Your choice of three 1930s/'40s Selmer guitars...

AndyW

A nice range of three old Selmers for sale at this UK auction in a few weeks, including a Eddie Freeman tenor ("ripe for conversion", as they say on those property-makeover shows)

ChrisMartin

Yeah, all interesting but the trade will be watching too.
Those pre-sale estimates and starting bids are what in the antique trade are known as "come-and-get-me" prices guaranteed to attract maximum interest from the average buyer but that means the more interest they can create around a sale, the higher it will go.
Even the Eddie Freeman today would probably get more than the top estimate.

That's not to say I wouldn't want one either, if only.................

crookedpinky

I did see an Eddie Freeman go for 1300 pounds in Glasgow about 5 years ago but it was seriously knackered with an almost totally destroyed top.

AndyW

My gut feeling is the 'trade' will pay about half what they'd sell for later -
so here's a player's chance to "cut out the middle man" -
[*if* you know what you're doing / willing to take a chance / know a tame luthier ]

p.s. are the Petit bouche Selmers more sought-after than the Grande bouche ??

crookedpinky

Personally speaking I'd prefer a Petite Bouche simply because of the scale length and the 14 frets to the body.

ChrisMartin

AndyW wrote: »

My gut feeling is the 'trade' will pay about half what they'd sell for later -
so here's a player's chance to "cut out the middle man" -
[*if* you know what you're doing / willing to take a chance / know a tame luthier ]

Yes but retail in the trade for a Selmer Petite Bouche now would be between US$30k and $50k, so say at half price at even $15k is well over the top estimate of about $13k.
And I suspect the sort of collectors happy to pay the top prices would rather pay a dealer to give them what they want than mix with the common herd bidding in a saleroom, and anyway, how many of us average players hang around auction rooms with that much cash burning a hole?

Would be nice to dream though, even better to find I was wrong!

quote]

ChrisMartin

AndyW wrote: »

p.s. are the Petit bouche Selmers more sought-after than the Grande bouche ??[/quote]

Weren't all Selmers the 'Petite Bouche' style after the transition from 1936ish?
The early Maccaferri models had the 'Grande Bouche', and a good original one of those, especially if still complete with the internal resonator (regardless of whether it worked or not) might fetch a good price as a rarity or a collectors piece, but it seems to be the later 'Petite Bouche' models that most players want.
I can't be bothered going to the music room to get my Selmer Maccaferri Story by R.F.Charle to check, but were there many of the 'Grande Bouche' made through to 1952?

tomcunn

looks like there are additional fees; a buyers commission and a 30% VAT

jonpowl

I got to play my first original Selmer today. It was a petite bouche in the 500s and seemed a bit dark while I was playing. Afterwards, I listened to somebody else playing from 10 feet away, and it sounded very nice. I'm not sure I would pay $30,000+, however.

ChrisMartin

tomcunn wrote: »

looks like there are additional fees; a buyers commission and a 30% VAT

Buyer's commission is normal at auction, usually between 15 and 20% but from what I remember the VAT in UK (last I was there) was 17.5% and that would only be calculated on the commission paid, not the total.
Can one of our Brit readers confirm how much VAT is now?
For example at the above rate; 20% commission on a hammer price of £10,000 would be £2,000 and 17.5% of that = £350, so a total cost to the buyer of £12.350.
If VAT applicable to auction fees is now 30% then the total would be £12,600.

crookedpinky

Vat is currently 20% in the UK.