYER BEWARE." I OFFERED A SINCERE APOLOGY, AND ASKED ONLY IF I COULD HAVE HER RECEIPT FOR THE REFUND.

"OH, I DON'T WANT A REFUND. I LIKE THE PICTURE. I HAVE A PERFECT SPOT IN MY KITCHEN FOR IT. I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THE TAG SHOULD HAVE INDICATED THAT IT WAS ONLY A PRINT, AND NOT AN ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR," SHE ANSWERED MY REQUEST FOR THE RECEIPT. "ACTUALLY, THERE'S ANOTHER PICTURE I'D LIKE TO BUY, IF YOU COULD TELL ME ABOUT IT, AND WHETHER YOU THINK IT IS ORIGINAL OR NOT." SHE BROUGHT ME THE SECOND SMALLER FRAMED PICTURE, THAT ALSO BELONGED TO MY SHOP PARTNER, AND THIS ONE WAS MARKED EXACTLY THE SAME. THIS ONE HOWEVER, WAS THE GENUINE ARTICLE….A NICE, ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR LANDSCAPE, SIGNED ON THE BACK BY THE ARTIST. A GOOD BUY FOR UNDER TWENTY BUCKS.

I CAN GO THROUGH DOZENS OF ANTIQUE SHOPS AND MALLS AND FIND PARALLEL SITUATIONS, WHERE ART WORK PARTICULARLY IS NOT IDENTIFIED PROPERLY….OR AS IT SHOULD BE, FOR CUSTOMER CONVENIENCE. THERE IS NOTHING THAT WE PLACE FOR SALE, ESPECIALLY IN ART, THAT WE DON'T GUARANTEE AS ORIGINAL, OR AS A LIMITED EDITION PRINT. THERE IS NOTHING MORE EMBARRASSING TO ME, WITH MY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE ANTIQUE TRADE, THAN TO HAVE A CUSTOMER CALL ME ON THIS…..A PRINT BEING FOBBED-OFF AS AN ORIGINAL. A DEALER I KNEW FROM MUSKOKA, ONCE BRAGGED TO ME ABOUT THE LITTLE ENTERPRISE SHE WAS RUNNING, OF FRAMING OLD MAGAZINE ART IN VINTAGE FRAMES THEY COLLECTED, AND SELLING THEM IN ONLINE AUCTIONS. I WASN'T REALLY ALL THAT SURPRISED, BECAUSE THERE ARE LOTS OF FOLKS WHO DELIGHT AT DECEPTIONS LIKE THIS, WHO ROUTINELY MISREPRESENT THE ITEMS THEY ARE SELLING. DAMN RIGHT, BUYER BEWARE.

MANY GENERALIST DEALERS, WHO HAVE NO CLEAR PREFERENCE, OR STRONG-POINT OF WHAT THEY BUY AND SELL, MUST EDUCATE THEMSELVES BY IMMERSION. THERE ARE NO SHORT-CUTS TO IDENTIFICATION ISSUES, AND APPROPRIATE PRICING. THE INTERNET HAS GREATLY ASSISTED RESEARCH, IN THIS REGARD, AND WITH A MASSIVE COLLECTION OF GUIDEBOOKS, AND SPECIFIC HISTORIES OF GLASS AND CERAMIC FACTORIES, AS AN EXAMPLE, ITEM IDENTIFICATION SHOULD BE ON THE FRINGE BORDER OF FORENSIC…..MAYBE FURTHER. DEPENDING ON THE POTENTIAL VALUE, OR HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF A CERTAIN PIECE. MANY DEALERS I HAVE MET, FALL WAY SHORT OF EXPECTATION IN THIS DISCIPLINE, OF ACCURATELY PROFILING THEIR INVENTORY, TO BETTER SERVE THEIR CLIENTELE. IT'S JUST COMMON SENSE. YOU CAN'T RUN A BAKERY WITHOUT KNOWING HOW TO BAKE. YOU SIMPLY CAN'T BE AN ANTIQUE DEALER WITHOUT KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCURATE RESEARCH, AND DETAILED REPRESENTATION TO MAKE SURE IT IS WHAT YOU CLAIM. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHETHER IS A PIECE OF FENTON GLASS, THEN DON'T PUT IT ON THE LABEL AS "FENTON." A DEALER IS CERTAINLY ABLE TO SAY "IN THE FENTON STYLE," IF YOU CAN PROVE THAT ASSERTION TO BE CORRECT. CUSTOMERS WILL RESPECT THE HONESTY OF SUCH CAREFULLY SCRUTINIZED IDENTIFICATION. THEY REALIZE, AS ANTIQUE COLLECTORS THEMSELVES, YOU CAN'T KNOW EVERYTHING AND ABOUT EVERYTHING. UNLESS YOU SPECIALIZE, AND STICK WITH WHAT YOU KNOW BEST. THIS JUST ISN'T THE CASE FOR MOST ATTIC DEALERS AND SHOP OWNERS. THEY LOVE TO MIX AND MATCH, AND FRANKLY I LIKE THIS ABOUT ANTIQUE SHOPS, IF THE VENDORS ARE WILLING TO WORK THOROUGHLY TO PROPERLY ASSESS, AND APPROPRIATELY PRICE, THEIR WIDE ARRAY OF INVENTORY. THE "I LIKE IT, SO I'LL PRICE IT HIGH," THING, IS THE WORK OF AN AMATEUR. NOT A BUSINESS OWNER SEEKING STABILITY, AND KEEPING A LOYAL CLIENTELE.

