[78-L] "Value" of 78s

[Steven C. Barr]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Biel" <mbiel at mbiel.com>
> Not necessarily quick, but I had always thought that the discussion was
> about what large collections seem to go for in bulk.  The thread a week
> or so ago about the 15,000 disc opera collection that Smolian and
> Holdridge were bidding over ended with Larry Holdridge getting it for
> $14,000, and I bet there are some $100 records in it, maybe even some
> $500 or $1000.  But also a lot that won't be easy to sell.
>> I know I can buy "records" for a buck each or less....but it's the 
>> records I
>> WANT which cost the money.
> There are a lot of collectors who are not all that interested in
> spending a couple of hundred bucks on a Royal Blue Columbia on a minor
> territory band or a G&T of an obscure opera singer.  In some cases these
> expensive records are rare because their era saw relatively small
> sales, and these specific records might have not been the cream of the
> crop in those days.  Hits were hits, and because they solod well are
> common and inexpensive now, but that does not mean that they are not
> better than the rare territory band or obscure opera singer.  The dollar
> records are often much better musically than the hundred dollar record.
> And the expensive records only notable because of their expense.
>
The "value" of a given 78 is established by (1) how badly one WANTS
that particular record...and (2) how much "spendin' cash" one has...?!

Given the (often ignored) Dominance Hierarchy extant in Homo Sapiens,
there exists a third influence...basically defined as "*I* got this and 
*YOU*
don't...nyah-nyah-na-na-nyah-nyah!"

At this point, the "value" is eclipsed by the desire of the buyers to "beat"
their counterpart...and thus prove their inherent superiority...!

Comment ca va?

Steven C. Barr