True Market Value?

Can anyone help explain the gap between evaluations and ebay or market prices? Following standard methods of valuing a used razor, the prices I come up with far exceed the prices people are willing to bid or pay. Am I too optimistic, is it the economy, a glut of razors or what? Feel like I just left Antiques Roadshow (your auction-insurance values are..) and walked into Pawn Stars (that's all you get), seriously. It seems everyone wants to shave and the collectible value is diminished.
So many I have acquired would probably never shave again anyway, but have art and history. Yet the collectors market seems down. Maybe I need to find a new market. Frustrating.

yep there only worth what someone will pay and you let it go for ,, as far as collecting ,, if they wont shave then , I don't find much value in a razor, so the better shape its in the more it will bring, this is not a money making hobby good luck tc

Supply and Demand: It appear only particular manufactures bring out the bidders and High Dollars. I've seen #14 Filly's go for 150 dollars US. and other go for $500. Go figure. Classic Japanese S.R. will not even get a bid. What's Hot And What's Not. Maybe purchasing a W&B in bad shape and getting the Joan Rivers Make Over "With Ivory Scales" may be the ticket.

In a million years I'll never understand the straight razor market. You ask any serious antique dealer if you modify a item you destroy the value. Then how on earth can you shoe a vintage blade in lime green plastic with a canary yellow wedge and charge a fortune?
:shrug:

Purchases are emotional!

What catches the purchasers eye.
Some look at something in particular, because they have become emotionally attached to the one or several the already own.

You'll never be able to predict emotional buying habits.

When comparing eBay prices you need to be very aware of condition. Sometimes you may have to watch for a while before you get more than one reasonable comparison, that is after looking through the sold listing. This is especially true when you are looking at NOS or near mint items. All of that is also subject to interpretation, as the guy with the loud plastic scales may think that the condition of his razor is worth more than one that is mint, because his has custom scales. There is also the day it happens. Some days everyone is awake and watching the action and others everyone slept in. That is where averaging comes in and choosing your comparisons. In theory you should come up with a range. However when all is said and done it is an informed guess.

Some blades are rare,(hard to find) You see fili 14s every day,why some go for the big bux is beyond me.

Well, I appreciate all the insights, and all are correct in perspective. I don't know many hobbies that are money making! Marketing is an art and there is a narrow range when you can buy fine new razors for $200 or less. I was just saying the collectibles market seems soft and that some items are or should be worth it even if they can't shave without regrinding, because of maker, age, art, etc. I hate it when I see old blades "restored" Joan Rivers like they're suddenly brand new. You don't polish the Tiffany brass base.

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Originally Posted by Flybare

Following standard methods of valuing a used razor, the prices I come up with far exceed the prices people are willing to bid or pay.

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Kind of puts those standard methods in question in my mind. Economists lie awake at night thinking about a world that would follow their theories.

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Some blades are rare,(hard to find) You see fili 14s every day,why some go for the big bux is beyond me.

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I can't bring myself to buy one for that very reason.

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Originally Posted by Flybare

Well, I appreciate all the insights, and all are correct in perspective. I don't know many hobbies that are money making! Marketing is an art and there is a narrow range when you can buy fine new razors for $200 or less. I was just saying the collectibles market seems soft and that some items are or should be worth it even if they can't shave without regrinding, because of maker, age, art, etc. I hate it when I see old blades "restored" Joan Rivers like they're suddenly brand new. You don't polish the Tiffany brass base.

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It is a very interesting hobby in that sense - there are still those that collect purely for collection (just look at the prices of razors with wrecked blades but pressed horn or carved ivory scales) and those that love the history and the ability to once again use something 100+ years old for its original use, and where those groups intersect. It's pretty neat, but makes the market pretty volatile, neglecting all the on-and-off fads such as obsession with brands like W&B or Filly.

What's a fili 14? I havent seen one... Well, probably becouse i dont shop razors on Ebay.

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Originally Posted by JackeHj

What's a fili 14? I havent seen one... Well, probably becouse i dont shop razors on Ebay.

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Simply click above and look at the SRP Classifieds.

I think the canary yellow wedge is the unknown quantity. Just to play the Devil's Advocate, because you know I agree with your basic premise......take the restoration of great works of art....specialists in the field increase the value, and preserve the art for future generations. Back to razors...I think a Blood Red wedge would be more appropriate with the green plastic.

