Is it getting harder to collect space toys i have a feeling it is. its not just about access to them. its other stuff too. The economic downturn is affecting me personally and I have to watch every penny like never before.
But more importantly, I think the world is generally anti-space travel. It seems luxuriant to most people when humankind is besieged by so many problems on the crust. Its not my view and I'm pleased as punch that Curiosity is trundling round mars despite the apparent apathy towards it.
The Chinese have gone into space again as well today. Maybe they can keep the space spark alive. It does feel as though I'm collecting my space toys in a vacuum, the complete opposite of the space mad Sixties in which I and many of you grew up.
The death of Gerry Anderson has been an unexpectedly sad blow too and all Anderfans will be feeling the same I'm sure. Will it become harder to keep the spirit of his vision alive now that he's gone?
I must apologise for my somewhat deflated tone. I'm having a bad week. Rats have chewed my electrical car cables not once but twice and it's costing me hard-earned creds to keep putting it right, cash I'd spent all week acquiring through sales on Ebay after a 2 year hiatus. I might as well have given the cash to the rats to chew on! Well, they can chew on some nice rat nasty stuff as of tonight. I don't like doing it but my car can't be they're mobile lunchbox!
In an attempt to lift my pot bound humour I've begun to read Moondust by Andrew Smith, an account his journey to discover the NASA astronauts of the Cape and Cocoa Beach. Maybe the heroics of the 'Original 7' and 'The Twelve' can cheer me up. That or the Pied Piper!
What are your views on collecting nowadays readers? Is it getting harder?
Its as tough as old boots woodstock, i feel your pain. Since i was made redundant in March, cash has slipped through my hands like a greased pig. But more importantly, theres a definite greed culture pervading the collecting world, shows such as Four Rooms, Flog it and Cash in the Attic have made everyone with an old Anderson toy think theyre holding a small fortune. Even quite ordinary toys are now priced in three figures in the hope that mugs like us will fork out for them. Weve both seen the unpleasant face of such an attitude at car boots recently. I dont think 'space' is as exciting to the public as some spotty teenager with a guitar and hopes of stardom. Its bread and circuses now, not awe and wonder.
ReplyDeleteThe other unfortunate consequence is something I refer to ad the ' Blog Effect'. If we show a toy on moonbase central, anyone who has one to sell on ebay does a quick google, finds our post and either cites the blog directly, or adss 'project sword' or 'century 21' to the title. Some amusing listings have been a project sword badge made by Wotan and Golden Astronauts by Paul Vreede! The other, darker side appeared when some chancer anounced that they had a c21 Bridgelayer Tank, which woodsy has been after for years. Shortly after, one magically appears on ebay priced at a thousand pounds.
ReplyDeleteI find that the fairly narrow field I collect (Anderson stuff) is still out there but I have to wait till I find a battered one to restore, to get one for a none-ludicrous price. The interest in spaceflight would be there if there was much going on, preferably past low Earth orbit.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting question in many ways, Mr. Woods. First of all, I do not belive that interest in space toys or in GA merchandise is waning - quite the opposite! Where there is demand (or even wishful thinking), these ludicruous asking prices surface. No denying though that the SWORD Blog may have - quite inadvertently - had its effect on the rise of prices, as it was relatively easy to collect the basics of the SWORD range just a few years back. (And not to miss the bright side of it, however irrelevant to immaterialists like us: the value of such collection is on a constant rise.)
ReplyDeleteLooking at the broader picture, the space plastics as I call them are still relatively affordable when compated with the top tiers of tinplate space toys. And there is also a very unorthodox way of thinking that actually high prices protect rare pieces from oblivion, even if the said fact does not bring them easily to our adoring and very justified custody.
Cheers Arto
Bring it on!
ReplyDeleteWoodsy, don't feel like the Lone Stranger. The budget crunch really hit us here too: had to buy a new car a few years back (still paying); our 14 year old HVAC unit went last year (still paying); a ton of car repair bills for the missus and oldest kid (still paying) and in just three weeks we start the sequestor and I get one day a week off without pay until the end of September. Yup, the budget is shot all to Hades. However, if I'm careful, there's still a little wiggle room for small purchases. Also, too this is a good time to take stock of what I have and perhaps make a diorama or two - make use of the toys on hand as it were.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Arto, at least here in the States, I don't really see a space toy crunch IF you're willing to step out of familiar territory and consider things you might not have ordinarily collected. Yes, there are some really pricey things out there, but there are a lot of not-so-expensive items as well.
Don't despair, keep on keepin' on, and as I always say - Enjoy!
Ed
Sorry to hear you sounding a bit down Woodsy, trust you get those rats.
ReplyDeleteI think there will be interest in Anderson-related stuff for some time yet. I think the market is driven by a particular age group- adults of a certain age, particularly when children have left home, tend to seek out toys from their youth. It happened with eg. large scale tinplate trains, Dan Dare, and it's happening with Anderson now. As a result, market prices, at least temporarily reflect the demand.
I guess the internet, and people looking to earn a living form their hobby, have also driven prices up.