Whether it be a CB&Q artifact, model or book or anything 'old' for that matter;
some eBay sellers (and some Swap/Antique Show sellers) are very loose with the
word "rare". Conversely sometimes they have a truly rare item for sale but do
not realize it! Caveat emptor at both ends!
So what is "rare"? (or 'scarce') One, many Sellers unless 'in the hobby'
have no idea as to how rare an item truly is. They may never have seen it
before but that does not make it rare (I've gone yrs looking for ONE early
1920's CB&Q public TT which is not rare in & of itself but for some reason I
just could not find one yet can find lots of relatively rare USRA issues). So
unless you are bound and determined to add 'x' to your collection or layout,
don't jump at what may be common (but with a 'rare' price) even if marked
'rare'.
Examples: Nickel Plate Products, a brass importer in the "70's (Dentist from
Chicago area as I recall) brought in pretty decent H.O. CB&Q K-2 4-6-0 models
for $99 ea - AND he imported 1000! So this is undoubtedly one of the largest
runs of a single prototype steam loco model (an aside; major problem was a
motor than overheated easily but an old BB from CB&Q H.S. days had a good
article on how change it out for a better can motor)
Anyway, these surface on eBay (babyboomers are aging!) and those who do not
know better may think 'wow, there were probably only 50 or 100 of these run, I
better pay $500 and be happy'. (yes I realize brass appreciates but not the
same rate when 1000 are imported as opposed to a small normal run)
CB&Q was prolific with many brochures, postcards, etc. So unless you have to
have it "now", do NOT pay $10 for a common postcard showing the post-War Twins
passing along the Mississippi. Ditto for many brochures (CB&Q usually put in
code how many were printed on bottom corner of back cover or inside back cover:
35M = 35,000) Now there are exceptions: that common Twin Zephyr card BUT with
a clear RPO cancel and/or a good message from someone describing the trip is
far more valuable than an unused one or one with a generic cancel. Same for a
Q menu signed by the Steward or by a VIP; there are "extras" that do add value
(and of course anything YOUR grandmother saved from a trip in the old
Ditto for a cover (envelope) cancelled for the 1st run of the Pioneer Zephyr.
Here you have to consider WHICH 'first run' - the one to the Chicago World's
Fair*, non-stop from Denver OR the first in revenue service? Both envelopes
exist and are not 'rare' (they filled those mail compartments!) but the former
is less common than the latter. (*NOT to be confused with the very common
'issued AT the Fair')
And there are sometimes limited editions of 'common' brochures: the common CB&Q
"Fast Mail" booklet that is softbound and the truly rare HARDbound version.
Then there is condition. Most of Richard Overton's books can be found at fair
prices (2 republished in softbound) but the Gulf to the Rockies (C&S/FtW&D
history) is hard to find with a good dustjacket; ditto for Granger Country. Of
course if d.j.'s are unimportant, go for the bare book. And an autographed
copy is obviously worth more; ditto for Corbin's.
And as mentioned in an earlier post, there are repros, "cinderellas" & the
'other' CB&Q. Fortunately there are few repro's. If you only want one 1920's
CB&Q TT in your collection (or just one pre-1900) buy the repros BUT pay repro
price! I know of at least one embarrassed mbr of this list that paid 'real'
price for a repro. (I goofed once yrs ago buying an old TT and not thoroughly
looking it over til I got home and found several pages missing!)
Again, 'cinderellas' are in the eye of the beholder: want that Athearn-made
DD40 in Chinese Red - go for it but make sure you know it was Irv's imagination
(ditto for his 1st run of shorty CB&Q streamlined passenger cars painted in red
in the 1960's) Those who have been to our home at Christmas know we run a
Lionel around the Christmas tree for fun but the detailed prototypical CB&Q HO
models are reserved for the eventual layout. Do what's fun but be sure of the
price!
Then there is that really good side of the coin: the Q fan who has just a
couple items & assumes he has nothing most people don't already have a dozen
of. Again, you may be the person, by luck of the draw, with a truly scarce
item! So bring that 'common' item to a meet and check out its scarcity.
Until BN opened its vaults and sold old CB&Q stock certificates (full page ad
in Trains in the 70's!) to own a Q stock certificate was rare indeed as
virtually all were held by GN/NP nee BN; less than 2% were in private hands.
But to this day, due to that sale, certain CB&Q stock certs are very common
(while a few issues remain rare - perhaps that may be a good Zephyr article!)
Enough for now - let others chime in re: brass or plastic models (early
Athearn, Mantua & Varney METAL CB&Q!), collectibles, etc. Lets see where this
string takes us with but one goal in mind: to allow all Q fans to gain as much
'stuff' at they want at fair prices; only paying for RARE items when they are
indeed rare (like the 1949 Wall calendar which has become a Holy Grail; right
Archie?)
PS - this post prompted by several people asking me as to 'value' of items.
Again. value is how badly you need it, condition, rarity, special features,
etc. There are some things I personally value more than others & vice-a-versa;
depends on what you like (I'm not much for Q hardware as opposed to 'paper' so
see things differently than the hdwe folks and since I model LaCrosse Div,
their ETT's are "worth more" to me than a Creston or Beardstown. That said a
"Centerville" is high value no matter who you are as it was gone by the late
40's, was a small division & not in a metro area with people saving them and
thus is indeed scarce to rare depending on age/condition.
Gerald
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