I mean look at these prices a fellow collector pointed out to on ebay ! For those prices I can deliver the lanterns myself to Japan.
And its not even an old lantern. Its from the 2010s. Also in Germany some ebay sellers exist, which ask exaggerated prices in high 3 digit up to 3 digit range for lanterns. Grrrr.....
Really nuts, isn’t it? I don’t think they (seller) get anywhere near what the item lists for. Can’t imagine anyone, especially a fellow collector paying those kind of prices, even if he has “deep pockets”! There are too many listed on eBay to compare with!
This one actually sold for that price - there were 9 bidders in total, me and 8 others. Quite recently one sold on the East coast of Australia for about $300, so I naïvely placed an initial bid which I was going to increase prior to the end, but I was never in the race!
This is really worrying because if prices keep rising like they are, I won't be able to collect any more simply because I won't be able to afford to. I could always give in and spend a huge amount on a single lantern but that's not what I want.
It is getting harder to find bargains in the UK. I do still suspect that some of these extremely overpriced ones may be some form of money laundering.
There must be a bunch of highly enterprising people or group out there somewhere who seem to be gradually and successfully cranking up the general prices of these things in recent years,..especially so after the pandermic. Unfortunate it might seem, but there are a lot of collectors' forums and clubs Worldwide that are contributing enough awareness of the historical value of these items. This might indirectly cause an increase in the hype and popularity of these classics as some "rare and exotic" collectibles. There are a substantial lot of people out there who do have pretty deep pockets. They're gonna hoard an awlful lot of them. If this continues, a lot of us might eventually have give up collecting. It is not only that the prices would be prohibitive but the prices to be offered to anyone who is willing to part with their beloved collections are going to turn irresistibly attractive to many..
They will never get my lamps, no matter what the price's are. Unless it's my lamps that I have bought for spare parts and are of no value to me.
The Restoration Shop perspective. What's Going On? My thoughts.... Vintage and rare lanterns and lamps have been "discovered" now by a lot more people. This is continuing to expand. Why? Because many of us posted videos/photos, documents etc. of our enjoyable, wonderful, rare, or not as rare & cool lanterns and lamps. We did it to ourselves.... Today on the web, I can bid a lantern in France, Germany, Spain, UK, USA, Australia, India, etc... continuing to expand. Others can too, and they are. Here in the US unlike the UK most "brick-and-mortar" Antique stores have now gone away. Antiques are unpopular, almost unsalable. Mid Century Modern is in.... so is recycling vintage industrial, that is our pressure point! My guess is most US sales now are taking place on-line in auctions. On-line sources have expanded exposure creating more collectors & greater demand for limited items. Scarcity + Greater demand = higher prices
These lantern price in Japan now anything possible. They are just trying to find someone does not have knowledge but just want to have some. Even the COVID-19 makes market price pushing up.....
I have been selling online some of Kerry's (@kerry460) stoves and lanterns for his deceased estate, and participating in and watching other auctions. I see two classes of "high bidders": one is the "new" collector looking for a specific item, which may not be uncommon; the second is the established collector wanting a specific item that is very hard to come by. I haven't seen any evidence of "money laundering" behaviour - casinos and poker machines (slot machines) are far more discrete, easy and efficient for that purpose. Funnily enough, one of the highest prices I got for one of Kerry's items was for a bog standard late model Coleman. Someone wanted it to go camping, and paid the money. I also agree with the observations of @moka JPN. Cheers Tony
I’m surprised to hear you say this. I can drive twenty miles from my house and find 30 antique shops. They adapted and went online during shutdowns but many are to lazy to list all of their wares. I meter my intake by not going picking. I’m not finding common items as much as 1920’s gpa and earlier. I’m finding it’s still out there and not necessarily expensive. Maybe it’s a east coast USA thang?
Hi Kevin, I own a restoration company. We do furniture and wood finishing for the most part. Been doing restoration work since early 1970's. Here on the West coast. The population is not nearly as dense or area as old as your location. Antique in my realm means minimum 100 years, but for some means pre-industrial revolution. As you noted; most to survive went online- ending Brick & Mortar physical locations. This happened here big time! Near my home a Victorian town which advertised itself to have "The Greatest Number of antiques stores in the State", had over 200 shops, now has two malls left and signs begging for shoppers. Most antique stores there have converted to restaurants, Taverns & coffee shops. Property values further exclude them coming back. A new home near my shop in January last year could be purchased for just over $500k. Today none selling less than $1.2 million, and multiple offers. Thanks Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing... They are now my customers. Antiquing is no longer a thing here, except on-line. Furniture has had it the worst, I think. Today a great assortment of late 1800's -early 1900's Oak/ mahogany or walnut antique dining tables can be had less than $100. The same would have been $2,000 and more in 2007. My 19th century Wooton Patent Desk, "The King of Desks" which in 2007 was valued at 17k + today will have a hard time finding a buyer at any price. Here the genuine Welsch Dresser w/ pot board from the 18th century, wrought iron hooks, wonderfully sagging top at the middle & great patina. Would have been around 11k a few years ago, now no takers here. 19th century Secretary Abitant, Fine Carved mahogany Game tables, Wonderful Rosewood Belter chairs, list goes on and on. Sorry for all this gloom, But, vintage pressure Lanterns and lamps, now that is a bright spot!
At lot of people buy and sell through on-line sources these days. Its already Global. Its gradually get harder to afford 'brick & mortar' when the income from sales and profits are falling behind and not at least some orders higher than the cost to sustain the operations. The shift in wealth and the number of people who are willing spend seemingly large sums of money for these seems to come from the Eastern part of the World for now. It will be inevitable. Just like the Pandermic, it'd sweep across the rest of the World and there would be nearly no resistance that could hold up before it has taken its course. It'd remain hot for a while before subsiding back, just like the antiques' case mentioned by Ole Larsen. History has shown these traits many times over.
Most of those early pieces look out of place in most modern homes. That doesn’t help. Note the bulk and focus of my GPA collection is antique not vintage.
Hi all check this out for madness, sold for, and the globe was cracked, I believe it was an aftermarket globe as well.
Its the same with classic cars, especially 60's - 70's Fords, the well off are paying more for the rarer ones and the values of the lesser models are soaring because of it, i had a couple around six years ago which would now be worth at least double what i sold them for, Still at least the shipping is still a bargain on this Petromax
