Well, MAX is a week or more behind us. I thought I�d share what I saw. I had a good time and met lots of guys from GDC and other old friends. I got to speak French with Patrice, Stephane, and some other gents, but each year I get more rusty.
I did not buy anything at the MAX except a shirt, but I did pick up a dagger that I had bought about a month ago. Pics later if I remember.
What was not selling? SA / SS / Army / Luftwaffe unless they were rare, pristine or decently priced. Unfortunately, for the last 18 months, many sellers have been pricing these daggers aggressively and they are still on the tables. Same ones you saw at SOS and MAX 2007 � and will see for a while to come, but they will have more patina
. Note that many of these are probably consignment items where the customer has set an unrealistic price.
What was selling? The top quality items or rare items sold well as usual. Damascus steel daggers and particularly swords. I saw great DRK leader, RLD leader and similar daggers sell well. The best HJ RZM I have ever seen sold for over $1000. Imperial Navy daggers were in demand but very scarce.
Who was doing the selling? As at most shows, the top 25% of the sellers have the top 75% of the decent items and they did well from what I saw. Post-MAX conversations confirm this. Also I saw a lot of really nice artifacts brought into the show. Not some fellow wandering in asking �What is this and what is it worth?� but knowledgeable collectors bringing in items to sell.
Who was not selling? The numerous tables filled with below average web gear, uniforms, canteens, field manuals, worn out military rifles, rusted bayonets, etc, etc. You have all walked by these tables. Fading patriotic posters, moth eaten flags, training bullets, and � the occasional gem we all look for. Every show has a generous share of these tables but this year they seemed dead.
Here are some other random observations:
- Skipper Greenwade is right in another thread about lower visitor numbers and more tables sales. Given the economy, More turned up than I would have guessed. It was really lucky that it was not this last weekend.
- I did not have to get my badge perforated each morning. I never understood that anyway. Andy was right. Roll Tide.
- The food court had decent hot dogs this year. And a pleasant cashier.
- You would have thought that Radisson owners would have kept the hotel open to fill it for one last MAX. It was not that great a place, but the ability to walk to your room and stop for a brewski or twoski on the way made up for a lot.
-I noticed that the new gravity knife book sold pretty well on Lance�s stand.
- Comfort Inn .....
Dave
