....... (was Canes or Walking Sticks=Help needed.)

In rec.antiques, Kris Baker wrote:

Oh YOU are the ONE to blame for all this sending me all these morons that expect EVERYTHING in ''perfect condition'' regardless of any other considerations or to the object itself.

Unless, I'm living on another planet, MOST of what I buy and sell has 'some' sort of damage. These days I'm increasingly coming in (unavoidable - try as I may) contact with folk of this attitude ''well I only buy perfect antiques'' the sort that refuse a 150 year ceramic because it has paint loss or refuse a mid 19th century desk because it has ink stains or a watercolor because it's foxed. No doubt, 'condition' is important and plays its 'own part' in determining the desirability and the final price of any object - but without doubt, there's a level of 'damage' that is acceptable and that level will depend on many factors, conditions and considerations (or should do) and what the level of your own expectations are - before we can determine the 'condition' of anything

I suppose at the end of the day it depends on one's definition (within the antique collecting hobby terms) of 'condition' - So what does 'non-mint items' - 'less than perfect condition' - 'not in top condition, avoid it like the plague' - 'our credo has to be condition-condition-condition' - all mean? - it's gobbledegook talk to me ...... Care to clarify?

Ronnie

Ronnie McKinley wrote ... well, I can't speak for Kris [under these conditions], but methinks we've sort'a beaten this to death. allow me to summarize: 1. condition is a key factor in an antique's sale; 2. many advanced collectors put it before all; 3) many other collectors swallow hard and accept lesser condition in an attempt to own a rare example, hoping to be able to 'upgrade' later.

of course rarity and price are also major factors. if the 'holy grail' was discovered in a dusty corner of some Suq I doubt anyone would refuse its purchase: 'yeah, it's kind'a nice for its age

Of course. You mean you never saw 'Monty Python 2: Return of the Holy Grail'?

Charleen getting out my set of coconuts and swallow reference manual