----- Original Message ----- From: Daniel To: classicredezvous@bikelist.org Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2001 11:26 AM Subject: Re: the hoarding instinct, Collecting, Selling
Dear Group,
I have been following with great interest the thread on the future of collecting lightweight bicycles and the influence of the internet, affordability, etc., in light of the big prices asked these days for a Confente, Herse, etc.
There have been some admirable voices of sanity raised.
I would like to share a remark made by a Mr. Fred Fisk, a Wheelman and collector of antique bicycles. A couple or three years ago at a show and swap meet we were talking about collectors in general, the lengths to which certain collectors will go to get your better bikes away from you, seller's remorse, and so on. Fred looked at me and said, "Every time you sell something, you get gypped."
Fred went on to explain that the really fine examples of anything continue to rise every year. Even when you get top dollar for an item, in a while the market value will rise and eclipse that price.
Fred's motto may not speak for health or sanity, but to my mind it describes with great accuracy the true collector's state of mind, for better or worse.
Warmly, Daniel