[ARC5] High prices?

Chris Gill [email protected]
Wed, 4 Feb 2004 16:33:18 +1000


Hi All,
I must agree with Taigh on the eBay thing, I collect too but am in no way in
the league of the majority on this list nor certainly those other collectors
mentioned including Taigh. I usually end up with the "modified" set's as
they are all I can afford and then set about rebuilding to as close to
original as possible, likewise I can't let something go to the scrap yard or
tip regardless of how much it has been hacked as it may provide some parts
to restore another set.
eBay provides many of us with the opportunity to get some item's that just
don't surface otherwise, sure I get outbid in 99% of the cases as I have to
take the freight cost's into consideration, but every now and then I get
lucky. The other benefit is that some people see that a particular item is
selling for a good price and decide to sell theirs rather than leave it in
the attic to be disposed by their relatives which often means the tip as
happened to a fair amount of equipment of a person I knew.
Thank the god's of the radio world that people like ART13 and all the others
including members of this list exist and can save some of this wonderful
radio history.
73's
de Chris. VK4YCG.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Taigh Ramey" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 12:53 PM
Subject: [ARC5] High prices?


Hello,

I have had correspondence with ART13 over the years especially when I was
buying radio gear for Paul Allen's collection of Warbirds called Flying
Heritage. He is a very nice gentleman who is a serious collector. He and I
have gone head to head on many auctions. Radioarchivest, is another one who
has been talked about here, who is a serious collector that is selling off
some of his gear. He is one of the most meticulous collectors that I have
ever met. He has been collecting old radios for a very long time and he only
acquires the finest examples. He not only knows the value but he sets the
value and he consistently gets it. I have seen people take pot shots at him
and I fail to see why. I know that when someone pays a lot of money for some
nice gear on eBay it seems to ruffle some feathers. I have had people send
me hate mail just because I outbid them. eBay will give you the most up to
the second information about what a radio or any other item is worth. One
needs to realize that it takes at least two bidders to reach those high
dollar figures. These same folks may be bidding the same high amount on all
of their other auctions but they are winning at the lower figure because of
the lack of competition.

When I was buying for Paul Allen and Flying Heritage, Money was no object. I
needed to find new in the box gear for the aircraft in restoration to fit
the following self imposed requirements: Find the best example available
Find the best example by required contract date Find the best example by
required contract date in new old stock condition Find a spare

When I started putting the word out about my contract specific needs I was
laughed at and I was told that it would be impossible to do in this day and
age. Well, I was able to find almost every piece of gear by appropriate
contract date and most of them were still in the box. I am convinced that
with time I could easily reach 100%. I was happy to pay what ever it took to
get the new in the box gear as I had no idea if and when I would ever see
one again.

High auction results will invariable bring more of the same components out
of the woodwork as someone will gladly sell their example for that same
amount of money. Most of the time, I have found, if someone sees an item
sell for high dollars, then they just clutch their own radio closer to their
chest which makes finding another one even harder. Whenever I would come
across rare gear that I didn't need right away I would buy it for either
future use or trade stock.

I am simply amazed that I can still outfit almost any WWII aircraft with
radios that are still in the box even after 60 years. I am even more amazed
that I can get picky about the dates of manufacture. It makes me feel great
that I can take a stripped out old bomber or fighter and I can restore the
exact radios that were in them when they were made. Most people who are
restoring old aircraft today don't seem to care about the radios let alone
the correct ones, but they will some day! One day, and I think that day is
approaching a lot faster than anyone wants to admit, it will be impossible
to find this gear. This is when people will be bidding hundreds for the ham
modified radios that we are throwing away today (maybe you are throwing them
out but I can't stand to throw that stuff away...it's just wrong!). I think
that we are fortunate to have eBay as it has been a great source of radio
and other equipment that I wouldn't have found otherwise. Enough babbling.
Taigh



Taigh Ramey



VINTAGE AIRCRAFT

7432 C.E. Dixon Street

Stockton, California 95206

209 982 0273 Hangar

209 982 4832 Fax

www.twinbeech.com

KEEP 'EM FLYING...FOR HISTORY





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