Originally Posted by
Glenn
Now you do realize that we collect old vintage machines and that people on the net are looking for and easy buck and the lukers or prof business people looking to make the $. These people will collect vintage machines and sell them at top $. They know what we are looking for. It is our own fault we have driven the price up on these machines. The demands is great now for these machines and they will get for and few between as the dealers figure this out. We are a larger group than you think. I have been in business a long time and very well understand the law of demand and what it will do to prices.
Glenn, I don't doubt that you know what you are talking about, but I think E-bay is what has pushed the price up. But if you watch e-bay those machines don't sell for what they are asking. The same thing with Craigslist. I have seen the same machines on Craigslist for months and months. They just get re-listed, because they don't sell. I still think it is a buyers market. I find machines all the time like the Red one (but not red or I'd own it!) on our craigslist, at flea markets, yard sales, barn sales, for $25 to 35 bucks. There still are not a lot of folks wanting the old vintage machines. They are too heavy for the younger generation. The new to sewing people want a modern plastic wonder. They don't want to lug around an all metal 40 lb machine! I really don't see a real market for these machines - not many young people even want to sew! I think the real market is with us - the people who appreciate the value of an all metal machine. So maybe you are right after all - we are the ones who are pushing up the prices! I know here where I live, the antique stores won't even take a treadle or a vintage/antique sewing machine. They tell me they can't sell them so don't want them in their stores! When we drove to Oakland to pick up my Pfaff treadle the store owner threw in a Japanese 15 in really nice shape that had been in his store forever - he couldn't get rid of it - he made us take it as part of the deal when we took the Pfaff! So where are the buyers for these antique and vintage machines?
Nancy