Stanton’s Fall Music Machines Auction next week

[Django]

https://www.stantons-auctions.com/auctions/30861/landing
 

I am surprised that nothing has been posted here or on The Talking Machine Forum.

[ken53092]

As usual there are some outstanding offerings this year! There are two Idealia's, one carries the "Ideal" name, the other "Idelia", several Opera's, tons of cylinder records and a surprising number of very nice Triumphs at starting bids that seemed to be unusually low considering most have cygent horns or even Music Master horns!  I traditionally spend my weekend watching the bidding live online and plan to do that again this year.  It seems there are always several items that go for a song making me wish I had tossed in an opening bid. There are also always items that don't begin to generate interest until the suggested opening bid is dropped, sometimes rather dramatically! My biggest surprise this year was a machine I did not know existed, a Columbia Grafonola Deluxe that plays records AND large music box discs!  Here is a link to that item if you want to see what it looks like. A fellow on the Facebook Antique Phonograph Enthusiasts group posted a video of his playing the music disc and it sounds wonderful.  https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/164434138_columbia-grafonola-de-luxe-music-box-phonograph?fbclid=IwAR098TbwKNvYAT2ArfUi_IofHgsi4Vf6SYVWsTzKTkjxpcxIeFFopGl7omQ

 

[Granby]

I should probably know this... pardon the dumb question.... But, is there a way to watch a live stream of this auction, kind of like watching Barrett Jackson on TV?  Or, is the only way to follow the sale to track it as bids close on the online bidding format?

Thanks!

[RodPickett]

The latter.  The live auction site will be your only access to "real time" activities. 

[Granby]

Ok, understood.  Thank you!

[Django]

On 11/10/2023 at 7:56 PM, ken53092 said:

As usual there are some outstanding offerings this year! There are two Idealia's, one carries the "Ideal" name, the other "Idelia", several Opera's, tons of cylinder records and a surprising number of very nice Triumphs at starting bids that seemed to be unusually low considering most have cygent horns or even Music Master horns!  I traditionally spend my weekend watching the bidding live online and plan to do that again this year.  It seems there are always several items that go for a song making me wish I had tossed in an opening bid. There are also always items that don't begin to generate interest until the suggested opening bid is dropped, sometimes rather dramatically! My biggest surprise this year was a machine I did not know existed, a Columbia Grafonola Deluxe that plays records AND large music box discs!  Here is a link to that item if you want to see what it looks like. A fellow on the Facebook Antique Phonograph Enthusiasts group posted a video of his playing the music disc and it sounds wonderful.  https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/164434138_columbia-grafonola-de-luxe-music-box-phonograph?fbclid=IwAR098TbwKNvYAT2ArfUi_IofHgsi4Vf6SYVWsTzKTkjxpcxIeFFopGl7omQ

 

It’s a shame that this machine is missing the bottom skirt and the feet.  I hope that the right person buys and restores it.  That is my Holy Grail machine.

[Django]

The Columbia Deluxe sold for $8,500.00 plus 23% buyer’s premium.  That seems high for a machine that is missing the bottom skirt and the feet.  Cool machine regardless, and this one is Oak, so maybe not so bad.

 

Prices were all over the place.  I had a lot of interest in this auction since 28 machines were mine.  I came out ahead, but I found the experience to be very stressful.  I don’t tend to gamble, so this was not in my nature.  I still have fourteen machines left, but I have no intention of going above fifteen.

Edited November 21, 2023 by Django

[Granby]

I am envious of your progress on downsizing, something I MUST do eventually.  However, many of my machines are pretty common.  Examples include Amberola 30s, Victrola X's and XI's, etc.  I noticed prices are generally low for these types of machines.  My anxiety is kicking in and I am little worried about what I am going to do with these things eventually, especially if my wife and I downsize.  Oh well, maybe I will line them up in a bedroom and do a mock showroom....  I am not wanting to stray off topic.  I enjoyed watching the auction online, but did notice the early/rare machines did much better than the common stuff.

[Jerry]

3 hours ago, Granby said:

I am envious of your progress on downsizing, something I MUST do eventually.  However, many of my machines are pretty common.  Examples include Amberola 30s, Victrola X's and XI's, etc.  I noticed prices are generally low for these types of machines.  My anxiety is kicking in and I am little worried about what I am going to do with these things eventually, especially if my wife and I downsize.  Oh well, maybe I will line them up in a bedroom and do a mock showroom....  I am not wanting to stray off topic.  I enjoyed watching the auction online, but did notice the early/rare machines did much better than the common stuff.

 

 A fellow collector, who happened to be a scoundrel and a thief, once gave me some good advice. When you walk into an auction, sale, etc., pick out the very best machine you can afford, and buy it, (or in his case, steal it), and leave everything else behind. It took a while for that to sink in. At first, the very best I could afford was not "top-of-the-line" shall we say. It still isn't, but I'm getting better. Anyway, recent auction prices have really proven the advice I received to be valid. (Even some of the higher quality stuff however is going for fractions of what I paid)

 

As to selling off the common stuff, I did a lot of that last year. Yes, the prices were depressing, but being released & liberated from the burden of storage and the feeling of being overwhelmed and "owned" by the collection was worth it all. And, while I owned the stuff, I enjoyed fixing/restoring it, and using it. The loss in $$$ was the price I paid for that past enjoyment. In reality, I need to do another round of selling...

[Django]

On 12/1/2023 at 9:22 AM, Granby said:

I am envious of your progress on downsizing, something I MUST do eventually.  However, many of my machines are pretty common.  Examples include Amberola 30s, Victrola X's and XI's, etc.  I noticed prices are generally low for these types of machines.  My anxiety is kicking in and I am little worried about what I am going to do with these things eventually, especially if my wife and I downsize.  Oh well, maybe I will line them up in a bedroom and do a mock showroom....  I am not wanting to stray off topic.  I enjoyed watching the auction online, but did notice the early/rare machines did much better than the common stuff.

It was a strange experience.  Being that I don’t gamble, the auction felt stressful.  I was taking a larger risk than I was normally comfortable with.  Steve Stanton was very good to do business with and I would recommend him.

 

My machines were all fairly desirable and some were very desirable.  Prices are down, but it was time for me to downsize the collection.  Even after all expenses I came out ahead.  
 

I never looked at my collection as an investment, but I was still hoping to at least break even, so I’m happy with the end result.  

 

I still have fourteen machines left, so I’m not going without.  The upside is that there was enough room in the music room to add two wingback chairs and two additional guitars, (another collection, but the resale market is still good).  
 

I actually think that I prefer the smaller collection and having some nice reading chairs in the music room.  The music room annex gained some more livable space as well.

Edited December 5, 2023 by Django