THE ONUS ON THESE SHOPKEEPS, IS TO PUT INTEGRITY FIRST. THIS IS WHAT WE LOOK FOR, IN ANY RELATIONSHIP WE ESTABLISH WITH CONTEMPORARY DEALERS. IF WE DON'T LIKE THE "CUT OF THEIR JIB," WE DON'T RETURN. SUZANNE WILL TELL YOU, WITHOUT ANY PROMPTING FROM ME, THIS IS A LONGSTANDING TRADITION THAT HAS SERVED US WELL, SINCE WE BEGAN BIRCH HOLLOW BACK IN THE LATE 1980'S. FOR ME, IT DATES BACK LONGER. I AM FUSSY WHEN IT COMES TO THE DEALERS I KEEP COMPANY WITH. AND SINCE I BEGAN MY OWN WORK IN THE PROFESSION, I CAN COUNT FEWER THAN A DOZEN CASES, WHEN I REFUSED TO DO BUSINESS WITH CERTAIN DEALERS AND PICKERS, BECAUSE OF A SUSPICION OF UNSAVORY PRACTICES. CONCERNS I HAD ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS ETHICS. EVEN TODAY, THERE ARE VERY FEW THAT FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY. I DON'T MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOUT IT, AND NEVER ONCE HAVE I NAMED THEM, OR TOLD ANY ONE OF MY TRUSTED COLLEAGUES. AS IT WAS MY OPINION, WITHOUT ABSOLUTE PROOF, OF THEIR ALLEGED DISHONEST TRANSACTIONS. I'VE HAD NO CHOICE, IN THESE CASES, BUT TO TRUST MY INSTINCTS. IT'S NOT ABOUT BLATANT DISHONESTY I MIGHT HAVE PERCEIVED, BUT RATHER WHAT PEOPLE MIGHT THINK, IF I WAS THOUGHT TO BE AN ASSOCIATE DEALER, A CLOSE BUSINESS COLLEAGUE. ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAD COMPLAINTS ABOUT ITEMS THEY HAD PURCHASED, AND ASSUMED I WAS PART OF THE ANTIQUE NETWORK. MOST OF THE DEALERS I KNOW ARE HIGHLY REPUTABLE, AND IF THEY MAKE A MISTAKE WITH IDENTIFICATION, OR THERE IS A CASE OF MISREPRESENTATION, THEY ARE WILLING TO CORRECT THE SITUATION IF BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION. I LIKE ASSOCIATE DEALERS WHO ARE APPROACHABLE AND EAGER TO DISCUSS PROFESSIONAL ISSUES. WE GET BETTER THE MORE WE SHARE INFORMATION. I JUST DON'T WANT TO HEAR STORIES LIKE THE ONE I MENTIONED ABOVE…..A DEALER FRAMING MAGAZINE ART AS LIMITED EDITION PRINTS, AND EVEN ORIGINAL ART.

