The Sholes & Glidden is unquestionably out of my price range, but, nevertheless, it remains on my “most wanted” list. Now, two such machines are offered on eBay. One (ser. no. A1101) is a factory refurbished model in stellar condition — see listing here. The other (ser. no. A1665), also factory refurbished, is in less stellar condition, but nevertheless remarkable — see listing here.
Both machines are offered for thousands of dollars. Bidding on the first starts at $20,000; the second is offered at a buy-it-now price of $17,900 (offers encouraged) — I noted the appearance this machine in May, when it was offered for $29,000.
What a Sholes & Glidden is worth — in any condition — is hard to say. The S&G is an important and rare type writer, desirable by any collector, but it is likely too rare and expensive. In the “supply-and-demand” equation, it is scarce, but so also possible buyers.
Now, to the QuickStop for a lottery ticket!
© 2015, Mark Adams. All rights reserved.
We’ll see what happens! The cheaper one has been waiting for a buyer for a long time.
White elephants. Probably just as rare as the collectors seriously out to buy one.
Not quite in this class, but have been watching the occasional rare machine turn up on my local marketplace site. The Salter 4 getting a bid of 1000 over a 100 current bid was odd. And not sure that the silver Corona Sterling actually sold at all. Its serial number was iffy and the seller insisted on 3k.
Definitely a spectator sport this, white elephant watching 🙂