OK, I give...

[fknorr]

Fran, you are listing all the reasons that establish what the album is worth to you. Collectibles are not like jars of peanut butter. There isn't an established price where if a jar of peanut butter costs $3 at grocery store A, you just go to grocery store B where it is priced at $2 a jar. This type item is worth whatever one is willing to pay.

This is a unique item. In terms of absolute rarity it is one of a kind. There is not a second one out there exactly like it. In that sense it is rarer than a KC, DKiG or even the Oak leaves of which hundreds perhaps thousands were made that are all the same.

The photos went for a little more than 2 Euros a shot. Relatively, this isn't real expensive and there are some very nice shots in the album. It will become harder and harder to find even what we consider "common" albums in time as many are stripped of the rarer shots which are sold individually and the shell of an album with the unwanted pictures is then passed on. These items are a unique perspective from one individual's point of view, what he/she thought worthy of photos - family, friends, events, etc. and so represent an insight into a period of history from one person's viewpoint. As such each of these albums is looking though the eyes of a part of someone else's life. How much is that really worth?
Richard V

Richard, you and I will agree to disagree on "Unique". This is an artillery album, nothing more. They are all unique, therefore the SAME.

I am a photo lover, have several abbums full of individual shots and several albums, so i know "price" and "unique".

I also collect this division, so I would be willing to pay a tad more but not twice as much...for any reason you or anyone else may want to throw out there.

[Stroodle]

photo albums

I am curious if anyone has looked at his other listings. He has posted an album with
lots of mp40's, 42's....... If you look closely at one of the images about 3/4 of the page down, 2 soldiers in a u shaped trench surrounded by dirt, I do believe that they are holding FLN(?) assault rifles. Color me a moron if I am wrong. Anyone see this?
Thanks
Stroodle

[mjfur]

Just because 2-3 people think item "a" is worth "x", that means that is the "fair market value"? Come on!



But why was it worth more to him is the question?

First of let's look at the album. Is it SS? Is it U-boat of fighter pilot? Is it even a division people would have heard something about? All no.

Next is the album really anything special? Not really, just a fairly nice artillery album to a no-name division. So really, why was this worth $200 -300 more than fair market value. Now do not tell me that "value" is relative because it isn't. There is a generally accepted range for every item we speak of here from individual photos to badges and uniforms, photo albums are no exception.

This was a average/beter than average photo album to a artillery unit in a no name division. This price of $600+ dollars was the exception, not the rule/fair market value.

Now, this is not a case of sour grapes on my end, I do not live this stuff like others here and I WILL NOT pay 100% more than something is worth (generally accepted value) just to have it. It is this type of collector (pay whatever price just to own) that is driving the prices through the roof, not the big time dealers.

I have been around long enough and am old enough to have a bit of patience. I have recently started collecting 14. Infanterie-Division items (which this artillery unit was part of) about six months ago and have picked up a few dozen items including three albums. If people want to pay hundreds of dollars more per item for these things than I do, great. I hope they plan on holding on to them for a good while as they will have a hard time getting their money back.

I just hope the buyer is not going to rip this thing apart and sell the nice pictures in an attempt to make a profit.

These are your reasons, not anyone else's. Which are fine, but the day will come when "you" won't be able to buy photo albums anymore because of "your" reasons.

We can all get lucky and find a great photo album, visor cap, uniform, etc. at a local garage sale and pay $5. That certainly doesn't drive down the fair market value.

I know an "old time" collector that doesn't own a computer. His take on prices are 20-30 yrs old. He refuses to pay more than $200-$400 for any Officers visor cap. He doesn't get many visor caps anymore. Thats just the way it is. Collectible = more money.

You talk about "this type of collector" driving up prices. Thats the way collecting goes. Twenty years ago a 1970 Convertible Hemi Cuda was $40,000, last month one sold for $2 million. Paintings are they same way.
Collectible = more money.

I would love to own an F4U Corsair, but the silly collectors with more money than me keep buying them up.

I guess we can count on you to sell your no-name artillery unit photo albums at fair market value and "won't" be accepting the "highest bid" for your items from one of "those" collectors who keep driving the prices up.

You are a better man than me. I always seem to go with the highest offer on my stuff.

I/we thank you in advance for keeping prices down. Please call us when you want to sell.

Regards,
Mike

[fknorr]

These are your reasons, not anyone else's. Which are fine, but the day will come when "you" won't be able to buy photo albums anymore because of "your" reasons.

We can all get lucky and find a great photo album, visor cap, uniform, etc. at a local garage sale and pay $5. That certainly doesn't drive down the fair market value.

I know an "old time" collector that doesn't own a computer. His take on prices are 20-30 yrs old. He refuses to pay more than $200-$400 for any Officers visor cap. He doesn't get many visor caps anymore. Thats just the way it is. Collectible = more money.

You talk about "this type of collector" driving up prices. Thats the way collecting goes. Twenty years ago a 1970 Convertible Hemi Cuda was $40,000, last month one sold for $2 million. Paintings are they same way.
Collectible = more money.

I would love to own an F4U Corsair, but the silly collectors with more money than me keep buying them up.

I guess we can count on you to sell your no-name artillery unit photo albums at fair market value and "won't" be accepting the "highest bid" for your items from one of "those" collectors who keep driving the prices up.

You are a better man than me. I always seem to go with the highest offer on my stuff.