FIRST EDITIONS. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST MISREPRESENTED AND POORLY IDENTIFIED ASPECTS OF THE OLD BOOK BUSINESS, IN BOTH ANTIQUE SHOP SETTINGS, AND IN ONLINE AUCTIONS. IF YOU WANT RARE BOOKS AND LEGITIMATE FIRST EDITIONS, YOU ARE WELL ADVISED TO VISIT SPECIALTY SHOPS, WITH A VENDOR WHO LIVES AND BREATHES THE LOVE FOR OLD BOOKS. IF YOU'RE AN OLD BOOK HOUND LIKE ME, YOU WILL OBVIOUSLY PREFER GOING INTO GENERAL INVENTORY COLLECTIBLE SHOPS, MOST LIKELY TO HAVE A LOW-PRICED GEM ON THE SHELF, THE DEALER IS UNAWARE OF…..OR HAVE MISLABELED AND OF COURSE, UNDER-VALUED. THESE ARE CALLED "SLEEPERS." THE GENERALIST ANTIQUE SHOP IS ALWAYS A GOOD PLACE FOR ME TO VISIT, AND ON OCCASION I CAN FIND AN UNDER-PRICED REGIONAL MUSKOKA HISTORY. THE INVENTORY OF THESE SHOPS IS USUALLY QUITE PREDICTABLE. SHELVES OF BOOK CLUB EDITIONS WITHOUT THEIR DUSTJACKETS, AND OLD, BEAT-UP SCHOOL TEXTS THAT WILL NEVER SELL. ONCE AND AWHILE, THEY WILL GET A BOX OF BOOKS IN, AND FOUR OR FIVE ARE OF SOME MINOR VALUE. A FEW OTHERS MAY HAVE UNDETECTED AUTOGRAPHS, OR NAMES OF BOOK OWNERS, A FEW WHO HAVE SIGNED, THE OTHERS IDENTIFIED ON THE BOOK PLATES, WHO ARE OF SIGNIFICANCE TO THE RIGHT BUYER INTERESTED IN PROVENANCE MORE THAN CONTENT.

BUYING AND SELLING OLD BOOKS IS A PRECARIOUS BUSINESS, THAT REQUIRES A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF ACCUMULATED KNOWLEDGE, AND BUSINESS WISDOM, BECAUSE THE PITFALLS ARE DEEP AND VERY WIDE, AND SOMETIMES, A BIG HAIRY CLAW COMES OUT OF THE CREVICE, AND GRABS THE UNSUSPECTING, NAIVE BUYER, DOWN INTO THE ABYSS OF "BLOWN MONEY." I HAD A VERY WELL SPOKEN, INTELLIGENT GENTLEMAN APPROACH ME ONE DAY, IN MY BASEMENT SHOP, INTERESTED IN GETTING MY APPRAISAL ON A VERY WELL KNOWN WORK OF FICTION. HE HAD BOUGHT IT FROM A LOCAL SHOP, AND THE DEALER HAD GUARANTEED HIM THE BOOK WAS A FIRST EDITION. THE BOOK, "GONE WITH THE WIND," BY MARGARET MITCHELL. NOW THIS IS A PRICEY FIRST EDITION. IT WOULD BE A GIANT COUP, TO WALK INTO A HOLE-IN-THE-WALL SHOP, AND PICK UP A COPY OFF THE BOOKSHELF, THAT WAS CLEARLY, AND WITHOUT QUESTION A LEGITIMATE "FIRST EDITION." I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE GOING ODDS OF THIS, BUT YOU'D BE ONE OF THE LUCKIEST PEOPLE ON EARTH, AT THAT PRECISE MOMENT. IT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN LIKE THAT, USUALLY, ALTHOUGH BEING IN THE BUSINESS THIS LONG, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS WE SEE….THAT FRANKLY FLOORS US, BECAUSE THE ODDS ARE SO HEAVILY STACKED AGAINST. I COULD TELL THAT THIS RELEASE OF "GONE WITH THE WIND," WAS A BOOK CLUB EDITION, AND WAS MANY, MANY PRINTINGS AFTER THE ORIGINAL WAS MADE PUBLIC. I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS IMMEDIATELY BY THE SIZE OF THE BOOK, THE EXPOSED EDGING OF THE PAPER, THE QUALITY OF THE PAPER STOCK, AND THE COVERING ON THE BOARDS AND THE DUSTJACKET ITSELF. I ASKED HIM WHAT HE HAD PAID FOR IT, AND HE SAID "IT WAS A BARGAIN. I OFFERED THE GUY FIVE BUCKS, AND HE TOOK IT….NOT BAD FOR A FIRST EDITION," HE ASKED, BUT IT SOUNDED MORE LIKE A STATEMENT. "WELL, YOU PAID ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF DOLLARS MORE THAN YOU NEEDED TO," I REPLIED. "YOU CAN GET THE SAME COPY OVER AT THE THRIFT SHOP (AS I KNEW THERE WAS ONE ON THEIR SHELF) FOR FIFTY CENTS." IT WAS IN BETTER SHAPE TOO, AND DIDN'T HAVE A COFFEE CUP RING ON THE DUSTJACKET, AS THE GENTLEMAN'S COPY WAS ADVERSELY MARKED. "IT WAS WRITTEN ON THE TAG THAT IT WAS A FIRST EDITION," HE SAID. "HE WANTED TEN FOR IT." THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE TIP-OFF RIGHT THEN AND THERE. ANY ONE INTERESTED IN OLD BOOKS, SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT "GONE WITH THE WIND" WAS ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED AND RE-PRINTED BOOKS, THAT WENT INTO MANY RE-ISSUES IN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS FROM THAT FIRST PRINTING. IT IS WORTH THOUSANDS TO HAVE A MINT CONDITION COPY…..WITHOUT A COFFEE RING ON THE DUSTJACKET.

