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abalone train

Hand Lettering topics: Sign Making, Design, Fabrication, Letterheads, Sign Books.

Moderators: Ron Percell, Mike Jackson, Danny Baronian

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Doug Bernhardt
Posts: 1077
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:29 am
Location: Ottawa Canada
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abalone train

Post by Doug Bernhardt »

Pete Payne forwarded this link to me and said "please tell this isn't the one that went unsold at a $10,000 reserve on ebay last year'

http://www.antiquetrader.com/article/ra ... ks_records
BruceJackson
Posts: 251
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2004 7:28 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Re: abalone train

Post by BruceJackson »

there was another post a few days ago pointing to this sign.

In one way, I'm glad signs are starting to realize some decent value, but I also feel that this one is over-priced and can't be regarded as a typical example of sign collectibility.

It's just not that outstanding compared to some other works. I assume the buyer had some other special reason or connection with the work to pay that much for it. I think the price reflects more than it's artistic and technical merits.
Kent Smith
Posts: 569
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2004 6:41 pm
Location: Estes Park, CO
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Re: abalone train

Post by Kent Smith »

Rarity seems to boost the price someone will pay beyond any realistic intrinsic value.
oatis
Posts: 66
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2004 12:33 am

Re: abalone train

Post by oatis »

COOL! Wish there was a better picture, and some scale. It almost looks like the pearl is burning through some varnish glazes (as you sometimes see on the Western Sandblast pieces) but that is probably not the case.

My guess is that at that price the buyer is the railroad itself--and this is a museum acquisition--or some seriously committed ( and well-heeled) railroadiana buff, who sleeps in train P.J.'s and an engineers cap.

I would've been willing to knock him one out for a hundred grand. Sigh.

Oatis
Larry White
Posts: 1213
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 4:18 am

Re: abalone train

Post by Larry White »

You mean like these?

Image

Image

This is the same one, as you can see the area where the paint is missing from the tree and the backing board is showing through.
Jerry Berg
Posts: 369
Joined: Wed May 02, 2007 3:17 pm
Location: pacific northwest

Re: abalone train

Post by Jerry Berg »

Thanks for the better pics!
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