market of any item is driven by what a person will pay...lots of people find these machines- think... ' oh-wow' this has to be an antique- and it's pretty---I will try to get $1000 for it! I think it's worth it....then they may find- oops- guess it's not 'that' valuable...and lower that price---or they may get lucky and have that right person come in the door, fall in love with it and pay that price...then they tell their friends---I just got $1000 for a sewing machine...their friend decides---well I should be able to get $500 for this one then...and it goes on & on...if people would 'stop, think, research, be patient' prices would come back down- if you see the machine you like- but don't like the price- don't pay the price- keep looking...I spent 3 years looking for (my perfect) vintage machine- looked at many in a vast price range....then found my perfect oh so wonderful machine for $20 !!! the best $20 I ever spent! but if a person decides- well I am willing to pay up to $300 for that machine- everyone has their own 'budget' and feelings about what a machine is worth *to them*