ALL I COULD SAY TO THE CHAP WAS THAT HIS WAS NOT A FIRST EDITION OR A 20TH, AND THAT HE SHOULD BE CAREFUL HOW HE APPROACHES OLD BOOK ACQUISITIONS IN THE FUTURE. I'VE SEEN THIS HUNDREDS OF TIMES, IN SHOPS OF THOSE ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLE DEALERS, WHO ARE JUST "WINGING IT" WITH PRICES THAT ARE FAR, FAR OUT OF THE BALL PARK. THE EXPERIENCED BOOK COLLECTORS AND DEALERS PROBABLY WOULDN'T BOTHER CORRECTING THESE INACCURATE PRICES, SO UNFORTUNATELY, AND EVENTUALLY, SOMEONE MAY PAY THE ASKING PRICE FOR A WRONGLY IDENTIFIED FIRST EDITION…..AND THEN GET THEIR HEARTS BROKEN BY A GUY LIKE ME.

VINTAGE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS ARE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW GENERAL DEALERS OVER-PRICE THEIR WARES. MY BOYS BEGAN RESEARCHING VINTAGE INSTRUMENTS, FROM BANJOS, GUITARS, ELECTRICS, BASSES, DRUMS, UKES, AUTOHARPS, AND MANDOLINS, YEARS BEFORE WE HELPED INCH THEM INTO THE RETAIL TRADE…..AND THE OPENING OF THEIR PRESENT MAIN STREET SHOP, HERE IN GRAVENHURST. WE FOUND THEM EVERY REFERENCE BOOK WE COULD, TO BUILD THEM A WORKING LIBRARY FOR REFERENCE. THEY SPENT HOURS AND HOURS SEARCHING THE INTERNET SITES OF INSTRUMENT MAKERS AND COMPANIES, AND DID YEARS OF COMPARISON PRICING, FROM WHAT THEY FOUND IN SHOPS THEY VISITED, AND ONLINE AUCTIONS WHERE THEY COULD SEE HOW PRICES ESCALATED AND WHAT THE INSTRUMENTS EVENTUALLY SOLD FOR. WE STOOD WITH THEM AT MANY LIVE AUCTIONS TO TAKE A SHOT AT GETTING SOME GUITARS AND UKES THAT OCCASIONALLY POPPED UP AT REGIONAL SALES. IT ISN'T THE CASE THAT MY BOYS ARE ANY WISER, OR SMARTER THAN OTHER DEALERS AND COLLECTORS IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS. THE POINT IS, HOWEVER, THEY KNOW THEIR TRADE. IF THERE'S SOMETHING THEY DON'T KNOW, AND IT'S BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION, THEY FOLLOW UP ON THAT DEFICIENCY…….BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO BE STUMPED BY A CUSTOMER'S QUESTION. THE QUALITY OF THEIR BUSINESS, DEPENDS ON THE BALANCE OF THEIR EXPERTISE. SO WHEN THEY'RE PRESENTED A GUITAR OR DRUM THEY HAVEN'T DEALT WITH BEFORE, IN SOME FASHION, THEY WILL VOLUNTARILY DIVE INTO THE BOOKS, AND ENGAGE ONLINE SEARCHES FOR INFORMATION…..EVEN IF IT'S JUST TO