Selling prices of older machines
 

I think the day of finding good older machines for $5.00 is pretty much in the past.

Machines that I bought for $5 to $10 fifteen years ago are now being listed for over $100.

What is your experience?

Got this one for $15.00 recently. No base or cabinet, controller or slide. Dirty and rusty in places. Not a bargain, but I can bring it back to life. I wasn't buying 15 years ago.


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I bought this one 2 weekends ago at a local garage sale. Guy wanted $25., but when we plugged it in, the motor smoked and sparked. Unplugged very quickly! Guy says, "Give me $15. and it's yours." I said, "How about $10.?" Got his nod of approval, shook hands and it was mine.
Cleaned it up this past weekend, opened up the motor and cleaned it out with Q-tips. DH used a bit of grease on appropriate area, we put it back together and plugged her in. Purrs like a kitten. I love a good deal!
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I too am seeing many machines being priced at $100+. I have never gotten a bargain like Leonf or Quilter53 mention here. The cheapest I have bought was Singer 66 for $45. I don't have time to try to hit garage sales or estate sales, so maybe that's where most of the bargains are.

Nothing like smoke and sparks or bare wires to drive down a price.

I think bargains still turn up , maybe not as frequent as 10 year ago. My worry is that we keep throwing the old straight stitchers in the garbage, turning them in to a saw, lamp or garden decor. They will eventually become more valuable this way, but I hate the idea of discarding old all metal machines when nothing like them is made anymore.

I know old bikes are getting more expensive, what used to be just and old bike is now vintage. Collectables can vary and turn at some point, from going up-up and up old toys suddenly didn't fetch the top prices anymore. I don't think sewing machines ever will be comparable though. 1950s and 60s furniture have gone up in price, art deco has been a bit unstable.

or old bike lamps....hehe[ATTACH=CONFIG]614249[/ATTACH]

yes, it is a carbide lamp

It just depends. I've seen ads for older machines, and since they're old, the people think they must be worth a fortune, I've also seen ads that the people think since the machine is old, it's not worth much. But, there are bargains to be had, just keep looking, I picked up 2 Featherweights at an estate sale for $70.00, at another I picked up another one for $20.00 and a 401 for $10. These are within the last year. A few years back, I picked up a 201 in a cabinet, for $2.50.

Here machines tend to go for the equivalent of $35 to $180. Machines aren't always easy to sell. Free machines for pickup happens, as well as the top prices. Relatively new machines tend to go for half price, but some want more for their used equipment. I guess $10 machines would be garage sales, the last openign hours of a flea marked.

One thing I have done with online ads is wait till they have been up a week. Then I may write, " if you get tired of listing it I'd be willing to buy it for (reasonable to low amount) And the offer will stand for two weeks." That gives them an out if they really want to sell it. It has occasionally worked in my favor.