I think some sort of price guide may be of benefit to one new to the field, to prevent him grossly overpaying for a fairly ordinary bike. For example, when I first started "collecting" bikes, as opposed to just holding onto those I bought 25 yeras before, one of the bikes I was was interested in was a PX-10, which I had passed up in favor of a LeJeune in 1973.
I saw some with asking prices as high as $1,000, but through asking around eventually learned that at that time (about ten years ago now), a pretty nice PX-10 could be had for $350 and one almost never needed to pay more than $500, absent some special provenance. I maybe paid $100 or so too much for my first one, but I didn't pay anywhere near the $1,000 a few asked. I think this is the best use of a price guide, to let newcomers avoid grossly overpaying for high volumes models whose price has been firmly established by a large number of sales. Try to develop price guides of one-off Herses, Singers or Confentes or bikes with unique provenance, on the other hand, strikes me as futile.
Regards,
Jerry Moos Big Spring, TX
Chuck Schmidt <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net> wrote: price guide?... Price Guide?... PRICE GUIDE??? (picture Dad in Breaking Away having nervous breakdown and repeating "REFUND?!).
I was heavily into collecting vintage watches years ago (over it finally... whew!... thanks for asking) and remember the watch price guides. The insiders told me they were all written by big time collectors. The methodology was to set the prices in the book high for the watches that the collector/price guide author had a lot of in their own collection, and price low in the book the watches that the collector/price guide author was looking for for his own collection.
GET IT?! (yeah, i thought you would)
Chuck "i think your Galmozzi is worthless" Schmidt South Pasadena, CA USA http://www.velo-retro.com (reprints, t-shirts & timelines)