HELP OUT A CUSTOMER KNOW MORE ABOUT AN INSTRUMENT THEY OWN. THEY DON'T SHY AWAY FROM A CHALLENGE BECAUSE THERE'S NO PROFIT ATTACHED. INFORMATION IS POWER. THE MORE THEY KNOW, THE MORE THEY BECOME TRUSTED FRIENDS OF THE OLD INSTRUMENT BUSINESS. THEY DON'T KNOW IT ALL. BUT IF YOU MEET THEM, YOU'LL SOON REALIZE……THEY WANT TO KNOW IT ALL. NOT AS BRAGGARTS BUT AS WELL TUTORED SHOPKEEPERS.

SO WHEN WE'RE OUT ON THE ANTIQUE HUSTINGS, WE OFTEN FIND, ESPECIALLY IN THE CO-OPS WHERE THERE ARE MULTIPLE VENDORS, THAT ONE OR MORE GENERALIST DEALERS, WILL HAVE VINTAGE INSTRUMENTS IN THEIR BOOTHS. OUT OF TWENTY-FIVE WE MIGHT FIND, TWO MAY BE PRICED APPROPRIATELY. ONE WILL BE PRICED THAT THE BOYS CAN AFFORD TO BUY IT, MAKE THE NEEDED REPAIRS, AND STILL FIND A LITTLE PROFIT AT THE END OF THE DAY. MOST OF THESE GENERAL DEALERS HIKE THE PRICE OF OLD INSTRUMENTS "TO THE ROOF," ACCORDING TO SON ANDREW, WHO GETS ENORMOUSLY FRUSTRATED BY SELLERS' GROSSLY INACCURATE PRICING, OF INSTRUMENTS THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND. SOME ARE OVER PRICED BY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS…..NOT TWENTY OR THIRTY BUCKS. SOME ARE IN SUCH BAD CONDITION, WE WON'T EVEN CONSIDER THEM AS "BEATER" GUITARS WE SELL TO SUMMER VISITORS FOR CAMPFIRE SING-ALONGS. DEALERS WHO KNOW US, WILL OFTEN BRING OUT AN ARRAY OF OLD INSTRUMENTS, WHEN WE POP THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR, AND IT IS ON RARE OCCASION, THAT WE CAN AFFORD ONE. WHILE WE DON'T HAGGLE, WE WON'T PLUG OUR EARS SHOULD A VENDOR SUGGEST MAKING A "DEAL FOR THE LOT." THAT CERTAINLY OPENS THE DOOR FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THE ACTUAL VALUES OF THE INSTRUMENTS, WITH REQUIRED REPAIRS FACTORED IN. SEEING AS MOST OF THESE DEALERS DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE SELLING, IN THIS CASE, AND THEY LIKELY DON'T PLAY THE GUITAR THEMSELVES, THEY JUST SEE THESE RELICS (SOME THAT CAN BE SAVED, BUT MANY THAT CAN'T BE SALVAGED) AS A GOOD BET FOR SUBSTANTIAL "PIE IN THE SKY" PROFIT. THEY MAY SELL TO AN INTERIOR DECORATOR FOR THEIR ASKING PRICE, BUT THEY WON'T SELL IT TO A MUSICIAN WHO KNOWS WHAT A WARPED NECK, OR "HIGH ACTION" CAN MEAN TO ONE'S ABILITY TO ACTUALLY PLAY IT…..OR MAKE THE NEEDED REPAIRS.