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Originally Posted by Tarkus

In a million years I'll never understand the straight razor market. You ask any serious antique dealer if you modify a item you destroy the value. Then how on earth can you shoe a vintage blade in lime green plastic with a canary yellow wedge and charge a fortune?
:shrug:

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Originally Posted by Flybare

Well, I appreciate all the insights, and all are correct in perspective. I don't know many hobbies that are money making! Marketing is an art and there is a narrow range when you can buy fine new razors for $200 or less. I was just saying the collectibles market seems soft and that some items are or should be worth it even if they can't shave without regrinding, because of maker, age, art, etc. I hate it when I see old blades "restored" Joan Rivers like they're suddenly brand new. You don't polish the Tiffany brass base.

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I don't get the comparison with Tiffany and straight razors. Straights were manufactured in their thousands to be a daily working tool. What does it matter that someone decides to polish it up and dress it in modern materials. Are you really suggesting that leaving it in its original rusted and bug eaten scales condition is the better option and makes it more valuable?

This is one of those topics that can get heated very quickly since one person can think something is extremely valuable while another will think its not. One mans junk is another mans treasure and vice versa. Just because something is quite common doesn't necessarily mean it isn't valuable where something that is rare doesn't mean that it is. The common thing could just be a quality product that everyone wants and took off where the rare one isn't quality and nobody wants it so it never took off. It all comes down to what someone is willing to pay. I know if I see something that I want I might pay more than what the suggested value is just because I want it.

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Originally Posted by JSmith1983

This is one of those topics that can get heated very quickly since one person can think something is extremely valuable while another will think its not.

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Great point, let's make sure it does not go down that way.

Evaluations are tricky things being they are based on one person's opinion and those vary person to person. So the opinion of the buyer may not match the opinion of the seller.

That differs from true market value which is the price the item actually sells for when the buyer and seller agree to a deal. A like item may sell for more or less depending on what the buyer and seller agree to at that time.

Taking into account a good number of actual sales prices for like items over a period of time might give you a range of prices that that item generally sells for. There is no guarantee that when you want to sell a like item that you will get a price within that range of prices.

Bottom line, it's a bit of a crap shoot just like stock market investing.

Bob

I think it is also safe to say that - unless someone get's carried away in a bidding war - ebay will not command "true market value", as the buyer assumes the risk that the goods may not be as they were described.
That risk is reflected in lower prices.

Just read the "Ebay bit me again" post of today.

The old "buy the buyer" adage gives some assurance and the buyer could file a dispute if necesary, but that can be a drawn-out, frustrating process where the outcome is far from clear.


B.

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Originally Posted by beluga

I think it is also safe to say that - unless someone get's carried away in a bidding war - ebay will not command "true market value", as the buyer assumes the risk that the goods may not be as they were described.
That risk is reflected in lower prices.

Just read the "Ebay bit me again" post of today.

The old "buy the buyer" adage gives some assurance and the buyer could file a dispute if necesary, but that can be a drawn-out, frustrating process where the outcome is far from clear.


B.

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Yes, it sure does depend on what market place you are dealing in. There is a big difference in dealing with E Bay, auction house like Sothebys or even retail stores. The "true market value" will vary between each of those markets but will still be true for those markets individually.

Bob

People come to Eboy for bargains not to spend a lot of money. Even very high end razors often times go for a pittance. Unless you have something in really high demand and it's in great condition and the right buyers want it at that time you just put it up and hpe for the best.

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Originally Posted by tcrideshd

yep there only worth what someone will pay and you let it go for ,, as far as collecting ,, if they wont shave then , I don't find much value in a razor, so the better shape its in the more it will bring, this is not a money making hobby good luck tc

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I agree with this . If it don't shave, it has little value

All appraisal is based on old information, sometimes very old and rarely are the comps, exactly the same as the item to be appraised.

For EBay, price is dependent on several factors, how the item is marked, in the correct section, length of time of listing, description of the item and quality of the photos, most folks ignore listing with poor photos.

Just because an item sold on EBay, does not mean it was properly marketed. Items that sell for highest prices are the ones the most eyeballs see, Marketing 101.

The other day I bought a pristine Waterford Crystal, Badger brush for a few dollars, from the back of a dark display case at an antique store. Is that the true value of the brush?

Yes, the market is soft, because the economy is soft, despite the artificially inflated soaring stock market.

Appraisal is just one person’s opinion, based on past sale price, the only opinion that matters is the opinion of value… of the buyer. In any negotiation, the party that will win every time, is the one prepared to walk away…


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Originally Posted by cubancigar2000

If it don't shave, it has little value

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Without some kind of real provenance, this is true. I think most people prefer functional items. No one wants a classic car that doesn't run. They fix it so it does.