I/we thank you in advance for keeping prices down. Please call us when you want to sell.

Regards,
Mike

Listen Mike, if you want to pay $610 for an album I have a few I'll sell you right now.

My 'take' on prices is not from days gone by yearning for $200 visor caps, I set up at shows, have a website and get around the internet a bit and kinda know pricing on the small stuff.

If you people want to pay that much, I have a couple dealer friends that I can turn you on to and he'll make his money at $300 an album and I'll give you a $100 discount...only $500 for average albums (meaning I'll make $200 profit...each).

This album would have never sold on the estand for $600 and if it was on say Shea's site, you'd be bad-mouthing him for raping people. Look at Rick's site and see the only artillery album there, same condition, similar amount of photos UNSOLD for $440.

In fact most of his common albums are WAY under $600...care to comment or are you running for your checkbook with all these bargains.

[Gary T]

this is not a case of sour grapes on my end

Doesn't sound like it.

I do not live this stuff like others here and I WILL NOT pay 100% more than something is worth

Well, you'll just have to except there are people who will pay what they think it's worth...it's only 100% more expensive than YOU think it's worth. This guy obviously wanted it bad...get over it.

[Tim DC]

Just a couple of thoughts on the subject ..

I guess we all agree that the price paid for that album is more than average. I would also say about twice as high. As a regular photo album seller I've never dared to ask such a price for such an album on the e-stand.

But if you take an item to ebay, prices very often differ from what everyone agrees to be a "normal" price. Sometimes it sells for less, but most of the times it sells for a price which many would think is way too high.

I guess everyone has his own items for which he would be prepared to pay twice the "normal" value. And when a couple of bidders feel the same way about the same item, that's what happens!

[Adrian]

Perhaps the winning bidder had a relative who was in this artillery company and wants to trace them, their history.
A family member of mine was killed in Normandy, he was young, not many family photos so if I ever saw an album come up for sale that is from his company, regiment etc I would pay over the odds to get the album on the chance it may contain some pictures of him or shed further light on his life.
I know this may not be the reason the album went for so much, but its another take on the discussion and noone will know for sure unless the winning bidder tells us. It was worth the money to him.

[mjfur]

Listen Mike, if you want to pay $610 for an album I have a few I'll sell you right now.

My 'take' on prices is not from days gone by yearning for $200 visor caps, I set up at shows, have a website and get around the internet a bit and kinda know pricing on the small stuff.

If you people want to pay that much, I have a couple dealer friends that I can turn you on to and he'll make his money at $300 an album and I'll give you a $100 discount...only $500 for average albums (meaning I'll make $200 profit...each).

This album would have never sold on the estand for $600 and if it was on say Shea's site, you'd be bad-mouthing him for raping people. Look at Rick's site and see the only artillery album there, same condition, similar amount of photos UNSOLD for $440.

In fact most of his common albums are WAY under $600...care to comment or are you running for your checkbook with all these bargains.

Apparently I have hit a nerve. Don't get your panties in a bunch.

[fknorr]

I know this may not be the reason the album went for so much, but its another take on the discussion and noone will know for sure unless the winning bidder tells us. It was worth the money to him.

Or it could be that he doesn't know the value.

I had a could guys a few years ago bid up a Russian front medal to close to $130...4-5 years ago. They just did not know the value of what they bid.

I agree, we'll probably never know the reason, I just hope it does not get parted out for a profit.

[fknorr]

I guess everyone has his own items for which he would be prepared to pay twice the "normal" value. And when a couple of bidders feel the same way about the same item, that's what happens!

Why would anyone pay twice the value of an item for anything Tim?

Take 50-75% of any items you see for sale on the estand...you'll see them again, more than likely within a year or so, generally at the same or fire-sale prices...so why would anyone pay 100% more than market value?

Nothing is worth that, especially in this hobby.

[Maisalto]

We all have seen single photos selling for similar prices. I guess some pictures are showing up because there are people/groups (Sudek13...!) with money to spend. Maybe the buyer isn´t a simple collector like us, but a trader and this buy was an investment.

[fknorr]

We all have seen single photos selling for similar prices. I guess some pictures are showing up because there are people/groups (Sudek13...!) with money to spend. Maybe the buyer isn´t a simple collector like us, but a trader and this buy was an investment.

We have no idea to his motives but I looked at his recent buying history and it was all early British (if I remember correctly) navy/battleship photos...

[grovb]

I was watching that album and when I read the $100 dollar I just laughed!

Brandyn

yes, it looks like someone was looking for stuff from that unit. See the questions asked at the bottom of the auction.

Also remember people go crazy over photo albums.
They pay a lot more than if they were buying the photos individually.

How about the nut who offered the guy $100 to sell early ???

[milcollector]

I collect a lot of photos, but one dealer I find is extremely crass.

We all know many dealers buy photo albums and tear out all the pics to sell individually. Very common and not cool. But one particular, very big dealer in Germany actually uses the pages from the albums he rips apart to package the individual shots he sells !!!

When I receive them, I often can hardly bear to throw out the album pages.
Very sad to see it done week in, week out
...but damn, those guys are making an absolute fortune, especially when they buy a whole album for say 100 Euro at fleamarket in Germany, and then sell each panzer pic inside for 40 Euro each !

[fknorr]

you see, good things come to those who wait...

winging it's way to me as we speak from fellow forum-ite and homie Chuck