Bob...
I certainly agree with you that an item that has been priced well below "market value" deserves a very close look. And if this cap had been priced at two to three thousand dollars, we might well indeed want to give it truly exceptional scrutiny. But I myself do not see the price on this cap as being "bargain basement". To the contrary, I think it is within reason, but not at all "cheap". My point was that, with all other things being "thumbs up", the price alone was not a reason to inject doubt, particularly where the price is by no menas "a giveaway".
Oddly, I have heard collectors say about some rarity, or read coments to the effect of, "An original one would be worth $ XXXXX , but I would never buy one because they are so rare and I would be scared to spend the money on it". You can insert whatever you want for the item: An example of The German Order; a cased Feldherrenhalle dagger; and so on. So then are those items REALLY worth that if the people putting the values on them really have no intention of actually ever buying such an item?
I think that the subject of "value" versus "rarity" is well reflected on this same dealer's site. He has for sale a beautiful tunic of a General in the RAD. It has not sold yet at $4600. He also has a very nice named Heer General tunic that appears to have sold quickly for $6,500. Now, I've seen quite a few Heer General's tunics over the years, and even owned a nice, named General's waffenrock. But I could count on two fingers the number of RAD General's tunics that I have seen. They are much rarer than Heer tunics of the same rank, but despite the importance of the RAD in the Third Reich, they just do not carry the same collector demand. So this very rare tunic remains unspoken for on the same site from which a Heer General officer's tunic flew off, for $2,000 more in its price.
I think that this has become a very difficult hobby, and many collectors are, justifiably, worried about how and when and where they spend their hard-earned money. But I think that our approach to historical items, for the benefit of all collectors, should be an educated, rational, and reasoned examination and analysis. To do otherwise is, I think, a disservice to collectors.
Again, Bob, I know exactly what you meant in your post, with which I agree, and just wanted to clarify mine.
I certainly agree with you that an item that has been priced well below "market value" deserves a very close look. And if this cap had been priced at two to three thousand dollars, we might well indeed want to give it truly exceptional scrutiny. But I myself do not see the price on this cap as being "bargain basement". To the contrary, I think it is within reason, but not at all "cheap". My point was that, with all other things being "thumbs up", the price alone was not a reason to inject doubt, particularly where the price is by no menas "a giveaway".
Oddly, I have heard collectors say about some rarity, or read coments to the effect of, "An original one would be worth $ XXXXX , but I would never buy one because they are so rare and I would be scared to spend the money on it". You can insert whatever you want for the item: An example of The German Order; a cased Feldherrenhalle dagger; and so on. So then are those items REALLY worth that if the people putting the values on them really have no intention of actually ever buying such an item?
I think that the subject of "value" versus "rarity" is well reflected on this same dealer's site. He has for sale a beautiful tunic of a General in the RAD. It has not sold yet at $4600. He also has a very nice named Heer General tunic that appears to have sold quickly for $6,500. Now, I've seen quite a few Heer General's tunics over the years, and even owned a nice, named General's waffenrock. But I could count on two fingers the number of RAD General's tunics that I have seen. They are much rarer than Heer tunics of the same rank, but despite the importance of the RAD in the Third Reich, they just do not carry the same collector demand. So this very rare tunic remains unspoken for on the same site from which a Heer General officer's tunic flew off, for $2,000 more in its price.
I think that this has become a very difficult hobby, and many collectors are, justifiably, worried about how and when and where they spend their hard-earned money. But I think that our approach to historical items, for the benefit of all collectors, should be an educated, rational, and reasoned examination and analysis. To do otherwise is, I think, a disservice to collectors.
Again, Bob, I know exactly what you meant in your post, with which I agree, and just wanted to clarify mine.
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