I'VE WATCHED ANDREW AND ROBERT STOP IN AN ANTIQUE SHOP, EXAMINING THE SELECTION OF VINTAGE INSTRUMENTS, WHISPERING "I DON'T BELIEVE IT, I JUST DON'T BELIEVE IT…..WHAT'S WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?" KNOWING THAT WE COME IN FREQUENTLY, AND ALWAYS LEAVE OUR BUSINESS CARDS, THE BEST PLAN WOULD BE TO ASK THEIR APPRAISAL ASSISTANCE BEFORE TAGGING THEM FOR SALE. WHAT THESE VENDORS DON'T ALWAYS REALIZE, IS THAT THOSE KNOWLEDGABLE CUSTOMERS, SEEING THESE KINDS OF GROSS PRICING ERRORS, GET THE GENERAL IMPRESSION, THERE ARE MANY MORE PIECES OF INVENTORY INACCURATELY PRICED…..AND THAT'S NOT THE REPUTATION THEY WANT, I'M SURE. THE HEAD-STRONG AMONGST US DEALERS, DON'T DO THEMSELVES ANY FAVORS IN THIS REGARD. WE OFFER MANY LOCAL SECOND HAND AND EVEN PAWN SHOPS, ADVICE ON VINTAGE INSTRUMENTS. ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS ASK. WHEN YOU VISIT OUR SHOP, THE BOYS WILL GLADLY DEFEND THEIR PRICING, AND SHOW YOU THE BOOKS AND ADDITIONAL RESEARCH TO CLEARLY SHOW THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF THE MODEL, BASED ON CONDITION. MANY INEXPERIENCED DEALERS, NOT ONLY GOOF-UP ON BOOK CONDITIONS, WITH THEIR PRICING, BUT REPEAT THE SAME ERROR WITH INSTRUMENTS……NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE CONDITION AS A PIVOTAL CONSIDERATION BEFORE ARRIVING AT A RETAIL PRICE. OCCASIONALLY YOU WILL RUN INTO A DEALER WHO KNOWS THEY'RE OUT-MATCHED, BY THE "GUITAR GUYS," AND WILLINGLY OPEN DISCUSSIONS TO FIND A MUTUALLY SATISFACTORY PRICE……SUCH THAT THE DEALER GETS A PROFIT, AND THE LADS GET A PROJECT GUITAR TO RESTORE AND RE-SELL, ALSO FOR AN ACCEPTABLE PRICE INCREASE.

IN AN OUT-OF-THE-WAY SECOND HAND SHOP, RUN BY A RATHER ECCENTRIC CHAP (HE WAS ALWAYS VERY FRIENDLY), HERE IN MUSKOKA, WE FOUND A LOVELY 1960'S ELECTRIC, IN VERY GOOD CONDITION, BEING STORED BEHIND THE COUNTER. WE HAD ALREADY BEEN IN THE SHOP THREE OR FOUR TIMES, AND GOT TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER. WHEN I ASKED IF THE ELECTRIC GUITAR, BEHIND THE COUNTER, MIGHT BE FOR SALE, HE LOOKED AT ME AS IF I'D CROSSED THE THRESHOLD OF SOME GREAT PRIVATE PROTOCOL…..THAT HAD NEVER BEEN FLANKED BEFORE. HE LOOKED ME ALL OVER, GLANCED AT MY WIFE TO DETERMINE OUR WORTHINESS TO HOLD SUCH A SPECIMEN OF MUSICAL HERITAGE, AND RELUCTANTLY AGREED THAT IT WAS FOR SALE…..BUT THAT HE WOULDN'T SHOW US UNLESS WE WERE VERY SERIOUS ABOUT ACTUALLY BUYING IT. I'VE RUN INTO QUITE A FEW ECCENTRICS IN SHOPS LIKE THESE, SO I WAS READY FOR HIM. HE GAVE ME THE GUITAR, AND WITHIN A FRACTION OF A SECOND, I'D ALREADY PASSED IT OFF TO ANDREW FOR A ONCE-OVER. I THOUGHT THE GUY WAS GOING TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK. NOW AT THAT POINT, WITH THE BOY'S EDUCATION IN VINTAGE GUITARS, THEY BOTH KNEW THE VALUE OF THAT GUITAR BEFORE IT CROSSED THE COUNTER-TOP. THEY WERE JUST EXAMINING IT FOR MODEL IDENTIFICATION, CODES, AND CONDITION….SUCH AS IF A BROKEN NECK HAD BEEN REPAIRED, A TAIL PIECE WASN'T ORIGINAL, OR A FLOATING BRIDGE MAY HAVE BEEN FROM ANOTHER GUITAR, AND NOT AN ORIGINAL PIECE. WHEN THE SHOP OWNER REGAINED HIS COMPOSURE, AT A KID HOLDING A VALUABLE (UNPRICED) GUITAR, HE ASKED ME WHAT IT WAS WORTH. WHEN WE'RE INTERESTED IN BUYING SOMETHING, AT THAT MOMENT, IT'S A LITTLE AWKWARD OFFERING AN APPRAISAL. IF SOMEONE DOESN'T WANT TO SELL IT, WELL, THAT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER TO ASSESS A PRICE. THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN WHY WE, AS DEALERS, CAN ONLY PAY A FRACTION OF THE VALUE TO ALLOW FOR REPAIRS AND RESALE.

