Is the bubble bursting?

[Oyster 49]

After seeing a couple of those ones "We are not allowed to mention" fetch new record prices, it's interesting to see little bidding for the last unmentionable outboard, and also a nice original SD see no bids at all, at a high ish initial price. Could it be that the market for collectable engines has peaked?

Perhaps those few around with money to flash have now satisfied their urge?

[Horsley-Anarak]

After seeing a couple of those ones "We are not allowed to mention" fetch new record prices, it's interesting to see little bidding for the last unmentionable outboard, and also a nice original SD see no bids at all, at a high ish initial price. Could it be that the market for collectable engines has peaked?

Perhaps those few around with money to flash have now satisfied their urge?

"it's interesting to see little bidding for the last unmentionable outboard" that was the one with the duff gearbox ( homemade impeller cover).

"also a nice original SD see no bids" was that the one with a £180 starting price?

Not sure the market has or will peak, those with the deeper pockets will always buy what they want, don't forget as in any auction or collecting market, condition has a large impact on final price.

I would say a good SD is worth £100 as they are not rare, a good 40 + with a bronze colour flywheel may be worth £60-£80.

But as we are in a recession I will not be selling my over stock yet, as I believe that the buyers are cautious.

Now is the time to buy.

H-A

[david doyle]

But as we are in a recession I will not be selling my over stock yet, as I believe that the buyers are cautious.

If the overstock brings you joy keep it and enjoy it but if you think anyone is going to have more money to spend in 5-10 or 20 years I fear you will be disapointed. If people are not buying toys when the interest rates for thier savings account are 0-.75% then they sure as heck are not going to be buying anything when thier mortgages go up to 9-12%! That being said IMHO a good seagull is worth more then what they often go for but that is based on thier value as a tool not as a collectible.

But then again who knows, when no one can afford a new merc or tohatsu for thier tinny then the price of gulls might go up.............

[Niander101]

I would of bought that SD for the carb alone but too far down and ima bit skint as im getting a small mirror dinghy to play with
its back on now at £130 and it will sell for sure this time
im coming down to York but its still a fair way down
What happened with the unmentionable outboard...did it sell?

[Horsley-Anarak]

If the overstock brings you joy keep it and enjoy it

It is not a case of enjoying it, it is a case of being able to get into the shed.

H-A

[david doyle]

H-A,

I dearly hope the price of sheds does'nt spike cause then you will have a real quandry FYI meat hooks hooked to rafters allow you to hang gulls in that dead space above the first layer........ or are you already using the cord wood approach to storage?

[Oyster 49]

H-A obviously needs a bigger shed!

[Oyster 49]

those with the deeper pockets will always buy what they want,

Problem is I have short arms

[Niander101]

We noticed!

[headdownarseup]

oh how i long to own an old marston.
3 or 4 in the last year alone and two this year already.
one of which i placed a couple of bids on. condition unknown?
is it really worth the gamble spending say up to £500 for an OA that you're unsure will ever run again?

i know that this forum is full of usefull info and lots of helpull souls willing to help and swap parts etc. but honestly how far do you take things especially on something as fragile and rare as a pre war gull. how far do you go with regards to getting it running again and how much would anyone spend realistically with what could end up being an expensive "static display item". truth be told, i love all the seagulls really but have a VERY BIG SOFT SPOT for pre 1945 era seagulls.

the last marston on the bay to me seemed to be quite an interesting proposition. not seized all complete etc. and i would probably have gone and bid up to £750 (does that seem too much) , but i just love the look of the pear shaped exhaust as opposed to the straight exhaust.

when all is said and done, seagull ownership i guess is not all about who can get hold of this motor or that motor because eventually they will in due course ALL become rarer
and i view myself as a meer custodian of these little marvels,ready to pass on this "affliction" to my sons and their sons and daughters after them.

who knows what some of us will be doing 20-30 years from now as a hobby!
i for one will still be cursing and swearing at some old seagull i am sure!
any thoughts or recommendations gents?

regards jon

[Horsley-Anarak]

Buy a nice original, un-molested, low hours OA.

You will enjoy it, after all you only live once.

Now the only problem is finding one

H-A

[david doyle]

Something to consider is the coming world in which "made in England" will be rare enough to spark the interest of non OB/gear head affeciandos. All the time we see yanks paying 3-4x as much for antique tools, engines, firearms, autos etc that were made in USA then the identical (and oft better build) Canadian and Brit manufacture. Not wanting to lump our common wealth brethern in with republicans but I can see seagulls getting more and more attention as you get further and further from your industrial past.

[Oyster 49]

I must admit to being very surprised that the SD on eBay did not sell. Very original and with all the right parts.

[headdownarseup]

H-A
exactly right! all of the unmentionables that i've seen recently have been either incomplete or seized or too far away to warrant any further interest.
i'm sure its been mentioned somewhere on here before that somebody will have a warehouse full of new old stock marstons in some secret location known only to an elite few probably sworn to secrecy.

now where did i see that low hours original condition OA!

[Stelios_Rjk]

Is the bubble getting bigger? Or is it just the wrong season to shop on the bay? I see auctions on fire from the first days.