Coronado

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by MIPS

>runs an antique store.
>has antiques in the store that are not for sale.

I hate these places. Really, what the hell are you keeping it on display if you aren't selling it? It's a complete c*%k tease.

Simple. If it's cool and can be seen from the window then it gets customers in the door, and thus is more valuable to keep. A TV repair shop in my home town in the 90's had a 50's set on display in it's window that was NFS, and the reason was that it was advertisement. A number of TV dealers that sold RCA CT-100 sets new kept one on display for decades afterwards to get folks in the door.

One thing that could change his mind if he wants 'it's weight in gold' for it is to offer him something cooler as a trade. If you have a less rare cool looking 50's TV that is restored and working, then offering a trade might work. If a cool working one is more of a crowd draw than a cool busted one or having one he can use is more interesting to him then that can be a point of leverage.

[decojoe67]

I've been through that same situation so many times. Once, when I was collecting 78RPM records, there was a big pile of them in albums behind the desk of a antiques shop owner for years. He had said they weren't for sale. Finally I got him to consider selling them, and he asked what kind of offer would I make. I said $30 (a LOT in about 1980!). He said he'd be willing to do that, but when I motioned to take a look at them he jumped "Oh no!, it's $30, but you can't look at them". Needless to say I walked away and those records stayed put until the place finally folded. The old man was probably buried with them!