ANDREW JUST TOLD THE VENDOR THAT IT WAS A NICE PIECE AND THAT WHILE IT DID NEED SOME MINOR REPAIRS, WHICH HE COULD DO, HE'D BE HAPPIER TO HEAR WHAT THE ASKING PRICE WAS AS AN INITIAL FIRST STEP. THE GUY WOULDN'T GIVE A PRICE. WHAT HE ASKED, WAS FOR ANDREW TO GUESS THE PRICE HE WANTED FOR IT. YOU READ CORRECTLY. THE SHOP KEEPER WANTED MY SON TO READ HIS MIND, TO COME UP WITH THE ASKING PRICE. "IF YOU GUESS CORRECTLY, THE NUMBER I'M THINKING, I'LL SELL IT TO YOU." WELL, WE DON'T DO THINGS LIKE THAT, AND JUST HANDED HIM BACK HIS GUITAR, AND BACKED OUT THE DOOR SLOWLY, SO AS NOT TO GET INVOLVED IN ANY OTHER MIND READING REQUEST. I'M SURE HE WAS HAPPY TO SEE SUCH INTRUSIVE PEOPLE AS US, HIT THE ROAD. SOMEONE TOLD ANDREW, WHO HAD BEEN IN THE SAME SHOP, ROUGHLY THE SAME STORY……SAYING "I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT GUY." HIS BEHAVIOR COST HIM A SALE. I'M PRETTY SURE HE DID THE SAME THING WITH OTHER SO-CALLED RARE ITEMS IN THE SHOP. YOU KNOW, I'M PRETTY ECCENTRIC MYSELF…..AS A WRITER, NOT AS A BUSINESS OWNER. I CAN HOWL LIKE A WOLF HERE AT BIRCH HOLLOW, AND MY NEIGHBORS KNOW IT'S JUST "TED LETTING OFF A LITTLE STEAM," AFTER WRITING ALL DAY. WHEN IT COMES TO THE ANTIQUE BUSINESS, NOPE, I'M ANYTHING BUT ECCENTRIC WHEN IT COMES TO PROFIT AND LOSS, AND THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR MY LADS "MAINSTREETING IT." THE GUITAR I MENTIONED ABOVE, BY THE WAY, WAS WORTH ABOUT $400. I THINK THE BLOKE FIGURED IT WAS WORTH ABOUT THREE TIMES MORE. BASED ON CONDITION AND THE NEED FOR NEW STRINGS, WE WOULD LIKELY HAVE PAID $250. IN FAIRNESS, IT WAS A NICE COLLECTIBLE GUITAR. WE JUST COULDN'T SEE EYE TO EYE, YOU MIGHT SAY….OR MIND TO MIND AS HE APPARENTLY WISHED.

MORE TIPS ABOUT BUYING AND SELLING ANTIQUES IN FUTURE COLUMNS. THANKS FOR JOINING TODAY'S BLOG.