Im going to have an ebay clearout of some lamps as circumstances dictate. How do people prefer to buy? Untouched, wiped and cleaned, or polished?
Untouched - that gives the buyer the flexibility to do what he wants with the lamp/lantern. Having said that, completely scruffy lamps may not attract much interest or a decent price so it may be better to wipe and clean. OPINION ALERT! - On the other hand, some folk show a magpie-like tendency to accumulate, randomly, unnaturally shiny articles for display/what they call 'conversation pieces' etc. and seem prepared to pay a premium for them. So that's been ***k-all help, really, hasn't it...
Yes, it can work either way. If I sell a lamp without cleaning it I point out to would be bidders that they could polish it up themselves and save paying an extortionate price for someone else to do it for them.
I'm going to be even more annoying and say I like both depending on circumstances. Also, you'll most likely get more money for shiny things but genuine collectors will prefer a quick wipe and nothing else. When I'm buying I prefer them sraight out of the shed/barn/garage so I can do the fettling myself.
There is something about an original finish, the history of an object. For me, I like to see the originality..... that said I have projects here that will be restored beyond what they ever were, that's only because what their original finishes are well and truly gone. The vote? Untouched. Stevie
Definitely untouched. I like the fettling process, it’s huge part of the attraction to this hobby. It’s like a Phoenix rising from the ashes.
The line is crossed once you are "fuzzing it up". That is trying to make it more than it should be or what it ever was at first. There are different ways to cross the fuzzing rule. Polish, electrocution and other ways, they are almost without end. Zen and the art of MC maintenance - I wish I had a deeper understanding of it.
Whilst most of us prefer to get the lantern as a barn find I have noticed clean working lanterns on eBay often sell for a higher price (magpie affect ). But if it is a really rare one it makes little difference.
As long as the lantern is all there, and not rotted all to hell, I'm a happy camper! I can do what polishing and cleaning has to be done to my liking when I get the lantern. I once bought a Coleman 228B lantern, circa June 1931, for $35 off the bay. It didn't look good at all; filthy vent, garbage all over the tank, etc. A real pile of sh.., to say the least. I got it for "cheap parts" for other 220/228B models. However, when I received it, much to my surprise, the tank once cleaned with some metal polish was absolutely beautiful! Not one dent or ding. The top/vent was flawless, no chips what so ever. Finally, it also had the photo etched brass direction disc which are a little hard to find. When I finished with it, I could not believe it was the same lantern! You never know what you might find hiding under all that gunk.
The higher price has to do with the Asian collectors who prefer pristine lanterns. And they have the money nowadays and the internet and postal service.
As already mentioned, it depends what they are and how much you want to get for them, in my experience a cleaned, serviced, working lamp seems to sell better and fetch more than an as found one, depending on rarity etc, the more hands on collector prefers to do the work themselves but they are also the ones that look for a bargain.
