Reply With QuoteI have a feeling we're going to see quite a few of the Swan airguns 'flipped' back onto the market... I suppose it's inevitable, especially at the low prices they sold for.Originally Posted by ccdjg
Airgun Alchemist, Collector and Scribe
The boxed Swedish Excellent Model 1950 air pistol that went for £100 at the recent auction of the David Swan collection is now listed by a popular online airgun shop for £450.
Award-winning Airgun Anorak
I have a feeling we're going to see quite a few of the Swan airguns 'flipped' back onto the market... I suppose it's inevitable, especially at the low prices they sold for.
Vintage Airguns Gallery
..Above link posted with permission from Gareth W-B
In British slang an anorak is a person who has a very strong interest in niche subjects.
Registered User
I used to know a chap who lived in Sweden, he told me that Excellent pistols often sell in Swedish gun shops for the equivalent of £120-200 in Euros. I wonder why they're so expensive here?
Award-winning Airgun Anorak
I've just had a message from the dealer in question, who points out: "The hammer price was £160 and with commission the total was just short of £200. I had to factor in a 300 mile round trip and a six hour drive to pick it up."
Vintage Airguns Gallery
..Above link posted with permission from Gareth W-B
In British slang an anorak is a person who has a very strong interest in niche subjects.
Mushroom Man
But who can criticise the dealer. They bidded quite fairly and won. If they can make a profit from reselling, good for them. If someone is upset, they can always bid themselves next time. Isn't 'Bargain Hunt' run along the same lines only in reverse? Buy from a dealer then sell at auction hoping to make a profit. It's what makes the world go round.
Cheers, Phil
Award-winning Airgun Anorak
Yes, fair comment, Phil. It amazes me that anyone can make a viable business at all from vintage airguns. If they can, fair play to them.But who can criticise the dealer. They bidded quite fairly and won. If they can make a profit from reselling, good for them. If someone is upset, they can always bid themselves next time. Isn't 'Bargain Hunt' run along the same lines only in reverse? Buy from a dealer then sell at auction hoping to make a profit. It's what makes the world go round.
Cheers, Phil
I suppose that those of us who collect for love of the objects, their design, manufacture, history and performance, have to accept that others just see hard cash. But there are dealers who are collectors too, and have just extended their hobby into a living - although not a very good one, I imagine. I can't say I blame them really, although you'd think that the need to make a profit would interfere with their 'pure' joy of the hobby?
A bit like a gynaecologist...!
Vintage Airguns Gallery
..Above link posted with permission from Gareth W-B
In British slang an anorak is a person who has a very strong interest in niche subjects.
Mushroom Man
Are you maybe saying that familiarity breeds contempt?
I am a plant pathologist but I still enjoy gardening .....
Cheers, Phil
Registered User
Similar to deer stalking. There are stalkers who have a deep love and respect for wild deer, and stalk with herd management and deer improvement as their main aim ( Those are the stalkers, who are out in all weathers, and spend four times as much time looking at deer as shooting deer) , then you have stalkers who see every deer as £50 carcass value, then there are the stalkers who just want to kill something, and dont give a stuff what it is.Yes, fair comment, Phil. It amazes me that anyone can make a viable business at all from vintage airguns. If they can, fair play to them.
I suppose that those of us who collect for love of the objects, their design, manufacture, history and performance, have to accept that others just see hard cash. But there are dealers who are collectors too, and have just extended their hobby into a living - although not a very good one, I imagine. I can't say I blame them really, although you'd think that the need to make a profit would interfere with their 'pure' joy of the hobby?
A bit like a gynaecologist...!
I guess it wouldn't do if we were all alike..... I collect airguns because I have a passion for them and love the quality and engineering that goes into them. Rarely if ever do I think of the money (unless I can't afford what I'm after- then I'm even more keen to forget the price
)
Registered User
And don't forget the VAT man takes 20% of the profit and then the taxman turns up and takes his 20% of the profit after VAT.
So he paid £200 lets say £250 to allow for fuel and vehicle costs.
He then takes a bid of £425 so makes a pre-tax profit of £175 less 35 to the VAT man less £28 to the tax man
Suddenly his profit is only £112 not allowing for any other business operating costs.
A little bit different from the £350 profit as first implied.
Airgun Alchemist, Collector and Scribe
In my original post I was making no comment on the pricing and profits of dealers, as that is something for the dealer to decide only, and he is controlled by market forces. Rather, I was expressing surprise that there could be such a wide discepancy between what the collecting fraternity valued a particular gun at on auction day and what the true market value might be (which in my opinion would be not be far off £400).
Posting Permissions