Holsterpair,
Thanks for your kind words. As many of you know from the other board, I started a thread that eventually lead to my dismissal from that board. I have apologized, learned and in my opinion grown from the experience. And heck i'm here aren't I? I made a conscious choice to bring a private matter to a place it didn't belog, this forum. It quickly grew, tempers flared, it got blown out of proportion, ect. Now a year later, I look back on it and wonder if I really wrote some of those things? Valid points, wrong place.
If any of you are at all like me, I get major goosebumps when I find an extrordinary deal or exceptional piece of what could have been (Money, good looks, and inginuity, non-withstanding) part of my collection! That is because I'm a collector at heart. Sure I like things to be worth something, but at this point in my collecting, the History/Provenance mean more than the price. I'll bore the new collectors (hate the term newbies, sounds like you should be wearing diapers!), with two short examples.
1) My absolute favorite Luger is a 1939 Dated 42 code, with if lucky 65% finish left on it. It was my first, and it allows me to cycle "Snap-Cap" after "Snap-Cap" through it, and shoot it to my hearts content. If a part breaks Tom Heller fixes it. He is truly the best luger gunsmith, and a great guy to boot! No worries here at all! Now my 1929 Swiss Rig in 99+% stays put, and I wear gloves when ever i touch it!
2) A few years back, I left my Human Services position, to take a job at one of the nations biggest Sporting Goods Stores. I'm not going to tell you who, but if you guessed five choices, it would be there, guarenteed. Anyway, I was the Handgun Manager for one of their stores. In the course of business I bought, sold and traded for allot of guns. I was also responsible for the profit of the department.(A little Apple Polishing here, #1 in the chain for Handgun Sales all the time I was manager) Everyone knows that you make your money on the used trades, rather than the new gun sales(competitive pricing. Wal-Mart 10,000 Rem. 870's, Bob's Hardware 25. Wal-mart's price $125.00, Bob's $175.00). The idea is to buy the guns low and sell them high a 40% markup at least. Salesmen paid according to the profit 2%!!!! I know, not much money. Sceniaro: WWII Widow comes in w/ a full Luger Carbine Rig. TRUE STORY! The Store Manager gives her $300.00, because she "just wants it out of the house". I left the next day. My hobby/passion at that point was not fun anymore.
My point is that dealers see the bottom line, first. They have to! or they wouldn't be in business! Collectors see the excitement and passion of owning something they have never been lucky to own before. The dealer, if he's big enough has had dozens of your new found treasure.
It's hard, for me anyway, at times, to keep my enthusiasum for the hobby strong. I guess that is OUR ongoing challenge.
Sorry for being so "long in the tooth"
My best,
TC
|