pinkCastleDH,
I'm a member over at The Ruger Forum. And I've had many .... um discussions with the "collectors" that pretty much run that forum. They will buy a perfectly functional revolver, take one part off of it for one of their collectable guns, then just part the other gun out and basically destroy it. Collectors like this have made me despise collectors of all things in general. I have found they all do this. They have perverted the genre just to build themselves and their little fanciful collection of things up to the point they ruin it for those who want to buy and use the better revolvers.
Over time the better user grade of Old Model Rugers had diminished to the point they now command the same or higher price than a brand new one. I watched it happen.
If the "collectors" have their way with sewing machines, with Red Eyes or Feather Weights or which ever the next cult or fad machine is, eventually there will be only two grades of them left. Junk and mint untouchable machines. Normal people who just want to use them, will be pushed out.
Millions of Old Model Rugers used to exist, now try to find one. The same thing can happen to the old Singers too.
I better quit now, before I get chewed out on this forum too.
Joe