Not That Anyone Would Want To
 

Seriously? Very rare? Seriously? "Not that anyone would want to use [it], but it works."

This piece is near me. How might I respond to the seller?

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/atq/4125650142.html

What makes this person think this machine is so rare? From the picture the cabinet looks very nice, so it may not have been used much or it has been refinished. Wonder what they would consider a low-ball offer? If it doesn't sew then it's just a table. I don't know which model it is, but I can't see that is would be worth much unless you test it out and find that is does everything you want it to do. I have a (1949) Singer 15-91 in a cabinet and since it was the one I learned to sew on to me it is priceless, and my cabinet looks like it has been well used. So if I were to respond to the seller I would ask them why they believe it to be rare, just to start with.

The cabinet looks nice, though I can't quite make out the model of machine.

Make an offer of what you think is a fair price. Judging by the ad, it will likely be too low.

This is why antique dealers and sewers should rarely be at opposite ends of a machine transaction, IMHO. One likes dust collectors and prices accordingly, one likes function and pays accordingly. If those two ideas aren't congruent then both are useless to the other and neither one wins.

Why do you even feel the need to e-mail the seller? Ignore it and move on...unless you want it??

It's a 66-16 in a #56 cabinet. Neither rare nor antique. I bought one at Good Will just two days ago for a paltry $20.00.

Here's a bigger picture of the one in the add:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]441367[/ATTACH]

I wouldn't offer him more than $50.00 tops and I'd tell him it's not rare at all. Singer made millions of the things.

As far as wanting to sew with them, why not? That's what they were made for. I use mine, so does my wife.

Joe

When I come across an item I'd like to get but which is over priced I usually respond by saying something to the extent of...
Hello - If you don't get your price and decide to review that please let me know.
I'll hear from the seller about half the time.

As for those "make offer" CL listings that don't state a price - they're liable to get flagged. I'm not sure if it's a violation of CL's terms of service or not but back when I posted some things for sale like that - "Make offer" - and they got flagged off because I didn't state a price - which could then be "or best offer". I was advised that they don't allow you to run auctions on CL.

At any rate - if no price is listed I'll reply and state my interest in the item and ask the seller to state the price he'd be willing to take.

Just what I do...not Gospel :-)

Joe, I have one of those 66-16s or what ever number it is in very very nice shape and in a bentwood case. I think just the case may be worth more than the $50. You can not give a shot gun approach to pricing any of these sewing machines. Prices may vary from the depressed central Illinois part of the planet to other parts of the country. The world is bigger than Springfield.

Just the way it was phrased sent my BP up. But no, any reply is wasted. My DD lives near BelAir and no, prices are not that much higher than Indy. Naturally I check CL when visiting, its so entertaining.

omg that looks just like the one my mother use to have! Thanks for reminding me how my kid sister threw it in the dump! whaaaaaaaa