What is going on with antique stores?

[Ariston]

I saw a Crown Graphic at one today. They wanted $399... and it had a sticky shutter.

I used to be able to find nice deals at antique stores, but not any more.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Antique store proprietors these days are searching the webz and they have buyer's guides.

Amongst the old chairs, plates, and bric-à-brac, I thought I could get this at a bargain. Didn't.

 

[AgX]

I hardly ever see cameras at antique shops.

 

[BrianShaw]

I haven’t seen a good deal at an antique store for at least 20 years... on anything. And they stopped being willing to negotiate a long time ago.

 

[Rick A]

Last time I saw antique cameras at an "antique mart" they had all been turned into lamps with stupid money prices. Sheesh!

 

[AgX]

One price at one store... Which significance does it have to question antique stores in general as you do?

 

[cramej]

It's nothing new. Cameras are usually overpriced and under-functional at antique stores. I die a little bit inside every time I see a "rare" beat up box camera for the bargain of $75! Or the "vintage professional camera" N55 for $200.

 

[Ariston]

One price at one store... Which significance does it have to question antique stores in general as you do?

Are you questioning my questioning? How dare you!

 

[winger]

It's nothing new. Cameras are usually overpriced and under-functional at antique stores. I die a little bit inside every time I see a "rare" beat up box camera for the bargain of $75! Or the "vintage professional camera" N55 for $200.

Yup. There's a flea market near here that's kinda interesting to wander through. I've been through it exactly twice, about 7 years apart. Both times, one room had the same non-decent cameras for way-too-high prices. I don't know why the lady runs her room - she's not trying to sell them (if she were, the prices would have at least changed in 7 years). I told her the prices were too high for what they were and she just shrugged. At least one was in a Leica case, but was definitely not a Leica, but it was priced as if it were. And she knows it's mislabeled.

 

[BrianShaw]

Are you questioning my questioning? How dare you!

It’s not questioning... its shaming. Carry on...

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Are you questioning my questioning? How dare you!

I am questioning your questioning of his questioning of your questioning!

Yeah, so it seems maybe two types of Antique stores: one type where owner is clueless and thinks any camera other than a 1980's point-and-shoot is either "rare" or "very sophisticated and valuable". The other type looks up the item on the web and chooses the highest price found.

 

[BrianShaw]

It’s not questioning... its shaming. Carry on...

Are you shaming my shaming? Shame on you...

 

[BrianShaw]

It has to be a really tough business to make a living from. Give them a break. They’re just trying to pay the bills and stay off welfare.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

I did my part and bought the camera. It actually works. I figured it won't go down in value.

 

[Europan]

Understand that you didn’t take the Revere because it’s a magazine camera and those mags aren’t available. I am still on the outlook for one or two spools for my Filmo Straight Eight. I have the patent draft, though, could make them myself, but these are quite complicated!

 

[mshchem]

We have a good shop. I have gotten some good deals. He doesn't deal in junk. Everything is on consignment, usually by estates, he gets fair prices.

 

[wiltw]

It has to be a really tough business to make a living from. Give them a break. They’re just trying to pay the bills and stay off welfare.

1. If you price things so high so that no one buys, there is no cash flow.
2. If you price things a bit more reasonable so that more folks buy, with less margin for the dealer for each transaction, the higher volume of sales can make for better cash flow than situation 1.

The art of staying in business and maximizing your prosperity is finding where Situation 2 maximizes cash flow.

Are Nordstrom or Macy's thriving?!

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Understand that you didn’t take the Revere because it’s a magazine camera and those mags aren’t available. ...

Oh but I did buy it; those are my photos of it at home. Yes, I knew I'd never be able to run fresh film through it, but I bought it because it had so many features for an amateur cinè camera that I considered it a work of mechanical art.

 

[AgX]

Are you questioning my questioning? How dare you!

Sorry, I misread your second sentence...


My idea is that cameras at antique shops would rather be aimed being a show-item for an impuls buyer.
Of course such customers a camera store has too, but there market-informed customers are prevelant and thus prices have to be reasonable. (With some crazy exceptions.)

 

[donkee]

I see that a lot in my area so have stopped going to them. The good part though is that those places pop up one day and go out of business a short time later. I guess when you demand ridiculous prices for your items you don't sell much and go out of business. These people never learn.......

 

[MattKing]

Pricing is the biggest challenge in the used goods market.
Our local Hospital Foundation thrift store clearly has more than one person doing the pricing - some items are great value, whereas others are unreasonably high.

 

[BainDarret]

I gave up on antique stores as a source for cameras years ago. That is until a few weeks ago. I found a working, nearly new looking Chinon Bellami at an antique store in a nearby town. The camera still had working batteries and tested ok in the shop. I paid $40 (CDN!) for it and it has replaced my XA as my walk around camera. Three rolls of HP5 through it and, so far, not one bad frame!

 

[Chan Tran]

I hardly ever see cameras at antique shops.

Because to be an antique it has to be at least 100 year old.

 

[Ariston]

I gave up on antique stores as a source for cameras years ago. That is until a few weeks ago. I found a working, nearly new looking Chinon Bellami at an antique store in a nearby town. The camera still had working batteries and tested ok in the shop. I paid $40 (CDN!) for it and it has replaced my XA as my walk around camera. Three rolls of HP5 through it and, so far, not one bad frame!

Let me know if you want to get rid of that useless old XA!

 

[Sirius Glass]

I gave up pawn shops, thrift shops, and antique shops in the southern California area because they know how to check the current prices and charge more.