Thread: Sky high prices for 17/16 Wade and Butchers

I was watching some auctions this weekend, and I could not help but notice two 17/16 Wade and Butchers fetching some outlandish prices.

First, a 17/16 Magnum Bonum, in good, though not excellent conditions (listed as needed work and certainly not shave ready) went for $510 on Sunday evening. There were 3 bidders going above $400. Here's the razor:




See Wade Butcher Chopper Straight Razor Magnum Bonum | eBay

Second, there is a 17/16 Wade and Butcher FBU that is at $600, with 3 bidders above $500, with more than 2.5 days to go. The blade looks pretty good, but the scales are cracked:




Straight Razor Wade Butcher for Barbers Use Wide 17 16" Blade | eBay



I find this bidding pretty overheated considering that this razors are not in mint condition. I know auction prices are not driven by some inherent or intrinsic value of the razors, but rather, the subjective value that a few bidders place on the razor at a given moment. However, it seems that at the $500 price point, a lot of big, NOS or excellent condition razors open up. At that price point, razors in ivory or tortoise could be bought. This also starts to approach custom territory. Plus, it does not seem, from watching months of auctions, that 17/16 blades are necessarily all that scarce. I suppose here we just have a case of enthusiastic demand driving up prices.

From the Wade and Butcher and big chopper collectors, any thoughts on these recent prices?